Farenas stops Davis in 8th Dib & Martin win decisions

50 CENT'S BIRTHDAY BASH July 2, 2014  * Foxwoods Resorts Casino * Mashantucket, CT

PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release 50 CENT'S BIRTHDAY BASH RESULTS FROM FOXWOODS (L-R) - Michael Farenas nails Mark Davis Photo gallery below (Credit all pictures: Emily Harney)  MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (July 3, 2014) - Filipino knockout artist Michael "Hammer Fist" Farenas (39-4-4, 31 KOs) stopped previously unbeaten Mark "Too Sharp" Davis (18-1, 5 KOs) in eighth round of last night's main event on a special edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights. The second annual "50 Cent's Birthday Bash," presented by SMS Promotions and sponsored in part by Uber, was held in Fox Tower at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Farenas overpowered Davis, cutting the Cleveland fighter over the right eye in the opening round, and pounded him throughout the fight until referee Steve Smoger wisely halted the action at 59-seconds of the eighth round. The slugging southpaw from the Philippines impressively won the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title eliminator for the No. 2 spot in the IBF rankings, positioning himself as the mandatory challenger for the winner of next week's IBF junior lightweight title fight between defending champion Argenis Mendez and No. 1 contender Rances Barthelemy. Farenas and Davis went into the fight rated No. 4 and No. 11, respectively, by the IBF. Former world featherweight champion Billy "The Kid" Dib (37-3, 21 KOs) overcame a cut over his right eye, resulting from an unintentional head butt in the opening round, to win a unanimous 10-round decision over former world title challenger Alberto "Kichis" Garza(26-8-1, 21 KOs) in the co-feature. Fighting for the first time as a junior lightweight, Dib made the most of a long trip from his native Australia in hopes of earning another world title shot in a higher weight class. Dib is presently rated No. 13 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO). In the other ESPN fight, 12-time national amateur champion Ryan "Blue Chip" Martin (7-0, 3 KOs), fighting out of Cleveland, continued his winning ways by pitching a complete shutout against Mathew "Champ" Baca (4-2-1, 2 KOs) en route to a four-round decision. In undercard action, junior middleweight Jimmy Williams improved to 7-0-1 (3 KOs) with a six-round decision over Stephen Owusu (8-7, 4 KOs), undefeated Shelly "Shelito's Way" Vincent (12-0, 1 KO) took a six-round majority decision versus junior featherweight Nydia "Da Phenomenal" Feliciano (7-6-3, 0 KOs), welterweight Nick DeLomba (4-0, 0 KOs) won a six-round majority decision against Edwin Soto (9-2-2, 4 KOs), Bronx junior welterweight Luis "Cruise Control" Cruz (8-0, 4 KOs) kept his perfect record intact with a six-round decision over Ryan Picou (1-3), and super middleweight prospect Junior "Sugar Boy" Younan (5-0, 4 KOs) was went the distance for the first time as a professional against Azamat Umarzoda (0-4-1). COMPLETE RESULTS SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS Junior Younan (5-0, 4 KOs), Brooklyn, New York WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 40-36) Azamat Umarzoda (0-4-1), Las Vegas, Nevada JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS Jimmy Williams (7-0-1, 3 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut WDEC6 (60-53, 59-54, 57-56) Stephan Owusu (8-7, 4 KOs), Bronx, New York WELTERWEIGHTS Nick DeLomba (4-0, 0 KOs), Cranston, Rhode Island WDEC6 (59-56, 59-55, 57-57) Edwin Soto (9-2-2, 4 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS Luis Cruz (8-0, 4 KOs), Bronx, New York WDEC6 (59-52, 59-52, 58-56) Ryan Picou (1-3, 0 KOs), Las Vegas, Nevada LIGHTWEIGHTS Ryan Martin (7-0, 3 KOs), Cleveland, Ohio WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 40-36) Matthew Baca (4-2-1, 2 KOs), Albuquerque, New Mexico JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS Michael Farenas (39-4-4, 31 KOs), Paranaque City, Philippines WTKO8 (0:59) Mark Davis (18-1. 5 KOs)), Cleveland, Ohio (Farenas won IBF title eliminator and No. 2 rating) Billy Dib (37-3, 21 KOs), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia WDEC10 (98-91, 96-93, 96-93) Alberto Garza (26-8-1, 21 KOs), Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico FEMALE SUPER BANTAMWEIGHTS Shelly Vincent (12-0, 1 KO), Providence, Rhode Island WDEC6 (59-55, 58-56, 57-57) Nydia Feliciano (7-6-3, 0 KOs), Bronx, New York L-R: Mark Davis and Michael Farenas L-R: Mark Davis and Michael Farenas Team Dib   L-R: Billy Dib and Alberto Garza    L-R: Matthew Baca and Ryan Martin    L-R: Matthew Baca and Ryan Martin

Weights from Foxwoods 2nd annual '50 Cent Birthday Bash'

50 CENT'S BIRTHDAY BASH July 2, 2014  * Foxwoods Resorts Casino * Mashantucket, CT

PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release Mark Davis vs. Michael Farenas headlines ESPN FNF Special Edition Wed., July 2 OFFICIAL WEIGHTS (all pictures by Emily Harney) WHAT:            "50 Cent's Birthday Bash" WHEN:            Wednesday, July 2, 2014 WHERE:          Grand Theater at Fox Tower, Foxwoods Resorts Casino, Mashantucket, Connecticut WHO:               MAIN EVENT - IBF WORLD JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE ELIMINATOR (12) - ESPN MARK "Too Sharp" DAVIS(18-0), Cleveland, Ohio  130 LBS.  vs.                    MICHAEL "Hammer Fist" FARENAS (38-4-4, 30 KOs), Paranaque City, Philippines 130 LBS.    (L-R): Michael Farenas-Mark Davis  CO-FEATURE - JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS (10) - ESPN BILLY "The Kid" DIB (36-3, 21 KOs), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia  131 LBS.                                 vs. ALBERTO "Kichis" GARZA(26-7-1, 21 KOs), Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico  131 LBS.    (L-R): Algerto Garza-Billy Dib              LIGHTWEIGHTS (4) - ESPN RYAN "Blue-Chip" MARTIN (6-0, 3 KOs), Cleveland, OH  135 LBS.  vs.                                            MATTHEW "Champ" BACA (4-1-1, 2 KOs), Albuquerque, New Mexico  135 LBS.     (L-R): Matthew Baca-Ryan Martin JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS (6) JIMMY WILLIAMS (6-0-1, 3 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut   150 LBS.  vs. STEPHAN OWUSU(8-6, 4 KOs), Bronx, New York   149 LBS.  FEMALE JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHTS (6) SHELLY "Shelito's Way" VINCENT (11-0, 1 KO), Providence, Rhode Island  123 LBS.  vs.                                            NYDIA "Da Phenomenal" FELICIANO (7-5-3, 0 KOs), Bronx, New York  123 LBS.  WELTERWEIGHTS (6) NICK DE LOMBA (3-0, 0 KOs), Cranston, Rhode Island   144 LBS.  vs. EDWIN SOTO (9-1-2, 4 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut by way of Puerto Rico   145 LBS. JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS (6) LUIS CRUZ (7-0, 4 KOs), Bronx, New York  139 LBS. vs. RYAN PICOU (1-2, 0 KOs), Las Vegas, Nevada SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS (4) JUNIOR Sugar Boy" YOUNAN (4-0, 4 KOs), Brooklyn, New York  168 LBS. vs. AZAMAT UMARZODA (0-3-1), Las Vegas, Nevada  169 LBS.  PROMOTER:   SMS Promotions TELEVISION:  Special edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights TICKETS:        $100.00, $75.00 and $45.00 on sale online at www.foxwoods.com, calling Foxwoods' box office at (800) 200-2882, or in person at Foxwoods' box office. . AFTER PARTY:   Doors to the after party will open at 10:00 p.m. ET. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.foxwoods.com, calling Foxwoods' box office at (800) 200-2882, or in person at Foxwoods' box office. DOORS OPEN: 6 p.m. ET          FIRST BOUT: 7 p.m. ET           ESPN2 BROADCAST: 9-11 p.m. ET UBER PROMOTION: Uber will provide new Uber users a free ride (up to $20) to fight attendees on behalf of SMS Promotions. See full details below. Enjoy Your First Free Ride With Uber How does it work? Using Uber's free iPhone/Android/Blackberry 7 app, you can request a pickup and a car driven by a professional driver will show up in minutes. Your credit card is billed directly for your trip and there's no need to tip, so you won't need to carry cash. You can even see the car coming towards you on a map! Follow these simple steps to get $20 off your ride: 1. Download the free Uber iPhone/Android/Blackberry 7 app (or sign up at get.uber.com/go/SMSboxing) 2. Enter your information in the Uber app and promo code SMSboxing when you sign up. 3. Request a ride 5 - 15 minutes before you need one. $20 will be applied towards your first ride on uberX, UberBLACK, or UberSUV (excluding uberT, expires 07/04/15, US only) Uber is now available in over 130 cities worldwide including Providence, Boston, Connecticut and New York City Questions? Check out uber.com/nyc or email supportNY@uber.com.

Uber partners with SMS Promotions For annual '50 Cent Birthday Bash'

Mark Davis vs. Michael Farenas headlines ESPN FNF Special Edition this Wednesday WEIGH IN TUESDAY AT 5 PM/ET

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (June 30, 2014) - Uber has partnered with 50 Cent's SMS Promotions to offer a special deal for first-time Uber users attending this Wednesday night's second annual "50 Cent Birthday Bash," airing live on a special edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights from Grand Theater in Fox Tower at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Uber will provide new Uber users a free ride (up to $20) to fight attendees on behalf of SMS Promotions. See full details below. In the main event, undefeated No. 11 rated junior lightweight Mark "Too Sharp" Davis (18-0, 5 KOs), fighting out of Cleveland, takes on No. 4 ranked Filipino knockout artist Michael "Hammer Fist" Farenas (38-4-4, 30 KOs) in a 12-round International Boxing Federation (IBF) title eliminator. Former IBF featherweight champion Billy "The Kid" Dib (36-3, 21 KOs), who is rated No. 13 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO), moves up to junior lightweight to face former World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight title challenger Alberto "Kichis" Garza(26-7-1, 21 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature. Unbeaten lightweight prospect Ryan "Blue Chip" Martin (6-0, 3 KOs), fighting out of Cleveland, takes on Albuquerque's Matthew "Champ" Baca (4-1-1, 2 KOs) in the four-round ESPN opener. Davis, Dib and Martin are promoted by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN The official "50 Cent Birthday Bash" weigh in will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, July 1) at Foxwoods, starting at 5 p.m. ET, in the mezzanine area of the Grand Theater in Fox Tower. Former S. Connecticut State University football player and current Connecticut State junior middleweight champion, New Haven's unbeaten Jimmy Williams (6-0, 3 KOs), meets Bronx veteran Stephen Owusu (8-6, 4 KOs) in a six-round fight of local interest. Undefeated WIBA International super bantamweight champion Shelly "Shelito's Way" Vincent (11-0, 1 KO), of Providence, and former IWBF bantamweight titlist Nadia "Da Phenomenal" Feliciano (7-5-3, 0 KOs), fighting out of the Bronx, square off a six-round, non-title bout. Also scheduled to fight on the undercard is undefeated Nick DeLomba (3-0), of Cranston, RI vs. New Haven (CT) welterweight Edwin Soto (9-1-2, 4 KOs) in a six-round match, in addition to undefeated Bronx welterweight Luis Cruz (7-0, 4 KOs) vs. Ryan Picou (1-2) and Brooklyn super welterweight sensation Junior "Sugar Boy" Younan (4-0, 4 KOs) vs.Azamat Umarzoda (0-3-1) in six and four round fights, respectively. All fights and fighters are subject to change. Tickets are priced at $100.00, $75.00 and $45.00 and are on sale online atwww.foxwoods.com, calling Foxwoods' box office at (800) 200-2882, or in person at Foxwoods' box office. Tickets will also be available to purchase through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Doors at Grand Theater in Fox Tower will open at 6 p.m. ET. The first bout will start at 7 p.m. ET with ESPN FNF airing live between 9-11 p.m. ET. Doors to the after party will open at 10:00 p.m. ET. Tickets may also be purchased online atwww.foxwoods.com, calling Foxwoods' box office at (800) 200-2882, or in person at Foxwoods' box office. Enjoy Your First Free Ride With Uber How does it work? Using Uber's free iPhone/Android/Blackberry 7 app, you can request a pickup and a car driven by a professional driver will show up in minutes. Your credit card is billed directly for your trip and there's no need to tip, so you won't need to carry cash. You can even see the car coming towards you on a map! Follow these simple steps to get $20 off your ride: 1. Download the free Uber iPhone/Android/Blackberry 7 app (or sign up at get.uber.com/go/SMSboxing) 2. Enter your information in the Uber app and promo code SMSboxing when you sign up. 3. Request a ride 5 - 15 minutes before you need one. $20 will be applied towards your first ride on uberX, UberBLACK, or UberSUV (excluding uberT, expires 07/04/15, US only) Uber is now available in over 130 cities worldwide including Providence, Boston, Connecticut and New York City Questions? Check out uber.com/nyc or email supportNY@uber.com.

Billy 'The Kid' Dib returns to Foxwoods as Junior lightweight For 50 Cent's Birthday Bash

Mark Davis vs. Michael Farenas headlines ESPN FNF Special Edition Wed., July 2

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (June 19, 2014) - Former IBF featherweight champion Billy "The Kid" Dib (36-3, 21 KOs) returns Wednesday, July 2 to the scene of arguably the most disappointing night of his professional career for a 10-round co-feature bout against  former WBA featherweight title challenger Alberto "Kichis" Garza (26-7-1, 21 KOs).  Dib's promoter, 50 Cent's SMS Promotions, will present a special edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights at Grand Theater in Fox Tower at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. In 2013, Dib lost his International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight title belt at Foxwoods by way of a 12-round split decision (114-112, 112-114, 112-114) to undefeated Evgeny Gradovich.  Dib also lost a rematch to Gradovich last November and the Australian has moved up one weight class to junior lightweight for his fight with Garza. "I'm grateful for fighting again at a beautiful venue like Foxwoods," Dib said.  "I have no demons (fighting there).  I am blessed for what I already achieved and hungry to achieve more.  I am also grateful for the opportunity ESPN and my promoter have given me.  50 creates opportunities.  I have had all four of my fights shown on U.S. television and also shown live in my home country, Australia.  50 is a really smart guy that surrounds himself with really good people that help run his business.  Some really fine examples of that is Monique Mayers, Angel Martinez and Sean Gibbons who make sure I'm always looked after.  I am very grateful to them and the whole SMS team." Moving up in weight at the age of 28 is typical for fighters.  "I have been making featherweight for the past 10 years and felt that I was losing some power due to slight struggles making weight," Dib explained.  "I feel stronger now and I am excited about attempting to win another world time in different division.  That's definitely my goal.  I have done it before and know what it takes.  I can't put a time frame on it. I will be patient and work hard to achieve another world title, God willing." Garza is a 28-year-old Mexican boxer who lost his only world title shot to World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champion Nicholas Walters by fourth-round technical knockout in 2013.  Garza has held the World Boxing Council (WBC) and Silver Continental Americas titles, as well as the IBF Latino championship during his 11-year pro career. "I know Garza has the Mexican heart that you can never underestimate," Dib added.  "He is very experienced, fought and won titles, and is dangerous.  But I will be ready!" In the 12-round main event, undefeated 50 Cent-promoted junior lightweight Mark "Too Sharp" Davis (18-0, 5 KOs), fighting out of Cleveland, faces Filipino knockout specialist Michael "Hammer Fist" Farenas (38-4-4, 30 KOs) in an IBF (IBF) title eliminator.  The winner will become the mandatory challenger for the winner of the July 10 title match between IBF junior lightweight champion Argenis Mendez and challenger Rances Barthelemy. Undefeated SMS Promotions lightweight prospect Ryan "Blue Chip" Martin (6-0, 3 KOs), fighting out of Cleveland, takes on Albuquerque's Matthew "Champ" Baca (4-1-1, 2 KOs) in the four-round ESPN opener. Former S. Connecticut State University football player and current Connecticut State junior middleweight champion, New Haven's unbeaten Jimmy Williams (6-0, 3 KOs), faces Bronx veteran Stephen Owusu (8-6, 4 KOs) in a six-round fight of local interest.  Undefeated WIBA International super bantamweight champion Shelly "Shelito's Way" Vincent (11-0, 1 KO), of Providence, and former IWBF bantamweight titlist Nadia "Da Phenomenal" Feliciano (7-5-3, 0 KOs), fighting out of the Bronx, square off a six-round, non-title bout. Also scheduled to fight on the undercard is undefeated Nick DeLomba (3-0), of Cranston, RI versus New Haven (CT) welterweight Edwin Soto (9-1-2, 4 KOs) in a four-round match. All fights and fighters are subject to change. Tickets are priced at $100.00, $75.00 and $45.00 and are on sale online atwww.foxwoods.com, calling Foxwoods' box office at (800) 200-2882, or in person at Foxwoods' box office.  Tickets will also be available to purchase through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at www.ticketmaster.com.    Doors at Grand Theater in Fox Tower will open at 6 p.m. ET.  The first bout will start at 7 p.m. ET with ESPN FNF between 9-11 p.m. ET. Doors to the after party will open at 10:00 p.m. ET. Tickets may also be purchased online atwww.foxwoods.com, calling Foxwoods' box office at (800) 200-2882, or in person at Foxwoods' box office. --Pictures by Shareif Ziyadat-