ESPN’s FNF Kicks Off Its 18th Season With A Bang

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates returns next week with a whole new season of fights.

The eighteenth season of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra kicks off next Friday, January 9th live at 9pm ET live on ESPN2. Season Eighteen kicks off with a twelve round Lightweight showdown that will have World Title implications. WBA ranked #1 Lightweight Darley’s Perez ( 31 – 1, 20 KOs) will take on Jonathan Maicelo (21 – 1, 12 KOs) live at Chumash Resort and Casino in Santa Ynez, California. The winner of the fight will be next in line to face WBA World Champion Richar Abril.

Along with its massive main event, Friday night’s broadcast will also feature a ten round co-feature featuring up-and-coming welterweight contender Francisco Santana (21 – 3 – 1, 10 KOs). ESPN’s Spanish-speaking audiences will be able to catch both matches on ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates por Corona Extra at 10:30pm ET. It will also be carried online via ESPN’s broadband Spanish-language service ESPN Deportes+. Friday’s event is promoted by Gary Shaw productions. The remaining schedule of fights for January is listed below.

Date	Time (ET)	Main Event	Location	Networks
Fri, Jan 9	9 p.m.	Darleys Pérez (31-1, 20 KOs)  vs. Jonathan Maicelo (21-1, 12 KOs) —12 rounds, for the WBA #1 Ranking at Lightweight	Chumash Resort and Casino, Santa Ynez, Calif.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 16	9 p.m.	Willie Monroe Jr. (18-1, 6 KOs) vs. Brian Vera (23-8, 14 KOs) —  10 rounds, Middleweights; Petr Petrov (35-4-2, 7 KOs) vs. TBD – 10 rounds, Lightweights	Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Verona N.Y.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 30	9 p.m.	Karl Dargan (17-0, 9 KOs) vs. Tony Luis (18-2, 7 KOs) —10 rounds, Lightweights	Foxwoods Resort and Casino, Mashantucket, Conn.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

 

 

Next week’s season premiere of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates por Corona Extra is just part of what boxing fans have to look forward to during these cold winter months. Fans will also see the return of the Boxcino Tournament next month. The single-elimination, two-weight class tournament kicks off Friday, February 3^rd at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. It will be broadcast on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. It will feature eight fighters in both the junior middleweight and heavyweight divisions and will be part of the Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and Noche de Combates por Corona Extra 2015 broadcast schedule. The complete schedule for th e2015 Boxcino Tournament is listed below.

Date	Time (ET)	Main Event	Location	Networks
Fri, Feb  13	9 p.m.	Boxcino 2015 Quarterfinals- Junior Middleweight	Mohegan Sun, Uncasville,  Conn.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Feb 20	9 p.m.	Boxcino 2015 Quarterfinals- Heavyweight	Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Verona N.Y.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Apr 3	9 p.m.	Boxcino 2015 Semifinals- Junior Middleweight	TBD	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Apr 10	9p.m.	Boxcino 2015 Semifinals- Heavyweight	Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Verona N.Y.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, May 22	9 p.m.	Boxcino 2015 Finals- Junior Middleweight and Heavyweight	Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Verona N.Y.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

As with last year’s season of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates por Corona Extra, fans can once again follow the matches and score them round-by-round themselves online thanks to ESPN’s “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App.” Fans can download the app online via the official Friday Night Fights Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/espn.fnf

Joe Tessitore will be back at ringside alongside analyst Teddy Atlas once again this season. The duo will be joined at ringside this week by Todd Grisham. When he is not at ringside with Tessitore and Atlas, Grisham will have all of the latest boxing news and highlights live from the ESPN Studios throughout the season. Delvin Rodriguez will have the call for ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+. He will be joined ringside by Pablo Viruega. Leopoldo Gonzalez and Claudia Trejos will both return as co-hosts from the ESPN studios. Hall of fame ref Joe Cortez will make special appearances throughout the season with additional insight and analysis. Bernardo Osuna will also be back this season. He will have all of the latest reports and interviews for both ESPN and ESPN Deportes each week.

ESPN’s Spanish-Speaking viewers will get even more boxing coverage this season as ESPN Deportes’ will Golpe a Golpe returns, too. The weekly hour-long boxing news and analysis broadcast will be back every Saturday at 4pm. Juan Manuel Marquez and Jorge Eduardo Sanchez will share hosting duties. And on Monday’s Bernardo Osuna and David Faitelson will co-host A Los Golpes at 7:30pm. They will be joined by analyst Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.

More information on this season of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates por Corona Extra is available online now at:

Website: http://www.espn.com/boxing

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/espn.fnf

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ESPNFNF

              http://twitter.com/ESPNBoxeo

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

FNF Features The Battle Of The Junior Welterweights In Valentine’s Day Broadcast

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presented by Corona Extra features a battle of the Junior Welterweights this week.

Undefeated Junior Welterweight Chris Algieri (18 – 0, 8 KOs) will face off against Emanuel “Tranzforma” Taylor (17 – 1, 12 KOs) in the night’s ten-round main event.  The fight will be broadcast live from the Paramount Theater in Huntington, N.Y. at 9pm ET on ESPN2 and online at ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN.  ESPN Deportes will air the fight in tape delay at 10:30pm ET.  This week’s card is promoted by Star Boxing.

Algieri, a Huntington, N.Y. native is the hometown favorite.  He comes into this week’s fight looking to add another notch to his “Win” column.  He won his last fight with a seventh-round TKO over Wilfredo Acuna.  He had nothing but good things to say of Taylor in a recent interview, and that he was looking forward to tomorrow’s fight because of how evenly matched the pair is.  “I think Emanuel Taylor is a good fighter. He’s a tough kid, he’s hungry, just like myself,” he said.  “I think it’s going to be a great night, especially for me. He’s (Taylor) a sharp guy, he’s a high-percentage puncher, but I’m a much busier fighter. It’s a good matchup, especially for the fans.”

Taylor comes into this week’s fight also looking to keep his winning ways going.  He has won his last three fights.  That streak includes an eighth-round TKO victory over Victor Cayo in his most recent fight.  Where Algieri was complimentary of Taylor in his comments, Taylor was far more self-assured in his comments about this week’s bout.  “I’ve seen a couple of videos of Algieri. He’s in shape, throws a lot of punches and stays busy,” he said.  “This is a step-up fight for him and it’s not going to be good for him. Stay tuned to the fight. It’s going to be a real good show.”

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside with all the action live on ESPN2.  Todd Grisham will join them live from the ESPN Studios with all of the latest boxing news and reports.  Delvin Rodriguez and Pablo Viruega will have the call for ESPN ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+.  Leopoldo Gonzales and Claudia Trejos will be live in studio.  Bernardo Osuna will have live interviews and reports for both networks.

Before the night’s big fight, fans will be treated to an eight-round co-feature that will pit another pair of Junior Welterweights against one another.  Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (16 – 1, 6 KOs) will face Jeremy “Hollywood” Bryan in the fight in question.  Both fighters come into this week’s fight very hungry for a win.  Kinda suffered a sixth-round technical decision loss to Chris Howard in his most recent match.  Bryan fell to Amir Imam in his most recent match courtesy of a second-round TKO.

Next week on Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and Noche de Combates presented by Corona Extra, the Boxcino 2014 tournament kicks off.  The tournament is sponsored by 1800 Tequila and presented by Banner Promotions.  The Boxcino Tournament schedule is available below.

Upcoming Schedule:

 

Date	Time (ET)	Main Event	Location	Networks
Fri, Feb. 21	9 p.m.	Boxcino 2014 Lightweight Quarterfinals: six-rounds each Chris Rudd (12-1, 8 KOs) vs. Yakubu Amidu (22-4-1, 18 KOs) Petr Petrov (32-4-2, 15 KOs) vs. Fedor Papazov (14-0, 9 KOs) Miguel Gonzalez (22-3, 16 KOs) vs. Miguel Angel Mendoza (21-2-2, 21 KOs) Fernando Carcamo (15-5, 12 KOs) vs. Samuel Neequaye (21-0, 15 KOs)	Edgewater Casino, Laughlin, NV	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Feb 28	9 p.m.	Boxcino 2014 Middleweight Quarterfinals: six-rounds each Donatas Bondorovas (18-4-1, 6 KOs) vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. (15-1, 6 KOs) Cerresso Fort (17-2-1, 11 KOs) vs. Vitalii Kopylenko (22-0, 12 KOs) Brandon Adams (12-0, 7 KOs) vs. Daniel Edouard (23-4-2, 12 KOs) Raymond Gatica (13-1, 7 KOs) vs. Sena Agbeko (15-0, 15 KOs)	Harrah’s Horseshoe, Hammond, Ind.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Mar. 7	9 p.m.	Rustam Nugaev (26-6-1, 16 KOs) vs. Marvin Quintero (25-4, 21 KOs) — 10-rounds, Lightweights	Pala Casino, Pala, Calif.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Mar. 21	9 p.m.	Vanes Martirosyan (33-1-1, 21 KOs) vs. TBD — 10-rounds, Junior Middleweights	Morongo Casino, Cabazon, Calif.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

 

More information on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presented by Corona Extra is available online at http://www.facebook.com/espn.fnf, http://twitter.com/ESPNFNF, http://twitter.com/espnboxeo, and http://twitter.com/espnboxing.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

ESPN Announces Information For Friday Night Fights Season Premiere

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona is returning for its seventeenth season.  The Worldwide Leader in Sports has announced that FNF will begin its new season on Friday, January 3^rd live at 9pm ET on WatchESPN and ESPN Deportes+.  The show’s seventeenth season will kick off with a bang, too.  Season Seventeen will open with a twelve-round IBF title bout between Junior Lightweight titlist Argenis Mendez ( 21 – 2 – 1,  11 KOs) and undefeated Rances Barthelemy (19 – 0, 12 KOs).  Also slated for the season premiere of Friday Night Fights presented by Corona will be a ten-round co-feature featuring up-and-coming Middleweight contender Caleb Truax (23 – 1, 4 KOs).  As an additional note, ESPN Deportes will re-brand its broadcasts with the new name, Noche de Combates.  The newly re-branded broadcast was previously branded as Viernes de Combates.

The season opening bout, the first of the 2014 season’s twenty-six total fights, will be broadcast live from the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN.  It is co-promoted by former Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson and his promotional company, Iron Mike Productions.  Tyson also promoted the final bout of FNF’s 2013 season, which featured Argenis Mendez in the world title main event.

Brian Kweder, ESPN Senior Director of Programming and Acquisitions, expressed expectations for the 2014 season in a recent statement.  He also  noted changes being made for the upcoming season of FNF.  “We are eagerly anticipating the upcoming season of Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates,” he said.  “We start the season just as we finished last season with a world title fight co-promoted by Mike Tyson’s Iron Mike Productions. The biggest change for 2014 is that we are assigning dates to promoters with as much advance notice as possible to allow for even better fights and bigger crowds.  We’ve partnered with a group of promoters who have always delivered in the past and are committed to upping the ante even further for 2014. Having a world title fight and names like Kendall Holt, Zsolt Erdei and Arash Usmanee early this season show that the strategy is already paying dividends.”

Long time FNF broadcast team Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be back again for all of the ringside action each week.  Tessitore will call the matches and Atlas will have in-match analysis for every match broadcast on ESPN2.  Both men have been awarded the Sam Taub Award for Excellence in  Broadcast Journalism.  Teddy Atlas won the award in 2001 and Tessitore in 2010.  Studio host Todd Grisham will be back for his second full season on FNF.  He will fill in for Tessitore in ESPN2’s season opener and will have all of the latest boxing news and highlights.  Also back again will be Bernardo Osuna.  Osuna will contribute to broadcasts both on FNF and Noche de Combates. 

Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodriguez will have the call for ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+.  The will be joined live by studios hosts Leopoldo Gonzalez and Claudia Trejos.  As a new addition to the studio show for ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez will join Gonzalez and Trejos in studio throughout the season.  Osuna will contribute reports and interviews each week.  The latest slate of fights is available below.

 

Date	Time (ET)	Main Event	Location	Networks
Fri, Jan 3	9 p.m.	Argenis Méndez (21-2-1, 11 KOs)  vs. Rances Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs) —12-rounds, IBF Junior Lightweight Title	Target Center, Minneapolis, Minn.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 10	9 p.m.	Arash Usmanee (20-1-1, 10 KOs) vs. Juan Antonio Rodríguez (25-4, 23 KOs) — Junior Lightweights	Emerald Queen Hotel & Casino, Tacoma Wash.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 24	9 p.m.	Javier Molina (14-1, 6 KOs) vs. Kendall Holt (28-6, 16 KOs) —10-rounds, Junior Welterweights	Little Creek Casino, Shelton Wash.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 31	9 p.m.	Zsolt Erdei (33-1, 18 KOs) vs. Elvir Muriqi (40-5, 24 KOs) —10-rounds, Light Heavyweights	Codey Arena, West Orange, N.J.	ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

 

More information on the latest from FNF and Noche de Combates is available online at http://www.facebook.com/espn.fnf, http://twitter.com/ESPNBoxeo, and http://twitter.com/ESPNFNF.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

FNF Makes History This Week

Courtesy: ESPN

U.S. Cellular Field, home to the Chicago White Sox, will host its first professional boxing match in over fifty years this weekend.  The last time that the venue played host to a match was on September 25^th, 1962 when Charles “Sonny” Liston knocked out Olympic Gold Medal boxer Floyd Patterson in the first round to take Patterson’s title.  The victory earned Liston the world heavyweight championship.  This weekend, boxing fans will see another huge card as there will be not one, not two, but three matches in a special three-hour edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. 

This week’s edition of Friday Night Fights will be broadcast live at 9pm ET on ESPN2, WatchESPN and broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.  ESPN Deportes will join programming in progress Friday night at 10:30pm ET.  Friday’s card is anchored by two main event fights.  The first of the night’s main events is a twelve-round matchup between former Light Heavyweight titlist Gabriel “Chico Guapo” Campillo (22 – 5 – 1, 8 KOs) and Andrzej “The Polish Prince” Fanfara (23 – 2, 13 KOs).  Campillo comes into Friday’s fight having won his most recent fight with a fourth-round TKO over Ionut Illie.  Fonfara, a Chicago native, came out on top in his last match having scored a seventh-round TKO over Tommy Karpency.  And before that match, Fanfara added another notch to his “W” column in taking a ten-round unanimous decision over former Light Heavyweight titlist Glen Johnson.

Fanfara was unflinching in his mental preparation for his match against Campillo.  “I’m prepared for this fight,” he said.  “I want to win this fight and show people I’ll be the next world champion.”

Fanfara and Campillo’s matchup is just one half of Friday’s double main event.  The second of the night’s main event fights features a rematch between undefeated Heavyweight Arthur “The Pin” Szpilka (15 – 0, 11 KOs) and Mike Mollo (20 – 4 – 1, 12 KOs).  Szpilka is said to be a fan favorite among Chicago’s Polish community.  He comes into Friday’s fight looking to keep his winning ways going after taking a ten-round unanimous decision over Brian Minto in his most recent fight.  Mollo’s first match against Szpilka didn’t go so well for him [Mollo].  It ended in a sixth-round KO loss to Szpilka.  Fans can get caught up on that match as Friday’s show will open with a recap of that first meeting between the two men. 

In between Friday’s dual main event, fans will be treated to an eight-round fight between Jr. Welterweight Marc “The Rising Shark” Salser (15 – 0,  9 KOs) and Adrian “El Tigre” Granados (9 – 1 – 2, 5 KOs).

The commentary team of Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore will be ringside calling all the action for ESPN2 and WatchESPN.  They will be joined by Todd Grisham at the ESPN Studios.  Grisham will have all of the latest boxing news and updates, as he does each week.  Alejandro Palumbo will fill in once again for Delvin Rodriguez.  Palumbo will join Pablo Viruega ringside to call all of the action for ESPN Deportes+ and ESPN Deportes.  The pair will be joined in studio by Leopoldo Gonzalez and Claudia Trejos.  Bernardo Osuna will have live interviews and reports for both English and Spanish speaking audiences.

Friday night’s fight is presented by Corona Extra.  Next up for ESPN’s Friday Night Fights is a twelve-round Jr. Lightweight bout next Friday between Argenis Mendez (21 – 2, 11 KOs) and Arash Usmanee (20 – 1, 10 KOs)  Next week’s fight will be broadcast live from Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY.  It will be broadcast live on ESPN2, WatchESPN, and ESPNDeportes+. 

Fans can keep up with all of the latest Friday Night Fights news on the official FNF Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/espn.fnf.  When fans “Like” the FNF Facebook page, they can also download the Live Friday Night Fights Facebook voting app.  The app allows viewers to score the fights themselves round-by-round from the comfort of their own homes.  Audiences can also keep up with all of the latest Friday Night Fights news on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ESPNFNF and http://twitter.com/ESPNBoxeo.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Lightweights Lead Second FNF Broadcast Of August

Courtesy: ESPN

Tonight’s edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights leads off with a Lightweight division fight.  Lightweights Rustam “The Mongoose” Nugaev (24 – 6, 14 KOs) will take on Jose “EL Loco” Hernandez (14 – 6 – 1, 6 KOs) in the night’s main event.  The pair will face off in a ten-round bout live from the Morongo Casino Resort in Cabazon, California at 10pm ET.  Tonight’s fight will be broadcast live on cable on ESPN2 and online via WatchESPN and broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.  ESPN Deportes will carry the fight on TV via tape delay Saturday night at 6pm.

Nugaev, a California native, comes into tonight’s fight on the heels of a fourth-round KO win over Daniel Attah.  The fight preceding his match against Attah ended in an eighth-round KO over previously undefeated Jonathan Maicelo.  ESPN.com boxing writer Dan Rafael wrote of the fight, “Nugaev wound up scoring a highlight-reel upset knockout over Maicelo. Nugaev and Maicelo fought a good, competitive, toe-to-toe slugfest that came to an abrupt end when Nugaev caught Maicelo with a clean and powerful right hand that dropped him face-first before he rolled over on his back.”

Hernandez is also looking to improve his “W” column.  He comes into tonight’s fight after having taking down previously undefeated Tony Luis in an eighth-round TKO.  Despite this win under his belt, Hernandez’s trainer, Richard Best, was not about to take tonight’s fight lightly.  “The first thing that comes to mind with this guy we’re fighting (Nugaev) is that he’s tough,” Best said.  “You can see in his fights that he tries to wear his opponents down with pressure. He’s a tall guy, and comes in forward. He’s not too technical, but we are not underestimating him.”

Before the bell rings for the main event, audiences will also get to see undefeated Junior Lightweight Jose “The Sniper” Pedraza (13 – 0, 9 KOs) face off against Gabriel “The Ghost” Tolmajyan (13 -2 – 1, 3 KOs).   Pedraza won his most recent fight with a seventh-round TKO over Sergio Villenueva.  Tolmajyan also comes into tonight’s fight with a win in his most recent fight.  He defeated previously undefeated Jorge Maysonet, Jr. in an eight-round unanimous decision.

The team of Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside to call all of the action tonight, while Todd Grisham will be in studio with all of the latest boxing news and highlights for ESPN2.  Alejandro Pombo fills in tonight for Delvin Rodriguez.  He will have the call tonight for ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+ alongside Pablo Viruega.  Leopoldo Gonzalez and Claudia Trejos will be in studio. Bernardo Osuna will have live interviews and reports.  Fans can keep up with all of the latest Friday Night Fights news online via Twitter and Facebook at http://twitter.com/ESPNFNF and http://www.facebook.com/espn.fnf.  While at the Friday Night Fights Facebook page, audiences can get the Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting app.  The app lets viewers score the fights themselves round-by-round, from the comfort of their own homes.  Spanish speaking audiences can keep up with FNF on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ESPNBoxeo.

Tonight’s card is sponsored by Corona Extra and promoted by Gary Shaw Productions.  The most current Friday Night Fights schedule is available below.

Upcoming Schedule:

 

Date	Time (ET)	Main Event	Location		Networks
Fri., Aug 16	9 p.m.	Andrzej Fonfara (23-2, 13 KOs)  vs. Gabriel Campillo (22-5-1, 9 KOs)—12 rounds, Light Heavyweights	U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago		ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri., Aug 23	9 p.m.	Argenis Méndez (21-2, 11 KOs) vs. Arash Usmanee (20-1, 10 KOs)—12 rounds, Jr. Lightweights	Turning Stone Casino, Verona, N.Y.		ESPN2,  ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Burgos, Amidu Lead FNF July 26th

 

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights is back again this week with another big card.  This week’s show is headlined by a bout between former Junior Lightweight and Featherweight title challenger Juan Carlos “Mini” Burgos (30 – 1 – 1, 20 KOs, ESPN.com ranked #4 Junior Lightweight) and Yakubu “The Black Mamba” Amidu (18 – 4 – 1, 16 KOs).  The twelve-round fight comes to viewers live from the Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln, California.  It will be broadcast live at 9pm EST on ESPN2, WatchESPN, and broadband Spanish-Language ESPNDeportes+.  ESPN Deportes will carry Friday’s show Saturday, July 27^th at 9pm EST.

 

Burgos, a native of Mexico, comes into this week’s main event on the heels of a twelve-round fight against Roman Martinez that ended in a draw.  The fight was a Junior Lightweight title fight.  ESPN.com boxing writer Dan Rafael wrote of the bout, “Making his first defense, Martinez escaped with his belt on another highly debatable decision. Almost all of press row, as well as the Twitterverse and HBO’s Harold Lederman, had Burgos winning the fight. He hammered Martinez with hard body punches throughout the bout. According to CompuBox, Burgos landed more punches in 10 out of the 12 rounds. Burgos just seemed more in control, stronger and better able to do what he wanted to do. Martinez seemed to have a hard time dealing with his height and reach.”

 

Amidu also comes into this week’s main event looking to get back in the “Win” column after suffering a split-decision loss in his last fight, a ten-round bout against Haskell Rhodes.  Amidu’s co-manager and trainer, Baba Sumaila, discussed expectations for this week’s fight in a recent interview, expressing his confidence in his fighter in his comments.  “I’ve been working with Yakubu since he came to the United States,” he said.  “I managed his brother, Abdullai. So when Yakubu came here, I started working with him. Yakubu is always training. When we have a fight, he increases the tempo to make him more ready for the fight. We know our opponent is very good, but we’re ready for that. We are ready.”

 

Friday’s main event will be accompanied by a ten-round co-feature between Lightweights Miguel “Silky Smooth” Gonzalez (21 – 3, 15 KOs) and Josenilson “Jo” Dos Santos (24 – 1, 14 KOs).  Both fighters look to keep their “Win” column growing, coming into this week’s bout.  Gonzalez’s most recent fight ended in a unanimous decision win for him in ten rounds over former Lightweight titlist Miguel Acosta.  Dos Santos’ most recent match ended in a unanimous decision for him in a twelve-round fight against Carlos Rodriguez.

 

Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore will be on hand this week ringside to call all the action for ESPN2, while Todd Grisham will be in studio with all of the latest boxing news and highlights.  Delvin Rodriguez, and Pablo Viruega will have the call for ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+.  Leopoldo Gonzalez and Claudia Trejos will be in studio and Bernardo Osuna will have live interviews and reports for ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+. 

 

Fans of Friday Night Fights don’t have to be in attendance to be part of each week’s fight.  Fans can get the LiveFriday Night Fights app on the FNF Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/espn.fnf.  The app allows viewers to score the fights round-by-round from the comfort of their own home.  And while they score the fights, fans can stay up with all of the latest FNF news and more on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ESPNFNF and http://twitter.com/ESPNBoxeo. 

 

The latest Friday Night Fights schedule is listed below.

 

Upcoming Schedule:

 

Date	Time (ET)	Main Event	Location		Networks
Fri., Aug 2	9 p.m.	Javier Fortuna (22-0, 16 KOs) vs. Luis Franco (11-1, 7 KOs)—10 rounds, Featherweights	Buffalo Run Casino, Miami, Okla.		ESPN2, ESPN Deportes,  WatchESPN
Fri., Aug 9	10 p.m.	Rustam Nugaev (24-6-1, 14 KOs) vs. José Hernández (14-6-1, 6 KOs)—10 rounds, Lightweights	Morongo Casino, Cabazon, Calif.		ESPN2, ESPN ESPN Deportes+ , WatchESPN
Fri., Aug 16	9 p.m.	Andrzej Fonfara (23-2, 13 KOs)  vs. Gabriel Campillo (22-5-1, 9 KOs)—12 rounds, Light Heavyweights	U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago		ESPN2, ESPN ESPN Deportes+ , WatchESPN
Fri., Aug 23	TBD	Argenis Méndez (21-2, 11 KOs) vs. Arash Usmanee (20-1, 10 KOs)—12 rounds, Jr. Lightweights	Turning Stone Casino, Verona N.Y.		ESPN2, ESPN ESPN Deportes+ , WatchESPN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com. 

 

Former Title Contenders Headline FNF This Week

Courtesy: ESPN

This week’s edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights will be headlined by a pair of former title contenders facing off against each other.  Former Junior Middleweight and Welterweight title challenger Delvin Rodriguez (27 – 6 – 3, 15 KOs) will face off against former Welterweight title challenger Freddy “El Riel” Hernandez (30 – 4, 1 ND, 20 KOs) in the 10-round Junior Middleweight main event.  The main event fight will air live from the Mohegan Sun arena in Uncasville, CT at 10pm ET.  It will air on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes, and WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app. 

Rodriguez, a CT native, will be the hometown favorite.  If his name rings a bell, it should.  Rodriguez also serves as a boxing analyst for ESPN Deportes.  Friday’s fight will be his sixteenth appearance in the ring on Friday Night Fights.  His record speaks for itself.  His 2011 fight against Pawel Wolak was named the year’s “Fight of the Year” by the Boxing Writers Association of America.”  A later ten-round unanimous decision win over Wolak gave Rodriguez a shot at defending titlist Austin Trout.  The ten-round fight was broadcast live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.  It ended in a draw.  He claimed a win in his most recent fight this past February.  He defeated George Tahdooahnippah with a sixth-round TKO.  He also has wins against Mike Arnaoutis, Shamone Alvarez, and Oscar Diaz.

Rodriguez’s opponent, Freddy “El Riel” Hernandez, comes into tomorrow’s fight with quite the record, too.  Hernandez challenged former titlist Andre Berto for his WBC Welterweight title in 2010.  He holds wins over former world titlists Luis Callazo (W10) Mike Anchondo (WTKO4), and DeMarcus Corley (KO5).  He comes into tomorrow’s fight looking to rebound after losing his most recent match this past January to 2008 Olympian Demetrius Andrade.  Hernandez lost the fight in a ten-round unanimous decision.

Hernandez’s advisor Nigel Burns commented on what Hernandez needs in order to add another notch to his “W” column.  “He (Hernandez) needs to get a ‘W’ now to get some more opportunities, and he’s fighting a guy who’s going to give him that opportunity,”, he said.  “That’s not a knock on Rodriguez, but Rodriguez is more of a fighter than a boxer. I think it should be a good fight. Rodriguez is a good fighter and has fought some good people, and I expect him to actually stand in the pocket and trade with us.”

Friday’s main event will be preceded by a ten-round co-feature pitting the undefeated Junior Welterweight Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (16 – 0, 6 KOs)  against Chris “Hurricane” Howard ( 15 – 2 – 1, 7 KOs)  Kinda comes into tomorrow’s bout fresh on the heels of a second-round KO win over Javier Loya in his most recent fight.  Howard comes into tomorrow’s fight after taking an upset third-round TKO win over Bayan Jargal. 

Before all of this, ESPN2 and WatchESPN will air a pair of specials leading up to the night’s fights.  They will air The Best KOs of Friday Night Fights at 9pm ET and Mike Tyson’s Greatest Hits at 9:30pm ET. 

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will both be on hand to call all the action from ringside, while Todd Grisham will have all the latest boxing news and more from the ESPN studios.  Pablo Viruega and Leopoldo Gonzalez will call all the action for ESPN Deportes with Claudia Trejos live in studio.  Bernardo Osuna will have live interviews and reports for ESPN2 HD and ESPN Deportes.

To keep up with the latest FNF news and more, “Like” the FNF Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/espn.fnf.  Fans can also follow all the latest from the show on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ESPNFNF and http://twitter.com/ESPNBoxeo.  Fans can score the match live at home thanks to the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook voting app. 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Junior Welterweight Bout Headlines May 10th Edition Of FNF

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights returns with another full card Friday, May 10^th.  This week’s card is headlined by a matchup of two Junior Welterweights.  Vernon “The Iceman” Paris (27 – 1, 16 KOs) faces off against Manny “Manos” Perez (19 – 8 – 1, 4 KOs) in a ten-round main event.  Friday’s main event will be broadcast live from the Masonic Temple in Detroit at 10pm ET.  The fight will air live on ESPN2 HD and online and mobile internet via WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.  ESPN Deportes will pick up the fight in progress following the conclusion of the NBA Playoff matchup between the   Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat. 

Paris comes into Friday’s fight with quite a bit of momentum, having beaten Guy Pucker with a third-round KO in his most recent fight.  Before that bout, Paris also had fought three-time Welterweight and Welterweight titlist Zab Judah.  Paris was upbeat in an interview when asked about what to expect from Friday’s bout.  He noted that he was definitely prepared for the fight.  “I’ve started working with my new coach, Herman Caicedo, and have been preparing for this fight ever since my last fight,” he said.  “My new coach is good. He’s teaching me to keep my hands up. The plan – what I’m going to do in the ring – that’s all coming together. I’m feeling real good about it.” 

Perez has his own momentum coming into this week’s main event.  He won three of his previous four matches including a ten-round split decision over Jose Cotto (Miguel Cotto’s brother) and a ten-round unanimous decision over Edgar Santana.  He won his most recent fight, a seven round unanimous decision win over Bernardo Guereca. 

Perez sounded focused but realistic when asked about taking on Paris.  “I know Paris is very, very tough, and I anticipate a tough fight,” Perez said.  “Those are the fights I like. I’ve said it before – you don’t become the best without fighting the best. You have to fight and beat the best. I’m working on my jab a lot now, and just want to show more variety in my shots this fight. I want to show better angles, and a better variety of right hands. I want to apply the right kind of pressure and just break him down. I’m looking forward to putting on a great performance.”

Friday’s fight between Paris and Perez will be preceded by a co-feature pitting a pair of Featherweights against each other.  Cornelius “Lightning” Lock (20 – 6 – 1, 13 KOs) and “El Negro Mexicano Lightning” Lonnie Smith (14 – 4 – 3, 10 KOs) will face off in a ten-round fight.  Lock won his most recent fight with a second-round TKO win over Damon Antoine.  Smith’s last fight ended in a seventh-round technical draw against Michael Perez.

FNF hosts Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore will both be on hand to call all of the evening’s action for ESPN2 HD.  They will be joined by studio host Todd Grisham with all of the latest boxing news and Highlights.  Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodriguez will call the matches for ESPN Deportes.  Claudia Trejos and Leopoldo Gonzales will join them from the ESPN Deportes studios.  Bernardo Osuna will have live interviews and reports for ESPN2 HD and ESPN Deportes. 

Friday Night’s new edition of FNF is presented by Corona Extra and is promoted by Millennium Promotions.   

Fans can keep up with all the latest boxing news when they “Like” the FNF Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/espn.fnf.  Once fans “Like” the FNF Facebook page, they can use the LIVE Friday Night Fights Voting app on the ESPN FNF Facebook page to score each match themselves from the comfort of their homes.  And for even more on Friday Night Fights, fans can keep up with the show on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/FNF. 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Cayo, Taylor Face Off In Tonight’s FNF Main Event

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights returns tonight with another new episode.  Tonight’s edition of Friday Night Fights features for its main event, former Junior Welterweight title contender Victor “Mermelada” Cayo (31 – 3, 21 KOs) taking on Emanuel “Tranzforma” Taylor (16 -1, 11 KOs) in a 10-round match live from the Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.  The match will air live on ESPN2 HD at 9pm EST.  It will simulcast for Spanish speaking audiences on ESPN Deportes+, the new digital extension of ESPN Deportes.  The fight will air tape delayed Sunday, March 10^th at 3am.

This fight is set to be a big one as both combatants are relatively well matched.  Cayo, who hails from the Dominican Republic, won his last four fights.  Three of those four were won by knockout.  The last of his four recent victories was a unanimous 10-round decision over Vladimir Baez.  Along with that experience, Cayo also comes into tonight’s match with fights against former and current titlists, Nate Campbell, Marcos Maidana, Julio Diaz, and Lamont Peterson.

Taylor, from Maryland, comes into tonight’s match with one of his best wins so far, a TKO win over Raymond Serrano. 

Before tonight’s main event, audiences will get to see a matchup between undefeated Magomed “Mago” Abdusalamov (16 – 0, 16 KOs) and fellow Heavyweight Victor Bisbal (21 – 1, 15 KOs).  Adbusalamov comes into tonight’s match fresh off the heels of a second round TKO win over Jameel McCline.  Bisbal, on the other hand, is looking for his seventeenth straight win after a sixth-round TKO win over Alex Gonzalez in his most recent match.

ESPN’s Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be on hand once again to call all the action for ESPN2 HD.  Studio host Todd Grisham will have all of the latest boxing news and highlights.  Alex Pombo and Delvin Rodriguez will have the call for ESPN Deportes.  They will be joined by studio hosts Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega.  Bernardo Osuna will have live reports and interviews for both ESPN2 HD and ESPN Deportes.  Fans can catch all the action live online on their smart phones and tablets through WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app. 

Tonight’s edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights is presented by Corona Extra and promoted by Sampson Boxing. 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

IBF Title Fight Headlines March 1st Edition of ESPN’s FNF

Courtesy: ESPN

This Friday night’s edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights has a big as its main feature.  Friday’s main event features a title fight between Featherweight titlist Billy “The Kid” Dib (35 – 1, 1 NC, 21 KOs) and undefeated challenger Evgeny “The Mexican Russian” Gradovich (15 – 0, 8 KOs) in a 12-round bout.  Dib is named by The Ring magazine as its number 4 Featherweight and by ESPN.com as its number 8 Featherweight).  The match will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.  It will be broadcast live at 9pm EST on ESPN 2 HD and online via WatchESPN.com.  Audiences with tablets and smart phones can watch it on their mobile devices with the WatchESPN app.  Spanish speaking fans can also watch the fight on ESPN Deportes+.  ESPN Deportes+ is the new digital extension of ESPN Deportes.  It will air tape delayed on ESPN Deportes Saturday morning at 3am EST. 

Friday’s fight is co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and SMS Promotions, which are owned by multiplatinum recording artist and entrepreneur 50 Cent.  50 will be in studio at ESPN’s headquarters today for an ESPN “Car Wash” to discuss tomorrow night’s main event on ESPN TV and radio shows.  He will also perform one of his songs tomorrow night at the Foxwoods before the main event and will serve as “sparring partner” to ESPN Friday Night Fights co-host Teddy Atlas for Friday’s edition of Fight Plan.

Dib comes into tomorrow night’s fight fresh off of a 10-round unanimous decision in a non-title fight against Juan Rodriguez.  That match was preceded by a successful title defense against Eduardo Escobedo.  Dib’s win over Escobedo—a sixth round TKO–was his second successful title defense.  When asked about the upcoming match, Dib was upbeat.  “I am really excited to be headlining against the “Mexican Russian,” he said.  “It’s going to be an all-out punch up.  The fans can definitely expect to see a great fight on March 1^st.”

Gradovich, a Russian native, also comes into tomorrow night’s fight fresh off the heels of his own decisive victory.  He defeated William Villanueva with a TKO in the seventh round of the pair’s fight.  Gradovich is trained by 2012 Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) “Trainer of the Year” Robert Garcia.  When asked about Friday’s fight, Gradovich sounded especially focused.  “Becoming a world champion has been a life-long dream of mine, and on March 1^st, I will finally have that chance,” he said.  “This is going to be a very special night for me, as not only am I fighting for my first world title, but the entire country will have the opportunity to watch it.  I am already in great shape and I am going to show the world what I am capable of come March 1^st.”

All eyes will be on the matchup between these two athletes Friday night.  Before the bout though, audiences will be treated to a fight between Junior Middleweight titlist Willie “The Great” Nelson (19 – 1 – 1, 11KOs) and former Junior Middleweight titlist Michael Medina (26 -3 – 2, 19 KOs).  The pair will face off in a 10-round fight prior to the night’s main event.  Nelson comes into tomorrow’s fight on the heels of a 10-round unanimous decision win over previously undefeated 2008 Olympian Josh Jackson.  Medina also comes into tomorrow’s fight with some momentum.  He was also victorious in his previous match with an 8-round unanimous decision win over James Winchester.

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be at ringside to call all of the action for ESPN 2 HD.  Studio host Todd Grisham will also be on site with all of the latest boxing news and highlights.  Alex Pombo and Delvin Rodriguez will call the fights for ESPN Deportes along with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega in studio.  Bernardo Osuna will have interviews and reports for ESPN 2 HD and ESPN Deportes. 

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights is presented each week by Corona Extra.  Fans of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights can keep up with all of the latest news and more from the show online at http://www.facebook.com/espn.fnf and on Twitter at @ESPNFNF and @ESPNBoxeo.  Fans can also score the fights themselves from home thanks to the “Live Friday Night Fights” voting app on Facebook.  The app allows users to score the fight live round-by-round.   

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always get the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.