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Wilder To Meet Liakhovich, Now Trained by Mike McCallum

Published

11 years ago

August 7, 2013

The Sweet Science

UNDEFEATED DEONTAY WILDER FACES

FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION SERGEI LIAKHOVICH

IN SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION MAIN EVENT

THIS FRIDAY, AUG. 9, LIVE ON SHOWTIME^®

FROM FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO IN INDIO, CALIF.

Tripleheader Features Two Outstanding 10-Round Co-Featured Fights –

Francisco Vargas vs. Brandon Bennett and Jermall Charlo vs. Antwone Smith

Telecast Begins at 10 p.m. ET/PT

Tickets On Sale

NEW YORK (Aug. 7, 2013) – Undefeated heavyweight Deontay Wilder, most would agree, is a work in progress. He’s not your typical work in progress, however — unless you consider his record of 28-0 with 28 knockouts run of the mill.

Still, the question on most everyone’s mind: Does the former amateur standout and the last male American to medal in the Olympic Games possess the skills and talent to one day became a world champion?

The 6-foot-7, 27-year-old Wilder, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., will try to extend his winning and knockout streaks when he faces former world heavyweight champion Sergei “White Wolf” Liakhovich (25-5, 16 KO’s), of Scottsdale, Ariz., by way of Vitebsk, Belarus, in the 10-round main event of a tripleheader this Friday, Aug. 9, on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME^® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

In two excellent 10-round co-featured scraps, Francisco “El Bandito” Vargas (16-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Tijuana, Mexico, takes on southpaw Brandon “The Untouchable” Bennett (16-0, 7 KO’s), of Cincinnati, Ohio, in a clash of unbeaten junior lightweights with almost identical resumes, while up-and-coming unbeaten junior middleweight Jermall “The Hitman” Charlo (14-0, 10 KO’s), of Houston, Texas, gets tested for class when he opposes world-ranked Antwone Smith (23-4-1, 12 KO’s), of Miami, Fla.

The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona. Tickets, priced at $25, $35 and $45, are available at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com. Doors open at 5 p.m. PT. The first live fight is at 5:30 p.m. PT.

ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood is looking forward to Friday’s triple treat, particularly the two televised fights that will precede the heavyweight bout.

“The jury is still out, of course, on Wilder, who is taking at least a baby step up by fighting a former world champion,’’ Farhood said. “The other two fights are really good, solid matchups, with the two unbeatens fighting their toughest opponents to date.

“Vargas is clearly taking a step up in class. He turned pro at 25, which is obviously much older than the usual Mexican prospect, but he is very exciting and throws a lot of punches. Bennett is a lefty who’s been brought along carefully. This is definitely a step up for him, too. But both guys are highly schooled and have looked very good in their fights. This is a prototypical ShoBox matchup.

“Jermall Charlo is beginning to emerge from his twin brother, Jermell’s shadow. It is inevitable that they are going to be compared because they fight in the same division. This is a big step up for Jermall, facing a fighter who has made a career of beating unbeaten prospects This should be a supreme test for Charlo, who has never gone past six rounds while Smith has been six rounds or more 13 times.’’

Wilder, who didn’t start to box until he was 21, only had 30-35 fights in the amateurs but earned the bronze medalist at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. He was the least experienced member on the U.S. team yet was the only one to medal.

Since turning pro in November 2008, Wilder has feasted on his foes, mostly demolishing each and every one of them. He has not gone four full rounds in a fight. Sixteen of his fights have ended in the first round, including a 70-second destruction of 2000 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Audley Harrison in his last start on April 27. Six of his fights were over in the second, three were done in the third and three were finished in the fourth.

Currently ranked No. 6 in the WBA and WBO, No. 15 in the IBF and No. 30 in the WBC, Wilder has had one scheduled 12-round fight and three scheduled 10-rounders. This will be his third start in 2013 after fighting six times in 2010, 2011 and 2012. To his credit, he doesn’t take long layoffs between outings.

“I honestly don't have any time off,’’ he said. “I'm always up in the gym. When people call somebody a 'gym rat,' I am definitely that. This is my job and I take it seriously whether I'm outside the ring or inside. The only way to get better is to train and practice hard. The most time I’m off after a fight is maybe a week. After that, I'm training and waiting on the next fight. When I go to camp, I don't go to camp to get in shape. I go to camp to put shape on top of shape. I'm never out of shape.’’

Wilder has been trained since the outset of his pro career by Mark Breland, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist and former two-time WBA welterweight world champion.

“Deontay is great to work with, he does what I tell him to and he’s willing to try anything I say, which is all I can ask,’’ Breland said. “He’s sparring 10 rounds and we’re coming off a great camp. He’s really improved a lot since we started. Honestly, we did not anticipate the knockouts; in fact, we are trying to get him to box and move more, which he’s beginning to do. He’s got good power in his right hand and a great 1-2 punch. So we’re trying to develop his jab. But his power his just overwhelming right now.

“Two greats thing about Deontay are his willingness to learn and his work ethic. He knows he’s still learning and has the right attitude. He’s hungry and works hard in the gym. His shoulders are too tight when he boxes; once he relaxes a little and is able to loosen his shoulders, he will be even more dangerous. It’s all about relaxing, but that comes with experience.

“This is another stepping stone, but there’s no way we take Liakhovich lightly. There are still little things he can do that Deontay’s never seen. Deontay knows he has to be at the top of his game every fight.”

Wilder, who went pro at age 23 in November 2008, will be making his ShoBox debut. He won the WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title with an eye-opening third-round knockout over previously undefeated Kelvin Prince last Dec. 15 on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

“I'm excited to be in the main event on ShoBox on SHOWTIME,’’ Wilder said. “I was on the (network) when I broke Price's jaw. We're just trying to reach our goal. I'm glad to have a great opponent. I can't wait to perform on Aug. 9. It's the Bomb Squad!’’

Liakhovich won the WBO heavyweight title with a 12-round decision over Lamon Brewster on April 1, 2006, and lost it on a 12^th-round TKO to Shannon Briggs the following Nov. 4. He’s fought only five times since and is coming off a ninth-round TKO loss to Bryant Jennings on March 24, 2012.

The 6-foot-4, 37-year-old Liakhovich, who’ll be making his first start for trainer and former WBA super welterweight, WBA middleweight and WBC light heavyweight world champion Mike “The Body Snatcher” McCallum, didn’t perform well against Jennings. But the usually tough and durable 14-year-pro is confident he still has what it takes and has enough left to score what would be a major upset.

“I've been working with Mike McCallum in Las Vegas for over two months,’’ said Liakhovich, who’s counting on his vast advantage in experience and natural athletic ability to take Wilder into unchartered waters. “My main sparring partner is a tall guy like Wilder. I’ve fought a lot of tall guys – (6-foot-6½-inch unbeaten Robert) Helenius, (7-foot-tall, former WBA heavyweight champion Nicolay) Valuev. You need to find the key how to do certain things for this kind of opponent, but it's not so difficult.

“Wilder is a good fighter, his record speaks for itself. But I'm not looking over him, I'm looking forward. On Aug. 9, I will put everything on the line, and I’m coming to win.”

Vargas and Bennett will be making their ShoBox debuts. Both have similarities besides their records. They are close in age (Vargas is 28, Bennett is 25), both were terrific amateurs (Vargas was a 2008 Olympian for Mexico, Vargas won the majority of his 300 bouts), both have about the same amount of experience as professionals, both are stepping up in class and both need to win this kind of fight, by far their toughest to date, to take the next step in making the transition from prospect to contender.

One major difference between the fighters: Vargas is known more for his punching prowess, Bennett for his boxing ability.

The 5-foot-9 Vargas didn’t turn pro until he was 25. But the three-year pro has been kept busy, fighting four times in 2010, five times in 2011, six times in 2012 and twice this year. Three of his fights were aired on SHOWTIME EXTREME, the most recent last Jan. 26 when he knocked out Ira Terry in the second round. Vargas, the WBC’s No. 25-ranked contender, scored three knockdowns en route to a third-round TKO over Christian Arrazola in his last outing on May 17.

“Francisco usually comes to L.A. to train, but he trained in Mexico for this fight,’’ manager Joel De La Hoya said. “It's always complicated fighting a southpaw, but hopefully everything comes out all right. I think Bennett's going to be a little slicker than the last guy Francisco fought, but I don't think Bennett has faced anyone like Vargas. It will be a great fight for both kids.”

Said Vargas, an eight-time Mexican national amateur champion, “I like to dominate the ring. I plateaued a bit after my pro debut, but we're making up time, ready to take that place we seek. We are on track. I love Mexico, but work is in the United States. I will not waste more time. I'm ready for success.”

The 5-foot-6 Bennett is a stablemate and lifelong friend of Adrien Broner and Rau’shee Warren. All are co-managed by Al Haymon and Mike Stafford, and trained by Stafford. This will be his third outing in 2013 after one fight in 2011 and 2012. Bennett’s been triumphant via points in his last four starts, including a unanimous six-round decision over Arturo Santiago this past July 5.

Bennett, a natural right-hander who turned pro at the age of 20 in May 2008, describes his style “like Pernell Whitaker mixed with a little Sugar Ray Leonard.’’ He’s always felt his style was better suited for the pros. “I felt like I would be a better pro than amateur because I’m a counterpuncher,’’ he said. “When a person makes a mistake, I counter off of it. I just feel like it was a better style for the pros.’’

Bennett is hopeful 2013 is his breakout year. “I've been in camp a long time, this whole year, and haven’t had a break,’’ he said. “I went right back to work after my last fight. I've had two fights this year, and I'm with Adrien when he's in training camp. I'm real excited to get on SHOWTIME. I’m ready.’’

Regarding his opponent, Bennett says, “I've seen Vargas fight. He just tries to bring the pressure. I know that's what he's going to try to do. We’ve got a game plan for that. He's going to bring the pressure, but I'm going to bring the pressure back to him.”

Charlo, who is one minute older than Jermell, has won eight consecutive fights by knockout. The virtually untested 6-foot-tall, 23-year-old will be making his ShoBox debut after two appearances on SHOWTIME EXTREME. This is his first scheduled 10-round match.

A top amateur before going pro at 18 in November 2008, Charlo dropped Luis Hernandez two times in the first round and won by second-round TKO in his last fight on June 1.

“I didn't take any time off after my last fight,’’ Charlo said. “I've been sparring with my brother, too, this camp. We haven't sparred in a long time – probably five years. We don’t spar much because it gets kind of intense and a little bit over-the-top, so (trainer) Ronnie (Shields) doesn’t let us spar that often. I've probably done 30 rounds with Jermell; we’ve been getting it on. It was real good work.’’

Shields is delighted with the brothers’ progress. “They’re absolutely great to work with, and they’re both doing great,’’ he said. “I’m very happy with their progress. Jermall is making a name for himself, which is good, and with him going with Al Haymon only makes it better. They’re totally different fighters. Jermall is more of a puncher than a boxer. But both are very focused.’’

The trainer acknowledges that Smith, a solid veteran, will likely present Jermall with his toughest test but that these are the kinds of fights all young up-and-comers have to take at some point. “Antwone Smith is a tough fighter but we have to fight tough fights to get to the upper echelon,’’ Shields said. “This is the latest step for Jermall, a stepping stone that we have to go through.’’

Charlo is looking forward to the challenge. “I think Antwone's full of experience,’’ he said, “but everything is an experience to me. He has a lot of tricks and stuff, so I'm going to fight him off of how I've been training and keep the game plan with Ronnie. I’ll go at him.’’

The 5-foot-8 Smith, 26, is the IBF’s No. 9-ranked junior middleweight. The seven-year pro has won two fights in a row, including a 10-round decision over former two-time WBC lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo last Feb. 1. In his outing before last, Smith scored one of his career-best victories, a 10-round decision over previously undefeated, hometown favorite Ronald Cruz on Sept. 21, 2012.

Smith is 2-1 on ShoBox, winning a 10-round decision over Richard Gutierrez and by ninth-round TKO over previously undefeated Henry Crawford in May and November 2009, respectively. He lost via TKO 9 to Lanardo Tyner in July 2010.

Unlike other young fighters, Smith came up the hard way — an underdog matched tough, and he only reached his current level by winning a number of fights he was expected to lose (he defeated Aaron Torres, 2004 Colombian Olympian Juan Novoa, previously undefeated former Mexican national amateur champion Norberto Gonzalez and Gutierrez to name a few).

“I've added a strength program to my training since I moved up from 147,’’ Smith said. “This time, it's been my whole camp. I'm real pumped-up to see how I feel and how my power and stamina increases. I feel like I've been born again. I’m more alive. I haven't felt this good, mentally and physically, in years. I'm focused and ready. Charlo is taller than me, but everybody is taller than me. That's not a factor.

“Charlo's a little arrogant, but I love that. I'm here to give him a reality test. He thinks everything comes easy. Basically, he’s been fighting a bunch of cab drivers, a bunch of bus drivers. He thinks he’s done something. He's talking big noise, but he's never been past six rounds, and they're worried about that.

“He's looking to go in, get in a couple of hard shots and get the guy out of there. But you hit a guy with experience and he doesn’t go anywhere, you’ve got a problem and the rounds keep going on and on. You're in water you’ve never been in. When the water gets deep, we're going to see if he can swim.

“I'm just hyped up with his arrogance. He’s got a video on YouTube – 'Oh, I'm fighting Antwone Smith. He's ranked number 10 in the world, but I'm going to take that.' Well, I didn't get here easily and he won't take it from me easily. Every day I walk in the gym, I watch that video. It pumps me up for my training session. It motivates me. He ain't been in what I been in.’’

Those in attendance will get the opportunity to get up close and personal with Three-Division World Champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley, who will meet and greet ticketholders, sign autographs and take pictures from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT.

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

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Argentina

Three Punch Combo: What’s in the Cards for Spence, Kell Brook, and Cotto?

Published

8 years ago

May 28, 2017

Matt Andrzejewski

THREE PUNCH COMBO: Errol Spence Jr. scored an impressive knockout victory against Kell Brook on Saturday to take Brook’s IBF welterweight title. Both fighters now face interesting possibilities as they move forward in their respective careers.

Spence, who entered the fight with a lot of questions, not only showcased his tremendous skills but proved he has a very good chin as well as the willingness to dig deep when needed. He is without a doubt a future superstar in this sport. With momentum strong right now, he would be wise to be as active as possible even if not landing one of the big names his next time out.

I sense that Spence’s advisor, Al Haymon, will in fact get him back in the ring this summer. One name I would speculate as an opponent is Adrian Granados. Coming off a debatable loss to Adrien Broner, Granados has earned another shot at a top fighter. Granados is not a big puncher, but will put forth a good effort. The translation here is that he is someone that can be sold to the public as an opponent for Spence while bigger names are lined up, and also someone against whom Spence can in all likelihood look impressive once again.

After a summer tilt, I would expect to see Spence back in action towards the end of the year in a more substantial fight. Keith Thurman will still be on the mend at this point, recovering from elbow surgery, so that fight is out until next year. But Haymon has plenty of other welterweights and one that I suspect he steers toward Spence will be Lamont Peterson. Peterson is a name and has a belt. He also has a stated desire to want one of the big names next along with the payday that it would command. With Thurman out, this would seem the likely immediate path for Spence as such a fight would draw plenty of attention and be easy to sell.

As for Brook, he is going to need an extensive rest before restarting his career. He suffered a beating as well as an eye injury in September against Gennady Golovkin and then suffered another beating as well as injuring his other eye against Spence. After a rest, expect to see a tune- up bout followed by a massive fight in the UK against Amir Khan. The Khan fight has always been big and one of the reasons it has not been made is that it could frankly be made anytime with it still being a very significant event. Considering where both fighters are presently in their respective careers, the timing seems right for it to happen sooner rather than later. They both get a big payday and the winner gets well positioned for another big payday in what is a loaded territory at welterweight and junior middleweight.

Errol Spence Jr. and Kell Brook gave us a great fight on Saturday. While their career paths will head in different directions, expect to see both involved in big events once again down the road.

Miguel Cotto’s Future

Miguel Cotto announced this week that he would be returning to the ring on August 26^th to face Japanese brawler Yoshihiro Kamegai for the vacant WBO junior middleweight championship. Cotto, who split from his promoter Roc Nation last week, will work with Golden Boy Promotions for this fight which will be televised by HBO.

This is an interesting development in the career of Cotto. Reportedly HBO had not been interested in televising the proposed Kamegai fight unless it received assurances from Cotto that it would lead to a bigger fight to be televised by the network. Also, Golden Boy’s involvement in the promotion signals that they could be involved in Cotto’s future. Obviously, this would mean the opponent for a big fight for Cotto would come from under the Golden Boy banner.

The obvious choice for Cotto’s big fight opponent is David Lemieux. Lemieux has been chasing a fight with Canelo Alvarez. However, with Alvarez deciding to go after Gennady Golovkin, Lemieux gets left on the outside looking in. In need of a big fight for Lemieux, Golden Boy saw an opportunity with Cotto having been previously negotiating the Kamegai fight with Roc Nation. A fight between Cotto and Lemieux makes sense for both as Cotto wants a name who isn’t a slick boxer and Lemieux wants a big fight with the payday it commands as well as the opportunity to put a signature win on his resume to bolster his future ambitions.

But I also think Golden Boy has another potential plan for Cotto. Golden Boy’s main cash cow, Canelo Alvarez, is in a high risk, high reward fight with Golovkin in September. There is no rematch clause if Alvarez wins and, of course, a win by Alvarez cements him as a mega star in the sport. He will be eyeing a return in May 2018 during Cinco de Mayo weekend. With momentum behind him, Alvarez would be wise to seek a name opponent to further boost the event. A rematch with Cotto would not only do huge business but keep the momentum going. For Cotto, it would be a chance to avenge the loss from 2015 to Alvarez and give him one massive payday as his career nears a conclusion.

Miguel Cotto is determined to close his career out with something big and it appears likely he will get his wish.

Kudos to Golden Boy

When Golden Boy announced its new series on ESPN this winter, I was cautiously optimistic in the fights they would produce. I must say that the matchmaking thus far on this series has been superb and is getting even better with some recently announced cards. These are the types of televised shows the sport needs to generate some badly needed positive buzz.

On June 17^th, Pablo Cesar Cano takes on Fidel Maldonado in a junior welterweight contest. This fight is not only very evenly matched but can’t be anything except a slugfest given the styles of the two fighters. Cano is a high pressure fighter who is willing to exchange to get his own punches home. Maldonado has the ability to box, but often gets drawn willingly into wars. In 2015, he had a back and forth shootout with Amir Iman in a fight that got some talk in fight of the year chatter. As a matter of fact, round three was probably round of the year that year. Maldonado has a tendency to fire back when he gets hit and with Cano’s style Maldonado is going to get hit a lot. This one is guaranteed action and a perfect fight for television.

About two weeks later, Golden Boy returns with another ESPN card featuring a high stakes junior featherweight contest between Randy Caballero and Oscar Negrete. Caballero is an undefeated former bantamweight belt holder and is a very skilled boxer puncher. Negrete, also undefeated, has shown much improvement inside the ring in his last few contests. The styles of these two should mix well to provide an entertaining fight. It is also evenly matched, and with so much at stake we should see the best of both men inside the ring.

One point I harp on a lot is the importance of good matchmaking, especially in televised fights. Golden Boy is doing an excellent job so far with their new ESPN series providing high quality, well-matched fights. The boxing public is taking notice and Golden Boy deserves much praise in delivering excellent events for the fans.

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel.

IBF welterweight title

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George Foreman Youth Center in Houston Hosts Amateur Event

Published

8 years ago

October 10, 2016

The Sweet Science

George Foreman Youth Center – -Starting with the ring of the bell on October 22nd, local area boxers will be fighting for a spot to represent the Gulf Coast Region at the USA Boxing National Championships & in International Travel.

Weight categories will include: Pee Wee 8-9, Bantam 10-11, Intermediate 12-13, Juniors 14-15, Youth 15-16, & Elite 18-40 in both Open and Novice divisions. Winners will represent the Gulf area at the 2016 USA Boxing Elite, Youth and Junior National Championships to be held in Kansas City Missouri December 4-10, 2016. This tournament is a sanctioned event through USA Boxing the National Governing Body of Amateur Boxing and is a feeder to National and Olympic recognition.

The George Foreman Youth and Community Center was founded 32 years ago in 1984 by Olympic Gold Medalist and 2-time heavy weight champion George Foreman. The GFYCC is dedicated to providing a safe and secure location for youth to participate in sports and after school activities.

“This year for the first time in Houston boxing history, we are developing an elite international youth boxing team,” said George Foreman, IV. “The team will be selected for the sole purpose of training and traveling to other countries to gain experience on an international platform and promote cultural diplomacy! Utilizing grant and donor funding this team will be representing the George Foreman Youth and Community Center and will be announced Saturday October 22, at the Gulf Region’s Boxing Championship. The team will be reviewed by my father, 1968 Olympic Gold Medalist and 2-Time Heavyweight Champion, George Foreman Sr. The first international trip for this new Houston team is scheduled for Jan. 2017.”

Doors open for the Gulf Gloves Championships on Saturday October 22nd at 11:00 am with announcements and the presentation of the colors by the United States Army Houston Recruiting Command Baytown Beaumont Company at 12:45 pm. The national anthem will be performed by the internationally acclaimed Houston Brass Quintet! Boxing will begin at 1:00 pm. Championship finals will begin at 1:00 pm on Sunday October 23rd.

Media open workouts for Houston amateur standout boxers will be held Wednesday October 19th at the George Foreman Youth and Community Center at 2202 Lone Oak Road Houston, Texas 77093 at 4:00 pm.

Confirmed attendees for interviews will be:

George Edward Foreman IV: Son of 2 Time Heavy Weight Champion, President of Foreman Public Relations

Marlen Esparza: 2012 Olympic Games Bronze Medalist, 2014 Amateur World Champion, 2006 & 2016 Amateur World Championships Bronze Medalist, Nine-Time USA Boxing National Champion.

Rocky Juarez: 2000 Olympic Games Silver Medalist, 1999 Amateur World Champion, WBC Silver Featherweight World Champion.

Raul Marquez: 1988 Amateur World Championships Bronze Medalist, 1992 Olympic Games Quarter-finalist, IBF Light Middleweight World Champion.

Frank Tate: 1984 Olympic Games Gold Medalist, IBF Middleweight World Champion, NABF Light Heavyweight Champion.

Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz: WBA Lightweight World Champion, WBO Lightweight World Champion, WBA Super-Lightweight World Champion, IBF Lightweight World Champion.

“Sweet” Reggie Johnson: WBA Middleweight World Champion, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion.

In addition to many Houston area professional boxers and Gulf Boxing Association alumni. Event is sanctioned by USA Boxing – Gulf LBC: 16-25-14268

George Foreman Youth Center / Check out more boxing news and videos at The Boxing Channel.

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Michelle Corrales-Lewis Named New CEO of NV Boxing Hall of Fame

Published

8 years ago

October 5, 2016

Miguel Iturrate

LAS VEGAS, NV (October 5, 2016) – The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (NVBHOF) a non-profit charitable organization which donates to boxing-related causes, is happy to announce Michelle Corrales-Lewis as its new CEO/President. Respected boxing announcer, Rich Marotta, who founded the NVBHOF in 2012, steps down after devoting years of his life to get the organization off the ground.

With a number of boxing greats already inducted, which include world champion fighters, judges, coaches and promoters, the NVBHOF has rapidly established itself as prestigious group not only here in Las Vegas, but around the world. The NVBHOF has multiple fundraising events throughout the year, helping local boxing organizations fulfill their goals to keep boxing alive within the community.

“I took this organization as far as I could and I’m very comfortable where it is at today,” said Rich Marotta. “Michelle is on the scene in Las Vegas, has a myriad of contacts, both in business and with the boxing community, especially the fighters, and is more than ready to completely run the company. She is incredibly capable and has been an indefatigable agent for growth of the NVBHOF the past three years, taking on additional responsibilities each and every year. It brings me great pleasure to announce her as the new CEO of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.”

After serving as the NVBHOF Chief Operating Officer for many years, Michelle Corrales-Lewis, is thrilled at her new position within the organization.

“It’s an honor to be chosen as the new CEO of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame,” said Michelle Corrales-Lewis, widow of former multiple world champion and 2013 NVBHOF inductee, Diego Corrales. “Rich Marotta did a fantastic job building the organization from ground up. His immense work ethic is a great example of how I plan to continue the vision he set forth. My goal is to find a home for the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, one where fans from all around the world can visit on regular basis. The boxing community is filled with wonderful people that we will honor as inductees each year. I’m truly grateful for the wonderful opportunity that has been presented to me by my dear friend Rich Marotta.”

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