Cohen Congratulates Cecil McCalla for Impressive KO Victory Friday Night

Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions is sending out congratulations to his welterweight fighter, Cecil McCalla, of Baltimore, Maryland, for his TKO 1 over Mexico's Francisco Javier Reza on Friday night at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware.  McCalla (20-0, 7 KOs) came out firing hard punches, especially left hooks, from the opening bell and scored two knockdowns over the tough Mexican. After the second hard knockdown, referee Vic de Wysocki had seen enough and waved the fight off at the :47 mark. "That is exactly what a future star like Cecil McCalla is supposed to do with his opponents," said Cohen. "Although I am surprised by how quickly he was able to get Reza out of there." For 29-year-old McCalla, the victory over Reza was his fourth fight of 2014, after sitting out most of 2013.  "Cecil is sharper than ever and ready to make his assault on the division's best. He's constantly in the gym with his trainer Lee Beard and the combination of his diligent work and staying quite active showed in his performance tonight." Cohen says the next step for McCalla will be a bigger, televised fight in the coming year.

The Shogun Also Rises

Photo Credit: Shogun Fights

By: Chris Huntemann, Columnist

     Saturday, Nov. 15, was a huge day in mixed martial arts. The UFC had a pay-per-view featuring a main event for the interim heavyweight title. Bellator continued its rise with a free card on Spike TV with a main event of two UFC legends - Tito Ortiz vs. Stephan Bonnar. And World Series of Fighting continued to distinguish itself with a free card on TV featuring two title fights of its own. But it wasn't just a huge day nationally for MMA.

     On a local level, Shogun Fights held its 11th installment in front of yet another enthusiastic and lively crowd at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Md.

Only two of the 12 fights on the card went to the judges, which has been a growing and welcome trend with this burgeoning organization: David Pope vs. Ahmet "The Turk" Kayretli (Bantamweight - 135 lbs.)

      I had the pleasure of taking in Shogun Fights once again with Mike Gilman, a talented writer for Assault MMA Radio. Gilman sometimes trains in MMA and told me he once sparred with Pope, and Gilman confirmed my belief that Pope had the look of someone to be reckoned with. Coupled with memories of Kayretli's previous Shogun Fights appearance, a better opening bout could not have been made. Pope and Kayretli delivered, following up a feeling-out process with exciting action. Kayretli threw kicks early and often, including a spinning back kick that found its target. Another kick attempt resulted in a powerful takedown by Pope that brought the crowd to its feet as the first round ended. Kayretli let his hands go in Round 2, and a powerful overhand right immediately dropped Pope and led the referee to give Kayretli a knockout victory. Pope protested the decision, but it was clear that he fell like a ton of bricks when Kayretli landed his blow, with a smack of the head on the canvas for good measure. Winner: Kayretli by second round KO. 


Mike Young vs. Ratioender Melo (Featherweight - 145 lbs.) Neither guy wasted time exchanging strikes, but it also wasn't long until Melo asserted himself by landing numerous punches and kicks before connecting with a flying knee that almost ended the fight before Young was saved by the horn. In the second round, Melo picked up where he left off and ended up severely hobbling Young by checking one of his leg kicks. Young ended up not being able to put any more weight on his leg and the referee was forced to stop the bout. Winner: Melo by second round ref stoppage.

     "The" Rob Watley vs. Spencer "Bam Bam" Strube (Lightweight - 155 lbs.) Watley almost ended the night early, dropping Strube with a right hand in Round 1 that almost resulted in a TKO finish, then an attempt at a rear-naked choke by Watley. He continued his dominance in the second round before fending off a miraculous rear-naked choke attempt by Strube. He almost attempted an armbar in Round 3 before Watley finally went for the finish with vicious ground and pound and a TKO victory. Winner: Watley by fourth round TKO.

      Najim "The Afghan Rock" Wali vs. Gary Sheppard (Light Heavyweight - 205 lbs.) Sheppard was a last-minute replacement opponent, and he looked like it as he was completely overwhelmed by Wali. He handled Sheppard like a rag doll and rained down punches from the top position for a first round victory. Winner: Wali by first round TKO.

    Jay Haas vs. Stacy "The Human Highlight Reel" Anderson (Catchweight - 143 lbs.) Haas weathered an early barrage by Anderson to take him to the mat and display excellent ground and pound and submission grappling. Haas eventually locked in a rear-naked choke for another quick victory. Winner: Haas by first round submission.

     Tacuma "The Rock" Robinson vs. Greg Fischer (Flyweight - 125 lbs.) Robinson and Fischer traded strikes early before Fischer takes down Robinson multiple during the course of the bout. Robinson managed to avoid Fischer's multiple attempts at a rear-naked choke, but Fischer's dominance on the ground was on display throughout the fight. Inexplicably, one judge scored the fight for Robinson. But it wasn't enough. Winner: Fischer by split decision.

     Trevor Thompson vs. Tony Dabbondanza (Lightweight - 155 lbs.) I was told by Gilman that Dabbondanza was also a fighter to keep my eye on, and he looked the part as he wasted little time putting Thompson on his back and unleashing strikes that forced Thompson to verbally tap. Winner: Dabbondanza by first round TKO.

     Jonathan "Jonboy" Vinyard vs. Darnell "Strong Soul" Murphy (Bantamweight - 135 lbs. A few stiff jabs and takedowns gave Vinyard the first round before Murphy came on strong in the second round with an onslaught of punches that crumpled Vinyard to the mat and gave Murphy a TKO victory. Winner: Murphy by second round TKO.

     James (Binky) "Father Time" Jones vs. Neil Johnson (Catchweight - 150 lbs.) Baltimore's favorite son Binky Jones competed in what was rumored to be his last fight. If it was, he wasted little time getting it over with by dropping Johnson with a right cross in the first round and earning a TKO. The rumor was he would retire after this edition of Shogun Fights, but after soliciting feedback from the crowd at Royal Farms Arena, Jones told a gleeful crowd that he's planning on competing again next year. Winner: Jones by first round TKO.

     Tim "The Problem" Wade vs. "Wreck-It" Robert Sullivan (Catchweight - 140 lbs.) The quick finishes continued, as Sullivan snatched a quick takedown of Wade and wasted no time locking in a rear-naked choke for the victory barely a minute into the first round. Winner: Sullivan by first round submission.

     Francisco Isata vs. Jon Peters (Featherweight - 145 lbs.) Peters by far had the most memorable entrance of the night, being accompanied to the cage by a Scottish bagpipe trio. Unfortunately, it would not propel him to victory in a closely contested bout. Isata's strikes knocked Peters to the mat in the first round, and despite a lackluster second round by both fighters and a third round that saw Peters almost pull off a rear-naked choke victory, Isata was viewed as the clear winner by all three judges. Winner: Isata by unanimous decision.

      Micah "See Me" Terrill vs. Willie Floyd III (Welterweight - 170 lbs.) Terrill prides himself on being a showman and giving the fans their money's worth, and he waited until the last possible second of the first round to do so. Terrill landed a devastation Superman punch as the first round wound down, and the resulting strikes gave Terrill a TKO victory with one second to spare. Winner: Terrill by first round TKO.

      All in all, it was another quality showing by Shogun Fights. I've seen the event grow from a fight card that was still finding its way with sideshow main events and fights featuring competitors who seemed somewhat skittish about going for the finish, resulting in long events with multiple fights going to a judge's decision. The fighters who make up the cards now are hungry. They leave nothing to chance and go for the finish constantly, which results in a much higher quality of fights.

     Now, some individual awards: Fight of the Night: Pope/Kayretli. If these two fought again, it would be just as exciting and hard-hitting as it was tonight. Both of these guys have a bright future. Knockout of the Night: Ahmet Kayretli. Pope protested the KO, but it was clear that Kayretli turned his lights out with that devastating overhand right. Submission of the Night: Robert Sullivan. He barely fends off Jay Haas for quickest submission. Best Entrance: Jon Peters. His Scottish bagpipe trio provided a nice respite from the constant barrage of rap music entrances that each had so much bass it caused my eardrums to vibrate.  

Chris Huntemann writes about mixed martial arts in the state of Maryland. He also contributes his thoughts to our site on the UFC, Bellator, and World Series of Fighting. Check out his blog, or follow him on Twitter: @mmamaryland.

GCP Signs 'Slick' Nick Kisner

Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions is proud to announce the signing of Baltimore-based cruiserweight "Slick" Nick Kisner (13-1-1, 5 KOs) to an exclusive promotional agreement. 23-year-old Kisner began boxing at six years old and was a heavily decorated amateur boxer. He was a three-time National Silver Gloves Champion, a two-time Junior National Golden Gloves Champion, a Junior Olympic Gold Medallist and Ringside World Champion. Kisner also won the Ohio State Fair Championship, the Under-19 National Championship, and a National Pal Champion, where he defeated 2012 Olympian Lenroy Thompson in the finals. A naturally fluid boxer with superb skills, Kisner is also the youngest boxer in American history (17) to ever win a Men's National Title in the Heavyweight Division. In 2009 he captured a Silver Medal at the US Men's National Championships, which won him a position on the USA Men's International team. Kisner turned professional in 2010 and has only suffered two setbacks, a controversial draw in the opponent's hometown and a split decision loss to fellow top prospect Junior Wright in Wright's hometown of Chicago. "I'm very happy to add Nick Kisner to the roster," said Greg Cohen. "He's a very skilled young man with a bright future in boxing. He's had a loss and a draw, but both were fights he took in the other guy's backyard. We're going to make sure he gets the right fights to truly bring out what a great talent he is in the 200-lb division." Kisner's first appearance under the GCP promotional banner will be announced soon. ### About Greg Cohen Promotions One of boxing's premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world. Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman. Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen made headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin "No Doubt" Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar. In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman (50-8-2, 41 KOs); and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James "Lights Out" Toney (74-7-3, 45 KOs). Current world-rated contenders in the GCP roster include Arash Usmanee, universally recognized as a top-10 super featherweight; former WBA International Middleweight Champion and world-rated middleweight contender Jarrod Fletcher; top-rated featherweight Joel Brunker; Freddie Roach-trained heavyweight Lateef Kayode; Canadian lightweight and TV action hero Tony Luis, currently rated #12 in the WBA; Top 15 IBF and WBA and five-time Irish National Amateur Champion, Dennis Hogan; and Rising Undefeated Welterweight sensation Cecil McCalla.  Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.

Featherstone and Veazey on separate paths to stardom!

 

Baltimore, MD (September 17, 2014) – Jerome Featherstone and Joey “Bazooka Joe” Veazey are both talented rising boxing stars that generate attention in the Baltimore area. The two have matches Saturday evening as part of Baltimore Boxing Promotions’ “Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle” card at the Myers Pavilion.

 

Their journeys leading up to September 20 however are about as different as possible.

 

A late comer to the sweet science, Featherstone was an established athlete before putting on a pair of gloves. He was a superstar wrestler at Boys Latin High School and went on to make his mark as a 165 pounder for Oklahoma State University.  In 2012, Featherstone walked into the Baltimore Boxing & Fitness Gym interested in learning the sport; he was a natural that quickly turned heads.

 

Fifteen months later, he won the Golden Gloves in the Washington, DC/Baltimore region and went on to compete in the national tournament against the best fighters in America. He’s won all but two of his fights and will have his final amateur bout Saturday evening against Francisco Bustos for the East Coast Middleweight Championship.

 

A high school junior, Veazey fought his first fight at seven and has been a success ever since. Humble and mature, an unusual combination even for top professional athletes, he’s a two-time regional titlist, one-time National Silver Gloves winner and 2009 Ringside World champion. This year, Veazey captured a silver medal at the Junior National Golden Gloves. He’s still a few years away from entering the pros but has the chance to win another title when he meets Keayen Coleman for the Maryland State Welterweight Championship.

 

“Jerome and Joey took very different paths into boxing,” said Smith, a former boxer that has promoted in the beltway region the last decade. “Joey grew up around the gym and has been fighting since he was very young. Jerome is a late bloomer in boxing who made up for lost time by being a fast learner with an excellent athletic background. Those in attendance Saturday night will get to see two of the best up and comers we've got.”

 

Smith is also proud of the kind of people his two featured fighters are.

 

“Jerome and Joey are champions in and out of the ring. They don’t bring an attitude or sense of entitlement with them regardless of their success. I’ve promoted many of their fights and both are class acts. To me, promoting a quality human being is just as important as the boxing aspect because the community rallies behind good people.”

 

“Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle” features ten additional matches, two of which are also for titles.

 

To top off this solid evening of entertainment, Baltimore Boxing will honor Murray Smith, late father of promoter Jake Smith. During the evening, the “School of Hard Knocks” Award will be presented in Murray’s honor toBaltimore native and former IBF Junior Middleweight champion Vincent Pettway.

 

Tickets from $25 and are on sale now by calling 410-375-9175. In addition to the $25 bleacher seats, $35 floor, $50 individual VIP, $350 reserved tables for 10, and VIP tables of 10 for $500 are currently on sale.

 

All VIP ticketholders can enjoy free hors d’oeurves by Midtown BBQ from 7-8:15.

 

Doors for “Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle” open at 6:30 pmand the opening bell will sound at 8:15. All bouts are scheduled by USA Boxing. There will also be a special 50/50 raffle during the evening. All proceeds are going towards the Baltimore Boxing amateur program, a non-profit which rescued many local youths from the toughCharm City streets and helped develop them into boxers.

 

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com.

 

Introducing Knockout Fitness!

 

Baltimore, MD (September 14, 2014) – Less than two miles from I-95 sits the Knockout Fitness Gym.

 

Recognized throughout the beltway area as an elite training facility, Knockout Fitness offers boxing, fitness and women’s programs with top trainers leading the courses. Voted as runner up for Baltimore’s best overall gym, the full-sized facility’s staff includes professional fighters, national champions, Olympic hopefuls, college stars and other fitness masters. Head trainer Jason Nissley received the award for top personal trainer and best group fitness instructor from Best of Baltimore Magazine.

 

Knockout Fitness is also proud to help others.

 

A percentage of proceeds from amateur boxing shows, 50/50 raffles and other events have assisted Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), American Breast Cancer Foundation (ABCF) and Show Your Soft Side. For the Show Your Soft Side campaign, which was created to combat animal abuse in Baltimore and has many area celebrities involved, owner and trainer Chris Nissley was personally asked to assist.

 

In October, Knockout Fitness is planning a fundraiser for the Fair Girls charity and is working on assisting the Ronald McDonald House.

 

In addition to their gracious charitable contributions, Knockout Fitness partnered with the "Waterfront Partnership" to do free boxing boot camp classes at Rash Field and also at the Harbor East Fit Expo, where routines were performed on stage in front of a large crowd.

 

“Knockout Fitness isn’t your average boxing or fitness gym,” said Chris Nissley. “We’re trying to change the way people look at the industry and our involvement with the community on multiple levels is something we pride ourselves on. From the standpoint of the gym, we place an equal emphasis on every program, so everybody that comes into Knockout Fitness can have a great experience. Unlike a lot of gyms with boxing training, our goal isn’t to make everybody a future world champion but rather to get the most out of an individual as possible, even if their goal is to use boxing training simply for fitness purposes.”

 

Athletes that currently serve as trainers or prepare for competition at Knockout Fitness include 7-time national champion and 2012 Olympic hopeful Franchon Crews, local wrestling legend/2013 Golden Gloves Champion Jerome Featherstone, Super Bowl XLVII Champion Adrian Hamilton, and unbeaten professional boxer Glen Dezurn.

 

For more information on training, classes and upcoming events, call 443-703-9260 or go toknockoutfitnessmd.com.

Baltimore Boxing Returns September 20!

 

For Immediate Release

 

Baltimore, MD (August 27, 2014) – Jake “The Snake” Smith’s Baltimore Boxing Promotions takes over the William Myers Pavilion for “Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle”, an evening of Olympic-style boxing Saturday, September 20 in Baltimore, MD.

 

For the second consecutive year, Baltimore Boxing Promotions is honoring the late Murray Smith, father of Jake. During the evening, Baltimore Boxing will present the “School of Hard Knocks” Award in Murray’s honor. The 2014 recipient will be to former world champion andBaltimore native Vincent Pettway.

 

Tickets from $25 and are on sale now by calling 410-375-9175. In addition to the $25 bleacher seats, $35 floor, $50 individual VIP, $350 reserved tables for 10, and VIP tables of 10 for $500 are currently on sale.

 

All VIP ticketholders can enjoy free hors d’oeurves by Midtown BBQ from 7-8:15.

 

In the main event of the evening, heralded prospect Jerome Featherstone Jr. challenges tough Francisco Bustos of Washington, DC for the East Coast title. The naturally gifted Featherstone Jr. became a Golden Gloves titlist in one of the nation’s toughest regions less than a year after first putting on a pair of gloves and plans to turn pro later this year. The two were scheduled to meet last year but the fight fell out at the last minute.

 

Popular Joey “Bazooka Joe” Veazey of Baltimore challenges Keayen Coleman for the Maryland State Welterweight Championship in the semi-main event of the evening. Veazy captured a silver medal at the 2014 National Junior Golden Gloves, won various tournaments and has a large fan base that follows him closely.

 

Locals Donald Wallace and Meach Al Tashy will appear in separate undercard bouts, while Justin Knight meets Allen Burris for the Maryland State junior middleweight crown. More fights will be added shortly.

 

“I’m very pleased that Vincent Pettway is accepting the second annual Murray B Smith School of Hard Knocks award,” said Jake Smith, a former pro fighter turned Maryland and Washington DC Hall of Fame promoter. “We’ve got some of the best talent in the DMV area on this card and this is Jerome’s final match before going pro. Joey Veazy continues to bring a huge crowd with him and the undercard will be great as well. The turnout for our last few cards has been excellent and I believe the community will come out strong September 20.”

 

Doors for “Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle” open at 6:30 pmand the opening bell will sound at 8:15. All bouts are scheduled by USA Boxing. There will also be a special 50/50 raffle during the evening. All proceeds are going towards the Baltimore Boxing amateur program, a non-profit which rescued many local youths from the toughCharm City streets and helped develop them into boxers.

 

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com.

Stevenson Ready for The Big Stage

Baltimore, MD (August 7, 2014) – The majority of fight fans and media outside of the beltway area are likely unfamiliar with welterweight James “Keep’em Sleeping” Stevenson.

 

Best described as a boxer-puncher, the 31-year-old Baltimorean is 21-0 with 14 wins by knockout. Most of his bouts took place in Maryland but he’s long set his sights on leaving the Old Line State for bigger fights.

 

Unfortunately, Stevenson’s goal of making it to the next level was sidetracked by multiple tragedies.

 

In 2011 during a routine jog to prepare for a fight, a stray dog viciously attacked him, requiring Stevenson to get more than 20 stitches. Shortly thereafter, his father James “Woody” Stevenson Sr. passed away as did his mother-in-law. Stevenson’s promising career was put on hold as he had to console both sides of his family and provide additional financial assistance by working more hours at his day job.

 

“I love boxing to death but that was a very difficult time in my life,” said the soft-spoken Stevenson. “I had to help keep my family together and it was very hard on me, especially because of how close I was to my father. We had a great relationship and losing him was devastating.”

 

Stevenson resurfaced in September 2012 with a first round knockout and won five more bouts after the unexpected layoff, but still lacked a signature win.

 

Tomorrow evening, he’ll have the opportunity to go from prospect to contender when he battles fellow unbeaten Sammy Vasquez for the USBA title in the main event of a Fox Sports 1 card live from the CONSOL Energy Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.

 

Vasquez, 15-0 (11 KO’s), does have a few notable advantages that are difficult to overlook. In addition to having a large fan base in the Pittsburgh area, he’s three years Stevenson’s junior, fought better competition and scored an impressive first round knockout on ShoBox in April. Stevenson however is not looking at Vasquez any differently than he did his first 21 foes.

 

“He’s jut another guy to me. He breathes just like I do and puts on his boxing shoes one at a time. The guys I’ve seen him fight aren’t on my level, so to be honest I think he’s taking a big step up too!”

 

Stevenson also brushed off any concern about being on the wrong end of a hometown decision since he doesn’t believe the judges will be needed.

 

“I’m not worried about the fight (being near his hometown). Anywhere I go, I make it my hometown.Tomorrow night, I’m going to do what I do best which is put people to sleep!”

Ponytail Promotions: An Equal Opportunity Promoter

 

Baltimore, MD (June 25, 2014) – In today’s technology-crazed society, boxing fans and promoters have various outlets to make fighters a trending topic. From HBO’s 24/7 to Showtime’s All-Access, YouTube, fan forums and Twitter, there are more ways to get insight on boxing than ever before. Sadly, this mostly applies only to male fighters.

 

Of boxing’s major promoters, only one lists a female fighter in their stable and even the most hardcore fight fanatic would be hard-pressed to remember the last women’s boxing match on TV. The 2012 Olympics produced two American boxing medalists, both of which were women. Neither decided to leave the amateurs, with the reason most likely being lack of opportunity in the paid ranks.

 

Thankfully, James Hogan and Ponytail Promotions are working to change that.

 

On Saturday evening at the Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, Ponytail Promotions will present an excellent fight card, featuring a world title bout and one of the best female prospects on the planet. $30 general admission, $50 floor seats, $75 VIP seats and $750 VIP tables of 10 are available by calling 410-499-5361 or going to Ponytailpromotions.com.

 

Headlining the card will be a bout between superstar Tori “Sho Nuff” Nelson of Ashburn, VA and Atlanta, GA’s “Notorious” Nicole Woods. Unbeaten as a professional, Nelson’s is an elite female fighter, having won titles in two divisions. Woods is known for her willingness not only to take on tough opponents but for giving the best difficult fights.

 

The bout is scheduled for ten rounds and is for Nelson’s world welterweight championship.

 

In a featured supporting bout, fellow unbeaten Tyriesha Douglas of Baltimore risks her perfect record against iron-chinned Laredo, TX native Christina Fuentes. Douglas, who is 4-0, narrowly missed making the 2012 Olympics and is on the fast track to a world title.

 

“I believe our June 28 card will be the start of a big push for woman’s boxing in the area,” stated Hogan. “It’s unfortunate that many female fighters struggle to get on cards. I’m a firm supporter of women’s boxing and am honored to have two of America’s best female talents featured on my show.”

 

In a battle for the USBU 175 pound crown, Willie “For Real” Williams of Baltimore challenges popular Frankie “Freight Train” Filippone of Norfolk, VA. Williams-Fillippone is slated for eight rounds, with the winner looking positioning themselves for a potential big bout in the near future.

 

Popular local standouts Demond “Dbestatit” Nicholson, Jeremy Trussell, Seth Billups, Glenn Dezurn, Alexandru Marin, and Travis Reeves will all appear in separate bouts.

 

The first bout takes place at 7 pm, with doors opening an hour earlier. IN addition to world class boxing, popular radio station 92Q and DJ Squirrel Wyde will be on hand from 6-8 PM with prizes and special giveaways.

 

For more information, go to Ponytailpromotions.com.

 

Founded in 2014 by respected Baltimore-based boxing businessman James Hogan, Ponytail Promotions envisions becoming one of the top promotional firms in the United States. With a keen interest in both male and female fighters, Ponytail Promotions will run a total of 10-12 shows per year in Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC and North Carolina.