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Tag: Wales
MO Prior & Priority Boxing are delighted to announce the next stage in their continued & increasing involvement in the career of Olympic Silver Medallist & 15 time All Ireland Champion, John Joe Nevin, (Mullingar, Ireland).
John Joe will top Priority Boxing’s, 20th September, 2019, ” Enter the Dragon“ show, which features outstanding Welsh Prospects; Nathan Thorley, Maredudd Thomas, Rhys Edward’s, Jay Munn, Lance Cooksey, Joel Jason, JJ Evan’s, Craig Woodruff & Jacob Robinson at Vale Sports Arena, Penarth Rd, Cardiff CF11 8TW. John Joe will box, at super featherweight, an opponent will be announced in the near future.
Mo Prior
“It’s a pleasure to be working with one of boxing’s outstanding talents in John Joe Nevin & to be able to showcase a boxer of John Joe’s talent in the fight savvy, city of Cardiff, fittingly, topping a show that features a plethora of Welsh talent.
What a story & what pedigree John Joe Nevin has; 255 amateur contests, of which over 200 were internationals, only 15 losses & most of them by split decision.Olympic Silver, a double Olympian, twice World Bronze, all four losses, by split decision, to the eventual, tournament winners. John Joe also won both the European & European Union Championships becoming, officially rated, World Number One, at his weight, before turning pro.
John Joe made his pro debut, in the USA, in Boston, live on USA TV, tipped, live in commentary, by Paulie Malignaggi, ‘he will definitely, win a World Title’. Only to go back to Ireland & have both his legs broken, in an incident for which he still awaits criminal compensation.
John Joe was told he wouldn’t walk again let alone box. John boxed, for over a year, with 3.9lbs of metal in his legs, he wasn’t able to run or skip, so he trained, in therapy pools, in Philadelphia, under the auspices of Jeff Goldstein, tears running down John’s cheeks from the pain. Then John had to take the best part of a year off, back in Ireland, where he had the metal removed, before getting back into the therapy pools in Philly.
Now the suffering is over & his legs have never been stronger, plus he has the comfort of knowing the weight he’ll be campaigning at, super featherweight.
Mo Prior:
“What a pleasure it is to be promoting John Joe, he’s undefeated in 12 pro contests, John Joe will go a long way, in the next 12 months, to achieving his goal of winning a world title.
Priority Boxing have an ongoing working relationship with John Joe’s management, where Priority Boxing will look to build a similar fan & support base, in the UK & Ireland, to match John Joe’s famed, Philadelphia, USA, following, enabling John Joe to pursue his career both sides of the Atlantic.”
John Joe Nevin:
“Working with Mo Prior & Topping a Fight Card in Wales is an honour, an honour I don’t take lightly, I look forward to entertaining my Celtic Cousins, the very knowledgeable, Cardiff, boxing connoisseurs, @ The Vale Sports Arena, on 20th September”
For further info on John Joe Nevin Contact Ron Boddy,
Phone & WhatsApp: +44 7989 381955
For info on the show & all the other boxers, Contact Mo Prior
Phone & WhatsApp: +44 7500 869640
Read more on Jay Munn HERE
Purchase tickets HERE
Read more on The rise of a Warrior HERE
Categories
ANGELO DRAGONE
“Winning is everything for me. There is no room for second place in boxing. People only see you fight, they don’t see the sacrifices I make during my camps so there is no better feeling for me than getting my hand raised.”
FIGHT SCENE CATCH UP WITH ANGELO DRAGONE
The tale of the Italian Welsh boxer is hardly an uncommon one, with prior world champions such as Enzo Maccarinelli and the great Joe Calzaghe making a large indent on the sport. Angelo Dragone, ‘The Italian Stallion’, will look to follow in the footsteps of these great fighters and leave his own mark on the sport.
Dragone had always been a working man prior to his career in boxing, having worked as a milkman for family business Nigel’s Dairy. While his career has changed, the aims remain the same. Providing for his family and securing the future of his two children is still the main priority. Dragone’s progression through the pro ranks has meant that the milkman business has been put on hold in favour of pursuing a potentially fruitful boxing career.
After a relatively short amateur career of just 24 fights, Dragone turned over to the pro ranks in August 2018 at the age of 28 and has fought five times since, maintaining a 5-1-0 record. Dragone has put in dominant performances and is showing himself to be a level above his current opposition. The first knockout is surely imminent!
“With all of my fights so far I’ve stepped up each time. I feel like I’m improving fight by fight and haven’t put a foot wrong yet. I’m happy with my progress and the improvements are showing in and out of the ring.”
The Carmarthen based fighter now trains with head trainer and manager Richie Garner in Llanelli, and Swansea. The Welshman operates on an intensive schedule, training in the gym four days a week from the early hours of the morning. Dragone is no stranger to the early morning start though, having been conditioned for this from his life as a milkman. No breaks are allowed on the weekends either which are filled with road running and sparring which has seen granted Dragone experience against many top Welsh prospects including Kieran Gething, Rhys Edwards, and even British and recently crowned Commonwealth champion Chris Jenkins.
Richie Garner: ‘It was a year ago this month that Angelo made his debut. Back then he was a very raw boxer with a heart filled with dreams of being a Welsh Champion.
For the past year, Angelo has worked tirelessly to realise his dream and push forward to achieve it.
He has improved immensely, and has such great energy and enthusiasm
We don’t take any opponents lightly, I am hoping Angelo will bring the intensity he can’t cope with.
We have been sparring Newport, Cardiff and even the prestigious Peacock Gym in London to make this happen. Gary Lockett has offered the most sparring and Rhys Edwards has been an invaluable asset for us in sparring.
Angelo is a popular fighter and we are training with the assistance of Jason who runs Jack To A King Boxing Club in Swansea, in addition to the Robert Davies Gym, Llanelli offering different facilities. We get the best of both worlds!
We have a great Team with lots of support. It’s a great bill. The ticket allocation has almost gone! If people want to see It, they will need to get in touch ASAP!’
“Winning is everything for me, there is no room for second place in boxing. People only see you fight, they don’t see the sacrifices I make during my camps so there is no better feeling for me than getting my hand raised.”
Dragone has displayed a preference to fight on the front foot and with a tight guard and is known for his high punch output and quick combinations. The speed and variety of his combinations have become a hallmark of Dragone’s style, as well his likening for a lead uppercut.
As would be expected, Dragone is a big fan of fellow Welshman Joe Calzaghe and credits him for putting Welsh boxing on the map. Dragone is also a fan of Ricky Hatton due to his high octane and front foot style of boxing.
“Calzaghe put Wales on the world map for me. His high work rate, variety and skill was unreal. I love Ricky as well for his come forward aggressive style and body punching and that he’s just so down to earth.”
While maintaining a 5-1-0 record, Dragone is looking to put a signature win on his record.
“I take one fight at a time and don’t look that far ahead. I want to just keep winning and moving forward in boxing and life”
Buy tickets for Angelo’s next fight HERE
Read more on Nathan Thorley HERE
Angelo would like to thank his army of followers, fan and sponsors for their continued support:
Strength conditioning James Cartwright conquer fitness, cy gwllt sumplements , RCS , Nigel’s dairy , Just financial, Outlaws, Bluebell , Henwood stores , Premier Emlyn , Charles contract service , Diablos , Steboneath sports bar, LGAS Wales Direct
Read more on RCS Teamwear HERE
Read more on SP Motors and Recovery HERE
Read more on Cy Gwyllt Supplements HERE
“The most rewarding aspect of being a trainer/promoter is taking a boy from an early age and transforming them into a Champion. Whether that be world level or even domestic level, it is truly so rewarding to be able to do that with young fighters and guide them along the way.”
SANIGAR EVENTS: A PASSIONATE ETHIC FOR ALL THINGS BOXING
“Throwing in the towel” is an idiom that resides deep inside the history of boxing. It stands as a metaphor for accepting defeat, giving up or failing to conquer adversity, and since it’s initial use in the wake of the 20th Century, it has become a common conundrum in the English language.
Fighters across the world will be very familiar with the phrase, but no-one will fully understand it more than former-boxer and now-promoter; Chris Sanigar.
Those who are familiar with his story will already know why there is no secret he was called “one of the bravest fighters in Britain”, but for those who don’t know about Chris and his son Jamie, their storied road to today speaks volumes of their unquestionable loyalty to the sport.
Chris Sanigar; the founder of Sanigar Events, first made his name in the sport of boxing back in 1978 as a professional prizefighter. After representing England in the amateurs and making the ABA Championship Finals, southpaw Sanigar embarked on the professional ranks, capturing the BBBofC Southern Light-Welterweight title before his eventual retirement in 1984. His career spanned six years, boxing in various countries like Italy, New Zealand, France and Zimbabwe, concluding a 31-fight resume with 18 wins (10 KO’s), 11 losses (5 KO’s) and two draws.
“I had so much guts, so much courage. All I wanted to do was fight, fight, fight, not box. I had the pleasure of being crowned Champion of London in my career, boxed in various countries along the road, and really had a good time” said Sanigar.
“I was a big party-goer in my early days. I drank lots of alcohol throughout my career and that really had an impact on me. Since my retirement and to this day, I’ve not drank a single drop of alcohol and I thank God that it has made such a change to my life. I do really feel if I didn’t have the alcohol in those days when I was boxing, I could’ve got a lot further.”
Even in his days as a modern gladiator however, Sanigar had always had the intentions of staying on after it was time to hang-up the gloves.
“Even when I was fighting, I knew I wanted to become a manager. After I retired, I was still spending day after day in various gym’s studying the great trainers and managers I had around me. I would pay attention to their little sayings and the way they acted, and I really was fortunate to be able to learn from the likes of George Francis and Micky Dove.”
In 1989, Sanigar consulted with the BBBoC and was granted a professional boxing license once again, this time as a manager and trainer. His reputation as an all-action fighter, knowledge of the sport and desire to pursue coaching paved way for the formation of Bristol Boxing Gym in the same year and has since became the pioneer for boxing in the South West of England.
“The decision to form my own gym originated from my relationship with George Francis, my former manager. I was always so close to George and that was what really gave me the idea to open my own gym and pursue managing, and thankfully that became a reality in 1989”
Bristol Boxing Gym was originally based in a St Pauls facility, whereby it’s storied 29-year history began. Chris and his son Jamie worked extensively with young prospects in the south of the UK and quickly forged a choreography that would promise future champions.
So far, the Sanigar Events team has produced nine champions including the likes of Lee Selby, Glenn Catley, Lee Haskins, Dean Francis, Adrian Stone and more. Over it’s near 30-year history, the Bristol Boxing Gym team has established an unrivaled coaching and managerial style that has developed into what it is today. It’s very easy to say that it’s reputation among the best gyms in the UK has been earned through sheer determination and unprecedented passion alone, but under Chris and Jamie Sanigar’s direction, it seems the only plausible explanation.
(Left to Right) Lee Haskins, Lee Selby
“The most rewarding aspect of being a trainer/promoter is taking a boy from an early age and transforming them into a Champion. Whether that be world level or even domestic level, it is truly so rewarding to be able to do that with young fighters and guide them along the way.”
In 2000, Sanigar Events and Bristol Boxing Gym produced their very first World Champion in Glenn Catley, beating then WBC Super-Middleweight Champion Markus Beyer in his native Germany. It was the first time in history a Bristol-based fighter had won a World Championship.
“I had Glenn (Catley) since he was just 14. It was naturally the apex of my career. We then had Ross Hale and Dean Francis, who won the British and Commonwealth titles, then we brought Lee Haskins through who again we had from the early age of 14. We brought him through the amateur circuit, and now into British, Continental and European titles. It’s really been a roller-coaster ride.”
In 2007, Chris and Jamie formed the Community Sports Projects which offered local children professional standard coaching and facilities, giving local communities a pathway into the sport and a lesson into the art of discipline.
In January 2015, a £500,000 Community Asset Transfer moved the gym to a new lot in Easton and brought with it the inclusion of some of the best boxing facilities in the country. It now sports a professional standard 20ft boxing ring, a second 16ft ring, 22 punching-bag stations, sets of iron dumbbells and a multi-purpose fitness studio. After the gym’s reputation proceeded and the Community Sports Project excelled in the local community, Chris and Jamie registered Empire Fighting Chance in 2013 (co-founded by Martin Bisp), a charity-based organisation that gives support services to deprived local groups through counselling, mentoring, employability lessons, and on the side, a non-contact-based boxing experience.
Jamie Sanigar also became the youngest BBBoC Promoter in 2003, at just 23 years old. Whilst his father has a more personal relationship with the fighters on the team, son Jamie controls the multiple community organizations that Sanigar Events conduct and is largely responsible for the gym’s appeal to the local community.
Chris said: “As an ex-fighter, I’m able to empathize with my boxers. Jamie deals more with the legal and community aspects of the job, but I relate to the fighters on a personal level. I’ve been in their shoes, I’ve had the fights, I’ve been through it all with them. I think this what sets Sanigar Events apart from the rest and what makes our relationship with the fighters so special.”
“Having experienced professional fighting, I also understand how important the role of a promoter/manager is. Getting the rights fights at the right time for my lads is crucial, and it can be very challenging at times. These boys develop at different stages, so you’ve got to know them personally. Most of my boxers have reputable amateur pedigrees and I do feel that’s essential for them. It teaches them ring-generalship, discipline and gives them the experience needed in this sport.”
“I’m pleased to see that the health and safety has improved immensely in boxing. At times, I do feel that certain fighters are able to get away with infringements to the rule-set and potentially influence decisions in the wrong way, so maybe modern-day refereeing does need to adopt a stricter stance, like it was when I was boxing professionally. Other than that, I’m very happy with the current state of the sport. I love it.”
Chris’ and Jamie’s passion for the boxing business was proving to be the perfect recipe for success, over nearly three decades of work. In 2009 however, Chris Sanigar would meet his toughest opponent to date; cancer.
“I hadn’t had a day off through illness for about 20 years. At the time, I didn’t even know you could survive from cancer, all the people I had known who had suffered it had unfortunately died. I thought that was going to happen to me at first.”
Chris; being a devoted believer in God and a determined fighter in his own right, sought to battle his life-threating illness, just like his multiple battles in the squared-circle. Extraordinarily, his greatest victory came outside of the boxing ring, and instead within himself.
“I’m a big believer in God and I just thought to myself all of the way through that I was going to make it. I was against the odds just like my fighter Lee Haskins, who was such a big help. He boxed whilst I was having chemotherapy, and against the odds, he won. That really helped pull-me through, it was a really powerful thing.”
In 2010, just one year after he was diagnosed, Chris had beaten another foe in cancer and immediately returned to his home; boxing. Where it was easily an option to throw in the towel, whether that be from Chris, Jamie, Haskins, or anyone involved in the Sanigar Promotion and Bristol Boxing Gym, not a single person ever accepted defeat against the odds, and perhaps this echoes the purity of this team’s connection. To this day, Chris is still heavily involved with the boxing business and seems to want nothing less.
Sanigar Events still boasts multiple champions, including current Featherweight World-Champion Lee Selby, and hopes to continue to produce home-grown fighters and provide a platform for British prospects to transition into World Champions. Accompanied by the team at Bristol Boxing Gym, Sanigar Events operates with a passionate ethic for all things boxing, and is remarkably yet to see it’s best days as a promotional organisation.
It is clear to see why Sanigar Events has been in business for the past 25 years, promoting names such as Ricky Hatton, Frank Bruno, Joe Calzaghe and Prince Naseem Hamed. From Chris’ humble beginnings in small-town clubs around the country to the rackety-noise of the speed-ball in Bristol Boxing Gym, from Jamie’s BBBoC Promoter’s license at just 23 to his extensive work with Empire Fighting Chance, and from a young boy to a powerful champion, the future looks incredibly bright for such an extraordinary team, against ALL of the odds. If there’s one thing that Sanigar Events can promote, it’s to never throw in the towel.
Read more on Sanigar Events HERE
Watch Chris Sanigar “One of the Bravest Fighters in Britain” HERE
Read more on Empire Fighting Chance HERE
Watch more on Empire Fighting Chance HERE
Images by Sanigar Events and Matchroom Boxing
Categories
RITSON MOVES UP TO SUPER-LIGHTWEIGHT
“You’ll see a different Lewis Ritson with the extra 5lbs to play with. The power will be more telling, we were surprised boiling down to make 135lbs I was getting good kids out of there in that fashion. But that shows I have natural power, which will only show with the extra weight.
RITSON MOVES UP TO SUPER-LIGHTWEIGHT
‘Sandman’ begins assault on 140lbs division at Copper Box Arena
Lewis Ritson has moved up in weight to the Super-Lightweight division and will make his debut at 140lbs when he takes on Argentina’s German Argentino Benitez for the WBA Inter-Continental title at the Copper Box Arena on March 23, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.
Ritson ripped the British Lightweight title from Robbie Barrett in seven rounds before making a series of devastating quickfire defences against Joe Murray, Scott Cardle and Paul Hyland Jnr to win the famous belt outright.
The 25-year-old Geordie ace makes the jump up to 140lbs after tasting defeat for the first time when he was outpointed by Franceso Patera in a battle for the European Lightweight crown at the Metro Radio Arena in October.
With an extra 5lbs to play with, the ‘Sandman’ is confident he will be even more destructive at his new weight and is itching to begin his assault on the Super-Lightweight division in London next week.
“Now is the right time to move up to 140lbs,” said Ritson. “I probably should have moved up in weight a while ago but I was determined to test myself on the European scene which is why I carried on. There’s no excuses from me though about the last fight.”
“I’ve watched the Patera fight back once and I won’t be doing so again. It was a terrible performance and some of the mistakes I made on the night are inexcusable, but you live and learn.
“Fanno (coach Neil Fannon) said if I don’t get him out of there in the first half of the fight it would be a hard night’s work but I went in there with the mentality of just blasting him away early, like I had done to the previous couple of opponents which was wrong. It’s opened my eyes and we’ve been working on my all round game since.
“You’ll see a different Lewis Ritson with the extra 5lbs to play with. The power will be more telling, we were surprised boiling down to make 135lbs I was getting good kids out of there in that fashion. But that shows I have natural power, which will only show with the extra weight.
“To be fighting for the WBA Inter-Continental title opens some doors right away with a win. I didn’t want to be fighting in a six or eight rounder just to feel in to the new weight, or fighting at Commonwealth or British level. That’s no disrespect to the lads up in this weight, but I’ve got the British title on my Dad’s mantlepiece so I don’t really want to be going over old ground.
“I’m a million miles away from a World title at the minute, but will be keeping an eye on the Hughes vs. Davies Jnr fight. The European title is something I failed to win, so I would be open to fighting for it down the line if it made sense for all parties.
“Generally, it’s a really open division – I’ve sparred WBA World Champion Kiryl Relikh before and after seeing Maurice Hooker’s last performance I wouldn’t shy away from those if they cropped up down the line. A couple of wins and I could be in the frame which sets me up for a really exciting year.”
Ritson vs. Benitez is part of a huge night of action at the Copper Box Arena.
Main event sees Croydon’s Charlie Edwards make the first defence of his WBC Flyweight World title against Spain’s Angel Moreno.
Rising Light-Heavyweight star Joshua Buatsi takes on former English Champion Liam Conroy for the vacant British title in his tenth fight.
London Cruiserweight rivals Lawrence Okolie and Wadi Camacho collide with the British and Cruiserweight titles on the line.
Watford Bantamweight talent Shannon Courtenay makes her highly-anticipated professional debut and Newport Bantamweight talent Sean McGoldrick fights for the first time under new trainer Jamie Moore.
Tickets are available to purchase through StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk), See Tickets (www.seetickets.com) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com).
Read more on Edwards vs Moreno HERE
Read more on Sean McGoldrick HERE
Read more on Courtenay HERE
Read more on Matchroom Boxing HERE
Images by Matchroom Boxing
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Tickets are available to purchase for O2 Priority customers NOW via www.theo2.co.uk and go on sale to Fight Pass members at 2.00pm on Tuesday March 12 via www.stubhub.co.uk
General Sale tickets are available to purchase at midday on Wednesday March 13 from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk), The O2 (www.theo2.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com)
Read more on Matchroom Boxing HERE