READING, PA – King’s Promotions is closing out the decade with a bang as it returns to the Sovereign Center in Reading, PA with a professional boxing/mixed martial arts hybrid show on December 4. King’s Promotions hosted the first hybrid event in May, resulting in the company’s most successful event in it’s 14-year history. In keeping with the holiday spirit, King’s Promotions will donate $.50 of each ticket sale to benefit The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In addition to patient care, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is dedicated to finding cures for illnesses that affect children worldwide..
“I want to continue to introduce boxing to MMA fans and vice versa,” says Marshall Kauffman, the promoter of the event. “These two sports can co-exist and feed off each other and continue to grow alongside one another. At the end of the night, fans of both sports will leave satisfied.
“All of my guys are going to be matched tough because I believe they are all capable of fighting at a high level. When fighters are put in ‘soft’ they do not develop the ability to cope with difficult situations. The fans will see exactly what these guys are made of.”
In the main event, heavyweight prospect Travis Kauffman returns to action in front of his hometown against an opponent to be name later. Kauffman, 18-1 (15 KO), is coming off a controversial loss to Tony Grano on Shobox: The New Generation in his last fight and is eager to rebound with a solid victory.
“I’m glad to be back in my hometown,” says Kauffman. “My fans at home have always supported me and for that I am eternally grateful. I want to show Reading and the world that I’m still the same fighter and won’t be deterred on my road to the title.”
In the co-featured bout, hard-hitting cruiserweight Julio Cesar Matthews of Harrisburg, PA will face tough upset specialist Harvey Jolly of Adrian, Michigan in a six round bout. Matthews, 8-0 (5 KO), will be in against his sternest test with Jolly, who at 10-11-1 (5 KO) has one of the most deceiving records in boxing. Jolly has spoiled four unbeaten fighters, including his last opponent, the previously 12-0 Nicholas Ianuzzi whom Jolly knocked out in the very first round.
Local heavyweight favorite Craig Tomlinson will also return to action against Willie Palms of Jersey City, NJ in a fight scheduled for six rounds. Tomlinson, 24-15-1 (13 KO), has faced a who’s who in the division over the course of his 16-year career. Palms, a US National Amateur Super Heavyweight champion in 1997, has worked as a sparring partner for most of the top heavyweights of the last decade, including the heavyweight champion Klitschko Brothers.
Making his Reading debut, light-welterweight Van Oscar Penovaroff of Kailua Kona, Hawaii will face Fernando Basora of The Bronx, NY in a six round bout. Penovaroff, 4-0 (3 KO), is the newest protege’ of Marshall Kauffman. He traveled with the 2004 US Olympic team to Athens, Greece to prepare them for competition. Penovaroff attended Northern Michigan University with Travis Kauffman in the amateur boxing program.
Jason Cintron, brother of former welterweight champion Kermit Cintron, will return to action in a six-round contest against Norman Allen of Laurel, MD. Cintron, 10-1 (3 KO), is rebounding from his first defeat and will look to feed off the hometown love to get back on track.
Keenan Collins of York, PA will face Clarence “Sonny Bono” Taylor of Wilmington, DE in a six-round junior middleweight bout. Collins, 12-5-2 (8 KO), is up against another upset specialist in Taylor, who had knocked out a 9-0 prospect two fights earlier.
The MMA action will be run by Mark Jovich’s Central Pennsylvania Warrior Challenge, the leader in Pennsylvania mixed martial arts action.
As part of a special promotion, the first 500 ticket buyers will receive another free of equal value.
Tickets, priced at $65, $50, $35 and $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Sovereign Center Box Office at 700 Penn Street in Reading (610-898-7200) or at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com). Doors open at 6PM and first fight starts at 7PM.
For more information on how to donate to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, visit https://shop.stjude.org/GiftCatalog/express-donation.do?fnl=don_sin
LYNES AIMS TO WIN PRIZEFIGHTER FOR HIS GROWING FAMILY
COLIN Lynes may look a bit bleary-eyed in next month’s Prizefighter – but he will have a good excuse.
His wife Kelly is due to give birth just days before Colin will be taking part in Barry Hearn’s latest Prizefighter event – the first ever light-welterweights competition.
“The baby is due in the last week of November so you can bet your bottom dollar that it will be the day before Prizefighter,” said Lynes, a former British and European Champion .
“But we will get around it and I’ll be there at the birth no matter what. But it’s not a distraction to me at all.
“I’m a family man and would be unhappy if I was away from it all.
“It will spur me on and give me that added bit of spice and an extra edge as I’ve got to win as the family is getting bigger.”
Colin and Kelly Lynes have already got one daughter – 12-year-old Cortney – and will be hoping Essex-based Lynes shines on December 4 to win the £32,000 top prize.
Prizefighter Light-Welterweights sees the strongest line-up so far in the history of the eight-man, one-night format, although Lynes is confident of glory.
“I’m going to win it. Definitely,” said Lynes, who has won 31 of 37 contests but lost his last three. “I know what I’ve got, what I’m capable of and I’m doing it in the gym.
“I’m always looking forward and not happy with what I’ve done in the past and it’s the best Prizefighter line-up with former World, European and British Champions in it.
“This event brings together some of the best fighters in the division with no dodging or politics so I’m really looking forward to it.
“I’ve been a bit unlucky in a few of my recent fights and split decisions when abroad (against Gianluca Branco in May 2008 and Souleymane M’Baye in July 2009) in effect means you’ve won. They were setbacks but I will always go abroad – I never dodge a challenge.
“I see myself winning this Prizefighter, having another title shot and getting right back up there.”
Prizefighter Light-Welterweights takes place at the National Hall, Olympia in London with a crowd of more than 3,000 expected to attend.
Tickets cost £40 (unreserved) and £80 (reserved) and are available from See Tickets on 0870 903 9033, www.seetickets.com or from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.
The full list of competitors is: Ted Bami (Brixton, London), David Barnes (Manchester), Jason Cook (Maesteg, Wales), Michael Grant (Tottenham, London), Colin Lynes (Hornchurch, Essex), Barry Morrison (Motherwell, Scotland), Young Mutley (West Bromwich, West Midlands), Gavin Rees (Newbridge, Wales).
TKO BOXING SIGNS LAS VEGAS AMATEUR STAR BRADLEY BLANKENSHIP FORMER SIERRA VISTA RUNNING BACK TO TURN PRO IN JANUARY
LAS VEGAS, NV (November 12, 2009) During the biggest boxing week of the year in Las Vegas, TKO Boxing Promotions has announced the signing of Las Vegas based amateur star Bradley Blankenship to an exclusive promotional contract.
The 20 year old Blankenship is a former standout running back for Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas. After graduating in 2007, he enrolled at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas where he joined the boxing team and quickly lost forty pounds of his ready made football build of 5’11”, 200 pounds.
In just two years, Blankenship has become one of the most accomplished amateur boxers in Nevada and the most popular. Earlier this year he won the Nevada State Golden Gloves and is currently ranked #3 in the country by USA Boxing.
Said manager Cameron Dunkin, “Bradley’s only had 33 amateur fights over the last two years but he’s got an excellent pro style. He’s dropped down nicely to about 160, but he’ll fight as a welterweight as a professional.”
“I’ve watched him numerous times and he’s a great athlete, he’s a very exciting fighter with terrific footwork and all the intangibles to become a world champion. The discipline and dedication he had as a successful high school athlete have served him well in boxing.”
Continued Dunkin, “Vegas is the boxing capital of the world as everyone knows. But this is the first truly local kid that’s come along in a long time with world championship potential. I’m thrilled to be working with him and he’s going to be very popular as a pro. He’s just what this town needs, a homegrown, world class caliber fighter.”
Stated Chris Middendorf, CEO and Director of Boxing Operations for TKO Boxing, “One of our primary goals at TKO has been to create a boxing series in Las Vegas to showcase our best young talent. Bradley Blankenship will certainly be one of the centerpieces of our plans there.
“We will be announcing the site and the date of the first show soon and are excited to bring our “Hometown Heroes to World Champions” series to Las Vegas “.
Blankenship will continue with his studies at UNLV where he is majoring in Finance and is currently working with renowned trainer Kenny Adams and conditioning coach Ray Franklin.