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The superstar players of Paris Saint-Germain ended 2017 with a stunning world first – a game on a floating football pitch during the club’s Qatar Winter Tour 2017 this week. The friendly game saw players including Neymar Jr, Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani and Thiago Silva, playing atop the pitch on the stunning waters of the Arabian Gulf against the dramatic backdrop of Doha’s glittering skyline.
The event concluded the team’s time in Qatar as part of its traditional mid-season Qatar Winter Tour.
In addition to recording a world’s first, the team also met with thousands of Qatari football fans and indulged in cultural activities organised by the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA). The team’s packed itinerary included a trip to the magnificent Qatari sand dunes of the Inland Sea for players Adrien Rabiot, Layvin Kurzawa and Marco Verratti, and a taste of Arabian hospitality at a traditional campsite.
Back in Doha, Julian Draxler, Thomas Meunier and Presnel Kimpembe learned about Qatar’s culture and history with a visit to the Msheireb Museums, while Dani Alves, Thiago Motta and Kevin Trapp were treated to a traditional Qatari meal on the rooftop of the Shangri-La Hotel, where they had a stunning view of the iconic Doha Corniche.
Rashed Al Qurese, Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer at QTA commented, “We are delighted to have once again hosted the Paris Saint-Germain squad in Qatar to explore and enjoy what our country has to offer, from state-of-the art sport facilities to authentic tourist experiences.” He continued, “We are particularly excited to have the team spread Qatar’s message of welcome to the world, following the country’s announcement of visa-free entry to 80 nationalities.”
To connect with their fans – young and old - several players took part in a public signing session as well as a training clinic led by coach Unai Emery. In addition, Paris Saint-Germain FIFA Qatari player Aameghessib and France’s Mannika took part in an esports tournament showcasing top Qatari talent, before taking on several Paris Saint-Germain football players.
Since 2012, QTA and Paris Saint-Germain have worked on a strategic partnership to promote Qatar’s sport and leisure tourism offerings. QTA has hosted several tours for Paris Saint-Germain teams, including the Qatar Handball Tour 2014 and the Qatar Ladies Tour 2015 and the Qatar Winter Tours in 2013 and 2015.
Case Update: Friday, January 12, 2018
The member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department who sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during last night’s shooting has been identified as Officer Casey Shue. Officer Shue was hired on July 21, 2014, and is assigned to the North Tryon Division Crime Reduction Unit. Two CMPD officers and two probation officers fired their weapons during this incident. The CMPD officers have been identified as Jeffrey Zederbaum and Jared Decker. Officer Zederbaum was hired on January 12, 2009, and is assigned to the North Tryon Division Crime Reduction Unit. Officer Decker was hired on July 21, 2014, and is also assigned to the North Tryon Division Crime Reduction Unit.
As is standard procedure with any officer involved shooting, the Internal Affairs Bureau will conduct a separate but parallel investigation to determine whether CMPD policies and procedures were adhered to during the course of the incident. Per department protocol, the officers involved in this case are on Administrative Leave.
Officer Shue was recognized as officer of the month this past August for her outstanding work in keeping Hidden Valley neighborhood members safer. That work included removing six guns from the streets of the community while making twenty-one arrests. She also led officer initiated activities in the North Tryon Division this past summer.
This is an active and ongoing investigation. Any further information will be released through CMPD Public Affairs. Questions about the the probation officers should be directed to Pamela Walker with the NC Department of Public Safety, Division of Community Corrections. That telephone number is 919-733-5027.
Case Update: Friday, January 12, 2018
Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are conducting an officer involved shooting investigation that occurred outside the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Law Enforcement Center at 601 E. Trade Street. Both an officer and a suspect were shot.
On Thursday, January 11, 2018 at approximately 10:49 p.m. officers from the North Tryon Division and N.C. Probation and Parole were briefing in the parking lot between the LEC and the CMPD parking deck, when they were fired upon multiple times. Several officers returned fire.
One CMPD officer was transported to the hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to the leg. The officer’s identity will be released pending family notification.
The suspect also was shot and was transported by MEDIC to CMC Main, where he was pronounced deceased. He has been identified as Jonathan Bennett, the suspect wanted in connection with the death of Brittany White who was killed earlier in the day.
Detectives are currently interviewing officers and others who witnessed the incident.
As is standard procedure with any officer involved shooting, the Internal Affairs Bureau will conduct a separate but parallel investigation to determine whether CMPD policies and procedures were adhered to during the course of the incident. Per department protocol, the officers involved in this case will be placed on Administrative Leave.
Crime Scene Search responded to process the scene and collect physical evidence.
Representatives of the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Homicide Prosecution Team, Internal Affairs Bureau, Operations Command, Special Investigations, and NC Probation and Parole responded to the scene
CMPD Homicide detectives are releasing a video that captures Ketie Jones walking along The Plaza shortly before she was shot. Jones was found around the corner in a parking lot off Hamorton Place. The video also shows a vehicle back up on Hamorton at just about the time detectives believe Jones was shot.
Notes:
- Jones comes into the frame at about 16:13 in the video.
- Detectives have determined that the clock on the video is a few minutes slow.
- The video is from a nearby building’s surveillance camera.
Anyone who may have been driving any of the vehicles shown in the video or who may have been in the area at the time is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a homicide detective. Anyone with any information about this case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. A cash reward is available for information that leads to an arrest.
All Photos courtesy of Will Paul
RHODE ISLAND JUNIOR welterweight Anthony Marsella Jr., seen here with CES Boxing president Jimmy Burchfield Sr. prior to his October bout at Twin River Casino, returns to the Lincoln, R.I., venue on Saturday, Feb. 4th, 2017 to face 16-fight veteran Francisco Medel in just his fourth professional bout. Marsella Jr. is coming off back-to-back first-round knockouts while Medel boasts a 10-6 record with six knockouts. The Marsella-Medel bout is one of 10 on the card, which is CES Boxing's 2017 season opener at Twin River.
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| Sullivan Barrera Stops Paul Parker in an Action-Packed Light Heavyweight Showdown Live on HBO Latino Boxing
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Uncasville, CT: The Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series teamed up with HBO Latino for another exciting night of boxing at the Uncas Ballroom at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino. The stacked undercard of international and local prospects was the perfect lead-in to the exciting televised event on HBO Latino.
In the first fight of the evening, Kazakhstan middleweight Meiirim "The Sultan" Nursultanov (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Javier Olvera (1-1, 1 KO) of Mexico in the second round. This was Nursultantov's first appearance in the Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series.
The next fight featured former kickboxer Enriko Gogokhia (4-0, 2 KOs) of Georgia (country) against Bryan Goldsby (4-3) of Macon Georgia. Gogokhia appeared on the Rising Stars' premiere back in November 2016. Goldsby quit on the stool after only two rounds with Gogokhia.
Junior middleweights Madiyar Ashkeyev of Kazakhstan (8-0, 4 KOs) and Brooklyn native Shawn Cameron (10-3, 5 KOs) were set to square off for eight rounds of action. Ashkeyev suffered a cut over his right eye in the first round. The injury did not affect his precision. He continued to connect his vicious combination attacks on Cameron. Shawn managed to hang in against the always-tough Ashkeyev until 1:06 of the seventh in a gutty and gritty performance but the referee called a halt to the action.
The only fight on the undercard to go the distance was the eight-round heavyweight battle between local sensation Cassius Chaney (10-0, 5 KOs) and Detroit, MI native Juan Goode (8-5, 6 KOs). All three judges scored the bout 59-55 in the lopsided unanimous decision for Chaney. After the fight, Chaney said, "Goode was a tough opponent. He has never been knocked out. I was hoping to be the first."
The HBO Latino telecast began with the ten-round middleweight contest between St. Louis' own Vaughn Alexander (8-0, 5 KOs) and Andres Calixto (14-4, 9 KOs) of Mexico. This was the first ten-round fight for Alexander, who accepted the additional rounds on just a few days' notice when the original co-feature fell out due to illness. The fight was exciting from bell-to-bell. The referee deducted a point from Calixto in the tenth round for holding and hitting. It was Andres' third offense. Vaughn secured the unanimous decision victory with the judges scoring the contest 100-89 and 99-90 (2).
After the fight, Alexander said, "It was a great experience for me. My first time going 10 rounds. I went in with a clear mind. I got the job done. Going back to the gym, I know what to expect now."
The main event featured a brawl between Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs) and Paul "Pay Per View" Parker (8-2, 4 KOs). The fight started off with both fighters trading shots and feeling each other out. Then Parker took five minutes to recover from a head butt and Barrera immediately knocked him down at the start of the next round. Parker managed to get back up and Barrera suffered a head butt shortly after. Barrera took just a moment to recover then came out with a vengeance and knocked down Parker. Within seconds of Parker getting up from the knockdown, the referee stopped the fight and Parker's night was done at 2:08 of the fifth round.
An elated Sullivan said about his performance, "I feel great. Paul Parker is a great boxer but the only time he hurt me was with the head butt. I guess what happened with the head butt and everything, finally in the fifth round I was able to hit him as I wanted and everything went exactly the way I wanted it to. I am ready for the next level!"
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Prof Spencer Overton @SpencerOverton
African American Mayors Assoc. Names New Haven’s Mayor Harp First Woman President at Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
City solutions to national tech, policing and infrastructure challenges also discussed at organization’s annual conference
(WASHINGTON, DC) The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) welcomed hundreds of Mayors from across the country, federal policymakers, technology innovators and other thought-leaders to its annual conference in Washington, D.C this week. In the spirit of this year’s theme, “change, challenge and opportunity,” AAMA mayors connected with cross-sector stakeholders and leaders to share best practices and discuss strategies to influence policy-making in technology, gun violence, infrastructure, and more.
AAMA’s largest convening of the year, the event was held from Wednesday, April 26th to Friday, April 28th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel.
New Haven, Connecticut Mayor Toni N. Harp, was sworn-in as the new AAMA President, the first woman to hold the position. She said, “I am honored my colleagues entrusted me to advance local policy priorities of AAMA members on the national stage. Urban issues are national issues because our communities are representative of the richness our country has to offer. AAMA mayors embrace that richness, connect unlikely partners, seize upon new opportunities borne of collaboration, and deliver the very best services and solutions to residents every day. I’m excited to bring these stories of success at the local to federal policymakers whose support is essential to make our cities even stronger.”
Former U.S. Transportation Secretary and former Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, Anthony Foxx; Senator Tim Scott (R-SC); and Congressional Black Caucus Chair, Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA), are among a host of other policymakers and leaders who participated in the conference this year.
Some of the conference highlights include a session exploring the benefits and challenges of smart city technologies, focused especially on the reforms needed to ensure communities of color are full beneficiaries when these new technologies are deployed; a session on removing local barriers to technology and increasing diversity in the tech industry to promote innovation; and a session on how local governments can position themselves to maximize potential new federal investment in infrastructure.
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About AAMA
Congrats to @MayorHarp for being sworn in as the new president of @OurMayors, our first woman president!
The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) is the only organization exclusively representing over 500 African-American mayors across the United States. AAMA seeks to empower local leaders for the benefit of their citizens. The role of the AAMA includes taking positions on public policies that impact the vitality and sustainability of cities; providing mayors with leadership and management tools; and creating a forum for member mayors to share best practices related to municipal management.
MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (Aug. 26th, 2017) – Reigning World Boxing Council U.S. National Boxing Council (WBC USNBC) welterweight champion Jimmy Williams retained his title Saturday in a wild finish over Issouf Kinda of the Bronx at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Williams (14-0-1, 6 KOs) scored the knockout at the 1-minute, 26-second mark of the fourth round in peculiar finish, cracking Kinda (18-5) with a right cross on the break as veteran referee Steve Smoger separated two following a brief clinch.
As Smoger yelled, “Break!” Kinda threw a quick right that momentarily clipped Smoger instead of Williams. The reigning champ landed with his right hand, sending Kinda crashing to the canvas. Smoger counted him out and Williams retained the title despite trailing on two of the three scorecards entering the fourth round.
CHECK OUT 3:20:00 MARK
The event, promoted by CES Boxing, aired live on Facebook via FIGHTNIGHT LIVE as a precursor to Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor megabout in Nevada.
The controversial finish set off a brief melee in the ring, but cooler heads prevailed as Williams celebrated his first title defense and 10th consecutive win since fighting to a draw with Greg Jackson in 2013. Kinda has now lost two in a row since his win over Zach Ramsey in May of 2016.
Up until the knockout, Kinda led by three rounds on one of the scorecards and one round on another card while Williams led by three rounds on the third scorecard.
In a fight that turned out to be as exciting as advertised, junior welterweight Cristobal Marrero (5-0) of New London, Conn., edged Springfield, Mass., vet Miguel Ortiz(2-1) by split decision, 57-56, 56-57, 57-56.
Marrero fought thrown a swollen eye and dropped Ortiz in the fifth round to seal his fifth win in as many fights, but Ortiz, as always, came to brawl and brought the fight to Marrero in the early rounds, using his come-forward style to bully Ortiz and press him into the ropes while landing short, clean punches on the inside.
Marrero found his difference down the stretch with the knockdown sealing Ortiz’s fate, even with one judge scoring the bout in favor of Ortiz. The bout was supposed to take place in June, but Ortiz was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury. The bout was rescheduled for Saturday and changed from four to six rounds, which ultimately worked in Marrero’s favor.
With boxing and mixed martial arts colliding in Nevada in the Mayweather-McGregor bout, CES got in on the action at Foxwoods with eight-time Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) vet Leandro Silva (0-1) of Sao Paolo, Brazil, making his professional boxing debut against unbeaten cruiserweightRichard Rivera (3-0) of Hartford, Conn.
Silva, who is 20-6 in MMA, came out with his hands held high, more reminiscent of his style inside the cage, which flustered Rivera at first. The hard-hitting cruiserweight had a hard time landing anything clean until he caught Silva flush with a right hook on the inside that sent him to the canvas for a split second.
Silva popped up quickly, unharmed by the flash knockdown, and continued to trade fearlessly with the heavily-decorated Rivera, at one point dancing along the ropes and taunting his opponent. Rivera won the fight, 40-35 on all three scorecards due to the knockdown.
Worcester, Mass., lightweight Jamaine Ortiz (5-0) kept his perfect record intact, earning a 40-36 verdict on all three scorecards against Loraine, Ohio, vet Angel Figueroa (4-5-1). Fighting for the first time since April, Ortiz’s endurance and output was too much for Figueroa, who hung tough early, but ran out of gas in the closing rounds. Ortiz returns to the ring Sept. 16th in Rhode Island, looking to improve to 6-0.
Sicilian heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano (12-1, 10 KOs) continued to impress on his regional tour, making his Foxwoods debut in grand fashion with a first-round knockout win over Wilmington, Del., vet Robert Dunton (11-17-1) at the 2-minute mark. Dunton tried to work the body against the taller Cusumano, but Cusumano’s superior size and strength was too much to handle; Cusumano caught Dunton along the ropes with a left and followed by cracking him with three consecutive overhand rights, sending Dunton into the ropes and forcing the referee to step in and stop the bout.
Cusumano also returns Sept. 16th in Rhode Island in a six-round bout against Californian Matt McKinney.
Boston, Mass., native and former U.S. Marine Jarel Pemberton (1-0), the son of New England icon and former world-title challenger “Sandman” Scott Pemberton, impressed in his professional debut, defeating game challenger Nate Schulte (0-3) of Woburn, Mass., by unanimous decision, 39-37 on all three scorecards.
Pemberton was the aggressor from the opening bell, but Schulte hung in for four hard rounds, unafraid to fight on the inside, and even landed a clean left hand in the third round that momentarily stunned his opponent. Pemberton ultimately regained his composure and finished strong to seal the victory, his first win as a pro.
Also on the undercard, Hartford junior middleweight Jose Rivera (4-1) won his second consecutive fight, outworking the hard-charging Corwin Farmer (1-2) of Tarboro, N.C., to earn a 39-37, 39-37, 40-36 unanimous decision victory. Farmer, entered fresh off his first professional win in January, actually did his best work on the inside, but Rivera controlled the pace by utilizing his jab to keep Farmer from gaining any momentum.
– CES –
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Photo courtesy of Will Paul
NEW YORK JUNIOR welterweight Sidney Maccow, right, seen here attacking during his December of 2015 bout against Freddy Sanchez, returns to the ring for the first time in 16 months on Friday, April 7th, 2017 at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., when he faces undefeated prospect Cristobal Marrero in a four-round bout. Maccow is predicting a knockout win against the 3-0 New London, Conn., native, who has only gone the distance once in his first three professional bouts. |
Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing orwww.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING
At the London premiere of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," Zoe Saldana reveals why she's glad that a new "Avatar" is finally on the horizon.
Johnny Depp to Play Notorious B.I.G. Case Detective Russell Poole in New Movie on the Rapper's Death
http://www.zimbio.com/Movie+News/articles/dfcpIkMFgSP/Johnny+Depp+Play+Notorious+B+G+Case+Detective
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Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward "Pound for Pound"
New York Press Conference
Tuesday, September 6 at 12:00 PM
Le Parker Meridien
New York, New York: On Tuesday in New York City, Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) and Andre "S.O.G." Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) will formally address the media with details surrounding their upcoming fight for "Pound for Pound" supremacy and Kovalev's WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championships. The event will also be streamed live via KovalevWard.com.
Tickets start at $55 and are available on axs.com, t-mobilearena.com and at the T-Mobile Arena box office.
What:
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Kovalev-Ward "Pound for Pound" Official Press Conference
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Who:
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Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev - No. 2 Pound-for-Pound* and WBO, WBA & IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion
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Andre "S.O.G." Ward - Two-Time World Champion
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John David Jackson - Trainer of Sergey Kovalev
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Virgil Hunter - Trainer of Andre Ward
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Egis Klimas - Manager of Sergey Kovalev
James Prince - Manager of Andre Ward
Kathy Duva - CEO of Main Events
Michael Yormark - Roc Nation President & Chief of Branding and Strategy
Peter Nelson - Executive Vice President, HBO Sports
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Where:
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Le Parker Meridien - The Estrela Room - Penthouse Level
119 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
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Date:
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Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016
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Time:
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12:00 p.m. ET - Media Arrival and Lunch
12:30 p.m. ET - Press Conference Begins
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Live Stream:
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Kovalev vs. Ward will take place Saturday, Nov. 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. "Pound for Pound" is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and sponsored by MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.
Kovalev and Ward are currently ranked the No. 2 and No. 4 pound-for-pound boxers in the world, respectively, by The Ring Magazine, making their hotly anticipated fight only the third bout in the history of The Ring Magazine pound-for-pound list to pit two undefeated Top 5-ranked pound-for-pound fighters against each other. Oddsmakers and pundits have this fight evenly matched at 50-50 and it is poised to be a sure-fire 2016 Fight of the Year candidate. History will be made on Nov. 19th!
*According to The Ring Magazine
Photo courtesy of Will Paul
WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS MIDDLEWEIGHT Kendrick Ball Jr., seen here receiving last-minute instructions from his father, Kendrick Ball, prior to his fight against David Wilson in July, returns to the ring Friday, Oct. 21st, 2016 at Twin River Casino against Oregon's Rafael Valencia. Ball Jr. began his pro career in May under the guidance of his father, who raised him to be a fighter following his own amateur career. Ball Jr. has won three of his first four fights, all by knockout, with the only blemish coming in July in the draw
-- There were times when Kendrick Ball was training his son at the gym during his teenage years and not quite getting the feedback he wanted.
Bystanders wondered aloud whether or not Kendrick Ball Jr. really wanted to box after all.
"Some of the parents thought I was pushing him too much because it was something I wanted him to do," Ball said.
Times have changed in Worcester, Mass. Now 24 years old and four fights into his professional career, Ball Jr. (3-0-1, 3 KOs) is every bit the fighter his father hoped and imagined he'd be, a hard-hitting body puncher who adopted his father's love for boxing as he chases his own championship dreams.
As for the push he gets from his father, that's the one constant that hasn't changed a bit.
"In the amateurs, whenever he wanted to fight, I never really pushed him like that," Ball said, "but now that he's in the pros, oh, man, I don't stop pushing."
Ball Jr. returns Friday, Oct. 16th, 2016 on the undercard of CES Boxing's 2016 Twin River Fight Series season finale at Twin River Casino in a four-round middleweight bout against Oregon's Rafael Valencia (3-4-1, 2 KOs), his fifth fight since turning pro in May.
This was Ball's plan from Day 1, to get his son to become a professional boxer and pick up where he left off in his own amateur career, one in which he captured two Junior Olympic titles as a teenager before devoting his time to training others. The first of Ball's five children, Ball Jr. took an immediate liking to the sport thanks to that initial push from his father.
"His first gift was boxing gloves," Ball recalled.
Ball Jr. had the benefit of being able to train at home; his father set up a makeshift gym in the basement, where the younger Ball remembers doing a lot of mitt work at home as a child. They'd also spend time at various gyms training with former Worcester pro Sean Fitzgerald, who's now a part of Ball's team, or working out at the Boys & Girls Club, run by the legendary Carlos Garcia.
"It was always fun doing it," Ball Jr. said, "and then, I don't know, I guess I just ended up liking it, so I continued to train."
Once his son got older, Ball figured it was time to test his ability against other fighters, but Ball Jr. was hesitant at first, mainly because he didn't quite believe in himself.
"I didn't think I was ready to fight," he said. "I just kind of fought because I didn't want people to think I was scared, so I'd just go do it anyway."
Ball knew he had to pull back the reigns. He had taken his time working his son into the boxing culture and didn't want to push him at the risk of driving him away.
"When he was younger, he wanted to fight all the time, but I wanted to wait until he got a little older," Ball said. "When he got older, he was in the gym every day with me because I opened my own gym, but every time I'd say, 'Let's go! Let's fight!' he was kind of hesitant, but he'd spar with anybody and everybody at the time, bigger guys who were way bigger than him."
Eventually, Ball Jr. began competing in regional tournaments. He lost his first six fights, admittedly because he didn't take it seriously or, perhaps, because he jumped in there just to prove to others he wasn't afraid.
Ultimately, he grew stronger and more confident with each fight. He went on a lengthy winning streak, capturing novice titles at the Rocky Marciano Tournament and the USA Boxing New England Championships, and by the time he reached his senior year of high school, something suddenly clicked.
Around that time, he met Khiary Gray, now his stablemate out of Camp Get Right, who is also trained by his father. By the time they were high school seniors, they were inseparable, and Ball had grown four inches between his freshman and senior years, adding a devastating reach to his attack.
Gray turned pro in 2014 and immediately won his first 13 fights in just under two years, pushing Ball to try to duplicate that success, but his father wasn't convinced his son was ready just yet.
"Once he saw the results Khiary had, he changed his training at the gym and told me wanted to turn pro," Ball said, "so I told him, 'You have to prove a couple of things to me in a couple of fights.' One of the things was he had to drop a kid in an amateur fight. He fought in the Rocky Marciano Tournament against this kid and I was telling him that, so he came out and dropped the kid. I was like, 'Oh, shit!'"
Everyone at Camp Get Right knew Ball Jr. had power, but his father helped turn him into an equally devastating body puncher, one of his trademarks as a trainer. After roughly 30 amateur fights, Ball Jr. turned pro in May with a scintillating knockout win over Tunde Odumosu just 1 minute, 39 seconds into the opening round. Each of his three wins have come by knockout with only Bruno Dias making it out of the first round.
Having sparred so much with fellow pros such as former world-title challenger Edwin Rodriguez and fellow amateur standout Owen Minor, Ball Jr. developed a pro style that limited him in the amateurs, but has helped him enjoy early success as a pro, especially with the attack to the body, which finished Dias in July at the 1:56 mark of the second mark.
"I focus a lot on the body with my fighters," Ball said. "My son goes to the body really, really well. He has a long reach. I'd like him to use his reach more, but he likes to bang. If he gets into a fight where someone hits him hard or whatever, it's going to be a war. He's going to go toe-to-toe with you."
Father-son relationships have been prevalent in boxing for decades. Some work, some don't. Providence's Roland Estrada trained his son, Jason Estrada, throughout his entire career, including his run to the Olympics in 2004 and continuing during the younger Estrada's quest for a heavyweight world title. The late Hector Camacho Sr. enjoyed a prolific career as a three-time world champion, but rarely worked with own son, Hector Camacho Jr., who has fought 66 times as a pro.
Ball's emphasis on commitment and respect has rubbed off on his son, a soft-spoken, 6-foot-3 gentle giant who has already won over his promoter, Jimmy Burchfield Sr., who says Ball Jr. always sends him a text the morning after each fight thanking him for the opportunity. More importantly, Ball Jr. has grown receptive to his father's criticism and praise, which isn't always the case in the father-son dynamic.
"He's at the age now where he's a grown man, so he thinks he knows everything," Ball said. "I'm constantly on him, trying to correct things, and he just thinks I'm on his ass, but like I told him before, 'If you turn pro, it's serious.' There's no half-stepping. You can get hurt in this sport. He knows I'm on him because I want the best out of him like I do with any of my fighters, so he understands.
"It works," Ball Jr. says, "because I trust what he's going to say and he's always the one trying to tell me what to do and how to do things."
They've become a near unstoppable duo; Ball's success with Gray has earned him a reputation as one of the area's up-and-coming trainers, and now he has his son, whose only blemish was a four-round majority draw against previously unbeaten David Wilson, a fight he agreed to on just seven days' notice following his win over Dias.
After recently re-signing with CES Boxing, keeping him a part of the team for the foreseeable future, the sky's the limit for Ball Jr., who's become a rising star in New England on his own terms.
"It's been a long time coming. It was a goal he set as a young kid," Ball said. "He has this book he did when he was in the third or fourth grade and he talked about how he wanted to be a pro fighter.
"It's funny when we go back and read those things. I knew it was going to happen. I just didn't want to push him into it. I wanted him to be able to do it."
Tickets for Oct. 21st are priced at $47.00, $67.00, $102.00 and $152.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Headlining the Oct. 21st fight card is the eight-round Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Junior Middleweight International and Northeast title bout between the champion, Gray (13-1, 10 KOs), and the challenger Chris Chatman (14-5-1, 5 KOs) of Chicago, Ill.
Worcester super middleweight Ben Peak makes his professional debut in a four-round bout against Jose Rivera (1-0, 1 KO) of Hartford, Conn., and former amateur standout Anthony Marsella Jr. (1-0) of Providence makes his Rhode Island debut against Philadelphia's Bardraiel Smith (0-1) in a junior welterweight bout, all three in four rounds.
Worcester's Irvin Gonzalez Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs) returns to face Providence, R.I., native Cido Hoff (1-0-1) in a four-round featherweight bout and Jamaine Ortiz (2-0, 2 KOs), also of Worcester, puts his unbeaten record on the line against veteran junior welterweight Isaiah Robinson (3-3, 2 KOs) of Durham, N.C.
New London, Conn., junior welterweight Cristobal Marrero (1-0, 1 KO) takes on Woburn, Mass., vet Bruno Dias (0-1) and junior welterweight Jonathan Figueroa (1-0, 1 KO) of Hartford, Conn., faces Philadelphia's Shavonte Dixon (0-1), both in four-round bouts.
Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information, follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING and use the hashtag #ChatmanGray to join the conversation.
-- CES --
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Here's the latest for Monday, September 19th: People questioned about NY explosion; Explosive devices found in New Jersey; Minnesota stabbings investigated as terrorism; Pipeline leak could mean gas shortage, high prices for southeastern U.S
