Tag Archives: rodriguez

Posted on 05/03/2018

By: Ste Rowen

With domestic dust ups, commonwealth honours and a world title fight, Bellew vs Haye isn’t the only intriguing bout taking place in London on Saturday.

Photo Credit: Sky Sports Boxing Twitter Account

Paul Butler v Emmanuel Rodriguez

First up is a bout for the vacant IBF world bantamweight title, recently dropped by Ryan Burnett. Paul Butler, 26-1 (14KOs) takes on Puerto Rican, Emmanuel Rodriguez in an attempt to reclaim the belt he previously held in 2014 when he beat Stuart Hall via split decision. Eight months after that fight, Butler had vacated the bantamweight title to fight for the super flyweight version of the IBF. That night, the ‘Baby Faced Assassin’ had his first taste of defeat when he was dominated, and ultimately stopped by South African, and currently WBA ‘Super’ bantamweight champion, Zolani Tete. Butler has rebuilt well since then, with a nine-straight win streak including a unanimous decision victory in a rematch with Stuart Hall, and although he heads into Saturday’s fight as the underdog, speaking to Sky Sports, Paul’s not falling for the hype surrounding Rodriguez,

‘When you watch him, you think he’s a special kid, but go through the rounds, watch his mistakes, there’s loads we’ve picked up on. He goes to his left pretty much every time, he’ll take a step to his right and then he’ll come straight back to his left.’

‘We’ve both got pretty similar styles, we both love a left hook to the body, we both love going head to the body…I know I’ve trained hard and I’m physically well, I’m sparring well. I believe under Joe (Gallagher) I can get in there with anyone and win.’

Emmanuel Rodriguez, 17-0 (12KOs) is yet to go the 12-round distance. The furthest ‘Manny’ has gone is 10 rounds, when he came up against Albert Guevara in 2016, earning a clear victory across all three scorecards. This will also be the first time Rodriguez fights outside of North America, with previous matchups taking place in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and the US. Though on the surface Butler is showing no signs of concern for the momentum ‘Manny’ has gathered, there’s certainly attributes that will worry him. The Puerto Rican may have been taken the distance by Guevara, but he was teeing off variations of the left hand all night, and he’s not limited to his left. His precision of the right-cross has setup the finish against previous opponents.

Zolani Tete’s record going into the Butler fight wasn’t much to look at, and we saw what happened there. Speaking earlier this week, Rodriguez was eager for fight night to come around,

‘It has been a long road to this fight, but I am ready to win my first world championship. Paul Butler is a good fighter, but nothing can stop me…It doesn’t matter that we’re in his backyard, I’ve done everything right getting ready for this and I look forward to bringing the belt back to my beloved country of Puerto Rico.’

Lenroy Thomas v Joe Joyce

The sole heavyweight bout to grace Saturday’s card sees Commonwealth champion, Lenroy Thomas take on 2016 silver medallist, Joe Joyce.

Thomas, 22-4-1 (11KOs) was last seen in his ill-fated rematch with David Allen in March. That night, the two boxers clashed heads in the first round, cutting Allen enough for the fight to be called a technical draw. The Jamaican is yet to defend his commonwealth title since beating Allen in their first fight last year, fighting just once – discounting the Allen rematch – in an 8-round decision victory over 12-2, Ed Fountain, on the Wilder vs Stiverne 2 undercard.

Much like his fellow 2016 Olympians Filip Hrgovic and Tony Yoka, Joyce, 3-0 (3KOs) is being fast tracked through the rankings with previous bouts including a debut stoppage win over 12-3-1 at the time, Ian Lewison and more recently, a 38 second KO of big talking, big framed, but little fight, Donnie Palmer.

John Ryder v Jamie Cox

John Ryder will take on fellow southpaw Jamie Cox in a domestic showdown that’s sure to get the crowd going before the main event.

Ryder’s last outing was his explosive 5th round knockout of Patrick Nielsen on the undercard of Jamie Cox vs George Groves in October, and the Londoner wasn’t too concerned about having to wait so long for this next fight,

‘There was talk of other fights we were looking at, but they didn’t come off, that’s boxing. It was about picking the right fight, rather than going in there against anyone…I think our styles are geared up for a good fight, it’ll be a real treat for the fans.’

Jamie Cox’s Matchroom career hasn’t exactly set alight since making the switch from Frank Warren’s, Queensberry Promotions back in early 2017. Aside from the stoppage defeat to Groves, Cox has fought four times; 16 rounds against very limited opposition, but he recognises the step up in opponent he’ll be taking this weekend,

‘I’m expecting the best John Ryder. I’m looking forward to mixing it with him…He’s ranked across a couple of the governing bodies and it’s my goal to become a world champion. Beating John will open more doors…He likes to come forward and have a go and I’m always up for the fight.’

With Rocky Fielding vacating the British title, a win for either of these two, puts them firmly in place for the next shot at the Lonsdale belt.

Martin Ward v James Tennyson

With the Commonwealth, EBU and WBA ‘International’ super featherweight titles up for grabs, there’s a lot to play for when Martin Ward and James Tennyson enter the ring.

Ward, 19-0-2 (9KOs) has world honours in his sight heading into Saturday,

‘I’ve gone the traditional route and I’m glad I’ve done that…I want to progress to the world stage now. I’ve won everything there is to win and when I beat James, I want to start working towards world level.’
Tennyson, 21-2 (17KOs) who puts the WBA ‘International’ belt on the line, heads into the bout as the underdog but, speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, ‘The Assassin’ believes his time is now,

‘Within the last year I have won an Irish title and the WBA ‘International’ title and won three 50/50 fights by stoppage…Now I’m going onto the biggest stage, and I can’t wait…Ward is quick and sharp and it won’t be easy, but we have our game plan and I’m ready for 12 hard rounds.’

Posted on 09/06/2017

By: Ken Hissner

IBHOF Promoter J Russell Peltz continues his tradition of Philly fighters fighting one another at the 2300 Arena in South Philly Friday night. In the Main Event he features Super welterweights Isaiah Wise against Fred Jenkins, Jr. There are 10 bouts scheduled with BAM Boxing’s Brittany Rogers also co-promoting and helping with the matchmaking.

Wise, 5-1 (3), has fought all his 6 fights at the 2300 Arena. Jenkins has fought his last 6 fights at the same venue. His father and trainer Fred Jenkins, Sr., is a PA BHOF trainer out of the ABC Rec Gym in North Philly.

In the co-feature Philly’s Super featherweight Avery Sparrow, 7-1 (3), taking on Canadian Joey Laviolette, 6-0 (4), of Sackville, Nova Scotia. The latter is a 4-time Canadian National Champion. Sparrow is 2-0 in 2017.

Philly’s Super welterweight Elijah Vines, 4-0 (4), is making his home debut against Gilbert Alex Sanchez, 5-7-1 (2), of Camden, NJ, who is coming back from 2 years of inactivity. Highly touted welterweight prospect Julian “Hammer Hands” Rodriguez, 15-0 (10), of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, returns to action after 10 months taking on Dario “Macizo” Ferman, 14-2 (11), of Chihuahua, MEX.

Also on the under card are Philly welterweight prospect Marcel Rivers, 2-0 (1), Upper Darby Super welterweight Brandon Robinson, 5-1 (4), Philly lightweight Jae Ho Kim, 6-4-1 (2) formerly of South Korea, Philly debuting middleweight Leon DeShields and PR Super lightweight Victor Padilla, 3-0 (2), of Berlin, NJ, who is another good prospect will be among those on the undercard.
USA Comcast SportsNet will televise.

Posted on 05/12/2017

Delvin Rodriguez Loses to Courtney Pennington In Star Boxing Facebook Broadcast
By: Sean Crose

If there’s one thing the forces behind Thursday evening’s Star Boxing fight card at the Mohegan Sun Casino in eastern Connecticut wanted made clear, it’s the fact that card was being broadcast live on Facebook. Not Fox Sports1. Not ESPN2. Not Bounce. Not beIN. Facebook. While fights have streamed live – and for free – before, Star Boxing is on the more significant side of the promotional scale, which made Thursday’s card a memorable event. Was it the beginning of something significant? Time will tell – though the odds may be in its favor.

The night opened with local (by way of Hartford) fighter Rich Rivera beating on newcomer Marco Parente in the Canadian’s pro debut. The 180 lb catchweight fight was halted in the final seconds of the sixth and final round, giving Rivera a record of 2-0. New Jersey’s Jonathan Rojas was up next, facing fellow lightweight Omar Bordoy in a four round bout. Like Rivera, Bordoy was a Connecticut fighter and the crowd was enormously in his favor. Both he and Rojas, in fact, were making their pro debuts. It was a close, fairly sharp fight for two newcomers to the pro game. The UD win went to Bordoy, who landed the harder punches.

Another Hartford fighter, Jose Rivera, 2-1, then entered the ring to face Long Island’s Marcus Beckford, 3-6-3, in a six round junior middleweight affair. A thunderous, and I mean thunderous, shot by Rivera in the fourth ended things abruptly. Beckford was able to get to his feet, but the referee knew better than to let matters continue. New York City welterweight Sydney MacCow, 4-5, was up next to face East Hartford’s (noticing a theme here?) Anthony Laureano, 3-0. Laureano may have been the obvious crowd favorite, but it was MacCow who dominated the first few rounds by sharp punching and by throwing Laureano’s timing off. Laureano’s pressure, however, began to take effect in the third.

Things got close and heated in the fourth, with Laureano landing the more effective shots. MacCow was definitely there to win, though. Although Laureano was now able to land, the New Yorker kept things razor thin. In the sixth, MacCow was visibly hurt by Laureano. The East Hartford native couldn’t finish his man off, though. Still, the two men closed the show firing away at each other. Indeed, it was a great fight. Laureano took the UD win, but there’s no reason – none – these two couldn’t meet in the ring again.

Former WBC World Female Middleweight titlist Kali Reis, 10-6-1, then faced 7-10-4 Ashleigh Curry. Reis may not have been from Connecticut, but she hailed from right next door in Rhode Island, making her about as close to a local fighter as one could get without actually being local. The first few rounds were somewhat slow affairs, with Reis walking Missouri’s Curry down. The third and fourth rounds presented the audience with more of the same. As the fight wore on, it became clear that – although Curry had her moments – she simply wasn’t of Reis cailber. Curry’s inability to put her punches together, for instance, was particularly telling. The final round showed no significant or sustained change of pace. The easy victory was awarded to Reis, courtesy of a majority decision (how anyone could have ruled it a draw, as one judge did, is a great mystery).

In the co-main, welterweight Samuel Amoako, 21-14, of Ghana, fought undefeated New Yorker Danny Gonzalez, 13-0, in a scheduled eight round affair. Gonzalez dominated the first two rounds, but the fight did not start off being a barn burner. By the fourth round, the bout had developed into a familiar pattern: Amoako would be walked to the ropes and Gonzalez would fire way, hoping to land effectively. Amoako was able to land an occasional solid shot, but those weren’t nearly enough to change the tide. Gonzalez was clearly trying to look impressive, but it can be hard to beat an opponent who isn’t doing much more than surviving.

In the fifth, Gonzalez started landing effectively to the body. Amoako looked like he might be hurt, but held on. And, sure, enough, the sixth was a replay of numerous previous rounds, with Amoako deciding to take it to the ropes with Gonzalez pursuing him. Amoako took a considerable amount of punishment, but, sadly didn’t have much to dish out to his aggressive foe. Needless to say, Gonzalez went home with a comfortable UD win.

It was time for the main event. Danbury, Connecticut’s Devlin Rodriguez, 25-8-4, had been around for a while, but he was clearly looking to work his way back into the upper hierarchy of the junior middleweight division. His opponent was Brownsville, Brooklyn’s Courtney Pennington, 10-4-1. The bout was a scheduled ten round affair. Things started off slow, with Rodriguez stalking and Pennington landing clean on occasion. By the third round, however, it was clear that Rodriguez was the one landing the more effective punches. Or was he? By round 5, Pennington was pot shotting and pot shotting clean. It was a tougher fight for Rodriguez than perhaps some had expected. The truth is that Pennington was looking to keep things slick. That can be problematic for fans who want red meat, but it can also be a very productive strategy. Throughout the middle rounds, the fight was rather close.

The later rounds were similar to the earlier ones. Rodriguez was able to land clean, but his inability to cut off the ring on his man remained problematic. This , though, had as much to do with Pennington’s effective game plan as it did Rodriguez’ own skill set. In the end, the judges saw it in Pennington’s favor, as he walked away with a UD win

Posted on 04/14/2017

Misael Rodriguez: Olympian Bronze Medalist In Search Of Gold In Pros
By: Francisco Martinez

RingStar Sports, the Richard Schaefer jumpstart brand filled with 2016 Olympians including Mexican Bronze Medalist Misael Rodriguez who made is anticipated professional debut this past Sunday, yes, Sunday. In a stacked card with debuts of stable mates Carlos Balderas, Money Powell and Eimantas Stanionis at the Novo in downtown L.A. all successful debuts as all were pinned with strong competition for their debuts.

BoxingInsider caught up with Misael Rodriguez and asked him about his professional debut which was under the scrutiny of 4 time world champion, manager Abner Mares and trainer Robert Garcia, 2012 Boxing Writers Association of American trainer of the year. Early into the fight Misael found himself feeling the pro punches as his opponent landed clean but Misael showed the ability to take them comfortably and return fire to gain the upper hand after the second round managing to work soundly and take home a unanimous decision for his pro debut in front of his supporters.

“It was good, I felt good, I felt strong. My rival was a little tough but we kept working and in the end we won the fight unanimously” goes on to admit that the punches as professional are a tad bit harder “Yeah it reflects on my nose as it’s the first time I’ve bleed do to the punches being a little harder but we took them and had a real good close toward the end” Misael says of his pro debut.

Misael Rodriguez calls his partnership with Robert Garcia a “dream” as an amateur he always liked Robert’s style and admired the way his fighters would go about their business in the ring so paring up with him was a no brained and rather easy being that his manager, Abner Mares is now training in Riverside, California where the famed and private Robert Garcia Boxing Academy resides after a long term run and originating in Oxnard Robert decided to move things across town.

“It feels good to train with Robert. Even before being an Olympian I liked the style in which he trained and I thought it would be great with mine and now that dream is a reality working with him” Eduardo Garcia, father of Robert who guided him to a world title along with Fernando Vargas likes what he sees in Misael “A lot is expected of him one reason is for what he showed in the Olympics that he’s capable of doing” Eduardo Garcia also expressed how he was impressed with his ability to learn the professional things in technique at a fast rate.

Robert Garcia feels that Misael has the qualities to be a world champion with a little bit of hard work. Misael not being the fastest or strongest fighter in the Olympics but manager Abner Mares says that’s part of the reason he caught his attention do to his hard work ethic. Something important in a young fighter and something necessary in the pros as there is no shortcuts. As for Abner and Robert’s thoughts on Misael’s pro debut he said they told him “It was a good fight. Good performance. These fights make for experience and I also see it like that. It wasn’t an easy rival but we came out with the victory”

Don’t forget to visit www.BoxingInsider.com to keep updated on the latest and breaking news.

Posted on 10/20/2016

David Rodriguez talks Boxing, bullying and his upcoming book
By: Benny Henderson

David Rodriguez 37-2 (35 KO’s) has fought in the bang for your buck sport for over seventeen years, and with his time and experience in the fight world, the former fighter has put his career in a book. Detailing the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to the business of boxing. In this exclusive interview Rodriguez speaks out on his career, his future, his upcoming book and his anti-bullying campaign.

Posted on 08/28/2016

Alex “Brick City Bullet” Perez and Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez Bring Boxing Back to Bayonne, NJ, with the “Fight of the Year!”
By: Ken Hissner

At the Bayonne Pavillion, in Bayonne, New Jersey, boxing returned to Bayonne for the first time since 1978 some 38 years ago. Nick Jaynes LGM Promotions brought boxing back to Bayonne!

In the Main Event southpaw Alex “Brick City Bullet” Perez, 18-3 (10), of Newark, NJ, and southpaw Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez, Jr., 13-4 (5), of Union City, NJ, put on a great fight for the vacant IBU World Welterweight title with Rodriguez taking a split decision. It was originally called a draw before judge Lawrence Layton’s scorecard was re-checked. Half the people left the building thinking it was a draw.

In the opening round Perez was doing his thing until a right hand from Rodriguez caused Perez’s glove to touch the canvas counting it as a knockdown by referee Dali. Perez was not happy with the call. In the second round Rodriguez rocked Perez making him hold on. Perez is doing fine boxing but the shorter Rodriguez is getting power punches in. In the third round it was much closer but Rodriguez is continuing with the heavier punching. Rodriguez suffered a small cut on his forehead due to an accidental head butt. In the fourth round Perez pinned Rodriguez in his own corner landing half a dozen unanswered punches.

In the fifth round Perez was getting the better of it but Rodriguez landed a power punch left uppercut just prior to the bell. In the sixth round Perez had Rodriguez holding on after landing several combinations. A right hook by Rodriguez stunned Perez who continued to be the aggressor. Rodriguez continued to dig to the body. The fans have been vocal from the opening bell. In the seventh round Rodriguez opened the round landing a hard right to the chin of Perez. This caused Perez to put on a power show dropping Rodriguez in the corner. Upon Rodriguez rising from referee Dali’s count Perez jumped on him and continued to score well but Rodriguez is never out of the fight. This has turned into a great fight. This fight is going down to the wire. In the eighth and final round Rodriguez has stunned Perez on several occasions countering well. Perez continues after Rodriguez as the fans are on their feet.

Judge Steve Weisfeld had it 76-75 Perez, Lindsay Page 76-74 Rodriguez and Lawrence Layton 76-75 for Rodriguez. This writer had it 76-74 Rodriguez.

Heavyweight Tyrell “Juice” Wright, 9-0-1 (6), of Jersey City, NJ, won a 6 round decision over Nicholas Thompson, 5-2 (5), Burlington, NC.

In the opening round Wright was a little more active keeping the fight inside than Thompson was. In the second round there is a lot of holding keeping referee Dali busy. Wright is busier but Thompson got his licks in. In the third round Wright continues to throw more punches all to the body.

In the fourth round of a lack luster fight both boxers tie each other up again and again. Thompson landed a good right uppercut to the chin of Wright. AS the fifth round continued Thompson landed a right uppercut trying to keep Wright off of him. Both boxers look winded. In the sixth and final round Wright continues to punch and hold while Thompson allows him to get away with it. Thompson landed a right uppercut hurting Wright. This was a real “sleeper”. The popular light heavyweight Bobby Rooney worked the corner of Wright.

Judge Lawrence Layton and Steve Weisfeld had it 59-55 while Lindsay Page scored it 60-54. This writer had it 58-56.

Heavyweight Leon Johnson, 2-0 (2), of Newark, NJ, knocked out Alando Pugh, 1-9-1 (0), of D.C. at 2:48 of the first round. A right uppercut ended it as referee Bashir called a halt.

Super lightweight southpaw John Bauza, 3-0 (3), of North Bergen, NJ, scored an easy 4 round decision over Jose Carmona, 1-6 (1), of PR. Al Bashir was the referee.

In the opening round it was all Bauza using the jab. Midway through the round Bauza landed a 4-punch combination. In the second round a lead left by Bauza to the jaw of Carmona stunned him. Carmona was doing quite a bit of “rabbit punching” when the fighters got tied-up. In the third round it was more of the same with Bauza in complete control. In the fourth and final round Carmona was holding trying to go the distance and he made it.

Judges scores were 40-36 and 40-35 twice. This writer had it 40-36.

Middleweight Magdiel Cotto, 5-0 (4), of Comerio, PR, won an easy 4 round decision over southpaw Jermaine Corley, 0-1 (0), of Concord, NC, who showed plenty of guts hanging in there.

In the opening round it was all Cotto except for a low blow with referee Bashir giving Corley several minutes to continue. Cotto hurt Corley with a solid left hook to the chin making him hold on. In the second round Cotto landed three right hands to the mid-section of Corley. Cotto hurt Corley with a combination to the head forcing him to hold on again. Cotto is killing the body of Corley who dropped his mouthpiece for the second time in the round getting a warning from referee Bashir. In the third round Corley finally puts up some offense landing a 3-punch combination to the chin of Cotto. A right uppercut by Cotto to the mid-section of Corley doubled him over. He dropped his mouthpiece for the third time causing referee Bashir to take a point away from him. Somehow Corley made it to the bell taking a beating to the body by Cotto throughout the entire 4 rounds.

Judge Steve Weisfeld had it 40-35 while Lawrence Layton and Lindsay Page had it 40-32. This writer had it 40-35.

Heavyweight Egomir Plevako, 3-2 (1), of Kharkik, UKR, won a close 4 round decision over Kenny Cruz, 0-2-1 (0), of Bayamo, PR.

In the opening round the much taller Plevako used a long jab while Cruz was throwing overhand rights. A solid left hook to the chin by Plevako got the attention of Cruz. In the second round Cruz landed a solid overhand right to the chin of Plevako. In round three both boxers threw right hands with Plevako’s getting there first to the chin. It was a big round for Plevako while Cruz did more pounding on his chest than on Plevako. In the fourth and final round Cruz landed a double left hook to the chin of Plevako while against the ropes. This was the best round of the fight and the fan’s got into it. Plevako finished strong. Plevako had boxed in the World Series of Boxing.

Judge Steve Weisfeld had it 40-35, Lindsay Page 39-37 and Lawrence Layton 40-36. This writer had it 39-37. The referee was Eric Dali.

Welterweight Caleb Hernandez, 3-0 (1), of Paterson, NJ, defeated Lamont White, 0-3 (0), of D.C. at 2:39 of the fourth round by DQ.

In the opening round Hernandez set the pace with left hooks to the body. In the second round White switched to southpaw trying to already protect the right side of his body that was taking a pounding. Hernandez continued taking it to White. In the third round Hernandez continued out punching White who was trying his best. In the fourth and final round they clashed of heads. The referee called a time out and ruled a DQ for White not listening to his commands.

In the opening bout Lightweight Louis Perozo, 3-0 (2), of NYC, NY, knocked out Alexander Foster, 0-2 (0), of Alexandria, VA, at 0:41 of the first round. Referee Bashir waved it off as Foster hit the canvas.

Special guests were 2-time Cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, the pride of Bayonne NJ BHOF and former NJ Heavyweight Champion Chuck “Bayonne Bleeder “Wepner and also heavyweight title contender Bryant “Bye-Bye” Jennings. The ring announcer was Henry Hascup who heads the NJ BHOF. The promoter’s daughter Caitlyn did a good job singing the National Anthem.

Posted on 07/21/2016

Interview with Delvin Rodriguez: “I feel stronger than ever”
By: Matthew N. Becher

​Delvin Rodriguez is a Jr. Middleweight that is in his 17th professional year as a boxer. He has a combined record of 28 wins, 8 losses and 4 draws. He has fought for a world title twice, coming up short against Austin Trout in 2012 and most recently against Erislandy Lara in June of last year.

​Rodriguez will begin his journey towards a world championship again, when he takes on Shawn Cameron this Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. Rodriguez took some time to speak with Boxing Insider about his upcoming fight and his future in boxing.

Boxing Insider: You’ve been pro for seventeen years now. Why do you continue to fight this late in your career?

Delvin Rodriguez: First of all, the reason is that I feel healthy, I am healthy. I feel stronger than ever. I think that is the main reason I continue fighting. I love the sport, even though I hate to lose. I feel that I have a lot to give to the sport, and I want to get that one more fight. Hopefully I can get that one more title shot. I think I have a very good chance, next time, to accomplish for so many years, which is to get a good fight.

Boxing Insider: You’ve been in two world title fights. Is winning a world title a personal thing, to cement your own legitimacy in the sport?

Delvin Rodriguez: Yes, that is my personal goal right now. It would be the biggest accomplishment in my life. At this age, to get a world title. I’m a very realistic person. If I felt that I didn’t have it anymore, I would give it up, but that is not the case. I never felt like I had fights that I got beat up, and I just feel great. I think people are gonna start seeing the old me, where I was with my old trainer, where I was aggressive and strong. I’m bringing all that back to the ring.

Boxing Insider: Win or Lose, you are heading toward the end of your career. What would you like to do after boxing?

Delvin Rodriguez: I’ve been a commentator with ESPN for six years now and I just started commentating for HBO about seven months ago. That is something I am looking forward to pursuing full time. It will keep me around boxing, something that I love.

Boxing Insider: Okay, so let’s switch over and put your commentator hat on. Who do you see right now that could be the next big star in the sport?

Delvin Rodriguez: Crawford. He has already dominated one class and now he’s stepped up. I think he’ll be the next star. He has a lot of technique, he is mean in the ring, and he can really punch with both hands. You will see a lot out of him in the next year.

Posted on 06/03/2016

PBC on Spike Results: Barthelemy Defeats Bey by Split Decision, Rodriguez Decisions Guevara
By: William Holmes

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida was the host site for tonight’s Premier Boxing Champions Card on Spike TV.

Mayweather Promotions in association with King’s Promotions and Panther Promotions put on tonight’s card.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp/Mayweather Promotions/Premier Boxing Champions

The opening bout of the night was between Puerto Rican boxer Emmanuel Rodriguez (14-0) and Mexican fight Alberto “Metro” Guevara (24-2) in the bantamweight division.

Both boxers fought out of an orthodox stance Guevara attacked the body and had moderate success with his double left hook combination. Rodriguez was accurate with his straight right hand early on and was able to stagger Guevara with a left hook near the end of the round.

Guevara had a decent second round and out threw Rodriguez, but Rodriguez had the stronger shots and even took the body attacks of Guevara well.

Rodriguez picked up his pace in the third round and his left hook was stinging Guevara, and his counter punching continued to improve in the fourth and fifth rounds. The area near Guevara’s left eye was cut in the fifth round from a head butt and the blood appeared to bother him throughout the fight.

Rodriguez’s jab and pressure was just too much for Guevara to handle. Guevara was able to land some combinations, but he didn’t have the power to hurt Rodriguez, while Rodriguez’s straight right hand was able to effectively slow down and neutralize Guevara.

The final scores were 99-91, 100-90, and 99-91 for Rodriguez.

The second bout of the night was between middleweights Caleb Plant (12-0) and Carlos Galvan (12-4-1) in a short six round fight.

Plant has some moderate hype behind his name, and he looked in control in the opening round and looked like the bigger fighter inside the ring.

Plant however was in the ring with someone who never defeated an opponent with a winning record. Plant briefly had an offensive burst in the second round and did a lot of show boating after dodging punches in the third round, but some in the crowd started to boo his defensive style inside the ring.

Plant surprised everyone with a hard left hook to the body out of nowhere in the fourth round that sent Galvan to the mat for a full ten count.

Caleb Plant wins by knockout at 1:24 of the fourth round.

The main event of the evening was between Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (24-0) and Mickey Bey (22-1-1) for the IBF Lightweight Title.

Both boxers fought out of a conventional stance and Barthelemy established himself as the aggressor early on and attacked the body of Bey.

Barthelemy continued to control the bout in the second round and his reach was appearing to give Bey problems, until a head butt occurred in the second round that forced Barthelemy to fall to his knee. The referee, incorrectly, ruled it a knockdown.

The knockdown seemed to awaken Rances Barthelemy and he was extremely aggressive in the third and fourth rounds and pounded the body of Bey and kept his opponent moving backwards.

Bey was able to take control of the fifth round by sticking to his jab and popping and moving before Barthelemy could trap him. The sixth round could have gone either way, but Barthelemy was the aggressor.

Barthelemy did a good job at catching the punches Bey in the seventh round and was able to work around the jab of Bey. Barthelemy came on strong at the end of the eighth round and got his Cuban supporters in the crowd on it’s feet.

By the ninth round Bey was falling badly behind on the cards and by the championship rounds he needed a knockout to win.

That knockout didn’t come, and Bey was simply outworked by Barthelemy for the remainder of the fight.

The final scores were 117-110 Barthelemy, 117-110 Bey, and 116-111 Barthelemy.

Posted on 04/30/2016

PBC on Fox Results: Williams Jr. and Berto Win by Bigtime Knockouts
By: Matthew N. Becher

Premier Boxing Champions went live on Fox prime time to present a highly anticipated rematch to the 2011 fight of the year between Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto. Both fighters have had their ups and downs since then, but have each respectively had their shots at the pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. and look to rebound and make a statement in the welterweight division.

In the under-card, light heavyweights Edwin Rodriguez and Thomas Williams Jr. fought in a brutal affair that showed Williams Jr. land a brutal left hand that earned him a shot later this year for the WBC Light Heavyweight title.

Edwin Rodriguez (28-1 19KO) v. Thomas Williams Jr. (19-1 13KO): Light Heavyweight

Williams Jr. said it was his destiny to be one of the greats to come out of the Washington D.C. area, and he took the next step in earning a title shot with a win over Edwin Rodriguez. Both fighters came out throwing huge punches in the first round, Williams landing two big shots that wobbled Edwin Rodriguez. The second round was more of the same, with both men exchanging big shots, and assuring that the fight would not go the distance. Williams landed a crushing left hand at the end of the second round that crumbled Rodriguez and put an end to the WBC eliminator. Get ready to see Williams Jr. take on Adonis Stevenson for the title later this year.

Williams Jr. TKO2 2:59

Andre Berto (30-4 23KO) v. Victor Ortiz (31-5-2 24KO): Welterweight

The rematch was exciting, maybe not as exciting as the first, but pretty good. After an accidental head butt in the first round which left Ortiz with a gash on top of his head that continued to bleed throughout the fight, both fighters began to exchange.

Ortiz was the aggressor in the early rounds, landing a consistent short left hook, which knocked down Berto at the end of the second round and continued to bother Berto in the third round.

After some words from his trainer Virgil Hunter between rounds, Berto landed a thunderous right uppercut in the first thirty seconds of the fourth round that put Ortiz on the canvas. Berto immediately attacked, dropping Ortiz for a second time, and ending the fight, finally getting his long time revenge on Victor Ortiz.

Berto KO4 1:14

Posted on 04/28/2016

Andre Berto vs. Victor Ortiz II Preview
By: Matthew N. Becher

This Saturday, April 30th, at 8pm on Fox, The Stub Hub Center in Carson, California will host the rematch to the 2011 fight of the year against Andre Berto (30-4 23KO) and rival Victor Ortiz (31-5 24KO). The first time around saw a back and forth slug fest, with both men hitting the canvas, and Ortiz winning a unanimous decision victory for Berto’s WBC Welterweight title. The win led Ortiz directly to a shot against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and a string of celebrity appearances from television to the big screen.

The undercard of this bout will take place in the light heavyweight division between Edwin Rodriguez (28-1 19KO), who is trying to get back on track since his lone defeat to Andre Ward, and Thomas Williams Jr. (19-1 13KO), a 28 year old looking to make a name for himself on prime time television against a live opponent.

Edwin Rodriguez vs. Thomas Williams Jr.

Edwin Rodriguez is a fringe contender who climbed the ladder in the Super Middleweight division, only to see it all crumble in his first attempt at a title against Andre Ward. Rodriguez had been perfect up to that point with wins over the likes of James McGirt, Aaron Pryor Jr, Will Rosinsky and Donovan George. His loss to Ward was a harsh defeat and has sent Rodriguez into a new weight division, starting back at the bottom rung of the ladder. Rodriguez is currently ranked in the top 5 of the WBC and IBF divisional rankings, and needs a good showing on Saturday night to move closer to a title shot against either Adonis Stevenson or Sergey Kovalev.

Thomas Williams Jr. is a 28 year old, stepping into the spotlight for the first time. He has a lesser known resume than Rodriguez, with his biggest fight being against former champion Gabriel Campillo, a fight in which Williams lost. Every other fight Williams has been successful and he will need this to be his defining fight to stamp his name in a division that is very stacked with formidable opponents.

Andre Berto vs. Victor Ortiz II

Just to get this out in the open straight off the bat, Berto and Ortiz do not like each other. Ever since their first fight, they have been verbally jabbing away at one another for the past five years. The first fight was a classic that many people still tune into on YouTube. Berto was the champion, looking to get the win and his shot at the Floyd Mayweather lottery. Instead, Ortiz pulled off the upset and jumped ahead in line to fight the pound for pound king.

Ortiz was groomed by Golden Boy promotions to be the next great fighter. He was fed a steady diet of inferior opponents until he ran into a little known Argentine by the name of Marcos Maidana. Ortiz lost by knockout and looked to want to quit the sport. Ortiz then regrouped and fought his way back, beating Nate Campbell, Vivian Harris and scoring a draw against Lamont Peterson. He found himself fighting for the WBC welterweight crown against Andre Berto, in a fight that would later be named the 2011 fight of the year. Ortiz was then stopped in four rounds on a controversial ending by Floyd Mayweather. After regrouping in 2012, a warm up fight against Josesito Lopez turned bad, when Lopez stopped Ortiz in six, breaking his jaw in the process. Ortiz took 2 years off from boxing, participating in the ABC reality television show “Dancing with the Stars” and appearing in several motion pictures, including “The Expendables” and “Southpaw”. Ortiz made his way back to the ring in 2014, getting knocked out in 2 rounds by Luis Collazo. He won back to back fights against Manuel Perez and Gilberto Sanchez Leon, which has now led him to a rematch with his much hated rival Andre Berto.

Berto was another stand out fighter, rising in the Welterweight division, winning his first and only World title against Miguel Angel Rodriguez. Berto would go on to defend his belt five times against the likes of Steve Forbes, Luis Collazo, Juan Urango and Carlos Quintana. He was making his case to fight Mayweather until the night in 2011, where he lost a highly contested battle against Victor Ortiz, giving him his first professional loss and losing his chance at the big pay day fight. Berto quickly regrouped with a win over Jan Zaveck, but then reeled off two losses to Robert Guerreo (who would fight Mayweather in his next match) and Jesus Soto Karass (by knockout). Berto saw his career spiraling downward, until he was able to get a win over Steve Upsher Chambers and an exciting knockout victory over Josesito Lopez. That fight led to his showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Floyd’s final fight and victory in September of last year.

To state again, both of these guys do not like the other, so we do not expect this to be a feel em out, pitter pat type of fight. Once they begin to exchange, expect the fireworks to continue. Neither of these guys are still in their prime, and the loser of this one may need to hang up the gloves forever. This is a fight for each fighter’s future in the sport. It will come down to who wants it more.