Usmanee catches good karma with title shot on FNF

Usmanee catches good karma with title shot on FNF
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 23, 2013


Tonight, Arash Usmanee challenges for a title for the first time in his career when he meets Argenis Mendez on Friday Night Fights for the IBF 130-pound title.

Usmanee (20-1, 10 KOs) and Mendez will close this season of ESPN2's flagship boxing program. It is only fitting that Usmanee be part of the final show, given that he opened the program in January against Rances Barthelemy. Usmanee lost a highly controversial decision in that fight and hopes he closes the year with a better taste in his mouth.

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Fonfara hits three-run homer to outlast Campillo

Fonfara hits three-run homer to outlast Campillo
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV
August 16, 2013


Don’t call it a comeback, but if this week’s ESPN2 Friday Night Fights is any indication as to the health of boxing in the city of Chicago, it should play host to big fights more often.

With a card taking place at U.S. Cellular Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox, prognosticators were unsure at what the turnout would be. An estimated number of around 10,000 people showed up, and nobody went home disappointed.

Hometown favorite Andrzej Fonfara headlined in an intriguing light heavyweight crossroads fight against former titlist Gabriel Campillo. After being outclassed for much of the fight, Fonfara earned a satisfying victory when he delivered the proverbial three-run home run while down to his final few outs, stopping Campillo with a right hand body shot in the ninth round.

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Fonfara meets Campillo at the light heavyweight crossroads

Fonfara meets Campillo at the light heavyweight crossroads
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 15, 2013


Andrzej Fonfara first arrived in the United States as a lanky 6-foot-2 welterweight. Over the past seven years, Fonfara has grown into his body and is currently climbing the ranks of the light heavyweight division.

On Friday night, Fonfara fights in his adopted hometown of Chicago against former titleholder Gabriel Campillo in what will be the Polish-born fighter’s toughest test to date. The bout headlines one of ESPN2’s final Friday Night Fights of the season.

The fight is the definition of a crossroads bout. Two fights ago, Campillo was brutally knocked out by Sergey Kovalev, who will challenge for his first title on Saturday against Nathan Cleverly.

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Fortuna and Franco fight to split draw on FNF

Fortuna and Franco fight to split draw on FNF
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 3, 2013

Burgos battles Amidu to draw on FNF

Burgos battles Amidu to draw on FNF
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
July 26, 2013


Juan Carlos Burgos felt unfairly treated in his last fight by ringside officials, who scored his title-seeking effort against Roman Martinez a draw in January.

When meeting late substitute Yakubu Amidu in Friday's main event of ESPN2 Friday Night Fights in Lincoln, Calif., a split-draw verdict was once again rendered.

This time, Burgos didn't wear the look of a guy unhappy to be getting a draw, and with good reason.

Burgos didn't fight much like a guy with a long term memory of the recent betrayal by judges. He dominated early portions of rounds but allowed his hard-nosed opponent to come on late in rounds, obviously affecting the scores.

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Mora outpoints Proksa in return on FNF

Mora outpoints Proksa in return on FNF
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
June 28, 2013


Sergio Mora said he knew he had to deliver a more crowd pleasing style in order to get back in the mix after returning to the ring for the first time in nearly ten months.

Friday night, Mora was a bit more exciting than in previous bouts, but more importantly, he was more effective, as he outpointed Grzegorz Proksa over 10 rounds in ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights main event in Jacksonville, Fla.

Mora was coming off a second loss to Brian Vera last August, his lone fight in 2012, and was a slight underdog heading in. Sporting a newly grizzled look, a bearded Mora showed he wasn't just a different fighter in appearance, as he outclassed Proksa for much of the duration of their middleweight bout.

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Rodriguez eager to earn another title shot

Rodriguez eager to earn another title shot
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
May 23, 2013


Former junior middleweight title challenger Delvin Rodriguez meets Freddy Hernandez in the main event of this week’s Friday Night Fights ESPN2 broadcast from the Mohegun Sun Casino in Uncastville, Conn.

At this point in the 33-year-old veteran’s career, every bout is high stakes, so what better place to fight than at a casino just an hour and a half from his home in Danbury, Conn.?

Over the course of his career, Rodriguez is 4-1 at the popular fight venue, with his only loss being a controversial split-decision verdict against Isaac Hlatshwayo in their 2009 rematch. That bout was Rodriguez’s first title opportunity, having rode a five bout unbeaten streak at 147 pounds into that fight. That stretch included a draw with Hlatshwayo in his native South Africa in 2008, shifting things to Rodriguez’s home field for the rematch.

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Nugaev upsets Maicelo, stops Peruvian star on FNF

Nugaev upsets Maicelo, stops Peruvian star on FNF
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
April 6, 2013


SANTA YNEZ, Calif. – In his native Peru, Jonathan Maicelo's celebrity is on par with Justin Bieber's in the United States. Out there, he has a national Coca-Cola commercial, as well as one with Frito-Lay. According to his manager Nelson Fernandez, his fights are viewed by 49 percent of the country and men allow their wives to kiss him.

On Friday night, in front of a small crowd at Santa Ynez, Calif.'s Chumash Casino, Maicelo fought in his first televised bout in the United States, meeting tough Russian Rustam Nugaev in the ten-round main event of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights.

Maicelo fought a toe-to-toe battle with Nugaev, eventually getting caught by a massive right hand in the eighth round, and will now be famous stateside due to the highlight reel knockout he was on the losing end of.

When the initial main event between Marvin Quintero and Ammeth Diaz fell out just a few weeks ago, Maicelo jumped at the opportunity to make American television for the first time.

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