All Posts (3885)
Sort by
MAYOR HARP: PROCEEDS FROM FRIDAY NIGHT’S HILLHOUSE/HAMDEN FOOTBALL GAME WILL BENEFIT HURRICANE RELIEF FUND
New Haven – Mayor Toni N. Harp and New Haven Public Schools officials confirmed this afternoon that proceeds generated from Friday night’s Hillhouse / Hamden high school football game will benefit a local hurricane relief fund established to help residents of Puerto Rico.
Literally millions of American citizens in Puerto Rico were stranded and left without electricity after Hurricane Maria devastated the island last week. Coordinated, grassroots efforts in New Haven are meant to provide some relief to stricken residents there.
In addition to the contribution of proceeds from Friday’s football game, donations from individuals can be made at www.arte-inc.com or at https://www.gofundme.com/new-haven-for-puerto-rico. Interested individuals can also send e-mail to arte-inc@comcast.net for more information.
###
Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars' Fighter Spotlight:
Elvin Ayala
Elvin Ayala
"My skills aren't to be underestimated."
New Haven, CT: Veteran middleweight Elvin Ayala (29-9-1, 13 KOs) has faced some tough competition in his 14-year professional career and his match-up with Vaughn "The Animal" Alexander (10-0, 7 KOs) in the main event of the Thursday, October 5 installment of the Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series will be no exception. The two are scheduled for a ten-round battle as Ayala looks to prove he is still a force to be reckoned with in the tough middleweight division.
When asked why he accepted the fight with Alexander, Ayala explained, "Because I am a fighter. I'm an animal and I will take any fight. Plus, his record and his name." Vaughn Alexander is the older brother of former world champion Devon Alexander but despite Alexander's pedigree, Ayala believes it is his experience gives him an edge over Vaughn. He added, "Experience. I have been in there and fought against guys who were lot a stronger. I think that counts for a lot because I've been there. I've gone for longer rounds. My experience is an advantage over what he's done in the boxing world."
Elvin has taken that experience and, along with his team, has developed what they believe to be a sure-fire plan for success. He said, "My plan is to beat him up. It can go any way here, but I can take him to deeper waters; we can do that. We can trade it out and see who gets knocked out first. I've been training super hard. I've been training smarter. I'm stronger, I'm faster and more experienced, I feel great. I'm taking that into the ring with me. I have no worries, I have no fear."
Dan Crotty, Ayala's manager added, "Elvin has reached a whole other level in his career and he's reached a level of maturity that's gonna propel him to be a world champion. He's got a great team behind him now and he's at a place where he understands himself and his goals a lot better. That is going to take him to where he needs to be no matter who the opponent is. He's really developed. He knows he must be physically the best and then he can achieve his goals. It is actually pretty astounding to see and watch his transformation."
At 36 years old, Ayala knows he needs to take advantage of every opportunity that comes his way if he wants to continue to be relevant in this tough division. "I'm extremely happy to have this opportunity, whether it was with Vaughn or anybody else," Ayala said. "I need to impress the right people who can help me further in my boxing career. And that's what I'm doing. I know what I have to do here, to go in there and, not just be victorious, but be very impressive so I can finally do what I should've been doing. I can capture the right people to let them see that I am serious and I can fight. My skills aren't to be underestimated."
About October 5: The Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series hosts its third installment with a rare Thursday Night edition at the Arena at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Main Event features a ten-round middleweight match-up between Rising Stars' staple Vaughn Alexander and former middleweight title contender Elvin Ayala. The series is presented by Mohegan Sun and Main Events and feature boxing prospects from New England and around the world. Tickets start at $40 and are available now through Ticketmaster and the Mohegan Sun box office.
New Haven – Mayor Toni N. Harp will hold a ‘mayor’s night out’ tomorrow evening, Wednesday, September 27, at Career High School, 140 Legion Avenue, New Haven – from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. Mayor Harp will be joined by Alder Latrice James, Alder Evelyn Rodriguez, Alder Dave Reyes, Jr. and Alder Delores Colon.
The mayor, the alders, and members of Mayor Harp’s administration will be available to meet with residents during these public ‘office hours’ – residents are invited to ask questions, make suggestions, and otherwise address matters pertaining to New Haven and its governance.
The timing of this session is particularly important as New Haven is about to begin the second quarter of the fiscal year without the benefit of an approved state budget. Residents’ questions and comments will be addressed on a first come, first served basis. No reservations or appointments are necessary.
News outlets are encouraged to help notify city residents ahead-of-time about the plan for this event; likewise, members of the press are invited to attend and cover these proceedings as well.
###
FORT LAUDERDALE and CLEARWATER, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University (NSU) announces the largest philanthropic gift in its history from Tampa-area cardiologist Dr. Kiran C. Patel and his wife, pediatrician Dr. Pallavi Patel. The commitment will significantly expand its programs in osteopathic medicine and health care sciences, and be used to develop a new 27-acre campus for NSU in Clearwater, Fla. The Patels are renowned in Florida for their philanthropy, community service and entrepreneurship.
The commitment from the Patel Family Foundation includes a $50 million gift and an additional $150 million real estate and facility investment in a future 325,000 square-foot medical education complex that will be part of NSU’s new Tampa Bay Regional Campus, in Clearwater. The campus will house a new site for NSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as its existing programs in the Tampa area.
Their transformational commitment will advance health care in Florida and internationally, with a particular focus on multicultural and underserved communities. The goal is to put patients first and integrate medical and health care expertise.
Their $50 million gift, one of the seven-largest to any Florida university in history, catapults NSU to more than 84% of its goal to raise $250 million by 2020 for its Realizing Potential philanthropic campaign.
 |
Vaughn "The Animal" Alexander
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
|
St. Louis, MO: It has been a little over a year and a half since Vaughn "The Animal" Alexander (10-0, 7 KOs) was released from prison after serving more than a decade behind bars. During that time, his daughter was born, he signed a promotional contract with Main Events, he hired his long-time friend, George Jakovic, as his manager and he made his television debut on HBO Latino Boxing in April. Throughout all of these changes, Vaughn has remained focused on leaving his old life behind him and tirelessly pushing towards his goal of becoming a world champion, like his younger brother Devon Alexander (former IBF Welterweight World Champion).
The next hurdle in Vaughn's path to dominance is former world title contender and New Haven native Elvin Ayala (29-9-1, 13 KOs). The two are slated to face each other in a ten-round middleweight battle as the main event on theThursday, October 5 installment of the Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series at the Arena at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino. Ayala has been in the ring with some of the division's toughest opposition, including his IBF World Title fight against Arthur Abraham, former IBF Middleweight World Champion David Lemieux, Curtis Stevens, Sergio Mora, Sergiy Derevyachenko and Derrick Findley, so this fight is Vaughn's biggest test in the ring since his return to boxing last year. Since then, he is 5-0 with three KOs, but against Ayala, Vaughn will be facing an opponent who brings world champion level experience and hometown crowd support with him.
Vaughn, however, is intensely confident and did not seem fazed when he said, "I respect him. He gets in the ring and he put his life on the line but that's where it stops. He's not intimidating to me because I've been doing this since I was eight years old. I've been around the best of them. Honestly, this is just another fight for me. There's nothing special about him that don't give me any type of problems or anything like that. I'm just looking to go ahead and take care of business. This definitely isn't going the distance. I promise you that!"
According to Jakovic, Vaughn has settled into his new life with ease and is ready for whatever challenges come his way. He said, "His day-to-day is his family and boxing. Boxing is his full-time job and he takes it extremely seriously. He makes sure he gets his rest. He's a family man but his dedication to training is just amazing. I've been around. I've seen hundreds of boxers train. His intensity and his dedication and his love and that's what I think is different from a lot of people. You have to be a special kind of person to fight and he has a passion for it. It shows every time he's fighting. It's going to show on October 5th."
When asked about all the changes in his life Vaughn replied, "I deal with things one day at a time. One thing about me is that when a situation arises, I handle it. After doing 11 years of my life in prison, I signed with Main Events and now I'm able to build on it and get my shot again. You can't allow things to get the best of you. That's just me, that's just been me my whole life. Even with everything on my plate, it's a blessing to even be back here to fight, to even have responsibilities that I can deal with."
Vaughn's intense confidence leads him to believe that not only will he be victorious against Ayala on Oct. 5 but he will also win over Ayala's hometown fans. He added, "I'm very charismatic. From my entrance to me getting in the ring; I am poised in any situation. I'm in his backyard. I'm fighting him where he's from. I'm going to be in control like I always do. I was built for these situations. It doesn't make no difference where I fight at. If it's in a backyard or if it's in Vegas, then I just fought in a duel. It doesn't make no difference where I fight at. The result is going to be the same. They are going to be raising my hand."
About October 5: The Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series hosts its third installment with a rare Thursday Night edition at the Arena at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Main Event features a ten-round middleweight match-up between Rising Stars' staple Vaughn Alexander and former middleweight title contender Elvin Ayala. The series is presented by Mohegan Sun and Main Events and feature boxing prospects from New England and around the world. Tickets start at $40 and are available now through Ticketmaster and the Mohegan Sun box office.
The fifth annual celebration honored Princess Dr. Nisreen El-Hashemite, Patricia Arquette, Ashley Judd,
Heather Heyer, who posthumously received the Humanitarian Award for Social Justice. Her mother, Susan Bro, accepted the award.
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (September 23, 2017) — The fifth annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards presented by Brown-Forman took place this evening at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. The fundraising gala celebrated people from around the world who are making a difference in their communities and beyond. In addition to awards given to seasoned humanitarians, six young people, age 30 and under, were honored with an award for each of Muhammad Ali’s Six Core Principles: Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect, and Spirituality.
"The Fifth Annual Humanitarian Awards are a key milestone for the Ali Center," said Lonnie Ali, co-founder of the center. "Not only does this annual event amplify the powerful impact of Muhammad's legacy, but our awards also incentivize others to a life of service--as Muhammad and I envisioned when we helped launch the awards. Year after year, I am amazed at the quality of our awardees and the humanitarian and philanthropic work they are doing around the world. These young people give me hope that the future of our global community will be one of promise and opportunity for everyone."
The 2017 Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awardees:
- HRH Princess Dr. Nisreen El-Hashemite, Executive Director of the Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT), medical doctor, geneticist, and humanitarian, was honored as the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award.
- Patricia Arquette, Academy Award-winning actress, activist, founder of GiveLove, and humanitarian, received the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for Lifetime Achievement.
- Ashley Judd, Actress, activist and Kentuckian, was presented with the Muhammad Ali Kentucky Humanitarian Award.
- Paige Elenson, global humanitarian and founder of the Africa Yoga Project, received the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for Global Citizenship.
- Hill Harper, Actor, author, and philanthropist, entrepreneur, and founder of the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, was honored with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for Education.
- Heather Heyer, who posthumously received the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for Social Justice. Heyer lost her life last month in Charlottesville, VA while fighting for her beliefs and campaigning against hate. Her mother, Susan Bro, accepted the award.
For more information about the seasoned humanitarian awardees, visit https://alicenter.org/news.
The 2017 Muhammad Ali Six Core Principle Awardees (age 30 and under):
- Gavin Armstrong, age 30, Toronto, Canada was honored for his Confidence in advocating against hunger and malnutrition.
- Mohammed Ashour, age 30, Austin, Texas received the Conviction Award. He is the co-founder and CEO of Aspire, a company that develops the most advanced insect farming technology in the world.
- John-Son Oei, age 30, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia received the Dedication Award. He is the co-founder and CEO of EPIC, a company that aims to build relationships between the urban and rural divide through the activity of building homes for underprivileged Malaysian communities.
- Iseult Ward, age 26, Dublin, Ireland received the Giving Award. She is the co-founder and CEO of the award-winning social enterprise FoodCloud.
- Anoop Jain, age 30, Oakland, California was honored for his Respect working on public health initiatives in India.
- Hannah Taylor, age 21, Winnipeg, Canada received the Spirituality Award. At age 8, she founded The Ladybug Foundation, a charity that has raised millions of dollars and helped more than 65 homeless shelters and food banks across Canada.
For more information about the Six Core Principle awardees, visit https://alicenter.org/news.
This year’s host and presenters were:
- Michael Buffer, professional ring and sports announcer
- Lonnie Ali, Co-Founder of the Muhammad Ali Center, widow of Muhammad Ali, and advocate for children’s rights and Parkinson’s disease research
- Jamillah Ali-Joyce, daughter of Muhammad Ali and Illinois Secretary of State Employment Counselor in the City of Chicago
- Mark Hogg, Founder and CEO of WaterStep, motivational speaker, and the 2013 Kentucky Muhammad Ali Humanitarian awardee
- Donald Lassere, President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center
- Kevin Martinez, Vice President of Corporate Outreach for ESPN
- Geoff Thompson, Former 5-time world karate champion, sports administrator and politician, and Founder and Executive Chair of UK-based Youth Charter
- Ruth Riley, General Manager of the San Antonio Stars, former WNBA player, and NBA Cares Ambassador
**Previously announced presenter, Allan Houston, was unable to attend. Ruth Riley presented in his place.
This year’s performers were:
- IMAJ, multi-talented singer-songwriter, described as a “country darling of peace and love,” who can perform in six languages.
- The Paragon Project, a platform designed to give voice to the talented high school performing arts students, musicians, producers and poets at The Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, a Grammy Award-winning performing arts high school in Ohio.
- Tom Strahle, LA-based guitarist, songwriter and composer who has written with Justin Bieber, Taboo, Taylor Swift, and many others.
- CJ Vanston, Hollywood-based film composer, record producer, songwriter, keyboardist, and music director for Spinal Tap
Sponsors
In addition to Brown-Forman, this year’s Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards are also supported by: Horseshoe Southern Indiana, Fusioncorp, H. C. S. Foundation, Tandem PR & Marketing, Ashbourne Farms and River Bend Farm.
About the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards
The Fifth Annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards, presented by Brown-Forman, will take place on September 23rd, 2017 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown in Louisville, Kentucky USA. This charitable event of celebration and recognition will honor individuals around the world who have made significant contributions toward the attainment of peace, social justice, or other positive actions pertaining to human or social capital. In addition to awards presented to seasoned humanitarians, six young people, 30 years or younger, are honored with an award for each of Muhammad’s Six Core Principles: Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect, and Spirituality. This event is the premiere annual fundraiser for the Muhammad Ali Center.
About the Muhammad Ali Center
The Muhammad Ali Center, a 501(c)3 corporation, was co-founded by Muhammad Ali and his wife Lonnie in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The international cultural center promotes the Six Core Principles of Muhammad Ali (Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect, and Spirituality) in ways that inspire personal and global greatness and provides programming and events around the focus areas of education, gender equity, and global citizenship. Its newest initiative, Generation Ali, fosters a new generation of leaders to contribute positively to their communities and to change the world for the better. The Center’s headquarters also contains an award-winning museum experience. For more information, please visit www.alicenter.org.
MAYOR HARP ENLISTS MEDIA OUTLETS; ADVANCES LOCAL, GRASSROOTS HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS
New Haven – Mayor Toni N. Harp today advanced through conventional and social media the message from those who organized a New Haven-based, grassroots hurricane relief effort seeking donations to help stricken residents there.
Details about how residents can make donations to this relief effort are as follows:
Donations can be made via this Gofundme Accounthttps://www.gofundme.com/new-haven-for-puerto-rico , or visit Arte-inc@comcast.net (click on donation) please identify the donation as NH 4 PR.
For further information please contact:
Juan Candelaria (203)645-7905, ARTE INC (203) 787-2783, Maritza Rosa (203) 415-2812,
or Mercedes Felix (203) 946-8200
City of New Haven - New Haven Latino Council - ARTE Inc.
Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc across Puerto Rico yesterday – many New Haven residents with family and friends in Puerto Rico remain unable to reach them today.
Mayor Harp said the city will continue its efforts to match local relief initiatives with those in need in Puerto Rico.
###
Donald Carter studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and has been a freelance designer for more than 40 years. His style is contemporary with an avant-garde twist. Creating coutured and haute fashions for the individual who desires an individuality and bold direction for their wardrobe...
City Hall
Tomorrow 6-8 pm
Free Fashion Show
Fashion Week in CT
Free...
COPS, EDUCATORS & COMMUNITY MEMBERS PLAN AN AFTERNOON STROLL
New Haven| Who walks the neighborhood streets of New Haven? Those that live and work in them do. The officers patrolling their beats do. So why not do it together?
Tomorrow, Friday, September 22nd, at 3:00 PM, that’s exactly what’ll happen. Officers and local Elm City folks will meet at 4 Science Park on Winchester Avenue to, quite literally, take a walk.
Community members will be joined by Police Chief Anthony Campbell, police commanders and officers, school officials including area principals and local clergy members. Anyone can join the group. All you have to do is show up.
This is the first such event we’ve been involved with. It is the hopes of organizers that this planned walkthrough will prompt discussions about the community, those in it and solutions to problems in a social environment – void of podiums and fluorescent lights.
For more information, contact Daniel Hunt at Daniel.Hunt@newhaven.k12.ct.us
MAYOR HARP UNDERSCORES SUPPORT FOR STATE’S WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTERS, PROGRAMS
New Haven – Mayor Toni N. Harp today echoed public statements made by Governor Malloy, underscoring her own support for Connecticut’s workforce training centers and their programs:
“Many residents of Connecticut cities benefit from an opportunity to acquire a new job skill, polish an old one, change or advance a career, and the state’s workforce training centers provide that opportunity for them to improve their prospects in that regard,” Mayor Harp said. “Connecticut’s investment in these programs returns dividends in two ways: first, with a skilled workforce to help attract new businesses to the state, and through the increased economic activity fueled by additional, higher-wage workers.”
###
Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series
Local Fighter Spotlight: Josh Crespo
Crespo Responds to Green: "I've Fought Bigger, Better Competition"
New Haven, CT: In the heated lead-up to their highly anticipated October 5th rematch on the Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series, New Haven's Josh Crespo (7-5, 3 KOs) has had some harsh words for his cross town rival, Nate Green (9-0, 2 KOs). Crespo suffered a decision loss to Green when they first stood toe-to-toe back in 2011 at the start of their respective careers. Interestingly, three years later, Green worked Crespo's corner when he defeated Sammy Rodriquez in Rodriguez' hometown of Rochester, NY. For this reason, Green believes that he has gained a special insight into what makes Crespo tick in the ring.
Crespo, however, sees things a bit differently. Insinuating that Green's assistance during the Rodriguez fight was superficial at best, he explained. "First of all, Green didn't train me. His coach didn't train me. I conditioned myself. I went all by myself. All I needed was someone to qualify as a corner man. I already knew what I was doing in that fight. I knew who I was going up against." He continued, "All he had to do was hold (the) pads up and get me loose and warmed up. I was going to go in there and win the fight whether I had Nate or somebody else. I had worked so hard to get ready for that fight that I knew I was going to win. I already had that mentality. He never coached me; never trained me; never did a damn thing."
Although Green boasts an undefeated record, Crespo believes that he has fought the tougher opposition and his experience in the ring will give him the edge onOct. 5. He elaborated, "I fought different kinds of opponents. I think I fought better opposition than he has. I fought bigger, better competition. I've learned a lot. The only thing that Nate could ever use to separate me and him is the fact that he's undefeated and I'm not." He went on to explain, "That's because I feel like I've taken more chances. I've fought real tough competition. I never went in the ring with people knowing that I'm going to win 100%. (Nate) goes into a fight knowing he's going to win. He has to know that he's has to win the fight in order to be the cocky little bastard that he is."
This will be Green's first fight in the 122-pound weight division. Crespo believes that Green chose this rematch because he believes it would make for an easier transition to move up in weight and fight someone he has already defeated. However, Crespo is not fazed by Green confidence.
"He thinks he's the great one. I don't think he's so great. I think October 5th is going to be a night where I can redeem myself. He's never fought at 122 [lbs.] before. But since it was me and he beat me, he agreed to take the fight. He's real cautious about what stuff he takes and I'm willing to step into the ring with anyone." Crespo concluded by making the point that, while he is extremely confident going into the fight, he is not simply looking for "a guaranteed win."
About October 5: The Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series hosts its third installment with a rare Thursday Night edition at the Arena at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Main Event features a ten-round middleweight match-up between Rising Stars' staple Vaughn Alexander and former middleweight title contender Elvin Ayala. The series is presented by Mohegan Sun and Main Events and feature boxing prospects from New England and around the world. Tickets start at $40 and are available now through Ticketmaster and the Mohegan Sun box office.
New Haven – Mayor Toni N. Harp today spoke for thousands of city residents, expressing concern about the life-threatening devastation of Puerto Rico, subjected to the lash of Hurricane Maria so close on the heels of Hurricane Irma.
“The close ties between New Haven and Puerto Rico are manifest over many generations in hundreds and hundreds of local families with loved ones living in each place: we maintain every hope those on that island remain safe until the crisis subsides,” Mayor Harp said. “What’s more, New Haven Public Schools just completed a recruitment drive in Puerto Rico, so we know new teachers and administrators districtwide are concerned about and distracted by the effects of this storm – our prayerful thoughts are with them as well.”
Mayor Harp said city residents who want to help friends, family, and other residents in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico can simply text ‘Unity’ to 414-44.
Uncasville, CT: On October 5, New Haveners Nate Green (9-0, 2 KOs) and Josh Crespo (7-5-3, 3 KOs) will face-off in an eight-round rematch on the highly anticipated third installment of Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series. The local rivals initially faced off in 2011 at Mohegan Sun, with Green defeating Crespo in a four-round unanimous decision.
The first fight between Green, 28, and Crespo was Green's professional debut. Since then, the Brooklyn-born southpaw has amassed nine straight victories with two of those wins coming by way of knockout. In his most recent fight, he travelled to Ponce, Puerto Rico and came back from a second-round knockdown to upset Emanuel Rivera in hostile territory. Aside from his win in Puerto Rico and a short ride to Queens, all of the New Haven's local's fights took place in Connecticut, where he has been amassing quite a fan base. This will be Nate's fourth time fighting at Mohegan Sun.
Crespo, also 28, has fought his entire professional career in the Northeast, including five fights at Mohegan Sun. He made his Rising Stars debut on the inaugural event of the series in November of last year with a stellar first round KO over Jesus Gonzales from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
When asked about the fight Green stated, "The day he beat me is not on one of these calendars!! If you want to succeed, believe it!! Greatness at ground level."
Since their initial fight in 2011, Crespo has been eager to avenge his first career loss. Despite some losses on his record, Crespo has been a more active fighter than Green over the last few years. Crespo may also have a size advantage this time around: their first fight was at 119 lbs, but the rematch will take place at 123 lbs. Crespo added, "When the sun rises in Africa, whether it's a gazelle or a lion, they both know what they got to do to make it to another sunrise: either I out run the lion or eat the gazelle, but my objective is to win the next sunrise no matter what position or what opposition."
Main Events CEO Kathy Duva said, "Both of these guys are from New Haven and have been fighting in Connecticut, building up their fan bases for years. This local grudge match is the kind of fight their supporters want to see! We're often unable to make this kind of fight because the boxers are friends or work in the same gym. So it's refreshing to have two fighters from the same area agree to face each other. Everyone at Mohegan Sun on October 5 is definitely going to get their money's worth! It will be a great Thursday night for boxing fans in Connecticut."
About October 5: The Mohegan Sun's Rising Stars Boxing Series hosts its third installment with a rare Thursday Night edition at the Arena at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Main Event features a ten-round middleweight match-up between Rising Stars' staple Vaughn Alexander and former middleweight title contender Elvin Ayala. The series is presented by Mohegan Sun and Main Events and feature boxing prospects from New England and around the world. Tickets start at $40 and are available now through Ticketmaster and the Mohegan Sun box office.
 Krusher Begins Road to Redemption
 Sergey Kovalev to Face Vyacheslav Shabranskyy
Saturday, November 25 at The Theater at
Madison Square Garden
Televised Live on HBO Boxing After Dark®
|
New York, NY: Former Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KOs) returns to the ring Saturday, November 25 at The Theater Madison Square Garden to take on hard-hitting contender Vyacheslav "Lion-Heart Chingonskyy" Shabranskyy (19-1, 16 KOs) in a ten-round light heavyweight showdown. Kovalev vs. Shabranskyy will be promoted by Main Events and Krusher Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions, and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Tickets for this exciting event will go on sale soon.
The Krusher, 34, from Chelyabinsk, Russia, rose to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings as he quickly tore through the light heavyweight division, stopping 26 of his 33 opponents. He won the WBO Light Heavyweight Title from Nathan Cleverly in 2013 when he stopped the then-unbeaten champion in Cleverly's backyard. After three straight title defenses, all knockouts, Kovalev dominated future Hall-of-Famer Bernard "The Alien" Hopkins in a unanimous decision shutout to add the WBA and IBF belts to his collection. He continued his run as the unified light heavyweight champion for two more years before meeting undefeated champion and Olympic gold medalist Andre "SOG" Ward in Las Vegas and on HBO pay-per-view. Kovalev dropped two controversial and hard-fought losses to the current pound-for-pound king.
Now, Sergey Kovalev is ready to write the next chapter of his career. Before returning to the United States from a summer in Russia, he spent time at a monastery in Greece to clear his head and prepare mentally and spiritually for his climb back to the top of his division. Kovalev said, "I learned a lot from my fights with Andre Ward. When you don't win and when you suffer adversity, it makes you stronger. It also shows you who your real friends are. I feel like I cleaned out my life and now I'm ready to start fresh. I'm very excited to get back in the ring, and fight at Madison Square Garden for the first time, and I'm focused on the future. I'm not looking back."
Shabranskyy, 30 of Zhytomyr, Ukraine, has quickly made a name for himself in the light heavyweight division. Vyacheslav made his professional debut in 2012 with 17 straight victories and 14 knockouts. His only career blemish is a hard-fought TKO loss to Sullivan Barrera, the Cuban sensation who is currently ranked #3 by the WBC and #2 by the WBA at light heavyweight. Since his loss to Barrera, Shabranskyy has two straight wins both coming by way of knockout including his most recent win over Todd Unthank May where he secured the WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight Title. This is Shabranskyy's opportunity to shoot to the top of his division if he can pull off an upset of the former unified champion.
"I've been waiting for this fight a long time. I will take this chance to show everyone my abilities and qualities in the ring," said Vyacheslav Shabranskyy. "My coach, Manny Robles and I have been working on movement and defense, which together with my natural power will be more than enough to defeat a great fighter such as Kovalev. I'm proud to represent USA and Ukraine at this fight."
Main Events CEO Kathy Duva said, "The Theater at Madison Square Garden is really a perfect place for Sergey to start the next chapter of his career. He needs to go out and remind people why they love the Krusher. Sergey is an exciting fighter who is a pleasure to watch in the ring and that's what everyone is going to see on November 25th."
"Vyacheslav Shabranskyy is back, and ready to prove he will do everything to climb to the top, including facing a top-level fighter such a Kovalev." said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya. "Shabranskyy is stronger and smarter inside the ring, and will show off his mastered talent when he faces Sergey. We are excited to partner with Kathy Duva and the Main Events team yet again for an amazing show that will no doubt bring the action."
About Kovalev-Shabranskyy: The Saturday, November 25 bout between Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev and Vyacheslav Shabranskyy is a 10-round light heavyweight match-up at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The event is promoted by Main Events and Krusher Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Ticket information will be available soo
|
Williams remains unbeaten, retains WBC crowd with methodical unanimous decision win over Rodriguez
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept. 16th, 2017) – Jimmy Williams celebrated two major milestones in style Saturday, retaining his World Boxing Council U.S. Boxing Council (WBC USNBC) welterweight title for the second time in less than three weeks at Twin River Casino.
Stepping up for one more title defense after knocking outIssouf Kinda in August, Williams (15-0-1) returned Saturday on his birthday in the headliner of CES Boxing’s 12-fight card at Twin River and remained unbeaten, defeating game challenger Juan Rodriguez Jr. (13-5) of New Jersey by unanimous decision, 98-91, 97-92, 96-93.
A second-round knockdown established the pace for Williams, whose wife gave birth to twin boys less than two weeks before fight night. Rodriguez enjoyed a brief surge in the third and fourth rounds, apparently getting his second wind after the knockdown, but Williams dominated the latter half of the fight, taking rounds five through nine on two of three scorecards to build a comfortable lead.
Fighting for the third time since, Sicilian heavyweightJuiseppe Cusumano (13-1, 11 KOs) continued his east-coast reign of terror in the co-feature, stopping game challenger Matt McKinney (5-3-2) of Oceanside, Calif., at the2:41 mark of the second round. Cusumano sent McKinney to the canvas four times, twice in each round, before refereeJohnny Callas stopped the bout.
Cusumano has won 11 in a row and each of his last three by knockout within the first two rounds, including another dominant performance less than three weeks ago on the last CES Boxing card in August.
Making his fifth Twin River appearance, Providence lightweight Anthony Marsella Jr. (6-0, 3 KOs) remained undefeated in his most impressive performance to date, stopping Mexican challenger Israel Rojas (12-19) at 1:47 of the fourth round. Marsella Jr. sent Rojas to the canvas in the closing seconds of the third and twice more in the fourth before referee Joey Lupino waved it off.
Coming off his first career loss back in April, New Bedford, Mass., native Ray Oliveira Jr. (8-1) got back in the win column, narrowly defeating New Haven’s David Wilson (5-2-1) by split decision, 58-56, 55-59, 58-56.
Judges Eddie Scuncio and Robin Taylor scored the bout in favor of Oliveira while Ken Ezzo gave Wilson each of the first four rounds and the sixth and final round. Wilson started strong, also winning two of the first three rounds on Scuncio and Taylor’s scorecards, but Oliveira came on strong down the stretch to earn his first win since February.
Stealing the show on the preliminary card, female bantamweights Marcia Agripino (1-1-1) of Groton, Conn., and New Yorker Federica Bianco (3-1) fought four entertaining, back-and-forth rounds with Bianco earning the unanimous decision win, 39-37, 39-37, 40-36. The fight was much closer than the scores indicated, but Bianco was the aggressor, establishing a feverish pace from the opening bell and refusing to let up at any point. Agripino, fighting for the first time since 2013, brought the same energy, but Bianco was slightly more accurate with her exchanges, leading her to third win as a pro and first since May of 2016.
Making his 10th appearance since turning pro last May, Worcester’s Kendrick Ball Jr. (8-0-2) remained unbeaten, trading blows for six rounds with the dangerous Pablo Velez(7-2-1) of Durham, N.C., en route to a 60-54 shutout on all three scorecards. The taller, leaner Ball Jr. used his reach to keep Velez at a distance, but also stayed busy on the inside, unafraid to exchange with his opponent while outworking him consistently within close range. The win highlighted Ball Jr.’s 25th birthday celebration, which commences Sunday.
In another back-and-forth regional showdown, Stoughton, Mass., welterweight Travis Demko (5-1) narrowly defeatedMarqus Bates (2-2) of nearby Taunton by split decision, 39-37, 37-39, 39-37. Judges Wayne Lima and Taylor scored it in favor of Demko while Scuncio gave Bates the nod. Each fighter had his moments, but Demko hurt Bates in the second and had him on the ropes again in the third. Taylor and Lima each gave Demko the first three rounds while Scuncio scored rounds one, three and four in favor of Bates.
Fighting for the second time in three weeks, Worcester lightweight Jamaine Ortiz (6-0, 4 KOs) looked dominant as ever, stopping the game Darnell Pettis (1-6) of Cleveland, who failed to answer the bell for the fourth and final round. Pettis hung in for three rounds, taking Ortiz’s best, but after a brutal third round, Pettis was done for the night and Ortiz earned his fourth win of the year and second since August.
Living up to his nickname, “Bling Bling,” Providence super featherweight Michael Valentin (2-0) kept his unbeaten record intact with a hard-fought win over debut Henry Garcia (0-1) of New Bedford. Garcia never stopped coming forward, but Valentin’s quick hands set the tone early, and the 18-year-old Providence native scored a big knockdown in the second round to open up a comfortable lead on the scorecards en route to a 39-36, 40-35, 40-35 unanimous decision win.
In a battle of pro debut cruiserweights from Worcester, fighting out of rival gyms, Rafiel Nyakoko (1-0, 1 KO) earned the knockout win over Jake Paradise (0-1) at the2:36 mark of the second round. Nyakoko controlled the pace in the opening round and then staggered Paradise with a hard right midway through the second. Paradise tried to hold on to buy some time, but Nyakoko used his reach to establish his distance and finished Paradise for a good with a flurry of punches along the ropes, prompting Lupino to stop the bout.
Also in preliminary action, Worcester’s Philip Davis (1-1) earned his first career victory in the featherweight division over Providence’s Phil Dudley (1-1), 39-36 on all three scorecards, and featherweight Ricky Delossantos (3-0) of Providence remained unbeaten with his third win of 2017, beating Lowell’s Jonathan Perez (2-2-2), 40-36 on all three cards.
– CES –
