Tag Archives: Friday Night Fights

Posted on 07/15/2016

Lipinets, Nyambayar Thunder To Victory
By: Sean Crose

There were complaints that Friday’s PBC card on ESPN appeared to be pretty much the same as an old Friday Night Fights broadcast. For those who don’t know, Friday Night Fights, ESPNs boxing program of old, featured up and coming boxers and gave them international exposure. The PBC, on the other hand, was supposed to bring major bouts to “free” television. Needless to say, ESPNs PBC card on Friday featured up and comers rather than huge stars. So yes, the broadcast did look like an old FNF show. Truth be told, however, I always loved FNF, so I settled in for a fun night of boxing.

The evening showcased a Mongolian fighter who boasted a 5-0 record, all by knockout. Sure enough, Tugstogt Nyambayar stepped into the ring at the Horseshoe Casino in Tunica, Mississippi as a featherweight who was off to a thunderous, if not high profile, start. His opponent, Rafael Vazquez, hadn’t fought since dropping a unanimous decision to Ryan Kielczewski the previous October. Still, with 13 knockouts out of 16 victories in a record consisting of 19 fights, it was clear Vazquez was more than just cannon fighter. Unfortunately for Brooklyn’s Vazquez, Nyambayar kept up his knockout streak by crushing his man in round one.

The main event, which featured 9-0 junior welterweight Sergey Lipinets facing off against Nicaragua’s 26-3-1 Walter Castillo. With a rich background in MMA and amateur boxing, Lipinets was clearly looking to improve his resume -which featured seven knockouts – with a sharp performance. Castillo, however, was known to be a high energy foe. After having one win, one loss and one draw in his last previous fights, Castillo would earn the career boost he needed with a win over the rising Kazakh.

Lipinets took to Castillo with his heavy fists early on, but Castillo remained game. Lipinets split his man’s lip in the third as his hard shots gave him an edge. Castillo, however, was not to be denied so quickly, for he started the fourth with a harsh assault on his foe. Sure enough, the fight started to even out. What’s more, Lipinets suffered a cut due to a clash of heads.

Lipinets nailed his man in the 6th so effectively that it looked like the proceedings might be coming to a close. Castillo survived, though, and remained competitive. Still, Lipinets connected with thunderous precision again in the seventh before banging Castillo against the ropes. Not one to relent, Lipinets swung away until Castillo began to look helpless, leaving the referee no choice, but to stop the fight.

Posted on 02/29/2012

Updated: Show features interviews with Floyd Mayweather & Miguel Cotto from Los Angeles Press Conference

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature former Junior Featherweight and Junior Lightweight titlist Joan “Little Tyson” Guzman (31-0-1, 18 KOs) and Junior Welterweight Jesus Pabon (17-2,11 KOs) in the 10-round main event on March 2. Friday’s show will air at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN3 from Hollywood, Fla., and will include aerial views from the Goodyear blimp. The card is presented by Acquinity Sports.

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Westin Diplomat to describe the action for ESPN2 HD and ESPN3, while studio host Bernardo Osuna will present all the latest boxing news and highlights. Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodriguez will call the fights with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Lindsay Casinelli in the studio on ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights).

Both shows will feature interviews with Welterweight titlist Floyd Mayweather and Junior Middleweight titlist Miguel Cotto from their Los Angeles press conference. ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates will also provide an update from the U.S. National Team tournament and interview No. 1 Lightweight seed Jose Ramirez as he attempts to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Main Event:

Brooklyn N.Y.’s Guzman is coming off a November first-round knockout win over Florencio Castellano. Guzman earned his nickname early in his career going 21-0 with 17 knockouts in his first six years as a professional fighter. “When I first started, I was knocking all these guys out and people said I looked like Mike Tyson in the ring when he was angry,” Guzman said. “One of my friends, always called me ‘Pequeno Tyson,’ and it stuck with me ever since.”

Pabon, of Puerto Rico, will look to rebound after a second-round knockout loss to Francisco Castro.

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Mar. 1, 2012 – On March 16, 2012, Gary Shaw Productions and ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights” bring another exciting televised boxing event to the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, Calif. In the main-event, light welterweights Kendall Holt (27-5, 15 KOs) and Tim Coleman (19-2-1, 5 KOs) battle in a 10-round bout.

Says Promoter Gary Shaw, “This is going to be a great night of boxing. Both Holt and Coleman are looking to get back in the win column and I expect them to come out swinging. A win for either fighter can get them back into title contention.”

Holt lost a split decision and the No. 1 spot in the WBC to Danny Garcia on the Chad Dawson-Bernard Hopkins Pay Per View card last November at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

Holt, who’s managed by star running back Brandon Jacobs of the Super Bowl Champions, New York Giants, went on to say, “I’m going to take advantage of this opportunity that’s been given to me, fighting on ESPN Friday Night Fights. I know Coleman is coming with his A-game, so this will be an entertaining fight for everyone watching. I feel like my back is against the wall and I need to leave everything in the ring. Come fight night I’m going for broke.”

In the eight-round co-feature, undefeated featherweight prospect Abraham Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs), of La Puente, Calif., will take on Gabriel Tolmajyan (12-1-1, 3 KOs) of Glendale, Calif. Lopez, a native of Jalisco, Mexico, is a big puncher with a crowd pleasing style. Tolmajyan will look to use his slick boxing style to get the victory.

In a six-round bout, hard-punching lightweight Alejandro Luna (8-0, 6 KOs, of Whittier, Calif., returns to action when he faces Mexico’s Jose Mendoza (7-4, 3 KOs). Having grown up as a “Charro” in a family of Mexican cowboys, Luna’s natural showmanship is evident every time he steps in the ring. Luna is always looking for the knockout.

In a rematch, Los Angeles’ Roy Tapia (2-0-0, 1 KOs) and Jose Garcia (1-5, 1 KO) of Bakersfield, CA, collide in a four-round super bantamweight bout. The rejuvenated Tapia is back in boxing after his career was derailed when his father was deported back to Mexico and had to leave his corner. Look for Tapia to come out aggressive.

Featherweights, Derrick Murray (1-0-0, 1 KO) from St. Louis, and Tucson, Arizona’s Cesar Valenzuela (2-0-1) battle to keep their undefeated records intact.

Unbeatens Julian Williams (8-0-1, 4 KOs), of Philadelphia, Los Angeles’ Ray Rivera (2-0-0, 1 KOs) and Roman Morales (8-0, 5 KOs) of San Ardo, CA, will box opponents to be announced.

Tickets priced $35 & $55 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Morongo Casino Box office or by calling the Box office hotline at (951) 755-5391. Tickets are also available by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745- 3000 or online at ticketmaster.com.

The Morongo Casino Resort and Spa is located at 49500 Seminole Dr, Cabazon, CA, 92230. Doors open at 5:00 p.m , first fight starts at 5:30 p.m. ESPN “Friday Night Fights” telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.