J’Leon Love looks for a fresh start on ShoBox: The New Generation

J’Leon Love looks for a fresh start on ShoBox: The New Generation
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
February 27, 2013

Though he has already recorded one win in the books since dealing with a suspension for using a banned diuretic prior to his May fight against Gabriel Rosado, super middleweight J’Leon Love looks at 2014 as an opportunity to start fresh.

Love (16-0, 1 NC, 9 knockouts) meets lightly regarded Vladine Biosse (15-2, 7 KOs) in tonight’s 10-round main event at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y. The bout tops a Mayweather Promotions tripleheader edition of Showtime's ShoBox: The New Generation and Love sees the fight as a step towards securing a world title later in the year.

“I’m looking to graduate from a prospect to a contender in the super middleweight division,” Love told RingTV.com in a phone interview on Thursday.

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Allen Stone delivers a first-class soul show at The Echo

Allen Stone delivers a first-class soul show at The Echo
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
February 27, 2014


There’s no other way to say it, Allen Stone’s got PIPES. At his sold out show at The Echo last Thursday night, Stone hit every note as he proved to the crowd that he could’ve fit in any era of R&B.

It is of no surprise to find out that Stone grew up a pastor’s son. Many of the songs he performed with his large band had that gospel feel behind it, complete with Church Lady keyboards. Stone had the crowd in the palm of his hand, demanding them to sway back and forth to one song, grab hold of all their “bullshit” and toss it on stage during another.

Stone played through a number of new tracks, with “Voodoo” featuring the catchiest chorus. “What kind of voodoo do you do, what kind of voodoo do you do-do-do, what kind of witchcraft have I walked into, what kind of voodoo do you do,” Stone belted.

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First round of Boxcino tournament delivers excitement

First round of Boxcino tournament delivers excitement
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
February 21, 2014


LAUGHLIN, Nev.–Friday night at the Edgewater Casino, ESPN2 kicked off their eight-man single elimination tournament, Boxcino. Though no big names are involved, the tournament produced four entertaining first round bouts, getting things off to a pretty good start.

The first fight fed right into what makes a tournament so special, that win or go home mentality. Chris Rudd and Yakubu Amidu went six back and forth rounds, with the fight ending in a draw.

Because it is a tournament, that resulted in an additional round being fought, and it was Rudd (13-1, 8 KOs) who emerged victorious after out working Amidu (19-5-2, 17 KOs) . The scores were officially 59-55 for Amidu, 57-57 twice. Rudd won the seventh on all three scorecards.

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The beautiful Meg Myers and Jess Williamson captivate fans at Bardot Hollywood

The beautiful Meg Myers and Jess Williamson captivate fans at Bardot Hollywood
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
February 19, 2014

Being from Vegas, it was my first time turning up to School Night at Bardot, which apparently takes place every Monday. It definitely will not be my last.

After reviewing Jess Williamson’s debut album here at Grimy Goods a few weeks ago (click here for the album review), I had to check her out in person. Though I only got a brief taste of her due to playing a shortened set, I left that night with my live music fix fully satisfied.

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Lightweight ‘Boxcino’ tournament begins Friday on ESPN2

Lightweight ‘Boxcino’ tournament begins Friday on ESPN2
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
February 18, 2014

This Friday, Banner Promotions and ESPN2 kick off the first of two eight-man single elimination tournaments, which will take place over the course of the Friday Night Fights season.

RingTV.com spoke with Banner Promotions founder Artie Pelullo about the tournament and how it came together. Boxing tournaments often have a hard time running smoothly, so Pelullo also shared what sort of measures are in place should a hiccup occur here and there.

“I came up with this idea 17 years ago when the first Boxcino tournament took place,” Pelullo told RingTV.com. “Born out of that was Brazilian star Acelino Freitas who won the tournament, but also a number of the competitors who participated became quality names, like JC Candelo.”

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Super Magdaleno Bros. victorious in SoCal

Super Magdaleno Bros. victorious in SoCal
Mark E. Ortega
BehindTheGloves.com
February 16, 2014


HAWAIIAN GARDENS, Calif.–Saturday night at the C. Robert Lee Center, boxing brothers Diego Magdaleno and Jessie Magdaleno notched a pair of knockouts over solid if not unspectacular foes in front of a raucous and supportive crowd. The older brother and former 130-pound title challenger Diego tried one-upping his brother’s effort by stopping Mexican veteran Jorge Pazos in the fourth round of their UniMas SoloBoxeo televised main event in a card promoted by Top Rank.

Magdaleno (25-1, 10 knockouts) continued his rebound from an unsuccessful effort in capturing an alphabet trinket last April by dominated the action with combinations and body shots. Magdaleno was more aggressive as top trainer Joel Diaz continues to work with the two Las Vegas natives.

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Brazilian star Esquiva Falcao makes his pro debut tonight

Brazilian star Esquiva Falcao makes his pro debut tonight
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
February 15, 2014


Prior to the 2012 Olympics in London, only one Brazilian fighter had earned a medal – Servilio de Oliveira, who earned bronze in the 1968 Mexico City Games.

In 2012, not only was this feat surpassed with the South American country earning both a silver and bronze, but it was achieved by two brothers, Esquiva and Yamaguchi Falcao.

Tonight, the silver-medal winning Esquiva Falcao makes his professional debut in a six-round bout on a small club show in Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. The card will be televised by UniMas in the United States. More importantly, the bout will be televised on Brazilian network SporTV as part of a lucrative television deal that was struck when Falcao signed a deal with Top Rank at the end of 2013.

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Vacaville's Fiel looking to turn heads Saturday

Vacaville's Fiel looking to turn heads Saturday
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
February 14, 2014


Due to the downswing that professional boxing in the northern California region has experienced in the past few years, Vacaville junior lightweight Adam Fiel has waited patiently since making his professional debut last July in Roseville.

Fiel (1-0, 1 knockout) scored a first round knockout that night and will finally step into the ring again tomorrow night as he faces Oxnard, Calif.’s Luis Pelayo, who is making professional debut in their four round bout.

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Recommended Album Review: Sun-Kil Moon - Benji

Recommended Album Review: Sun-Kil Moon - Benji
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
February 13, 2014


Sometimes, when in the process of listening to a Mark Kozelek album, you begin to think he would’ve been a great novelist. There might not be a songwriter out there today that is able to wax as elegantly as Kozelek about both the profound and the mundane, usually within just a few lines of each other. It’s on Kozelek’s long running project Sun Kil Moon’s sixth album, Benji that he perhaps accomplishes this best.

Though most of the content of Benji deals with tragedy and sadness, Kozelek eloquently is able to slip in humorous bits here and there that lighten things up. Kozelek somehow fits in Panera Bread in not one, but two songs, and also mentions coming home crying from school as a kid because he was sat next to an albino.

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Band of Horses rips through fantastic acoustic set at Wilshire Ebell

Band of Horses rips through fantastic acoustic set at Wilshire Ebell
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
February 13, 2014


It was evident from the outset that Seattle founded folk rock group Band of Horses put a lot of thought into their special acoustic gig at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. The show took place the same day that their live album Acoustic at The Ryman was released.

It wasn’t a case of the band simply playing songs from their catalog with acoustic guitars. Some songs were arranged completely differently as to lend themselves to the format better than they would have. The opening song of their 19-song set, “Neighbor”, set the tone, as three of the band mates harmonized beautifully over nothing but a piano.

The band’s on-stage camaraderie carried them well as they chopped it up between songs as they found the right tunings and figured out the timing of some of the songs on the fly. They didn’t sound unprepared so much as they sounded nervous in wanting to achieve total mastery of their performance, of which they did.

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Vivian Harris fails medical, out of Bradley Skeete fight

Vivian Harris fails medical, out of Bradley Skeete fight
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
February 12, 2014


A boxing commission has finally stepped up to the plate and denied former junior welterweight titleholder Vivian Harris a fight.

Harris (31-9-2, 19 knockouts) was due to fight unbeaten British welterweight Bradley Skeete this weekend on the undercard of a doubleheader featuring heavyweight rivals Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora in separate bouts. Harris was scratched from the card when he failed a pre-fight medical. Skeete (14-0, 4 KOs) will now face Christopher Sebire of France.

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King nabs first victory south of the border

King nabs first victory south of the border
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
February 11, 2014

Oakland based welterweight Troy King had to travel south of the border to make his professional boxing debut. The end result, King getting his hand raised after he scored a knockout just 68 seconds into the bout over Victor Acosta. The fight took place at the Restaurant Olivaritos in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.

The left-handed King trains out of Boxing for Health in Oakland. What’s more, he actually lives out of the gym in a small loft, training regular citizens who pick up boxing as a way to stay in shape. King started boxing as an amateur in his native Akron, Ohio, before moving to the Bay Area three years ago. He has sparred with some quality pros, such as San Francisco junior welterweight Karim Mayfield as well as the recently crowned welterweight titlist Shawn Porter.

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Boxing Monthly: The Safest Bets

Boxing Monthly: The Safest Bets

Mark E. Ortega

February 2014 ed. of Boxing Monthly

I was lucky to get included in renowned British boxing magazine Boxing Monthly this month. This is my fourth appearance in the publication, this time a six-page spread detailing 14 prospects to keep your eye on as well as five unbeatens I think will lose their perfect record this year.