Melissa “Huracan” Hernandez is following Amanda Serrano's (10-0-1, 6 KO) progress like Dorothy on the Yellow Brick Road.

“Serrano said Maureen Shea needed a heart or something...I'm wondering if Amanda's not needing brain surgery,” the outspoken Hernandez  (14-2, 5 KO) said. “Look- why FLY some 2-4 Jennifer Scott  in from Ohio when I can just take a damn bus to fight you- I heard you're looking to fight again in Atlantic City next month. Let's take a Brooklyn-Bronx fight to Jersey...two Puerto Ricans, the best fighting the best. I'm game...so let's see if you're a Cowardly Lion or you've got courage to fight me. My manager Brian Cohen is ready to do this. Get with him- 267-257-8957."

TORONTO (June 13, 2011) – World cruiserweight contender Troy Ross has been added to the “Friday Night At The Fights” professional boxing card, June 24 at Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

“Friday Night At The Fights” is being presented by United Boxing Promotions in association with Hennessy Sports and Groupe Yvon Michel.

Ross is the top-rated IBF contender at No. 3 (#1 and #2 are not rated), as well as ranked No. 5 by The Ring magazine, No. 14 by the WBA, and No. 15 by the WBC. The two-time Canadian Olympian will face an opponent to be determined June 24 in a eight-round bout. Troy wants a rematch with IBF champion Steve Cunningham and he also has issued a challenge to unbeaten Lateef Kayode for a major showdown later this summer.

“I can’t wait to get back in action,” Ross said. “I’m trying to force (IBF champion Steve) Cunningham into a rematch. I dropped him and should have won that fight by technical decision because he thumbed me in the eye and the fight was stopped (cut eyelid) because of that. I’m fighting June 24^th to get sharp for Cunningham, Kayode or any of the top 10 fighters I may fight this year on my way to winning a world title.”

A native of Guyana who lives in Toronto, Ross (24-2, 16 KOs) was a member of the 1996 and 2000 Canadian Olympic Teams, and winner of The Contender, Season Four reality television series.

Ross’ most notable wins to date have been against former NABF/USBA champion Felix Cora, Jr. (TKO1), Ehino Ehikamenor (TKO4), David Haye-conquerer (as an amateur) Michael Simms (DEC10), Akinyemi Laleye (DEC5), and Brazilian Olympian Daniel Bispo (KO1). Troy’s last fight was a win by unanimous 10-round decision over Carl Handy (24-7-2) this past October.

Tickets to “Friday Night at the Fights,” starting at $30.00, may be purchased at the Hershey Centre box office, through Ticket Master by dialing 416-872-5000, or by going on line to ticketmaster.ca.

NEWARK, NJ (JUNE 13, 2011)—One would figure that the biggest night in a boxer’s life would be his next fight, especially if that fight was just over a week away.  But for undefeated Jr. Middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna, this Friday night just might be more important than his fight that will next place on Wednesday June 22^nd at The Robert Treat Hotel in Newark.

LaManna, a former Philadelphia Golden Gloves Champion is just nineteen years old will walk the aisle of Milville High School and receive his High School Diploma and then just five days later look for his third victory in a row when he takes on Joel Nieves in a bout scheduled for four rounds.

“I have been studying, taking finals and training.  In a way it keeps me focused for the fight”, said LaManna.

“I really don’t know much about him he has fought a few guys and he will make me earn the victory.

“The Robert Treat Hotel has hosted so many great fighters such as Arturo Gatti, Bobby Czyz, Shannon Briggs, Ray Mercer and Charles Murray, so fighting here is like fighting at The Blue Horizon of North Jersey.”

Boxing has been in LaManna’s blood from an early age as his Father, Vinny LaManna has been a long time fight man in Jersey.  The older LaManna has managed fighters and promoted in the area for the better part of two decades.

“With Vincent Ponte and Gabe LaConte promoting me and my father as my manager I have the right people around me and I believe the sky is the limit for me”

In the main event, Ossie Duran (25-8-2, 9 KO’s) of Paterson, NJ via Accra, Ghana will do battle with Latif Mundy (10-2, 4 KO’s) for the USBA Regional Middleweight Championship that is scheduled for ten rounds.

In a six round Super Middleweight bout, Andy Mejias (9-0, 4 KO’s) takes on Yasin Rashid (7-1, 2 KO’s) of Brooklyn

In a four round Heavyweight tussle, Jon Bolden (2-1, 2 KO’s) of New York will do battle with Tyabb Beale (3-3, 1 KO) of Newark

Eddie Edmonds (2-1-1, 1 KO) of Newark will fight Yasin Adbul (0-1) of Atlantic City in a four round Middleweight bout.

John Lennox (3-0, 1 KO) of Carteret, NJ will see action in a four round Heavyweight bout against an opponent to be named.

Newark’s John Thompson will be making his pro debut against Valdez Eason (0-3) of Ohio in a four round Super Middleweight bout.

Reynaldo Ojeda (4-0, 2 KO’s) of Puerto Rico will take on Edgardo Torres (1-1, 1 KO) of Vineland, NJ in a four round Light affair.

Vadim Garau (1-0) of Bronx, NY will square off with Fitzgerald Johnson (1-5) of Asheboro, NC in a four round Middleweight bout.

Tickets priced $100 (Limited VIP), $50, & $30 (Very Limited) and are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 973-350-9993 or 1-866-263-STAR

The Grand Ballroom at the Robert Treat Hotel is located at 50 Park Place, Newark NJ. Doors open at 6:30 PM, first bout 7:30 sharp.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM (June 11, 2011) – Right after she registered her 30^th career victory last night, promoter Lenny Fresquez announced that Holly “The Preachers Daughter” Holm will take on Anne Sophie Mathis -- the top two pound-for-pound female boxers in the world -- December 2 for “World Dominance,” at the Route 66 Casino Hotel in Albuquerque.

Holm dominated all 10-rounds en route to unanimous decision (100-90 X 3) victory last night against aggressive Victoria Cisneros at Route 66 Casino Hotel.

Holm (30-1-3, 9 KOs) will try to regain her IBA Welterweight title and WBAN Championship Belt in the 10-round main event against Mathis (23-1, 20 KOs), the WBO European Welterweight Champion from France. Holm-Mathis, presented by Fresquez Productions, is a modern day match-up between the consummate boxer, southpaw Holm, and knockout specialist, Mathis, who will be fighting outside of Europe for the first time.

“This has all the makings of an instant classic, potentially one of the greatest fights in women’s boxing history,” Fresquez said. “Holly has exhausted all of her competitive options in the U.S., fighting just about every legitimate title challenger – 11 world champions – and now she wants to test herself against the best European fighter, Ann Sophie Mathis. It promises to be a memorable night for boxing fans all over the world, not just women’s boxing fans.”

Holm’s only loss was in 2004 and she’s won 23 of 24 fights since with one draw. A multiple world champion in three different divisions (light welterweight, welterweight and light middleweight), Holly has defeated all of the significant names in women’s boxing from the 140 through 154-pound classes, including Christy Martin, Mary Jo Sanders, Mia St. John, Jane Couch, Duda Yankovich and Chevelle Hallback (twice).

Mathis is riding a 22-fight win streak, dating back to 1995 when she lost in her second pro fight, and she’s a two-time world light welterweight champion. December 2^nd will mark the fifth anniversary of her first world title victory, in which she stopped previously unbeaten Myriam Lamare (13-0) for the WBA crown as well as the vacant EBU championship. Ann Sophie’s victims also include Couch, Yankovich, Ana Pascal and Nathalie Toro.

For more information about “World Dominance: Holm vs. Mathis” go on line to www.FresquezProductions.com.

HARTFORD (June 8, 2011) – Undefeated Puerto Rican welterweight prospect Javier “El Chino” Flores takes on veteran Shaka Moore in the eight-round co-feature on “The New Generation Boxing Series,” presented by Bulldog Cartel Promotions, Saturday night, June 18 launches its Saturday night, June 18 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

The eight-round main event features battle-tested cruiserweights with deceiving records, Joshua “Juice” Harris (7-4-1, 5 KOs), of Providence, and Harvey “Candy Man” Jolly (11-17-1, 6 KOs).

Flores (5-0, 5 KOs), now fighting out of Hartford, has stopped each of his five opponents as a professional, including an electrifying second-round knockout of Marcus Hall this past February. As an amateur in Puerto Rico, Javier won 65 of 68 matches with 32 knockouts and all of his losses were on points.

“I’m going to give the public a good fight to watch,” Flores said the former Puerto Rico Nationa Boxing Team member. “I’m giving a maximum effort to make it an action-packed fight. I don’t go into a fight looking for a knockout, but after a round or two feeling out my opponent, once I know he can’t hurt me I apply more pressure, break him down, and the knockout comes.“I have power in both hands and a variety of punches. My friends like my left upper-cut the best and I’m working to use that punch in combinations with different punches.”

The 35-year-old veteran Moore (11-15-3, 2 KOs), of Norwalk (CT), is coming off of a win in April by fourth-round technical decision against Noel Garcia, also at the Connecticut Convention Center. During his 15-year pro career, he’s fought the likes of Israel “Pito” Cardona and Demetrius Hopkins.

“I know my opponent has a lot of experience,” Flores noted. His last fight I noticed that he didn’t have a lot of stamina. On June 18^th I’m going to apply pressure and expose him”

Another hot prospect on the card, super middleweight Lamar Russ (7-0, 5 KOs), puts his perfect record on the line against TBA. Russ, also fighting out of Hartford, upset Haitian Olympian Elie Augustama by six-round decision in December.

Promising junior featherweight Luis Rosa, Jr. (6-0, 5 KOs), representing New Haven, vs. Shawn “Bones” Nichol (5-4, 5 KOs) in a six-rounder. Also fighting on the undercard in four-round bouts are New Haven junior welterweight Carlos Hernandez (0-2) against Springfield’s (MA) Barrington Douse (0-1), along with three New Haven boxers making their pro debuts – lightweight Oscar Bonilla vs. Corey White (1-1, 1 KO), junior featherweight Josh Crespo vs. Frankie Garriga and super middleweight Charles Foster vs. Lee Snow. Garriga and Snow will also be making their pro debuts.

Former IBO super bantamweight champion “Machine Gun” Mike Oliver (24-2, 8 KOs), rated No. 2 by the USBA and fighting out of Hartford, vs. TBA and unbeaten New Haven super lightweight Christian Lao (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Javier Calderon (1-0, 1 KO)have been added to the card.

Former world light middleweight champion Vincent “The Ambassador” Pettway will be working the corners of Jolley and Snow.

Tickets are priced at $80.00 (ringside) and $40.00 (general admission) and available to purchase by going on line to www.WorldClassTickets.com, at the Connecticut Convention Center box office, and calling 860.759.8898 or 203.889.1222.

Two Puerto Rican Prospects In Action On

Eve of Puerto Rican Day Parade On

ShoBox: The New Generation

Del Valle Takes On Nguyen and Gonzalez Battles Gutierrez

Saturday, June 11, Roseland Ballroom, New York City

Live at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME

Hector Sanchez-Vincent Arroyo Fight Off

NEW YORK (June 7, 2011) – On a second consecutive night of fights on ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME^®, two Puerto Rican fighters will climb in the ring against their toughest opponents to date on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. All the action takes place on a special Saturday edition of ShoBox on June 11 at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The originally scheduled co-feature bout between Hector Sanchez and Vincent Arroyo is off due to an injury Arroyo sustained during training.

In the featured attraction, promising Luis Orlando “Orlandito” Del Valle (12-0,10 KOs), of Bayamon, P.R., and his toughest foe to date, Dat “Be Dat’’ Nguyen (17-1, 6 KOs) of Vietnam, collide in a 10-round featherweight fight at Roseland Ballroom in New York City.  The card co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Gary Shaw Productions will include a 10-rounder that pits 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian, power-punching Jonathan Gonzalez (13-0, 13 KOs), of Rio Piedras, against Colombian Richard Gutierrez (26-6-1, 16 KOs), of Miami, in a junior middleweight match.

The 24-year-old Del Valle has won five in a row by knockout, including a sixth-round TKO over Irving Hernandez in his last outing Feb. 18 in Puerto Rico. “I’m grateful for this opportunity to fight as a star on SHOWTIME. I am preparing to make the best fight of my life,’’ said Del Valle, who knocked out Pasqual Rouse in the fourth round to capture the New York State featherweight title on July 10, 2010, in Poughkeepsie. Del Valle was an outstanding amateur for the U.S. before turning pro in April 2008.

Nguyen – not to be confused with the former NFL player with the same name -- has competed exclusively in the United States since turning pro in May 2004. As an amateur in 2003, he became the first Vietnamese-American to earn a spot in the U.S. Championships, where he lost to eventual Olympic gold medalist Mickey Bey. The 28-year-old Nguyen, a resident of Vero Beach, Fla., has won his last six starts, all by decision, including an eight-round decision over Andres Ledesma in his last fight on Oct. 10, 2009. Nguyen suffered his lone loss on a six-round split decision to Gregorio Torres in August 2007.

Gonzalez, 21, possesses good movement and boxing ability – he’s not merely a brawler – yet has fought into the seventh round only once, and that came in his last outing against Rudy Cisneros at Chumash this past May 13. Eleven of his KO wins have come within three rounds. “I’m in the prime of my career but I’m training like never before to show my quality to the world,’’ said Gonzalez, the No. 11 contender in the World Boxing Association (WBA) who’s fought 10 of his 13 fights in the U.S. “This is a quick turnaround for me, but I’ll be ready for it.’’

Gutierrez, 32, is a physically strong, well-conditioned veteran who is experienced against capable competition. “I’m a complete boxer,’’ said Gutierrez, who is moving up in weight for this. “I’ll adjust, depending on how the fight is going. I’ll work the body, the corners, the ropes, or the middle.’’ A winner of 21 in a row after turning pro in January 2001, Gutierrez dropped a decision to then-undefeated Carlos Abregu on Feb. 6, 2006, on SHOWTIME.

“I’ve called about three of Del Valle’s fights in the past. From the beginning, I saw a technically sound fighter whose extensive amateur experience is obvious. In a sense, he fights more like a Mexican than a Puerto Rican because he loves to shoot the left hook to the body. He’s a prospect I look forward to seeing on ShoBox,” said veteran SHOWTIME commentator Steve Farhood. “Gonzalez is a very young fighter with a perfect KO record so as he moves up we’ll see how legit his KO record is.’’

The telecast’s bow-by-blow announcer will be Curt Menefee with Farhood handling the expert analysis.

EGG HARBOR TWP., NJ (May 31, 2011) - The long awaited statue of the late International Boxing Federation (IBF) Lightweight World Champion Leavander Johnson, created by world renowned sculptor and New Jersey native, Brian Hanlon, is now complete and will be unveiled during a ceremony at Center City Park in Atlantic City, New Jersey on June 4, 2011.  The Park is located on Atlantic Avenue between North Carolina and South Carolina Avenues.  The Ceremony will begin promptly at 11am.

Johnson, an Atlantic City native son and hero, will be immortalized forever in the heart of his hometown where he will be an inspiration and a constant reminder that "You too can achieve your dream."  The unveiling ceremony is open to the general public and residents of Atlantic City and surrounding communities are encouraged to attend the event.

On Thursday, July 7^th, Star Boxing returns to the historic Paradise Theater in the Bronx, with the latest installment of its ever popular "Punchin at the Paradise" fight series.  The event on July 7^th will mark the second of five scheduled dates at the Theater in 2011.

"Our return to the Theater in May was everything we expected it to be.   We were able to put together an exciting night of boxing, before a packed house of raucous fans who turned out for the show.  Now we are looking to feed and build off the success of that show and carry it over into the rest of the events we have scheduled at the Theater for this year," stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO and President of Star Boxing.

"The card is going to be filled with a lot of local talent from the New York area, and will also feature some intriguing neighborhood battles for bragging rights of the Bronx," added DeGuardia.

In addition to the pro fights on the card there will also be four exciting amateur bouts, featuring some very exciting prospects out of the New York City area.

Additional information regarded fighters on the card will be announced shortly.   Doors open at 6:30PM, with the first bout scheduled for 7:00PM.  Tickets are priced at $30, $50 and $100 and can be purchased by calling the Star Boxing office at 718 823-2000, visiting www.starboxing.com or simply by CLICKING HERE: Tickets can also be purchased by visiting the Paradise Theater box office, located at 2403 Grand Concourse in the Bronx, NY.

Holyoke’s Prodigal son ‘Chip’ Perez Returns for ‘Homecoming’ June 25

HOLYOKE, Mass. (June 3, 2011) – Super featherweight Joseph “Chip” Perez returns to Holyoke for the June 25^th “Homecoming” pro boxing card, presented by American Fighting Organization, at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Holyoke.

Another Holyoke boxer, veteran Derrick “Double Impact” Whitley (24-25-3, 11 KOs), returns to the ring for the first time in nearly four years versus Adam “Hitman” Harris (10-4, 7 KOs), of Worcester (MA), in the eight-round main event at a 190-pound catch-weight. Whitley has never been floored in 52 professional fights.

Boxing dates back to 1896 in Holyoke; Rocky Marciano made his pro debut there in 1947, and other Hall of Famers such as Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler, Beau Jack, Sixto Escobar and Fritzie Zivic, along with world champions Tony DeMarco, Paddy DeMarco, Lou Ambers and Lou Salica, fought in the western Massachusetts city where volleyball was invented in 1895. “Iron” Mike Tyson won a Golden Gloves title there in 1984, however, pro boxing hasn’t been held in Holyoke since 2000, which marked the only time in the past half-century.

Perez (5-1, 2 KOs) faces his stiffest test to date against a much more experienced Kevin Carmody (10-13, 1 KO) in the six-round co-feature. I’m very excited to fighting in the Boys & Girls Club where I learned how to fight when I was 12,” the 24-year-old former New England Golden Gloves champion said. “It’s awesome to be fighting in my hometown, where I was born and grew-up, and have so many family members and friends still living in Holyoke.”

Unlike his first five pro fights, Perez enters this match-up coming off of a loss, albeit by way of a third-round disqualification. “Chip” dropped fellow his undefeated (2-0) opponent, Esteban Nichol, but Perez was penalized for hitting Nichol when he was down on one knee.

“”I think that puts a little pressure on me,” Perez explained. “Everybody who saw it knows I lost, but that it was by disqualification because I made a mistake. On paper, they see a loss, and so do I. Maybe I shouldn’t think this way but I feel that I need to prove myself. I’ve trained very hard to show everybody that I wasn’t defeated by my opponent. I have to bounce back impressively, especially fighting at home on Holyoke.

“I know I can’t erase that loss, on paper, but I can do that in the minds of people who didn’t see what happened. Maybe deep down inside, I’m trying to prove to myself that I wasn’t defeated. Looking at that ‘1’ on my record bothers me. It’s like a mosquito who keeps biting you and you can’t kill him. It’s irritating.”

Fighting on the undercard in four-round bouts is pro debuting junior welterweight Jair “Da-Bully” Ramos, of Waterbury (CT), and Joel Alarcon (0-2), of New Bedford (MA), Holyoke light heavyweight Pedro “Tyson” Gonzales in his pro debut vs. George Perez (0-1-1), Springfield light heavyweight Reinaldo Graceski (1-0) vs. TBA, Springfield welterweights Jose Angel “KO” Ortiz (4-6-1, 1 KO) and Noel Garcia (2-9-1, 1 KO) throw-down, New Haven bantamweight Nate Green and Philadelphia’s John Lowery both make their pro debuts, and Springfield cruiserweight Jose Torres and Covon Graham will also be making their pro debuts. All bouts and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets are priced at $40.00, $50.00 and $100.00 and are available at or by calling (413.534.7366) the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Holyoke (70 Nick Cosmos Way), as well as going on line at www.afomma.com. Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7 PM/ET.