Category: Bob Trieger

Jason “The Kid” Knight to headline iKON 5

LAS VEGAS (February 18, 2021) – Mississippi featherweight Jason “The Kid” Knight will headline iKON 5, streaming live and exclusively March 5th on UFC FIGHT PASS®, starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, from Biloxi Civic Center in Biloxi, Mississippi. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports.  iKON 5 is presented by iKON Fighting Federation in association with Roy Jones Jr. Boxing. “We’re thrilled to return to where iKON Fighting Federation started last September,” iKON president Keith Veltre said. “We’ve improved each show from then and are prepared for a breakout year in 2021. We were able to successfully launch a new MMA company during a pandemic, despite all of the challenging Read more [...]

Texas middleweight John Vera headlines 2021 RJJ Boxing opener in Biloxi

LAS VEGAS (February 15, 2020) -- Texas middleweight John “The Phenom” Vera returns to the ring March 4th to headline the first 2021 show presented by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions, streaming on UFC FIGHT PASS® from Biloxi Civic Center in Biloxi, Mississippi. The first 2021 installment of RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS® will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. To sign-up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com. The 32-year-old Vera (19-1, 11 KOs), fighting out Forth Worth (TX), will take on California veteran Cleotis “Mookie” Pandarvis (21-7-2, 9 Read more [...]

Richie “Popeye The Sailor Man” Rivera finds a new home in Orlando

Returns to ring Feb. 12th in Orlando on Christy Martin-promoted card ORLANDO, Fla. (February 4, 2021) - It seems only appropriate that undefeated cruiserweight Richie "Popeye The Sailor Man" Rivera (18-0, 13 KOs) has found a new home in Orlando (FL), although his heart remains in his native Hartford (CT), since he followed his partner/head trainer Tony Blanco there nearly six months ago. "I recently went to Universal Studios and it's definitely Popeye-friendly," the charismatic Rivera reported. "They had Popeye rides, souvenirs and novelties. I felt like it's my part of town." Due to financial strains associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hartford Boxing Center (HBC) was closed by the state March 15 and it never reopened. Blanco Read more [...]

Undefeated Jamaine Ortiz Made his bones in the amateur ranks vs. Edgar Berlanga, Teofimo Lopez and Jaron Ennis

WORCESTER, Mass. (January 25, 2021) - Success in amateur boxing doesn't necessarily insure a great professional career. Some fighters are much more suited to be better pros than amateurs, most often power punchers, but it's usually clear early on if a fighter is especially skilled or not. Undefeated lightweight prospect Jamaine "The Technician" Ortiz (14-0, 8 KOs), fighting out of Worcester, MA, displayed his tremendous gifts in the amateurs against some of today's most talented, young boxers. Back in 2012, for example, 14-year-old, 106-pound Ortiz defeated the hottest pro prospect in the world today, 16-0(16 KOs) Edgar Berlanga, of Brooklyn, at the Junior Olympics National Championships held in Lake Placid, New York. Ortiz went on to win 100 of 114 Read more [...]

SFT Middleweight Champion Irwing “King Kong” Machado, Joshua DaSilveira & Reginaldo Junior other award winners

  2020 SFT MMA Fighter of the Year Manoel "Manumito" Sousa   SAO PAULO, Brazil (February 1, 2021)- SFT MMA (Standout Fighting Tournament) middleweight champion Irwing "King Kong" Machado won the most 2020 SFT awards, however, undefeated lightweight Manoel "Manumito" Sousa was named its Fighter of the Year.  SFT Tournament) is the only Brazil-based MMA promotional company to have a panel of mixed-martial-arts experts, as opposed to a popularity vote, select its annual winners. "Under challenging conditions due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and protocols," SFT president David Hudson said, "many of our male fighters excelled and boosted SFT's stock in mixed martial arts. Manoel Sousa is a rising star, and Irwing 'King Kong' Machado shocked the MMA world, Read more [...]

Rafael “Dengue” Silva and Bianca Sattelmayer Dominate SFT Xtreme 2020 Awards

SAO PAULO, Brazil (January 27, 2021)- Brazilian fighters Rafael "Dengue" Silva and Bianca Sattelmayer completely dominated the SFT Xtreme 2020 Awards. SFT (Standout Fighting Tournament) is the only Brazil-based promotional company to have a panel of mixed-martial-arts experts, as opposed to a popularity vote, select its annual winners. The popular, uniquely entertaining SFT Xtreme competition allows striking, kicking and knees, fighters wear 4-ounce gloves, and clinching and fighting on the mat is prohibited. "Fans love Xtreme fighting," SFT president David Hudson said. "I believe it is going to really take off in 2021. Xtreme fighting is the best of MMA, standing, and kick boxing. 'Dengue' and Bianca were clearly the best male and female Xtreme Read more [...]

Kendrick Ball, Jr. vs. Bryan Vera highlight Granite Chin Promotions doubleheader

QUINCY, Mass. (January 26, 2021) - Granite Chin Promotions will kick-off 2021 with a day-night doubleheader April 17, highlighted by a vacant World Boxing Council USNBC (U.S.) Silver super middleweight title fight between former New England middleweight champion Kendrick "Peppa" Ball, Jr. and veteran Texas fighter Bryan Vera, at New England Sports Center in Derry, New Hampshire. "Undoubtedly, over the last two years, Granite Chin has been rapidly outgrowing its 'local club promoter' shell," Granite Chin Promotions president Chris Traietti said. "The key to that has been the willingness to work with other promoters openly and in good faith. This bout (Ball vs. Vera) is a testament to that. We are putting a young CES prospect in with one of our veterans in a dangerous Read more [...]

Ortiz Made his bones in the amateur ranks vs. Edgar Berlanga, Teofimo Lopez and Jaron Ennis

  WORCESTER, Mass. (January 25, 2021) - Success in amateur boxing doesn't necessarily insure a great professional career. Some fighters are much more suited to be better pros than amateurs, most often power punchers, but it's usually clear early on if a fighter is especially skilled or not. Undefeated lightweight prospect Jamaine "The Technician" Ortiz (14-0, 8 KOs), fighting out of Worcester, MA, displayed his tremendous gifts in the amateurs against some of today's most talented, young boxers. Back in 2012, for example, 14-year-old, 106-pound Ortiz defeated the hottest pro prospect in the world today, 16-0(16 KOs) Edgar Berlanga, of Brooklyn, at the Junior Olympics National Championships held in Lake Placid, New York. Ortiz went on to win 100 of 114 amateur Read more [...]

USA Boxing Converts Abandoned Department Store Into National Training Gym for Preparations for Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

Check out the Photo Gallery at the end of the article COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.(January 21, 2021 - When the boxers of the USA Boxing Olympic Qualification Team arrived in Colorado Springs, Colorado. this week they walked into a new training facility with just over six months left until the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and even less time to their qualification tournaments. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, USA Boxing athletes have not been allowed to train in the national boxing gym at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Training Center (USOPTC) since March 2020 and have had to continue to make adjustments to their training plans, which included training at the French National Training Center in Paris in late 2020. After being told they would not be allowed to Read more [...]

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez targets Saul “Canelo” Alvarez for future mega-showdown

LAS VEGAS (January 21, 2021) - If 29-year-old Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs), arguably already one of the top 25 Mexican fighters of all-time, has his way as he enters his prime years, he will eventually have a mega-showdown with fellow countryman Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (54-2-32, 36 KOs) before making their way to the Hall of Fame. "Anything is possible, and it'll be great for fans if a fight for me against 'Canelo' happens," Ramirez said. "With two Mexicans in the ring, you know it'll be a war from round one. We'll see what happens in the future." First, though, Ramirez has some business to take care of starting with a potential Interim World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight World title fight against 2012 U.S. Olympian "Sir" Marcus Browne (23-1, 16 KOs).   The Read more [...]

iKON Fight Federation launched in 2020 & ready to explode in 2021

      Bella Mir and her father, MMA living legend Frank Mir LAS VEGAS (January 19, 2021) - Back in August, veteran combat sports promoter Keith Veltre announced the formation of new mixed-martial-arts promotion, iKON Fighting Federation (iKON), in association of Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions (RJJ Boxing). Launching a new business during a pandemic may not have been under ideal conditions, but four successful events were promoted, establishing iKON as a potential force within the MMA industry in 2021. One show was held in Biloxi, Mississippi, the other three in San Carlos, Mexico. Each was streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world's leading digital subscription service for combat sports. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com. Veltre Read more [...]

RJJ Boxing successfully met 2020 pandemic challenges

Santiago Dominguez  LAS VEGAS (January 18, 2021) - Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions (RJJ Boxing) successfully met 2020 pandemic challenges, promoting eight shows, including seven during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each event was streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world's leading digital subscription service for combat sports. To sign-up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit  www.ufcfightpass.com Keys to its success included RJJ Boxing working with other promoters like De La O Promotions in Mexico and Rite Hook Promotions, keeping its boxers as busy as often as possible despite restrictions extremely tough obstacles, showcasing relatively unknown fighters from Mexico, Guatemala, and Cuba to new audiences, and its strong relationship with UFC FIGHT PASS. RJJ Read more [...]

San Diego amateur boxer Jonathan Mansour experienced emotional roller-coaster ride in 2020

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (January 7, 2021) - In 2019, Jonathan "Magic" Mansour finished fifth at the USA Olympic Trials as one of the youngest competitors in the field, and the now 21-year-old San Diego featherweight had planned to put on a magical performance at the 2020 USA Boxing National Championships this past December, at the Shreveport Convention Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. In late October, Mansour was named as the USA Boxing Olympic Qualifying Team alternate in the featherweight division, replacing the original alternate, David Navarro, who recently turned pro. Brooklyn's Bruce Carrington is the USA Boxing Olympic Qualifying Team representative in the featherweight division, who needs to finish among the top six finishers at the Americas Qualification Tournament this Read more [...]

Jan. 20th ShoBox debut Career-changing opportunity for Unbeaten super lightweight Mykquan Williams

HARTFORD (January 7, 2021) - Last month, hours after receiving the disappointing news that his first fight in 14 months had been scraped, unbeaten East Hartford (CT) super lightweight prospect "Marvelous" Mykquan Williams (15-0-1, 7 KOs) received word that instead of fighting in relatively obscurity in Cancun, he would be making his ShoBox: The New Generation" debut, January 20th at nearby Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Williams, 22, will headline against undefeated Colombian knockout artist Yeis Gabriel "El Tigre" Solano (15-0, 10 KOs) in the 10-round main event on SHOWTIME, airing live at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m., to kick off ShoBox's 20th season. Mohegan Sun is only a 45-minute drive from Williams' home, but his fan-base won't be there rooting him on, unfortunately, Read more [...]

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez improves to 41-0, Michael “The Bounty” Hunter rolls-“Battle of Rio Grande” PPV results from Texas 

GALVESTON, Texas (December 19, 2020) -- The Champ is back! TEAM RAMIREZ (L-R) -- Alphonso Lopez congratulates Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez Former world super middleweight champion Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs), fighting for the first time since April 4, 2019, returned to the ring last night with a vengeance, stopping tough defending North American Boxing Federation (NABF) light heavyweight champion Alfonso "El Tigre" Lopez (32-4, 25 KOs) in the 10th round of the "Battle of Rio Grande" main event.   "Battle of Rio Grande," presented by the two main event fighter's promotional companies, Zurdo Promotions and El Tigre Promotions, aired live on pay per view from the Galveston Island Convention Center in Galveston, Texas. The 29-year-old Ramirez Read more [...]