Press Releases

Ferrer Wins on Brooklyn Show

Published

10 years ago

September 7, 2014

The Sweet Science

FERRER STOPS GORTMAN, MANGAN WINS IN PROFESSIONAL DEBUT

Wesley Ferrer improved to 5-0 with a 1st round knockout of Shiwone Gortman.

Brooklyn, N.Y. (September 5, 2014) – Ronson Frank's Uprising Promotions returned to action on Friday night at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple, in association with former WBO Middleweight Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin. Six pro bouts and four amateur contests were on the docket, with Eileen Olszewski (9-5-3, 1 KO) and Christina Fuentes (3-6-4, 0 KOs) battling to a split draw in the main event. Victorious on the card were a pair of Uprising Promotions fighters, with undefeated 140-pounder Wesley Ferrer (5-0, 4 KOs) earning a first round stoppage while Irish welterweight Darren Mangan (1-0, 0 KOs) pitched a shutout in his professional debut.

In the main event, UBF/IFBA Flyweight Champion Eileen Olszewski (9-5-3, 1 KO) found a game Christina Fuentes (3-6-4, 0 KOs) on the opposite side of the ring. Possessing a distinct height advantage, Olszewski began the fight by trying to walk down her opponent, but Fuentes used nice footwork to work her way out of danger while picking her spots when she saw an opening. Over the middle rounds, Fuentes was the clear aggressor and was fighting with a noticeable amount of confidence. She appeared to be in complete control of the action until the sixth frame when Olszewski started finding success with short hooks on the inside, peppering her Texan counterpart with sharp shots to finish off the stanza.

In the seventh round, things leveled out a bit, followed up by an eighth frame that consisted entirely of close-range exchanges throughout its two-minute timeslot. The duo kept the level of action high during that final stanza, banging it out all the way until the concluding bell.

The tightly contested action made it a tough job on the ringside judges, which was evidenced by three scorecards that were all over the place. The first card announced was 78-74 in favor of Olszewski, followed up by a 77-75 tally in favor of Fuentes. The last count was even at 76-76, making the end result of this contest a split draw.

In the co-main event of the evening, former New York Golden Gloves standout Wesley Ferrer (5-0, 4 KOs) continued what has been nothing short of an electrifying start to his professional career. Facing a tough Shiwone Gortman (4-5-2, 2 KOs), Ferrer displayed great foot and hand speed from the opening bell, and he was in total control of the action. Using feints to offset the timing of Gortman, Ferrer eventually set up what would be the game-winner in the final minute of the first frame. From the orthodox position, Ferrer backed Gortman into the neutral corner before quickly switching to the southpaw stance to unload a crushing left hook to the liver that immediately crumbled his opposition. In an obvious state of tremendous pain, the blow was too much for Gortman to continue, and he was ultimately counted out at the 2:21 mark of the opening stanza.

Making his highly anticipated professional debut on this card was welterweight Darren Mangan (1-0, 0 KOs), who recently made the move from his native Ireland to New York City to work under the instruction of trainer Colin Morgan.

The man on the other side of the ring from him was Kashif Muhammad (0-1), a Harlem resident who was also making his first outing as a professional prize fighter. Mangan appeared to quickly shake off any pre-bout jitters that he may have had, immediately coming forward and unloading a massive number of punches. He then kept that same work rate throughout the four rounds of action, showing good movement and ring generalship along the way. Fitness also proved to be in favor of Mangan, who maintained an intense pace while throwing punches in bunches to the body and head of a very durable Muhammad.

When all was said and done in this pairing, Mangan was awarded for his dominant performance, earning flush 40-36 tallies from the ringside officials.

In what was considered to be the Fight of the Night by most in attendance, junior welterweights Italy Martinez (1-2-1, 1 KO) and Ian James (3-9-1, 1 KO) participated in a non-stop brutal slugfest that went the entirety of its six allotted frames. In the opening round, James worked Martinez to the ropes and began unloading some heavy punishment, although Martinez seemed to be absorbing the punches quite well while he let James burn off some fuel.

In the second stanza, the two combatants stepped into a phone booth, and they did not leave its tight confines for a single second over the next three rounds. Every time James appeared to hurt Martinez with a flurry, the determined Mexican fighter quickly began to counter as if the damage had only awakened him. The duo continued to engage in a back-and-forth battle that put the Brooklyn Masonic Temple fans on their feet, and it was not until the fifth frame that they even attempted to fight at any type of distance. Working behind his jab increasingly more, Martinez began finding openings for some well-timed combinations, and the bout was still very much in question when the sixth round bell rang to signal the end of this entertaining scrap.

After the first judge revealed an even 57-57 count, James emerged victorious in an upset win that was confirmed by a pair of 58-56 scorecards from the remaining pair of ringside officials.

In junior middleweight action, Corona native Frank Castillo (3-0, 2 KOs) put on an impressive performance against a resilient Jonathan Jeter of Brooklyn. Each round of this contest was quite competitive, with Castillo getting off the crisper shots against a pressuring Jeter. Castillo timed the advances of his opponent well, and a hard counter right hand in the second stanza opened a cut on the left eye of Jeter that played a role in the final three frames of the bout. Castillo did buckle Jeter late in the third round after delivering a thundering overhand right, but the tough Brooklyn resident was able to gather himself well enough to get through to the bell. Behind on the cards, Jeter made a valiant effort to spoil the night for Castillo and his team in the last round, but both men remained standing when the fourth and final frame concluded.

With a tally of 40-36 matched alongside a pair of 39-37 cards in his favor, the victor in this outing was Castillo, who went the distance for the first time in his short professional career.

The first professional bout on the slate got the night started with some early fireworks, as unbeaten super middleweight Max Tassy (3-0, 1 KO) hammered Bilal Ali Salaam Jr. (0-1) with a devastating left hand in the opening moments of the first round. The vicious shot would prove to be all Tassy would need to earn his third professional win, scoring the one-punch knockout just 23 seconds into the affair.

Proud supporters of the FDNY and NYPD, Uprising Promotions conducted a fundraiser on Friday night that benefited children with autism. Proceeds from the evening will be donated to The School For Language and Communication Development in Glen Cove, New York.

Tonight's show was sponsored by Brooklyn Brothers, Frank Brothers Fitness, Gotham Gym and Trinity Boxing. For more information on Uprising Promotions, make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@UprisingNYC), as well as by liking our fan page on Facebook.

For interview requests with Uprising Promotions President Ronson Frank or any of the fighters on the Uprising Promotions roster, please contact Archibald directly at jarchibald@ResSports.com to arrange.

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The Sweet Science

Argentina

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

Published

7 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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Canada and USA

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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Press Releases

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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