December 2021 – BOXING NEWS PRESS RELEASES

Pittsburgh’s Matt Conway Headlines “Winter Mayhem” in IBA World Super Featherweight title fight

PITTSBURGH (December 27, 2021) – Pittsburgh favorite Matt “Sweet Child” Conway (20-2, 8 KOs) will fight for the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) Super Featherweight Championship, headlining Gionta Management’s “Winter Mayhem,” January 15th at Pittsburgh Shrine Center in Cheswick, Pennsylvania. The reigning IBA Intercontinental Super Featherweight Champion, Conway takes on cross-state rival Avery Sparrow (10-3, 3 KOs), of Philadelphia, in the 12-round main event. The 26-year-old Conway, who has never been stopped, has reeled-off three consecutive victories. Sparrow’s most notable wins have been against fellow Philly fighter 29-2-1 Hank Lundy (WMDEC10), and 19-1-1 Jose Lopez (WUDEC10). “We have a great, action-packed show lined up here to Read more [...]

Dominican quintet closed highly successful 2021 for Fighter Locker

BOSTON (December 27, 2021) -- Five Dominican fighters managed by Ryan Roach closed 2021 in winning style last month for his company, Fighter Locker, going 5-for-5 in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. Lightweight Leonel de los Santos, cruiserweight Roki ‘Rocky” Berroa, featherweight Orlando Perez Zapata, super welterweight Juan Solano Santos, and Fighter Locker’s latest signee, lightweight Isaelin Florian Henriquez, were all in action this past November 28th. Santos (5-0, 5 KOs), 2-time Dominican Olympian, kept his pro record perfect with a first-round stoppage of Julio Fiorentino (1-2). The 27-year-old Santos is 2-0 since returning from this year’s Olympics in Tokyo. Berroa (2-0, 1 KO), 26, blasted out pro-debuting Leonel Montero Bido only 25-seconds Read more [...]

Power Puncher Ali Izmailov Returns January 7 Against Israel Duffus; World-Rated Light Heavyweight Looking to Showcase Progress

On Friday, January 7, 2022, power-punching WBC #13 and WBO #14 light heavyweight contender Ali Izmailov will return to action in a tough match-up against transplanted Panamanian veteran Israel Duffus on the untelevised undercard of the ShoBox: The New Generation 2022 kickoff episode (9 p.m. ET/PT) from the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Fla. Izmailov (6-0, 4 KOs), from Malgobek, Russia, and Duffus (20-7, 17 KOs), now living in Los Angeles, will be fighting in support of the history-making ShoBox event in which, for the first time in the 20-plus year history of the series, all six fighters enter fight night without a loss. “The Rumble at Caribe Royale,” presented by Sampson Boxing (Ali Izmailov appears courtesy of Salita Promotions), will see the Dominican Republic battle Puerto Read more [...]

World Cup Boxing Series Announces “4-Man Lightweight Tournament”

LOS ANGELES (December 22, 2021) -- World Cup Boxing Series (WCBS), co-founded by CEO Terry Hollan and matchmaker Guy Taylor, today formally announced its “4-Man Lightweight Tournament,” commencing with the February 24th semifinals in Mexico. The venue, competing boxers, and streaming details will soon be announced. “We’re so happy to see this tournament finally become a reality,” WCBS/matchmaker Guy Taylor said. “It was a lot harder than we had anticipated due to ongoing COVID-19 travel restrictions. It seemed like once one country’s ban was lifted, two others were banned. After talking with the CEO, we decided to do an All-Mexico Lightweight Tournament featuring the top available prospects. “I have always been infatuated with tournament elements. When we started Read more [...]

Yamaguchi Falcao to headline February 19 at the Melrose Memorial Hall

Melrose, MA (December 21, 2021) – Super middleweight sensation Yamaguchi Falcao meets once-beaten Fernando Ezequiel Farias in the main event of “Down & Dirty” Saturday, February 19 at Melrose Memorial Hall in Melrose, MA. Presented by Reyes Boxing, tickets for “Down & Dirty” are on sale now by going to Tinyurl.com/4TMZAWXE. The card will also be broadcast on Throwdownsports.com. More information is available by calling 978-745-4007 or going to ReyesBoxingClub.com. Doors open at 6:30 and Melrose Memorial Hall is located at 590 Main St. Originally from Brazil but living and training in Florida, Falcao’s impressive professional record is 19-1-1 with 8 wins by knockout. The 2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist won all three of his fights in 2021 while capturing the WBC Latino, WBA Read more [...]

“New England’s Future VIII” Official Weights From Webster, Mass.

Webster, Mass. (December 17, 2021) – The official weigh in for “New England’s Future VIII,” presented by Rivera Promotions Entertainment (RPE), was held today at Drafter Sports Café in Grosvenor Dale, Connecticut, for tomorrow night’s pro boxing event at Webster Town Hall in Webster, Massachusetts. Tickets are priced at $75.00 (reserved seating) and $45.00 (general admission) and available for purchase or by contacting Jose Rivera (elgallojar@gmail.com/508.864.6954), AJ Rivera (anthoneerivera@gmail.com/774.272.2269) or any of the fighters. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET, first bout 7 p.m. ET. Fighters’ weights are below: _________________________________________________________________________ OFFICIAL WEIGHTS MAIN Read more [...]

Ring 10 Names Dmitriy Salita ‘Promoter of the Year’ for 2021

Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions, wishes to thank nonprofit boxing charity Ring 10 Veterans Boxing Foundation of New York for naming him their “2021 Promoter of the Year.” Salita, along with several other notable boxing dignitaries, will be honored at Ring 10’s Tenth Annual Fundraiser, to be held on Sunday, May 22, 2022, at the world-famous Terrace On The Park banquet hall in Queens, New York City. Established in 2010, Ring 10’s goal is to help retired boxers in need. Ring 10 is proudly stepping up and making a difference with assistance and contributions to all impoverished and/or ailing fighters (regardless of background or origin). A non-profit charity, every penny donated to Ring 10 finds its way to former fighters who fell on hard times after retiring from Read more [...]

Centeno and Harrington Headline as Salita Promotions Returns with Another Exciting Detroit Brawl Event

On Saturday, January 22, 2022, in the Lincoln Ballroom of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, Michigan, Salita Promotions returns for another instalment of their popular “Detroit Brawl” series of professional boxing shows. Appearing in the night’s 10-round middleweight main event will be WBC #9- and WBO #15-ranked middleweight Hugo “The Boss” Centeno Jr., taking on an opponent to be announced shortly. Also scheduled to appear in the co-main event is power-punching undefeated Detroit middleweight “prospect to watch” Marlon Harrington (5-0, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder vs. TBA. Featured in separate eight-round battles, each against opponents to be announced, will be the always-exciting top super-featherweight contender Alejandro “Pork Chop” Guerrero Read more [...]

“The Triple Crown of Boxing” Weights from Montreal

MONTREAL (December 16, 2021) – The official weigh in was held today for tomorrow night’s “The Triple Crown of Boxing,” co-promoted by Top Rank and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), presented by Mise-O-Jeu, at the famed Bell Center in Montreal. “The Triple Crown of Boxing” will be streamed live on ESPN + in the United States, as well as distributed on pay-per-view in Canada, by Bell TV, Canal Indigo, Shaw TV and FITE.TV, in addition to certain authorized commercial establishments Tickets are on sale and available for purchase at evenko.ca. Group reservations can also be made by contacting GYM at info@groupeyvonmichel.ca. MAIN EVENT –WBC & IBF LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (12) (R) Artur Beterbiev (16-0, 16 KOs), Champion, Montreal, Quebec, Canada by way of Read more [...]

Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda fighting at home in San Antonio for his boxing future

LAS VEGAS (December 16, 2021) – Former North American Boxing Association (NABA) Welterweight Champion Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (17-4, 8 KOs) challenges undefeated, reigning North American Boxing Federation welterweight title holder Raul “Cougar” Curiel (10-0, 8 KOs) in a 10-round bout this Saturday night at AT&T Center in San Antonio. Curiel vs. Castaneda is on a loaded card, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and headlined by the World Boxing Association (WBA) light heavyweight title eliminator between Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs) and Yunieski “Monster” Gonzalez (21-3, 17 KOs), streaming live on DAZN. The winner will become the mandatory challenger for WBA Super Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs). This is a potential Read more [...]

Centeno and Harrington Headline as Salita Promotions Returns with Another Exciting Detroit Brawl Event

Undefeated Polish cruiserweight prospect Adrian “Pretty Boy” Pinheiro Preparing to make waves in 2022

ORLANDO, Fla. (December 8, 2021) – Undefeated Polish cruiserweight prospect Adrian “Pretty Boy” Pinheiro (6-0, 6 KOs) recently closed out his first year as a prizefighter in Nashville, knocking out veteran Eric Abraham (6-11, 3 KOs) in the opening round via the 3-knockdown rule. Pinheiro first dropped Abraham a minute into the fight with a right hook, followed that with a straight right, and finished the fight with a vicious right hook to the body with only one second remaining in round one. “I could feel the punch in my knuckles on the first knockdown,” Pinheiro remembered. “I new I had hurt him, but I didn’t want to rush and get caught with a punch. I picked him apart and was surprised he got up after the second knockdown. He’s a tough guy. Everybody is a headhunter. Read more [...]

Sampson Boxing’s Fundora and Ramirez Move Into Position for World Championship Challenges With Victories Last Sunday Night on Showtime Pay-Per-View

A pair of Sampson Boxing’s exciting contenders, super welterweight Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and super featherweight Eduardo Ramirez, moved themselves into separate world-title challenges with career-boosting victories on Showtime Pay-Per-View Sunday night. Fighting on the undercard of Tank Davis’s also-thrilling war with Isaac Cruz at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs) was able to use his amazing physical gifts to outwork Spain’s formerly undefeated Sergio “El Nino” Garcia (33-1, 14 KOs) over 12 rugged rounds; while Mexico’s Eduardo “Zurdito” Ramirez (26-2-3, 12 KOs) continued his surge with a thrilling toe-to-toe 10-round unanimous decision over the always-game Colombian Miguel “The Scorpion” Marriaga (30-5, 26 KOs). Fighting Read more [...]

Joe Smith Jr., Long Island’s working class hero, will make the long-awaited first defense

VERONA, N.Y. (Dec. 2, 2021) — Joe Smith Jr., Long Island’s working class hero, will make the long-awaited first defense of his WBO light heavyweight world title against British knockout artist Callum Johnson on Saturday, Jan. 15 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y. Smith-Johnson kicks off the Top Rank on ESPN 2022 schedule with a battle between two of the division’s biggest punchers. Smith was supposed to defend his title Oct. 30 in New York City, but a COVID-19 diagnosis delayed his return to 2022. In the 10-round featherweight co-feature, the undefeated Abraham “El Super” Nova, who hails from Albany, N.Y., will face Mexican action star Jose Enrique Vivas. Smith-Johnson and Nova-Vivas will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 Read more [...]

After Controversial Decision Loss, Bantamweight Alejandro Santiago Wants Gary Antonio Russell Rematch as World Title Eliminator

Accustomed to boxing’s ups and downs, Mexican bantamweight contender Alejandro “Peque” Santiago says he’s not going to let his nationally televised and highly controversial majority-decision loss to Gary Antonio Russell last Saturday night (November 27) slow him down. With the Showtime cameras rolling at Park MGM’s Dolby Live in Las Vegas, Santiago (24-3-5, 13 KOs) and Russell fought a grueling all-out war for ten rounds with many feeling Santiago’s pressuring style had outshined the undefeated Russell’s speed after 10 intense rounds. However, once again it was not to be for the hard-luck Santiago, as Russell was given the nod via a questionable majority-decision. Judges Steve Morrow and Benoit Roussel scored Russell a 96-94 winner, while Judge Lisa Giampa scored the contest Read more [...]