New Town, North Dakota (March 28, 2014)–Tonight at the 4 Bears Casino & Lodge in New Town, North Dakota, the Boxcino 2014 lightweight tournament semifinals will take place as Fernando Carcamo will take on Miguel Gonzalez and Petr Petrov battles Chris Rudd with the winners meeting on May 23rd. Banner Promotions has lined up a terrific undercard that will feature four of their prized prospects.

The card will be televised live on ESPN, ESPNDeportes+ and watchESPN beginning at 9 PM ET.

2012 Olympic Bronze Medal winner, Taras Shlestyuk (7-0, 5 KO’s) will take on Romon Barber (4-7, 3 KO’s) in a jr. middleweight bout scheduled for six rounds.

Taras Shelestyuk

Shelestyuk of Sumy, Ukraine is on a 2-fight knockout streak with his latest being a 1st round stoppage over Francisco Flores on February 21st in Laughlin, Nevada.

Heavyweight Donovan Dennis (8-0, 7 KO’s) of Davenport, Iowa will take on the most experienced foe of his career when he boxes 57-fight veteran Travis Fulton of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Dennis has been very impressive by scoring three consecutive stoppage wins. He has two early wins over undefeated fighters, Eric Scribner (1-0) and Hugo Arceo (4-0-1). He is coming off a 1st round destruction over Sam Comming on February 28th in Hammond, Indiana.

Donovan Dennis

Light Heavyweight Micheal Seals (17-0, 13 KO’s) will look to stay perfect when he takes on Willis Lockett (13-12-5, 5 KO’s).

Seals of Atlanta will be making his Banner Promotions debut. He holds a 1st round stoppage over former world champion Byron Mitchell. Seals has won 7 consecutive fights by knockout which includes a 1st round stoppage over Steve Walker on November 9, 2013.

19-year old lightweight Ruben Ozuna (1-1) takes on Wayne Smith (0-1) in a bout scheduled for four rounds.

Ozuna of Wauchula, Florida was a distinguished amateur and has a ton of upside.

Ruben Ozuna

“We are excited to feature these four guys on the undercard,” said Banner Promotions CEO Arthur Pelullo.

“Taras has been terrific so far and we are very pleased with the development of Donovan Dennis. Tonight we are very much looking forward to seeing Michael Seals make his debut for our company. We also have high expectations for the 19-year old Ozuna as well,” finished Pelullo.

New Town, North Dakota (March 28, 2014)–Below are videos and images of Thursday’s weigh in plus interviews with the four semifinal participants of the Boxcino 2014 lightweight tournament that will feature Fernando Carcamo taking on Miguel Gonzalez and Petr Petrov battling Chris Rudd.

The fights will take place at the 4 Bears Casino & Lodge in New Town, North Dakota.

The fights will be shown live TONIGHT on ESPN, ESPNDEPORTES+ and watchESPN at 9 PM ET.

Media outlets may use the videos for journalistic use by copy/paste the embedded codes on their websites.

Fernando Carcamo 135.8 – Miguel Gonzalez 136
(Boxcino Semifinals)
Chris Rudd 135.6 – Petr Petrov 135.6
(Boxcino Semifinals)

Michael Seals 173.4 – Willis Lockett 191
Taras Shelestyuk 152 – Romon Barber 152.8
Donovan Dennis 224.8 – Travis Fulton will weigh in tomorrow
Ruben Ozuna 135.8 – Wayne Smith 134,6
David Laque 148 – Corey Land 145.2

Promoter: Banner Promotions
Venue: 4 Bears Casino & Lodge
TV: ESPN at 9 PM ET

Philadelphia (March 18, 2014)–He pulled off the biggest upset in the opening round of the Boxcino 2014 lightweight tournament and now Chris Rudd (13-1, 8 KO’s) is ready to do it again when he takes on Petr Petrov (33-4-2, 15 KO’s) on Friday, March 28 at the 4 Bears Casino & Lodge in New Town, North Dakota.

The semifinal bout will be televised Live on ESPN, ESPNdeportes+ and WatchESPN.

Rudd of Covington, Tennessee was the least known of the eight participants in the tournament but he won a 7 round (Draw Breaker) decision over veteran Yakubu Amidu on February 21 in Laughlin, Nevada, reflected back on the win for a moment before setting his sights on Petrov.

“I did a pretty good job,” said Rudd. “I think I won that fight because of my head and foot movement.”

Rudd began preparing for Petrov almost immediately after his win over Amidu.

“I have been working hard in the gym. Petrov throws a lot of wild combinations and a wild hook. I have been working on that as well as my jab and staying out of range.”

Rudd has relished being the unknown fighter in the tournament as he believes that will only enhance his accomplishments.

“It does not matter being the underdog. I was talking with my brother and he said, the more that I can win, the better I look.”

Rudd knows he can win the tournament but knows he has a tough road ahead.

“I see me winning. Petrov is a good fighter and he will come hard. The other two fighters (Miguel Gonzalez and Fernando Carcamo) are good fighters. I see myself winning but I can not claim it until I have it,”finished Rudd.

LAUGHLIN, NV (FEBRUARY 21, 2014)–The much anticipated Boxcino 2014 kicked off at the Edgewater Casino with a rousing beginning as Chris Rudd, Petr Petrov, Miguel Gonzalez and Fernando Carcamo all advanced to the semi-final round in the lightweight division on March 28th at the 4 Bears Casino in Newtown, North Dakota.

Chris Rudd opened the tournament with a “Drawbreaker” decision over Yakubu Amidu.

Both guys landed tremendous power shots with Amidu getting better in the second but Rudd came back the next round. In round four it became a war of attrition with Amidu landing with Rudd on the ropes. It was a nip and tuck fight down the stretch and when the scores were announced it was ruled a draw on the scorecards.

The fighters went to the overtime round it was the activity level that got Rudd the victory.

Officially it goes into the record books as a split decision for Rudd by scores of 67-66 twice and 68-65 for Amidu. Rudd, of Covington, Tennessee and he is now 13-1. Amidu of Los Angeles via Ghana is now 19-5-1

Rudd will meet Petr Petrov, who scored a 6-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Fedor Papazov.

It was a close competitive fight with both guys landing hard shots early in the bout. Petrov got the better in round’s five and six as he utilized counter punching ability to land with pinpoint accuracy. He did well despite having some swelling around the right eye.

Petrov of Madrid, Spain via Russia won by scores of 58-56 on all cards and is now 33-4-2. Papazov, of Los Angeles via Russia is now 14-1.

Miguel Gonzalez scored a 6-round split decision over Miguel Angel Mendoza.

Gonzalez boxed very well through the fight and landed some good shots. Mendoza pressed the fight and in round six he had Gonzalez on defensive as he pounded away on him ropes. The crowd tried to urge Mendoza on but it was not enough as Gonzalez took two cards by 58-56 tallies while Mendoza won a card at 58-56.

Gonzalez of Cleveland, Ohio is now 23-3. Mendoza is 21-3-2.

Gonzalez will meet Fernando Carcamo, who destroyed previously undefeated Samuel Neequaye in two rounds.

Carcamo dropped Neequaye in round one and then wobbled and buckled Neequaye for most of the 2nd frame and the fight was stopped as Neequaye was going down to the canvas at 1:58 of round two.

Carcamo is now 16-5 with 11 knockouts. Neequaye of Ghana is now 21-1.

2012 Olympic Bronze Medal winner Taras Shelestyuk battered Francisco Flores as he scored a knockdown en route to a 1st round stoppage in a scheduled 4 round Jr. Middleweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 1:45 for Shelestyuk, who improves to 7-0.

Cornelius Whitlock needed just 35 seconds to dispose of Luis Hernandez in a scheduled 4 round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Whitlock landed a perfect right hand that knocked Hernandez stiff and the bout was waved off.

Whitlock of Baltimore is now 3-0-2 with 2 knockouts. Hernandez, of San Bernadino, CA is now 2-7.

Despite being knocked down in the 2nd round, James Walos scored a 4-round unanimous decision over Robert Hill.

All three judges ruled 38-37 for Walos, who is now 2-0. Hill is 1-4.

The Boxcino 2014 middleweight tournament kicks off next Friday night at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana at 9pm eastern on ESPN, ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN.

New Town, North Dakota (March 31, 2014)–Fernando Carcamo and Petr Petrov punched their tickets to the Boxcino lightweight finals with impressive wins over Miguel Gonzalez and Chris Rudd respectively this past Friday night at the 4 Bears Casino & Lodge.

The bouts were televised LIVE on ESPN.

Carcamo outlasted Gonzalez via 8-round majority decision in a thrilling bout that saw many ebbs and flows. The contest almost ended seconds into the bout when Carcamo landed a huge left on the ropes that made the body of Gonzalez go limp and defenseless on the ropes and was ruled a knockdown. Gonzalez did well to fight back and fought inside while trying to work the body. Carcamo hit the body well and landed some solid shots from distance with both hands. Gonzalez landed some decent power punches. The two battled down the stretch but it was the knockdown and the body attack for Carcamo that proved to be difference as Carcamo won by scores of 78-74, 77-75 and 76-76.

Carcamo of Sonora, Mexico is now 17-5. Gonzalez of Cleveland, Ohio is 23-4.

“I thought the fight was stopped in the 1st round,”said Carcamo. “The ref told me to stop punching. I thought I did a very good job and I am looking forward to the final.”

Said Gonzalez, “It was a hell of a fight. Carcamo is a strong fighter but I was out-boxing him. He is slow. I got caught with a punch in the 1st round but I continued to fight like a champion.”

Petrov scored a 4th round stoppage over Rudd

Petrov started out landing body and head shots in the 1st round. Petrov hurt Rudd for the 1st time as he landed a few body shots on the ropes and landed a hard right as the two migrated towards the center of the ring. Rudd tried to sit down and slug with Petrov but the Russian landed the harder blows. Petrov started round four by landing a big right hand that sent Rudd to the ropes. Petrov jumped on Rudd and landed a barrage of punches inside the wide attempts of Rudd and after taking too many head shots the fight was stopped 51 seconds into round four by referee Billy Johnson.

Petrov is now 34-4-2 with 16 knockouts while Rudd of Covington, Tennessee is now 13-2.

“I am very happy,”said Petrov. “I did what I had to do. I worked the body and broke him down. We are very happy to going to New York for the finals,” finished Petrov.

Said Rudd, “I fought hard. The head shots hurt me. I will work on getting better. I will be back.”

Carcamo and Petrov will meet in the finals on May 23 at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, New York.

The Boxcino middleweight semifinals will take place on Friday, April 18th at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, New York as Brandon Adams will take on Raymond Gatica and Vitalii Kopylenko will take on Willie Monroe Jr.

Four of Banner Promotions prized prospects all scored exciting wins on the undercard.

2012 Olympic Bronze medal winner Taras Shelestyuk (8-0, 6 KO’s) needed just 92 seconds to take out Romon Barber in a scheduled 6-round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Heavyweight Donovan Dennis (9-0, 8 KO’s) scored his 4th consecutive stoppage as he took out Travis Fulton just 23 seconds into round two of their scheduled 6-round bout.

Michael Seals (18-0, 14 KO’s) made a successful Banner Promotions debut by stopping Willis Lockett on cuts at 2:50 of round five of a scheduled 8-round light heavyweight bout.

In a terrific action fight, 19-year old Ruben Ozuna (2-1) scored a 4-round unanimous decision over Wayne Smith in a lightweight bout. Scores were 40-36 twice and 39-36.

David Laque and Cody Land fought to a four round draw in a welterweight bout.