'Rock City Cobra' Samuel Rogers Feeling Ready to Take on 'Latin Snake' Sergio Mora this Saturday, May 31, at DiBella Entertainment and Sampson Boxing's 'REAL FIGHTS' at Tropicana in Las Vegas

U.S. Virgin Islands-based middleweight contender Samuel "Rock City Cobra" Rogers says he's ready for the biggest fight of his career this Saturday, May 31. Rogers (14-1, 8 KOs) will face former WBA junior middleweight world champion and "The Contender" champion, WBA #10-rated Sergio "The Latin Snake" Mora (25-3-2, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder that will serve as the chief supporting bout on DiBella Entertainment's and Sampson Boxing's (in association with Right Hook Promotions) event entitled "Real Fights" in the Tropicana Pavilion at the New Tropicana Resort in Las Vegas. The co-main events that night will be telecast live on HBO Latino and HBO2 (12 midnight [ET/PT]) and feature a 10-round super featherweight battle between Dominican former world champion Javier "El Abejon" Fortuna (24-0-1, 18 KOs) and heavy-handed Mexican contender Juan Antonio Rodriguez (26-4, 23 KOs), as well as an "All Puerto Rico" 10-round super bantamweight war between undefeated Luis Rosa (16-0, 7 KOs)  and Luis "Orlandito" Del Valle (18-1, 13 KOs). Tickets for "Real Fights" are priced at $85, $65 and $37 (plus applicable taxes). They are available for purchase online (www.troplv.com), in person at the Tropicana Las Vegas Show Tickets desk or by phone (800-829-9034). Rogers knows he'll be coming in as the underdog in this bout, as he suffered his first professional loss in his last fight, a 10-round decision to Argentina's Carlos Adan Jerez, in Argentina, last February. But says it's a role he is looking forward to playing in this battle of "serpentine" middleweights. How did training go for this fight? Training was awesome. We stepped it up and brought in guys from Puerto Rico and Spain for sparring. Long and lanky guys, who don't do a lot of punching but are explosive and sharp. They were all very good fighters too, not chumps I can walk over. They pushed my stamina to where I need to be, conditioning-wise. Working hard at that level put me in a new mind frame and made it seem as if I was in the fight already. My stamina is tremendous. I'm really confident and I can't wait to step in the ring. What have you learned so far about your opponent, Sergio Mora? The guy talks a lot. He has a big mouth and that's expected of him. That's how he is. I just need to stay calm and relax. For me, the fight will begin at the press conference because he'll be trying to get in my head. I have to stay poised and get ready for that bell. He's a spot fighter. He doesn't fight the whole three minutes of every round. He does bursts and then goes into a void for another minute and a half. He doesn't hit that hard. He's a technician. The one thing that is positive in his favor is he's durable. He can do ten rounds, so I'm expecting to go ten with him. If I catch him with a good punch, I'll try to stop him early. I'm looking forward to a good explosive fight. You lost your last fight. What have you learned from that experience? Staying focused, being relaxed. No matter what happens in a fight; if I'm cut or get an injury, I have to stick to the game plan and listen to my corner. They can see more than I can when I'm in there. What would a victory over Sergio Mora mean to you? It's going to put me where I need to be. I'm rated number 16 by the NABF. He's number 9. I'm going to take his spot and call out guys like Peter Quillin and Gennady Golovkin and all the champs at 160. Tell me about the support you receive from the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands? The fans back home are unbelievable. We got a lot of sponsors behind us too, too many to mention them all from memory. Everybody back home comes out and supports us. The sponsors have made it possible for me to be here with their support. I want to thank everyone from the USVI and all my sponsors. Without all of you, I wouldn't be able to do this. How do you envision this fight with Mora unfolding? He's going to get frustrated and try to come in and pressure me and wear me down, mentally. He'll try to get in my head by talking a lot of smack. I need to be aggressive, throw combinations and never back up. I need to stick to the jab, keep that telephone pole in his face all night long like Vernon Forrest did to him. ### In separate bouts, hometown favorites Rocco Santomauro (11-0) and Jesus Gutierrez (11-0) both put their unblemished record on the line when Santomauro squares off against Daniel Quevedo and Gutierrez takes on Pablo Becerra. For fight updates, visit www.dbe1.com, www.hbo.com/boxing andwww.troplv.com, Facebook (facebook.com/dibellaentertainment,facebook.com/hboboxing)and Twitter (twitter.com/dibellaent,twitter.com/loudibella, twitter.com/sampsonboxing). Tweet this: LIVE doubleheader boxing event @TropLV feat. @AbejonFortuna vs J. Rodríguez & L. Rosa vs L. Del Valle! @HBOLatino About The New Tropicana Las Vegas | TropLV.com Welcome to affordable luxury. The New Tropicana resort in Las Vegas redefines the expectations of today's global travelers with a recently completed $200 million transformation that provides a casually elegant experience on the Las Vegas Strip. With a unique South Beach vibe, the resort features all-new rooms, suites and luxury villas that evoke the sentiment of a breezy beach house or penthouse in Miami, a fresh redesign of the 50,000-square-foot casino, several award-winning restaurants, a new race and sports book, and Glow®, a Mandara Spa and fitness center. First-class entertainment includes headliners in the all-new Tropicana Theater, Laugh Factory and live music in the Tropicana Lounge. Coming spring 2014, the Tropicana Theater will be home to the smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!

Undefeated Featherweight Rocco Santomauro Returns to Action on May 31 on DiBella Entertainment and Sampson Boxing's 'REAL FIGHTS' Undercard at Tropicana in Las Vegas

You'd remember if you've ever met Vegas-based featherweight Rocco "So Cal Kid" Santomauro (11-0, 1 KO). He's the kind of guy who is hard to forget. The well-liked and colorful 26-year-old is as known for his out-of-ring antics, such as his signature move of eating cake while weighing in, as he is for his undefeated streak as a professional fighter. Originally from Hesperia, California, Santomauro moved to Vegas six years ago to pursue his dream of becoming the first world champion in history of Uruguayan heritage. Santomauro will appear on Saturday, May 31, as one of the featured undercard fighters on DiBella Entertainment's and Sampson Boxing's (in association with Right Hook Promotions) event entitled "Real Fights" in the Tropicana Pavilion at the New Tropicana Resort in Las Vegas. His opponent is, thus far, TBA. The co-main events that night will be telecast live on HBO Latino and HBO2 (12 midnight [ET/PT]) and feature a 10-round super featherweight battle between Dominican former world champion Javier "El Abejon" Fortuna (24-0-1, 18 KOs) and heavy-handed Mexican contender Juan Antonio Rodriguez (26-4, 23 KOs), as well as an "All Puerto Rico" 10-round super bantamweight war between undefeated Luis Rosa (16-0, 7 KOs)  and Luis "Orlandito" Del Valle (18-1, 13 KOs). Tickets for "Real Fights" are priced at $85, $65 and $37 (plus applicable taxes). They are available for purchase online (www.troplv.com), in person at the Tropicana Las Vegas Show Tickets desk or by phone (800-829-9034). "It's a natural energy," said Santomauro of his flashy ring persona. "I watched a lot of movies growing up and always saw the hero come in with a lot of energy. When it's fight time, I bring that in with me. Its' a winning energy. I come in with the attitude to fight and win in a memorable way." Santomauro also says there's an underlying motive for his penchant for dining on the scale. "I hate making weight. About six years ago, I started working with a doctor and I learned how to diet properly. I'm at weight now a week before my fights, while other fighters are dying and suffering. I'm always light the day of the weigh-in. I could eat breakfast, but I'd rather have my meal when I step on the scale. I do it for show and to intimidate my opponent and get the psychological edge. They get very angry. Plus, the media, the commission and fans all seem to enjoy it." Born to an Argentinean mother and Uruguayan father, Santomauro says it's a funny story how he became connected with his promoter: the equally colorful Uruguayan-born Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing. "My dad came to visit me in Vegas. I dropped him off at the airport to go home. My dad is crazy. He was at the airport and heard a guy on the phone speaking about boxing in Plate River Spanish, so he started following him around. At about 5:30 am I got a call from my dad and he said he met a promoter from Uruguay. I'm like '??? There's only one promoter from there, you ran into Sampson?' Next thing you know, Sampson is on the phone. He said 'you're going to be fighting for me in July on ESPN2 and that's that.' That's how it started. There are no world champions from Uruguay and Sampson shares my dream of making me the first ever." An aggressive counterpuncher, Santomauro had about 60 amateur fights and now trains at Mayweather Gym with his coaches, Pops Anderson (Samuel Peter), former world champion Cornelius Boza Edwards and his own brother, former USA #1 amateur boxer, Jason Ingwaldson, whose own promising career was cut short by unfortunate injury. "I'm in your face. Even though I don't have a lot of knockouts, anyone who knows me knows I hit very hard. I'm very aggressive. I'm the one who controls the pace of the fight. With the team I have in place and all the hard work I put in every day, I feel like I could fight the world title right now, but I need to cross a few more bridges before I get there. Hopefully by the end of next year, I'm ready to go." Whatever happens, it'll almost certainly be memorable. ABOUT SAMPSON BOXING After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008. Sampson Boxing has grown into one of the world's most prestigious promotional firms, representing many of the world's best fighters and most promising young contenders. Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America and Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. and several international networks.

Jesus Gutierrez to Return, May 31 on DiBella Entertainment and Sampson Boxing's 'REAL FIGHTS' Undercard at Tropicana in Las Vegas

Undefeated Las Vegas-based lightweight Jesus "Chuy" Gutierrez (11-0, 3 KOs) is getting ready to electrify the ring once again on Saturday, May 31, when he takes on Mexico's Pablo Beccera (7-6, 4 KOs). 25-year-old Gutierrez will face Beccera on the undercard of DiBella Entertainment's and Sampson Boxing's (in association with Right Hook Promotions) event entitled "Real Fights" in the Tropicana Pavilion at the New Tropicana Resort in Las Vegas. The co-main events that night will be telecast live on HBO Latino and HBO2 (12 midnight [ET/PT]) and feature a 10-round super featherweight battle between Dominican former world champion Javier "El Abejon" Fortuna (24-0-1, 18 KOs) and heavy-handed Mexican contender Juan Antonio Rodriguez (26-4, 23 KOs), as well as an "All Puerto Rico" 10-round super bantamweight war between undefeated Luis Rosa (16-0, 7 KOs)  and Luis "Orlandito" Del Valle (18-1, 13 KOs). Tickets for "Real Fights" are priced at $85, $65 and $37 (plus applicable taxes). They are available for purchase online (www.troplv.com), in person at the Tropicana Las Vegas Show Tickets desk or by phone (800-829-9034). Gutierrez, who was named the "Breakout Athlete of the Year" at the Vegas Music Awards, defeated Moris Rodriguez on April 4, at Sam's Town Hotel and Casino, in his last fight.   Born in the Mexican town of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Gutierrez's family emigrated to the US when he was still an infant. He discovered his passion for boxing after arriving in Las Vegas at age 14 and venturing into Johnny Tocco's Boxing Gym, where he met his trainer, Danny Garcia. Extremely popular in his adopted hometown, Gutierrez is also an outspoken advocate with Bully Busters 702, a local anti-bullying campaign. "I've always been a confident fighter, but it wasn't till the guys from the Mexican Olympic committee got a hold of me, that really convinced me that this boxing thing was for real," Gutierrez recalls. "This sport had strangely found me, and there is no way I'm gonna let it go. I've always stood out in everything I've done, but boxing gives me this high, this feeling which I've never felt, nor can I replace."   Gutierrez says boxing is his destiny, and he is constantly improving.  "I was born for this, and every day that passes, I get better. With the support of my family, friends, and my ambition, there is nothing that can stop me. I'm here to make my name remembered in this this sport. I can talk about it all day, but I'd rather show you." Jesus Gutierrez is promoted by Right Hook Promotions along with promotions by HustleGurl Entertainment. Also scheduled to appear on the card in a special-attraction eight-round middleweight bout will be former WBA junior middleweight world champion and "The Contender" champion, WBA #10-rated Sergio "The Latin Snake" Mora (25-3-2, 8 KOs) taking on once-beaten Samuel Rogers (14-1, 8 KOs).   To view Tropicana Las Vegas hotel rates, visit www.troplv.com. ABOUT SAMPSON BOXING After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008. Sampson Boxing has grown into one of the world's most prestigious promotional firms, representing many of the world's best fighters and most promising young contenders. Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America and Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. and several international networks.