Mashantucket, CT: Before ESPN2 Friday Night Fights' live audience witnesses the WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Championship battle between Karl "Dynamite" Dargan (17-0, 9 KOs) and Tony "The Lightning" Luis (18-2, 7 KOs), they will be treated to a stacked undercard that includes Shane Mosley, Jr. (2-1, 2 KOs), Cuban Sullivan Barrera (14-0, 9 KOs) and local prospects.

The undefeated Barrera is taking on veteran Jeff Lacy (27-5, 18 KOs) for eight rounds of action in the light heavyweight division. Barrera had a stellar 2014 with four wins and three knockouts. In his last fight on the Kovalev-Hopkins undercard, he stopped Rowland Bryant in the fourth round. Lacy also defeated his last opponent, Timothy Hall, Jr.

Middleweight Mosley, Jr., of Pomona, CA, is taking on Rafael Machado for four rounds of action. Mosley has been training in Foxwoods with his father, Sugar Shane Mosley, as part of the reality television series Knockout. The 24-year old Mosley suffered his first career loss in his last fight against Marchristopher Adkins. Machado is still looking for his first career win.

In another eight rounder heavyweights Keith "Machine Gun" Tapia (12-0, 7 KOs) of Santurce, Puerto Rico and Jesse Oltmanns (10-4, 7 KOs) of Bartonsville, PA will square off. The undefeated Tapia is coming off an eight round unanimous decision victory over Paul Jennette in June of last year. Oltmanns is looking to snap a three fight losing streak. In his last fight he was stopped by Matt Godfrey in the fifth round.

Light heavyweights Larry Pryor (9-8, 5 KOs) of Washington, DC and Charles Foster (6-0, 3 KOs) of New Haven, Connecticut will face off for six rounds. Pryor has won his last two fights in a row after suffering a six-round unanimous decision loss to Barrera at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA in April. In his last fight, he defeated Rayco Saunders via a six-round unanimous decision. The undefeated Foster knocked out Robert Jackson in the first round on the undercard of the Mchunu-Wilson card at Foxwoods in September.

Local favorite Cassius Chaney of New London, Connecticut will make his professional debut in a four-round heavyweight match-up with Antonio Assermelly (0-2) of Vesterly, Rhode Island. Assermelly is still looking for his first professional victory.

Finally, undefeated Philadelphian big man Khalib "Big Foot" Whitmore (6-0, 5 KOs) will square off against Carlos Reyes of (6-5-1, 4 KOs) of Kuarny, Arizona for four rounds of cruiserweight action. Whitmore has knocked out his last five opponents in a row. Most recently he stopped Lamont Capers in the fourth round at Sands in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania back in August of 2014. The southpaw, Reyes, is coming off a second round stoppage of Mike Bissett last month in St. Petersburg, Fl.
 
About January 30
Presented by Main Events in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, the Jan. 30 edition of Friday Night Fights on ESPN2 and will take place at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT. It features a ten-round lightweight battle between undefeated contender Karl "Dynamite" Dargan (17-0, 9 KOs) against Tony "The Lightning" Luis (18-2, 7 KOs) for the WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Championship in the main event. The co-feature is an eight-round middleweight bout between Thomas Falowo (12-3, 8 KOs) against Russell Lamour (11-0, 5 KOs). The remaining undercard bouts will be announced shortly. Tickets are $40, $60 and $75 and available now through Foxwoods.com and the Foxwoods box office. The doors will open at 5:00 PM ET and the Friday Night Fightstelecast will begin at 9:00 PM ET on ESPN2.
 
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NEW HAVEN CITYWIDE PARKING BAN ANNOUNCED

New Haven – Mayor Toni N. Harp has announced a 42-hour citywide
parking ban to allow snow removal equipment better access to city
streets – the parking restrictions are intended to streamline the
city’s response to this week’s snowstorm.

The parking ban will be in place beginning at 6:00 p.m. today, and
extend through noon on Thursday.

“New Haven is well-prepared for a coordinated, comprehensive response
to this snowstorm and that response will be all-the-more effective with
cooperation from city residents,” Mayor Harp said. “We’re asking
those with extra driveway space to allow neighbors to park there and
we’re asking local businesses with parking lots to make those
available as well.”

“To the extent we work together we’ll minimize the inconvenience
and disruptive potential of this storm and maximize public safety,”
Mayor Harp added.

The parking ban includes downtown New Haven (the area encircled by
Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, State Street, Grove Street, and Howe
Street), posted snow emergency routes, and the odd-numbered side of all
other city streets.

Free alternative parking is available in New Haven Public Schools
parking lots, city park parking lots, the Granite Square parking garage,
and for a $3 per day fee, at the Temple Street parking garage. Residents
are also reminded the neighborhood parking remains permissible on the
even-numbered side of city streets.

All storm related inquires can be directed to the city’s Office of
Emergency Management at 203-946-8221 or the city’s Snow Line at
203-946-SNOW.
###

The NBA is the premier professional basketball league in the United States and Canada. The league is truly global, with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, as well as NBA rosters at the start of the 2014-15 season featuring a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories. For the 2014-15 season, each of the league's 30 teams will play 82 regular-season games, followed by a postseason for those that qualify

Photo courtesy of Will Paul
CES MMA WELTERWEIGHT champion Chuck O'Neil, bottom, of Bridgewater, Mass., seen here submitting Ricardo Funch in their 170-pound title fight in October, returns to the cage Friday, Jan. 30th, 2015 to defend his title against New Jersey veteran Manny Walo in the main event of "CES MMA XXVII" live from Twin River Casino on AXS TV. Next Friday's event is CES MMA's 2015 debut and the first of its year-long nationally-televised fight series with AXS TV.

O'Neil returns to the cage next Friday to defend title against red-hot Walo on AXS TV

Walo

COUNT DOWN !!

The Chuck O'Neilpreparing to enter the cage next Friday is a smarter, savvier version of the raw talent who first stepped foot inside the hexagon eight years ago.
 
"I'd just fight and say, 'Screw this guy. I'm going to punch him in the face,'" O'Neil said. "That was my logic behind fights."
 
Nearly a decade later, the Bourne, Mass., native is a student of the game, a technician who now watches film, studies tendencies and prepares in advance of each upcoming fight. The game plan these days is far more sophisticated than just cocking back and firing a right hand at a moving target, perhaps the main reason O'Neil has evolved from a fringe contender on the regional circuit to the reigning CES MMA welterweight champion.
 
"You'll see even more improvement from my last fight to this next fight," O'Neil promised.
 
The next opportunity for O'Neil (14-6, 4 KOs) comes Friday, Jan. 30th, 2015 in the main event of "CES MMA XXVII" when he defends his title in a five-round bout against Jersey City veteran Manny Walo (7-1-1, 1 KO) at Twin River Casino. The fight will air live on AXS TV, the first of five CES MMA events scheduled for network television in 2015.
 
It'll be difficult for O'Neil to top his win over Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) alum Ricardo Funch in October, a fight in which O'Neil submitted the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt via arm bar in the second round, but Walo might force his hand. The 27-year-old vet has won seven of his last eight fights and hasn't lost since dropping a three-round decision to Michael Wilcox in his pro debut.
 
"He's a very tough opponent," O'Neil said of Walo. "Coming off the win against Ricardo, I came back to [CES MMA matchmaker] Pat Sullivan and said, 'Look, I want a tough opponent.'
 
"That's what it's going to take to get back to a bigger show. Yeah, I've won three in a row, but I need to keep fighting tough opponents. They found one in Manny Walo. I expect him to come out guns blazing looking to rip my head off, take me down and smash me out on the ground.
 
"These are the kind of fights that bring out the best in me. I'm healthy and I'm ready to keep going. It's time to make this push and make something happen in this sport."
 
Tickets for "CES MMA XXVII" are on $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com or by phone at 401-724-2253/2254. All bouts are subject to change.
 
The Walo-O'Neil title bout highlights a stacked main card featuring six nationally-televised bouts, including a five-round lightweight showdown between CES MMA's reigning 155-pound champion, Julian Lane (8-3-1, 1 KO) of Mansfield, Ohio and Somerville, Mass., challenger Lucas Cruz (7-2, 4 KOs). Lane is fresh off a nationally-televised win over Providence, R.I., lightweight Luis Felix, who also returns Jan. 30th on the main card in a three-round bout D'Juan Owens (11-8, 4 KOs) of Richmond, Va.
 
Also on the main card, Woonsocket, R.I., bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath (8-2, 4 KOs) faces Brian Kelleher (11-7, 5 KOs) of Seldon, N.Y., while Dedham, Mass., welterweight Brett Oteri (12-5, 1 KO) battles Ludlow, Mass., vet Jon Manley (8-2). The opening bout on AXS TV features East Providence, R.I., bantamweight Dinis Paiva (5-5, 3 KOs) battling Matt Doherty (3-1, 4 KOs) of Salem, Mass.
 
O'Neil's rise back to the top of the regional welterweight rankings comes more than a year half after his devastating knockout loss to Brazilian Gil de Freitas, a blow he considers nothing more than a minor detour on his road back to the UFC, where he starred in Season 13 of the promotion's The Ultimate Fighter reality television series.
 
"The big thing was I knew I made a lot of mistakes in that [loss to de Freitas]. It was time to work on my boxing issues," O'Neil said. "I worked on my footwork and movement and began cross-training at Tri-Force, working with boxing coach Dave Keefe. It's a huge difference."
 
With wins over Chris Woodall and Roger Carroll under his belt, O'Neil challenged Funch, a four-time UFC vet, and pulled out a victory he admits ranks "pretty high up there" on his list of career accomplishments.
 
"Ricardo is a beast," O'Neil said. "We came up around the same time, but when I came up I was just some scrubby guy throwing crappy punches and relying on last-ditch effort submissions. He was out there mauling people and I'm thinking to myself, 'Wow, this guy is awesome!' To be able to go out and perform as well as I did was awesome.
 
"I've gone from a submission grappler to a jiu-jitsu practitioner now. People look at me and say I'm this or I'm that. I'm an MMA fighter. I'm prepared to go wherever the fight takes me.
 
"I'm not just going out there to get a win. I'm looking to make a statement and that's what I'm going to do."
 
The undercard of "CES MMA XXVII" features six bouts, including a three-round featherweight showdown between Kyle Bochniak (3-0, 1 KO) of Boston and Long Island vet Thomas English (5-5, 2 KOs) and a lightweight bout between battle-tested veteran Jeff Anderson (11-9, 2 KOs) of Pawtucket, R.I., and Medford, Mass., prospect Lewis Corapi (6-1, 3 KOs).
 
Middleweight Eric Spicely (5-0, 2 KOs) of Providence faces Terrell Clark (2-1, 1 KO) of Worcester, Mass., and South Boston's James Murrin (2-1, 2 KOs) battles Baltimore's Robert Sullivan (4-3) in a featherweight bout. Flyweights Chris Cole (3-2) of Andover, Mass., and Dan Cormier (4-4, 1 KO) of East Providence, R.I., battle in a three-round bout and featherweight Rico Disciullo (3-0, 1 KO) of Peabody, Mass., faces newcomer Mak Kelleher of Selden.
 
                              -- CES MMA--

NEW HAVEN WINS 1ST PLACE AWARD FOR

CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION INITIATIVES

MAYOR HARP, AT U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS MEETING IN D.C., ACCCEPTS $120,000 GRANT ON BEHALF OF CITY

New Haven – Mayor Toni N. Harp accepted, on behalf of the City of New Haven, a First Place award and corresponding $120,000 grant this week in recognition of the city’s ongoing childhood obesity prevention initiatives. New Haven received the top honor among ‘medium-sized’ cities at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ (USCM) winter meeting in Washington, D.C.

Mayor Harp said the city was singled out for its Neighborhood Matters! (NMNH) programming, a partnership between the City of New Haven and Yale University that targets schoolchildren in the Fair Haven and Hill districts. Its objectives are consistent with USCM goals that encourage healthy weight through balanced diet choices and regular physical activity.

“I hope all New Haven residents feel as proud as I do that our city received this national recognition for the conscientious, innovative, and cost-effective efforts underway locally to address the serious health consequences of childhood obesity,” Mayor Harp said. “The teamwork and collaboration among social service providers and food and nutrition experts is raising awareness, getting positive results, and making a healthy difference in New Haven – and winning awards as a result.”

NMNH consists of two main components: Cooking Matters, a school and neighborhood-based nutrition education program that will provide nutrition education and training in healthy cooking to children and families; and a neighborhood-based, family oriented physical activities program that will promote increased physical activity and a more active lifestyle in general among the children and their families in the community.

The NMNH partnership ultimately envisions moving beyond the two targeted neighborhoods to a city-wide implementation of the program, and has set a rigorous goal of reducing childhood obesity by 20% citywide by 2018.

The USCM grant awards are divided into small, medium and large city categories, with first place and second place awards given in each category. The second place city among medium cities was Green Bay, WI. Jacksonville, FL and Seattle, WA, and Lima, OH and North Miami, FL were the first and second place finishers in the large and small city categories, respectively.

“I believe this (program) has advanced the science on childhood obesity prevention by identifying and supporting innovative programs that have the potential to be replicated in communities across the country,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of USCM.

###

 View from East Rock Park - New Haven, CT

165 Church Street · New Haven, CT  06510 · 203-97660

NE Video Presents
{5 Minutes} w/ Ru Williams
Ru talks about whats new in his career and
what he has up coming for the people in 2015

The 70s Soul Jam Concert & Comedy show

Open to the Public         
What: Open Media Workout With Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Graders from the Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication
Who: Sugar Shane Mosley
Shane Mosley, Jr.
Curtis "Showtime" Stevens
Local Fighter Cassius Chaney
Where: Whaling City Boxing Gym
367 Bank Street
New London, CT 06320
(860) 444-2845
When: Wednesday, January 28, 2015
3:30 PM ET

Presented by Main Events in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, the Jan. 30 edition of Friday Night Fights on ESPN2 and will take place at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT. It features a ten-round lightweight battle between undefeated contender Karl "Dynamite" Dargan (17-0, 9 KOs) against Tony "The Lightning" Luis (18-2, 7 KOs) for the WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Championship in the main event. The co-feature is an eight-round middleweight bout between Thomas Falowo (12-3, 8 KOs) against Russell Lamour (11-0, 5 KOs). The remaining undercard bouts will be announced shortly. Tickets are $40, $60 and $75 and available now through Foxwoods.com and the Foxwoods box office. The doors will open at 5:00 PM ET and the Friday Night Fightstelecast will begin at 9:00 PM ET on ESPN2.
 
FOLLOW US:
www.mainevents.com

Urban Network Digital and Amalgamation Magazine are returning to San Diego, Calif., June 4-7, 2015 for its Annual Music-Entertainment Conference, themed “Back to Basics 2.”

This is the only event of its kind on the West Coast. More than 600 people attended the 2014 Music-Entertainment Conference in San Diego and over 70 independent recording acts performed during the 3 ½ days.

At the center of the 2014 Conference were many Panelists and Participants from around the industry who signed on to share their wealth of knowledge and expertise. Executives came from some of the following companies: Universal Music Group, Capitol Records, Warner Music Group, ASCAP, SESAC, Motown Gospel, the Recording Academy, Roc Nation Music, Black Entertainment TV, Billboard Magazine, Rondor Music, Beats Music, Clear Channel, and more.

This year, the 2015 music and entertainment conference will feature forums for mix show DJs, indie labels and artists, A&R development, production and songwriting, along with panels tailored to radio professionals.

You don’t want to miss it! Early Bird Registration is $100 for the entire Conference. As of April 1, the cost is $150.

Visit http://urbannetworkdigital.com to learn more. Like us at http://Facebook.com/BackToBasicsSummit to keep up with conference updates. 

Follow on Twitter at: @UND_Back2Basics

Perez ends trilogy with win over Mauras; Ayala celebrates return in victorious fashion over Mitchell

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (Jan. 17th, 2015) – Two fighters settled a longstanding rivalry Saturday while another cagey veteran began his slow, steady climb back to the top of the rankings.

In his third bout against regional foe Agustine Mauras, Hartford, Conn., super featherweight Joseph “Chip” Perez captured the vacant New England Championship while former world-title challenger and super middleweight contendr Elvin Ayala of New Haven, Conn., won in his return to the ring following a two-year layoff.

Saturday’s pro-am event at Mohegan Sun Arena, promoted by CES Boxing, featured five amateur bouts and nine professional fights, including two title bouts. In the eight-round main event, Perez (11-3-2) finally got the best of Mauras (6-1-3), a Lawrence, Mass., native, after the two fought to a draw twice in 2013, this time utilizing a more aggressive approach while out-working and out-landing his opponent. The trilogy ended with a 79-73, 78-74, 78-74 win for Perez, easily the most lopsided of their three bouts.

On the undercard, Ayala (27-6-1) ended a layoff of more than two years with a satisfying 60-54, 59-55, 58-56 win over dangerous Philadelphia vet Aaron Mitchell (27-2-1).

A former World Boxing Council (WBC) title-holder rated among the top super middleweights in the world, Ayala hadn’t fought since suffering a first-round knockout loss to Curtis Stevens in January 2013. Having fallen out of the national spotlight, Ayala took the next two years to recover physically and mentally, making changes within his inner circle in an effort to rebuild his career for one last run at a world title.

Saturday’s win was a step in the right direction. The always-ready Mitchell, who hadn’t fought since 2008 prior to this weekend, formerly held the North American Boxing Organization (NABO) middleweight title and won 15 consecutive bouts with a stunning 14 by knockout before his brief departure from the sport more than five years ago.

In the second title bout of the evening, Portland, Maine, veteran Jorge Abiague (8-1) edged New Haven’s Josh Crespo (3-2-2) by split decision, 78-74, 75-77, 78-74 to earn the vacant N.E. Super Bantamweight championship. Abiague controlled the first two rounds with his overhand left before Crespo rocked him with a straight right hand in the closing seconds of the third. Crespo went for the kill, but Abiague survived the final few seconds and got his legs back in the fourth, where he began to dictate the pace. Abiague has now won back-to-back fights since losing to Nate Green in October.

Chinese heavyweight Zhang Zhilei (2-0, 2 KOs), a silver medalist in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, stopped Perry Filkins (0-1) of Hooksett, N.H., at the 1:10 mark of the opening round. Junior welterweight Wang Zhimin (1-0), a gold medalist at the 2011 World Series of Boxing, beat newcomer Kin Moy (0-1) of Cambridge, Mass., by unanimous decision, 40-36, 39-37, 39-36, on all three scorecards and 2012 London Olympian Meng Fanlong (1-0) defeated Washington, D.C., vet Marcellus Yates (0-2) by majority decision 40-36, 40-36, 38-38, in Fanlong’s professional debut.

Worcester, Mass., light middleweight Khiary Gray-Pitts (4-0, 2 KOs) remained unbeaten with dominant knockout win over Springfield, Ill., vet Jake Constant (0-3) courtesy of a body blow at the 1:20 mark of the opening round. Lightweight Briam Granado (1-0, 1 KO) impressed in his professional debut, stopping Theo Desjardin (0-5) of Pawtucket, R.I., at 1:18 of the opening round, knocking Desjardin to the canvas twice.

New Haven junior middleweight Jimmy Williams (8-0-1, 4 KOs) also remained unbeaten, stopping 29-fight vet Jose Felix (11-17-2) at 2:34 of the third round for his fourth consecutive win since fighting to a draw with Atlantic City’s Greg Jackson in August of 2013.

– CES –

SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT JOSH Crespo, right, of New Haven, Conn., seen here in a bout against Luis Acevedo in March, will fight for the vacant New England Super Bantamweight Title on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Mohegan Sun Arena in an eight-round bout against Jorge Abiague of Portland, Maine. It's one of two title fights on the card, which is presented by CES Boxing and also features six amateur bouts.

CES Boxing kicks off its 2015 Fight Series on Saturday, Jan. 17th, 2015 with a dynamic pro-am card at Mohegan Sun Arena, featuring two professional title bouts and six amateur bouts on the undercard.
 
After fighting to a draw twice in 2014, Hartford, Conn., super featherweight Joseph "Chip" Perez (10-3-2, 3 KOs) will battle Agustine Mauras (6-0-3, 3 KOs) of Lawrence, Mass., in an eight-round bout for the vacant N.E. title while Josh Crespo (3-1-2, 1 KO) of New Haven, Conn., faces Portland, Maine's Jorge Abiague (7-0-1, 1 KO) in an eight-round bout for the vacant N.E. super bantamweight crown.
 
Courtesy of Jay-Z's Roc Sports Nation, two former Chinese Olympians and a former Chinese international champion also headline the undercard, including southpaw heavyweight Zhang Zhilei (1-0, 1 KO), a silver medalist in the 2008 Beijing Olympics; light heavyweight southpaw and 2012 Olympian Meng Fanlong; and Wang Zhimin, who won gold in the 2011 World Series of Boxing.
 
Tickets for the event are priced at $40, $65 and $125 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling 401-724-2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

 
Jan. 17th also features the return of New Haven super middleweight Elvin Ayala (26-6-1, 12 KOs), a former five-time title challenger and WBC U.S. National Boxing Council (USNBC) champion, who faces Philadelphia veteran Taneal Goyco (7-8-1, 3 KOs) in a six-round bout. New Bedford, Mass., lightweight Briam Granado makes his professional debut against Willie Carville (1-0) Khiary Gray-Pitts (3-0, 1 KO) returns to face hard-hitting veteran Emmanuel Medina (3-4-1, 3 KOs) of Tilton, N.H.
 
CES will kick off the countdown to fight night on Tuesday, Jan. 13th, 2015 at The Russian Lady on Temple Street in downtown New Haven with a dual pep rally and press conference beginning at 7 p.m. Listed below are quotes from the participants in Saturday's event:

 
Josh Crespo
(On fighting for a title in front of his hometown fans)
 
"I really don't have much to say. [Abiague] is to me what I am to him -- someone standing in the way. I'm very sure he's going to be very prepared come the 17th and he can be sure I will, too. I'm going in there like always, feeling like I'm going to be tested physically and mentally, and I want to rise to the occasion and come out victorious. His people were wanting this fight. They asked me if I was ready to fight after every fight last year and now I'm ready. I have the right corner, training and mentality and I want to go there to surprise some people, upset some and keep others happy. We're ready."

 
Khiary Gray
(On facing veteran Emmanuel Medina)
 
"He's a tough guy. I think anyone is a tough guy when it comes to me because a lot of people do want to fight, but he is stepping up to the plate and trying to give me a loss. As far as me fighting at Mohegan Sun, I am excited because that place got me a contract and my pro debut six days later. That's where I got my contract to fight for CES, so Mohegan Sun is a special place for me. My goal for 2015 is to stay busy, stay undefeated get a New England title shot. I hope we can do that I my hometown of Worcester. I would love to do that in 2015 because I know it would be a sold-out show."

Jimmy Williams
(On his goals for 2015)

 "I'm ready to start the year off with a bang. I've been working hard with [trainer] Brian Clark to improve my boxing skills everyday and I believe one day I will become champion of the world. I'm willing to take any path to get me where I need to go. Also, I'm glad to fighting for CES and I know our future is bright. I'm going to keep working hard to be the best fighter I can be. I learn a lot from Brian. He helps me a lot with being more fluid with my punches and my power shots. I'm bless to have great people in my corner from my manger, trainer, promoter and all the support from my fans."

 
For up-to-date information on the Jan. 17th event visit www.cesboxing.com, follow @CESBOXING on Twitter and Instagram and join the CES Boxing fan page on Facebook.

 CES photo by Will Paul

PHILADELPHIA'S HANK LUNDY, left, returns to the ring less than five weeks after his last fight Friday when he faces dangerous lightweight Russian Petr Petrov in the co-feature of ESPN's Friday Night Fights at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y. Lundy last fought in December in a split decision loss to Thomas Dulorme on HBO. He's currently ranked No. 4 in the WBC in the 135-pound weight class.

Five weeks after losing close call to Dulorme, Lundy steps back into national spotlight Friday

 
 
VERONA, N.Y. -- Here he is again, on the road facing an opponent with a huge record on short notice in front of a worldwide television audience with perhaps his entire career on the line.
 
What might unnerve most fighters translates to another day in the office for CES Boxing's "Hammerin'" Hank Lundy.
 
Ranked No. 4 among lightweights in the World Boxing Council (WBC), Lundy (25-4-1, 12 KOs) will step back into the ring Friday night at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in the 10-round co-feature of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights against hard-hitting Russian Petr Petrov (35-4-2, 17 KOs).
 
Less than five weeks after his loss to Thomas Dulorme on HBO in a 140-pound bout in Brooklyn, the Philadelphia slugger is again putting it all on the line, agreeing to face the dangerous Petrov on just nine day's notice. No tune-up. No walk in the park. Just another highly anticipated ring war that could Lundy back in the conversation for a long-overdue shot at a world title in the 135-pound division. 
 
"They think they're catching me off guard," Lundy said. "I just fought December 6th on HBO and put on one hell of a performance. I'm looking forward to coming back to ESPN and doing the same thing."
 
Friday's card, promoted by Artie Pelullo's Banner Promotions, features a 10-round middleweight bout between Willie Monroe Jr. and Brian Vera. Given his flair for the dramatic and ability to rise to the occasion under the bright lights of network television, Lundy could steal the show against the powerful, but untested, Petrov. Friday will be just his third fight on U.S. soil with Lundy representing his most challenging opponent since Petrov fought Marcos Maidana in 2011 for the 140-pound world title.
 
"Petrov likes to fight on the inside," Lundy said. "He likes to come forward and throw a lot of uppercuts and right hands. I'm going to display to the whole world once again that 'Hammerin'' Hank is right here and ready for a world title shot. After we clean this guy up, we can't denied."
 
Lundy's been in this position before, once traveling to Montreal on short notice to fight on the televised portion of another FNF broadcast, where he dominated Omri Lowtherin front of Lowther's hometown fans. On Friday, he'll be back in his comfort zone fighting at 135 pounds, where he's had his most success as a professional.
 
The loss to Dulorme was a lesson of sorts for Lundy, who picked himself up off the canvas in the opening round and shook off a slow start to turn it into a competitive fight, so close, in fact, that one judge awarded the decision to Lundy. Dulorme escaped with a 97-92, 93-96, 96-93 split decision win, but Lundy won over many new fans with his gritty performance.
 
"What I learned is to stick to your game plan," he said, "and know your true definition of you.
 
"Everyone knows I'm a boxer-puncher, but in that fight I went into stalking mode and went in for the kill. Never abandon what gets you to the top. That's what I did wrong in that fight. Everything I did to get to ESPN, Showtime and HBO, I abandoned in that fight. I'm a fast guy, but I got away from that a bit."
 
Leaving the gym or taking time off following the loss to Dulorme was never an option, hence why Lundy was ready when he got the call to challenge Petrov on Friday night. Opportunity is knocking again for one of boxing's most colorful fighters and this time Lundy is primed to answer the bell.
 
"After that fight in December, I left with no bruises. I wish I could say the same for my opponent. I think he left with a broken jaw," Lundy said. "At the end of the day it's back to the drawing board. I shook the rust off and got right back in the gym and continued training. This is my job. I learned from Bernard Hopkins to stay on your job and stay on your craft."
 
For up-to-date information on all of CES' upcoming events visit www.cesboxing.com, follow @CESBOXING on Twitter and Instagram and join the CES Boxing fan page on Facebook.
 
-- CES --