Interview by Pattee Mak - March 2, 2014 \ Photo Credit:  La Pedra Films

He is a household name and he has a new movie coming out soon about his incredible life,  but who is he, what is his name you would ask.  Enter now the legendary “Hands of Stone” aka “Manos de Piedra” or just simply Roberto Duran from Panama.  You might never have guessed, but you would be hard pressed if you are a boxing fan not to get excited about this movie and if you have not heard of him, check this out.

He first entered the squared circle for his pro debut in 1968 and went on to fight for 33 years amassing an amazing record of 103 wins, 70 of them by knockout with only 16 losses, that altogether adds up to 119 fights, simply incredible. During his career he fought many opponents now already in the Hall of Fame. Needless to say, he fought in different weight classes.  He fought for titles.  He won titles.  He is a superstar no doubt and we will soon have the pleasure of watching The Story of Roberto Duran “Hands of Stone” unfold before our eyes. I caught up with Jay Weisleder the producer of the movie and President of Witch’s Rock Entertainment, Inc to discuss the movie.

Pattee Mak:  Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I can only imagine how busy you are.  I must say in the boxing community, we are likened to a brotherhood and everyone seems to be excited about this movie.  The one question that is on everyone’s mind is when will this movie be released?

Weisleder: Filming just wrapped this [Click here for the remainder of the interview]  

2014 Oscar Winners

http://www.zimbio.com/2014+Oscar+Winners

AWARDS SEASON 2014

Relive the Best of the Oscars in GIF Form

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Main Events Wins Purse Bid for IBF Light Heavyweight Eliminator #2 Dmitry Sukhotsky vs. #4 Anatoliy Dudchenko

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His name is Paco A.k.A Juamonii From - Arizona this Young upcoming artist is putting on for AZ. his collaborations and website features include, Emilio Rojas and the popular complex media group site VladTv.com . Paco is currently putting the finishing touches on his debut mixtape [ to be announced ]

He offers multiple videos on YouTube including his most recent effort "Real Recognize Real" The young Arizona Emcee is preparing to impact the game in a Major way.!!

Burna

Never Forget ft. Shoes

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Music video by Burna performing "Never Forget" (Feat. Shoes)
2014 Sacrifice Meals Society, LLC.
Dir: @FocalPH
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@SacrificeMeals

CHARLOTTE — Commissioner Jacqie Carpenter said she hopes to have a decision on the future site of the CIAA basketball tournaments by late March.

The weeklong men's and women's basketball tournaments is being played this week in Charlotte, where it has been held since 2006.

However, the contract between the 12-team conference and the city of Charlotte expires after this year's tournaments.

Carpenter said the conference will be gathering bids from cities that have expressed interest in hosting the tournaments beginning in 2015 in the coming weeks.

Among the cities interested in hosting the tournament aree Winston-Salem, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Greensboro, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Hampton, Va. and Washington, D.C.

"We are focused on having the best tournament we can then after that, review the bids from the cities and work with our board and hopefully have a decision by late March," Carpenter said. "(The timetable) will depend on how many bids we receive."

The Division II CIAA combined tournaments, the third-largest NCAA basketball tournaments in the country in terms of attendance and economic impact, moved from Raleigh to Charlotte in 2006.

Charlotte City officials have twice since renewed with the CIAA on separate three-year contracts.

Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority executive director Mike Butts said the city plans to make an aggressive bid to keep the tournament.

"Our interest is very high," Butts said. "We have been very pleased to have the privilege of hosting the event. Charlotte is a walkable city with hotels, restaurants and entertainment nearby. And it's a safe environment."

Carpenter said Charlotte has been a "great host" over the past nine years and is hoping they will submit a competitive bid.

"Our goal is to make sure whatever city we go to, whether it is Charlotte or another city, is that it's an open process and one that fits our bid specifications and that we have the best experience for our student-athletes and our fans and a plan that it financially makes sense for us to be in that location," Carpenter said.

The CIAA tournament has been a moneymaker for Charlotte.

The CRVA estimated that last year's tournaments generated a $47.17 million economic impact for the city and immediate surrounding area, including $29.86 million in direct spending. That was down slightly from the $50.5 million impact in 2012 when the conference celebrated its 100-year anniversary.

Carpenter, who took over as commissioner in August 2012, said the conference is recovering financially.

She said the CIAA spent five years in a deficit before pulling out last year, in large part due to cutting down costs on what she deemed unnecessary expenditures.

While the CIAA did not release how much money it generated from last year's tournament, Carpenter knows how important the basketball tournament is to the conference's future success.

The week has become much more than just a basketball tournament for fans, who regularly attend parties that include national celebrities during their stay in Charlotte.

"This is the one of the largest events in the country and we depend on this tournament being successful so that we can distribute a significant amount of scholarship dollars to our membership institutions," Carpenter said.

No stage too big for ‘Mr. Providence’ as southpaw super middleweight preps for Showtime bout

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 27th, 2014) – Fighting on a major network in front of a worldwide audience might be unnerving for someone who doesn’t know any better, or someone who has never faced the music on boxing’s biggest stage.

 

Vladine Biosse (15-2-2, 7 KOs) actually looks forward to the pressure of the bright lights and adoring eyes. It’s brought out the best in the Providence, R.I., southpaw, whether it’s the two big wins he scored early in his career on ESPN2, or his showcase victory over former world-rated contender and hometown rival Joey Spina, a fight few thought he had a chance to win.

 

Tomorrow night, Biosse will get another opportunity to shine in front of millions when he faces his toughest test to date against undefeated Michigan super middleweight J’Leon Love (16-0, 9 KOs) in the 10-round main event of Showtime’s ShoBox: The Next Generation telecast at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y., presented by Mayweather Promotions.

 

“This is the best,” Biosse said. “This is where I want to be. A fight like this puts you on the pedestal. The network is saying, ‘Look, we think you belong here, so show us you belong here.’

 

“The chance to do that with millions watching is awesome. This is what I’ve been working for my entire athletic career, whether it’s boxing or football.”

 

The 31-year-old Biosse, born in Cape Verde, is what the boxing world would consider a late bloomer. He originally played soccer and football as a standout athlete at Hope High School in Providence and went on to play college football at the University of Rhode Island before a knee injury ended his career. He soon took up boxing and began his professional career at the age of 27 following a short run in the amateurs.

 

He rose through the rankings quickly, winning his first six fights – four by knockout – before showcasing his talents on an ESPN Friday Night Fights undercard in 2010, dazzling the viewing audience with a dominant win over Joey McCreedy. Biosse ran his record to 10-0 before another date on FNF, this time knocking out veteran journeyman Tim Connors in the fifth round.

 

The pressure doesn’t faze him; facing Spina as the prohibitive underdog in 2012, Biosse pieced together what many still consider his most impressive performance, out-boxing the veteran slugger to win the fight decisively on all three scorecards.

 

While Love presents a much more formidable challenge, the sheer thrill of fighting in front of a worldwide audience might be enough to push Biosse to new heights.

 

“Some people get jitters and they’re itching and scratching before a big fight. I get excited,” Biosse said. “It brings out the best in me knowing I’m about to face a test like this.”

 

The only blemish on Love’s record is a no contest against Gabriel Rosado in May in which his split-decision win was later overturned after Love tested positive for a banned diuretic. He returned in December to face former world-title challenger Lajuan Simon and won by sixth-round knockout.

 

“He’s a great boxer, and I take nothing away from him, but that’s what I see him as – a boxer,” Biosse said of Love. “If you put pressure on him, he folds. That’s what I’m looking to do.”

 

Biosse hasn’t fought since July when he and fellow Rhode Islander Rich Gingras battled to a majority draw. His last win was in May by unanimous decision against Philadelphia veteran Latif Mundy. A win Friday against the unbeaten Love would undoubtedly put Biosse in the conversation among the sport’s rising super middleweights.

 

“This is a great opportunity to showcase my talent and show people who I really am,” Biosse said. “I couldn’t wait. Once the opportunity was presented to me, there were no ifs, ands or butts about it. It wasn’t a question of, ‘Why?’ but ‘When?’ The only thing I wonder is why it didn’t come sooner.”

 

The payday is certainly as appetizing as the opportunity, but Biosse isn’t making the jump just to cash a lucrative paycheck. He’s coming to win, no matter the odds.

 

“I could be making money anywhere else. I’m not one of these guys running around the neighborhood broke wondering whether I’m coming or going,” he said. “I’m not doing this because I need a few dollars. I’m alright. My life is good.

 

“This is a great opportunity for my career and to showcase my talents at the highest level.”

 

The undercard of Friday’s event features hard-hitting super middleweight prospect Badou Jack (16-0-1, 11 KOs) facing veteran Derek Edwards (26-3-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round bout. Biosse is the second fighter promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports to fight the main event on Showtime in as many weeks; last Friday, Philadelphia’s Hank Lundy dominated in a unanimous decision win over Angelo Santana on ShoBox: The Next Generation.

 

– CES –

Stiff Lauren - Until I Win

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@StiffLauren

Stiff Lauren continues to chase the finish line in his new music video "Its Not Over Until I Win" which was Inspired by a speech by famous motivational speaker, Les Brown. As soon as Stiff Lauren finished watching the entire speech delivered by Les Brown "Its Not Over Until I Win" he knew that it was "GO" time. Now what makes this story even more interesting is the fact that this video was shot from his very own iPhone 5. " I wanna use a Nikon or a Canon but im not really able to afford a really good one at the moment, i could have actually payed someone to shoot my video, but I figured, what is that doing for me really, I am looking to be much more than a musician. In addition to that I feel the iPhone video really does a good job of authenticating my hunger and passion for my work", said Stiff Lauren, when asked, "how did the music video come about". Be sure to follow Stiff Lauren on Twitter & Instagram @StiffLauren.

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Dollaz

DFUOB6

Prod. by Kato

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@dollaz4eva

Vote for Dollaz here: http://bsta.rs/dc3b4
Download free here: https://soundcloud.com/dollaz4eva/dol...
Platinum Dreamz Mixtape: http://www.datpiff.com/Dollaz-Platinu...

https://www.facebook.com/Dollaz4Eva
https://twitter.com/dollaz4eva
https://soundcloud.com/dollaz4eva
http://www.mtv.com/artists/dollaz/

Special Thanks to:
Mr. Lotto @MrLottoBeatz, Dip n' Dash Clothing @DipnDashC and LukasVH Media @LukasVHMedia.


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Jay Deala Drops Hot New Video for Latest Single “Ghetto Boy” Feat. AKA$H

Following a slew of successful releases, including his latest effort, the debut album Sincerely, Jay Deala The Album (2013), Indian hip hop artist Jay Deala recently released the hot new video for his latest single, “Ghetto Boy” featuring AKA$H, on his VEVO channel.

“Ghetto Boy” showcases the rap stylings of Jay Deala and AKA$H with the laid back but vibrant musings of Indian instruments providing a subtle, unique backdrop to the lyrics. AKA$H and Jay Deala swap verses, with AKA$H slaying his verse with slick, aggressive rhymes and Jay Deala delivering smooth lines chronicling the essence of what it means to be a “Ghetto Boy” in the context of his own past. The video itself depicts a confrontation between Jay Deala and AKA$H's crews, shooting hoops, and Jay Deala hanging with his girl and protecting her from an attempted robbery.

The release of “Ghetto Boy” comes on the heels of Jay Deala's full-length international debut Sincerely, Jay Deala The Album. This was the culmination of a variety of previous recording projects, including two mixtapes under M Way Entertainment, an EP and an international smash hit single, “Ajaa” featuring Deep Jandu.

Jay Deala's recordings and latest video all fall under the label M Way Entertainment, his own microlabel he developed to represent the best upcoming artists in the local and international music scenes. While hip hop is at the heart of these efforts, Jay Deala doesn't limit himself and instead embraces a variety of genres per the multitude of musical in?uences from his childhood.

Jay Deala's earliest musical in?uence was his father, a musician who persevered to become a successful performer and inspiration to his sons. As a result, Jay Deala learned to play the tablas (Indian drums) and harmonium at a very young age. He became interested in hip hop and the subject of the inner city urban lifestyle, and he embraced the scene whole-heartedly.

Gangster rap was a central part of his youth, and he and his friends would share raps and beat boxing in the local parks, alleys and catwalks of the Toronto suburbs. He drew inspiration from some of his gangsta rap idols, such as Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z and Ludacris in addition to Apache Indian and the production abilities of Timbaland and Panjabi MC. From there, he gained the con?dence to pursue his own hip hop career and formed M Way Entertainment while on the path of realizing that dream.

Since establishing his career and position as a ?xture of the Toronto hip hop community, Jay Deala has had a number of notable performances. He was the opening act for Russell Peters, K A R D I N A L, FRANK N DANK and Mathew as well as Panjabi MC and Aman Hayer at Pearson Convention Centre in Toronto. He's performed at a several festivals, including Importfest 2008 and Desifest 2008, both in Toronto, and Celebrity 2009 in London, England. He's also headlined a number of events, including the 2 nd annual South Asian Music Festival in downtown Ottawa in July 2010.

You can ?nd his music at several retail stores in Toronto, and he has a digital and physical distribution deal in the UK as well. You can also ?nd his music digitally at CD Baby Worldwide. Stream his music from his website, and check out videos on his YouTube and Vevo channels.
About Jay Deala Music
Of?cial M Way Mixtape Vol. 1 (2007)
Of?cial M Way Mixtape Vol. 2 (2009)
Ajaa EP (2010)
“Summertime” Single (2011)
“Serious” Single (2011)
“Vida Tropical” Single (2012)
“All Black” Single (2012)
“Lately” Single (2013)
Sincerely, Jay Deala The Album (2013)

Website: http://www.jaydeala.com/
MTV Artist Pro?le: http://www.mtv.com/artists/jay-deala/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jay.deala
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaydeala
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jaydeala
Vevo: http://www.vevo.com/artist/jay-deala
Myspace: https://myspace.com/jaydeala

Get your next project distributed at @Raphenom.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 25th, 2014) – For years, Hank Lundy has been a promoter’s dream, a throwback fighter willing to fight anyone, anywhere at any given time regardless of the risk involved.

 

In football, he’d be your prototypical gunslinger quarterback, the fearless, yet gifted, pocket-passer unafraid to launch it down the field into triple coverage.

 

With no risk, there’s no reward, and Lundy (24-3-1, 11 KOs) is living proof. This past weekend, the 30-year-old Philadelphia lightweight took another gamble, dropping back down to 135 pounds and traveling to Don King’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, to face one of King’s young prospects on a card promoted by King himself in front of a worldwide audience on Showtime’s ShoBox: The Next Generation.

 

Not only did Lundy steal the spotlight, he won convincingly, beating Angelo Santana from start to finish in a decisive, 98-91, victory on all three judges’ scorecards.

 

As Lundy inches closer to his dream of challenging for, and winning, a world title, he can no longer be the relentless daredevil who long ago earned the reputation as one of boxing’s most prolific road warriors. There’s more at stake now than ever before, and Lundy is plotting his next move carefully, knowing full well his latest opportunity could be the biggest of his career.

 

Having proved himself time and time again in the face of adversity, it’s world title or bust in 2014, and “Hammerin’” Hank is on the brink of championship glory.

 

“If it’s not a world title, I’m not trying to hear it,” said Lundy, who entered last weekend’s fight ranked No. 13 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) and 10th in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) at 140 pounds, where he fought his last two fights prior to Friday.

 

“Before, I took any and every fight, but now I’m trying to be smart. Right now, I want that world title. I’ve paid my dues. I need my shot.”

 

Though Lundy mentioned the possibility of a keep-busy fight on ESPN in April, it wouldn’t be a surprise if his next fight were for a coveted world championship, most likely back at 135 pounds, where he’s had the majority of his success since bursting onto the scene in 2010. And while he’d still like a shot at former 140-pound world-title holder Lucas Mattyhysse, a fight that fell apart in January due to Lundy’s legal issues with his former manager – “I’ll still beat him badly,” Lundy said – a more realistic option might be World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion Richar Abril, whom Lundy beat in 2010 before Abril won the title.

 

“We should do it again, this time for a world title,” Lundy said.

 

“At 135, it doesn’t matter who it is. If you’re a champ, whether it’s the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO [World Boxing Organization], I want you. I’m in line. It’s my time.”

 

Having fought – and won – so many fights in his opponents’ backyards, including nationally-televised wins over Omri Lowther in Montreal and former world champ David Diaz in Chicago, Lundy has become one of the sport’s most avoided fighters in the lightweight division. His bout against Jeremy Bryan scheduled for mid-October fell apart last year when Bryan withdrew due to a back injury less than three weeks before the fight and another proposed showdown on HBO against Karim Mayfield – a bout Lundy claims was a “done deal” on his side – was mysteriously pulled from the table, prompting Lundy to question whether or not Mayfield had the courage to fight him.

 

“I’m a problem. There’s no answer for the ‘Hammer,’” Lundy said. “To get ready for the ‘Hammer,’ you’ve got to have five or six, maybe seven, guys just to prepare for a fight with me. I’m not one-dimensional, baby. I can do it all!”

 

For his next trick, Lundy might bring a championship belt back to Philadelphia, a city synonymous with boxing greatness dating all the way back to 1905 when Jack O’Brien defeated Bobby Fitzsimmons for the world light heavyweight championship. The tradition has continued through the years with all-time greats such as Tim Witherspoon, Joe Frazier and current world-title holder Bernard Hopkins, the ageless wonder still dominating the light heavyweight circuit at 49. If all goes well in 2014, Lundy could write his own chapter in the rich history of Philadelphia boxing.

 

“At the end of the day, I’m searching for a world title, and that should be my next fight,” Lundy said.

 

“I’ve fought everybody they put in front of me. Santana, he was 14-1 with 11 big knockouts, and he tried to do the same to me, but I had other plans. I showed the world again what ‘Hammerin’ Hank’ is all about. I knew I could outbox this guy and I went out there and dominated.

 

“I had so much going on in my career before, but now all my focus is on fighting, so that’s what you’re seeing – ‘Hammerin’ Hank fighting and getting the job done. You know me. It doesn’t matter who it is, or where I go. I put my bundle on my stick and I go out there and fight

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Tarathomas@tarathomasagncy.com

Johnson earns knockout win in Friday’s main event; Kahn-Clary dominates in homecoming victory

LINCOLN, R.I. (Feb. 21^st, 2014) – Boxing’s ageless “Road Warrior” added another highlight-reel knockout to his resume Friday night at Twin River Casino.

Fighting for the first time in Rhode Island, no surprise given his penchant for spanning the globe throughout his career, former two-time world champion Glen Johnson (54-18-2, 37 KOs) stopped the game Jaime Velazquez (11-6-2) in the fourth round of their scheduled eight-round main event light heavyweight bout at “Home Sweet Home,” presented by Classic Entertainment & Sports. Providence’s Toka Kahn-Clary also won in impressive fashion by technical knockout in the scheduled six-round co-feature.

Velazquez, the Pawtucket, R.I., native making his first appearance in 15 years, gave Johnson three strong rounds before the “Road Warrior” poured it on the fourth. Johnson hurt Velazquez early with a body shot and began teeing off as the round wore on, at one point nearly sending Velazquez through the ropes. Velazquez did his best to stay on his feet before a huge overhand right by Johnson sent him teetering into the ropes and prompting Velazquez’s trainer, Roland Estrada, to throw in the towel at the 1 minute, 59 second mark.

Johnson, who rose to fame in 2003 and 2004 when he captured the world light heavyweight title and knocked out Roy Jones Jr., now has 37 wins by knockout.

Fighting in his hometown for the first time since 2012, Kahn-Clary (10-0, 7 KOs) gave his loyal fans of glimpse of what they’ve been missing, dominating the overmatched Carlos Fulgencio (19-13-1) of Miami in just under two rounds.

After spending most of the first round picking his spots, Kahn-Clary turned it on in the second round, sending Fulgencio to the canvas three times in a matter of seconds, forcing referee Ricky Gonzalez to stop the bout at the 1:10 mark. Fulgencio got up quickly from the first two knockdowns, but the third one, courtesy of a hard, right hook from Kahn-Clary, nearly sent Fulgencio through the ropes.

Looking to bounce back from just his second career loss in July, exciting middleweight Thomas Falowo (11-2) took out his frustration on Columbian veteran Jaison Palomeque (14-9-1), earning a bizarre win by disqualification at the 1:57 mark of the third round. Falowo unloaded on Palomeque early with his usual barrage of punches. Palomeque tried to stand toe-to-toe with Falowo and eventually paid the price as Falowo caught him with a short right cross that sent him tumbling to the canvas at the end of the second round.

Falowo had Palomeque hurt against the ropes midway through the third when Palomeque threw a quick kick in an apparent attempt to put some distance between he and Falowo. Referee Joey Lupino stepped in and immediately disqualified Palomeque, giving Falowo his first victory since May.

Making his Rhode Island debut, Louisiana cruiserweight Alvin Varmall Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) put on quite the show against his taller opponent, Andre Ward (1-2-4) of Washington, D.C., stopping Ward in the closing seconds of the third round. As time began to wind down, Varmall Jr. wobbled Ward with a hard, overhand right and then sent Ward crashing to the canvas with a double left hook combination, ending the fight with just one second remaining in the round.

In a regional battle between two tough middleweights,

Providence’s KJ Harrison-Lombardi (5-0-1) remained unbeaten with a 40-36, 40-36, 39-37 win over the gritty Antonio Fernandes (4-15-2) of Brockton, Mass. With most of the action taking place in the center of the ring, Harrison-Lombardi was the aggressor throughout the fight, landing the cleaner, more efficient punches. As always, Fernandes hung in and fought his way off the ropes several times, but Harrison-Lombardi won decisively, his third win since October.

WWW.CESBOXING.COM

2 *NEW* HOURS OF #BEINGMARYJANE = the end of this season. And it ends with a shocker!! TUES 9P|8c #BMJFinale

Missed any of the fun? #WeGotYou. We are marathoning the movie + all the episodes from Season 1 starting TUESDAY at 1P|12c. So, call in sick to work and spend the day with us! NOTE: #BMJfinale starts at 9P\8c ---------1 hour earlier than normal time