Philadelphia, Penn./ORANGE, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2018) – Rising featherweight talent Ruben Villa (9-0, 4 KOs) of Salinas, Calif. faced some fight week uncertainty after his initial opponent, Ruben Tamayo, fell in and was replaced by Juan Sandoval (7-20-1, 4 KOs) of San Bernardino, Calif. late Wednesday.

The “Path to Glory” co-feature between Villa and Sandoval is set for 6-rounds and originates from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif. Tonight.

Villa, a former two-time Golden Gloves winner, gave his take on tonight’s last minute match up, his early dominance on the scorecards, and what its like sparring against heavier competition.

Your main sparring partners for this training camp were Joel Diaz, Jr. and Andy Vences. Both fight at a heavier weight class than you (135-140 lbs.). What kind of advantage will that give you on Friday night?

“It’s a tremendous advantage. My trainer, Max Garcia, wanted me to spar bigger, longer guys with respectable records. Both Joel and Andy have hit the 20-fight mark and are highly skilled. I went four-minute rounds with them to make sure I was prepared for Tamayo. They gave me excellent work.”

Is there anything specific that you dialed in on for this training camp?

“I’m trying to use more angles so I can attack in different ways. Also, trying to mix up my movements so I don’t telegraph what I’m trying to do.”

Your opponent, Juan Sandoval, was added at the last minute. How does this affect your preparation?

“It’s boxing. This type of stuff happens all the time especially when you’re first starting out. I’m not too worried. I put in an excellent training camp and I’m prepared for everything.”

Of your five wins that have resulted in unanimous decision victories, you’ve managed to win every round on every scorecard. Did you expect that kind of dominance early on?

“Staying in the gym pays dividends, but at the same time you should see that type of dominance in a prospect. The ability to impose your will boosts your confidence. I see every round of every fight going my way. It’s not arrogance, it’s confidence and you need that belief otherwise you’re in trouble.”

Villa is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

All fights will be live streamed on TB Presents: Path to Glory via our Facebook page and ThompsonBoxing.com.

The livestream starts at 8:00 p.m. PT / 11:00 p.m. ET with Beto Duran as the blow-by-blow announcer and Steve Kim providing expert color commentary.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. local time with the first bout at approximately 8:00 p.m. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 N. Vineyard Ave. in Ontario, CA 91764 and can be reached at 909-937-0900.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing .

Verona, NY (OCT. 21 2017) -Two-Time undefeated world champion Demetrius Andrade made a successful debut as a middleweight by winning a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Alantez Fox at The Turning Stone Resort Casino.

The bout was the co-feature bout of an HBO Boxing After Dark® tripleheader

In round one, Andrade rocked Fox with a blistering straight left hand. Fox was wobbled badly, and Andrade jumped on Fox. After landing several hard follow up shots, Fox was able to hold on and get out of the first frame. Andrade was dominant as he continued to land swift combinations at will. That opening flurry caused Fox to engage very sporadically during the fight

In round seven, Fox was awarded a dubious knockdown when Andrade slipped on the wet canvas. Television replays showed that Fox did not even land a punch during that exchange.

That was the only blemish for Andrade, as he controlled the action by using his superior skills on both the inside and landing crisp and sharp punches on the outside and he cruised home to the victory. Compubox punch stats showed the dominance of Andrade as he outlanded Fox 158-52 over the 12-round bout with Andrade winning the power shots by a 132-29 margin.

Those stats were evident in the scoring as Andrade of Providence, Rhode Island won by scores of 118-110, 118-109, and 116-111 to push his perfect mark to 25-0.

Fox loses for the first time, and the native of Forestville, Maryland is now 23-1-1.

ANDRADE QUOTES

“I did what I had to do in there. I think I did very well, but I will look at the fight and then give myself a grade after that,” said Andrade.

“I did everything I needed to do. It was a great experience to go 12 rounds at this weight. Fox is a tough kid, and after I hurt him early in the first round, he recovered well. He wasn’t sloppy and he knew how to survive, so that is why I did not finish him.”

“I took my time and I needed the 12 rounds. I knew I could hurt him and had the pop to do it.”

“I will go back and work on putting a little more pop on my punches and I feel that I can do a lot of damage.”

“He was a big test. Nobody would step up and face him, and I did. This is why I am the best, because I am willing to face anybody. Fox is a good fighter and he will do damage down the line, but like I told everybody before the fight, Look out It’s me again!.”

In non-televised action, Ruben Villa remained perfect by winning a six-round unanimous decision over German Meraz in a featherweight bout.

Villa controlled the action against the 100 fight veteran Meraz. Villa won by shutout margins on all cards by the scores of 60-54 which made Villa of Salinas, California raise his mark to 9-0. Meraz of Agua, Prieta, Mexico is 54-45-1.

The card opened up with Michael Dutchover beating down and eventually stopping Anthony De Jesus Ruiz in round four of their six-round lightweight bout.

Dutchover landed heavy blows throughout the contest and had Ruiz in trouble several times before the bout was stopped at 2:42 of round four.
Dutchover of Santa Fe Springs, California via Midland, Texas is now 7-0 with five knockouts. Ruiz of San Luis Potosi, Mexico is now 2-4.

The Andrade – Fox bout was promoted by Banner Promotions, Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and A-Team Promotions, in association with DiBella Entertainment.

The Villa – Meraz & Dutchover – Ruiz fights were promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing .

Twitter, Instagram: @StarBoxing
Facebook: facebook.com/starboxing
Youtube: youtube.com/starboxing

Host of the October 21st event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is an award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier venue for fight-of-the-year level boxing. The October event will mark Turning Stone’s 23rd nationally-televised boxing event, cementing the resort as a leading destination for nationally-televised combat sports. Turning Stone is celebrated for its noteworthy boxing events such as boxing legend Mike Tyson selecting the resort as the venue for his world debut as a promoter, Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila Ali made her boxing debut at Turning Stone and in April 2015, Turning Stone was selected to host “Fight of the Year” contender – Matthysse vs. Provodnivkov – over arenas in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami. Turning Stone features world-class amenities including four hotels, more than 20 signature restaurants and dining options, two spas, an all-new 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, a cabaret-style Showroom, a 5,000 seat arena, five golf courses, several bars, cocktail lounges and nightlife venues with live entertainment every weekend.

Tickets for this highly anticipated matchup are on sale now and available for $65 for ringside seats and others priced at $25, $30, $40 and $49, plus any applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office, by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

Corrales vs. Machado is a 12-round fight for the WBA Super World Super Featherweight Championship, to be held Saturday, October 21 at the Turning Stone in Verona, New York. The main event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Cotto Promotions. The event is sponsored by TECATE, THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING, Casa Mexico Tequila, and Thor: Ragnarok, and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.

Professional media requesting credentials for Corrales vs. Machado must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at kelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CorralesMachado into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing @TurningStone; and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/hboboxing, and www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort and visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @TurningStone. Follow the conversation using #CorralesMachado

PHILADELPHIA, PENN./ORANGE, Calif. (Oct. 19, 2017) – Heralded prospects, featherweight Ruben Villa (8-0, 4KOs) and junior lightweight Michael Dutchover (6-0, 4 KOs) will return to action this Saturday night on the non-televised portion of an HBO Boxing After Dark® card at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Villa of Salinas, California will take on 103 fight veteran German Meraz in a featherweight bout, while Dutchover of Santa Fe Springs, California via Midland, Texas will fight Anthony De Jesus Ruiz in a junior lightweight contest.

Villa and Dutchover are co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

Both are training in Santa Fe Springs, California and are ready for their 2nd appearances on the East Coast.

Each fighter chimed in with thoughts on their respective battles.

“Everything has gone good in training camp. I just fought four weeks ago, but I stay ready and that is the case now. I am ready for Saturday night,” said Villa.

Meraz is by far the most veteran opponent that Villa has faced. He has been in the ring with 25 undefeated opponents and 9 world champions.

“I just need to be patient against him. He has over 100 fights and knows his way around the ring. If a knockout presents itself then I have to take it, but I want to display my skills.”

Being on a big card has the 20 year-old Villa excited, and he is looking to endear himself to the New York fight crowd.

“I am excited to be fighting on a bigger show. It motivates me to do better and get on the broadcast someday soon. It is very exciting to be on these types of events.”

This will be the ninth bout for Villa in just fifteen months he is very happy about the progress of his career.

“When I signed the plan was to be active, and that has been the case. I would like to get one more fight in this year. But I first I am very excited to put on a great performance on Saturday night.”

Dutchover has moved his camp from Texas to California, and the results have been very good as he heads into his bout on Saturday.

Photo by Carlos Baeza/Thompson Boxing

“Everything is going great. I just fought last month, and I felt good. I am ready to go back to the east coast, and put on a great show.”

Like Villa, Dutchover was very impressive in his east coast debut on April 14th, and he is looking to cement himself as one of the top prospects in the junior lightweight division.

“This is nothing new. I have fought on big shows before in the amateurs. The ring is my home. As long as I am in the ring, I will do my thing and put on an impressive performance.”

Even though Dutchover has very little to go on when it comes to scouting Ruiz, Dutchover is already a young veteran and is leaving no stone unturned.

“I do not know much about him, but I am prepared for anything he will bring, and then I will adjust. I have had many different sparring partners with diverse styles, so that gets me ready for any opponent.”

“I planned for this, and I train hard. I am always ready when I get the call for a fight. I am glad that I have been busy, and I have been improving with each fight, and next year should be a good year in my career. I have a mentality that if I train hard, the fight is easy. When I get in the ring, I just like to have fun.”

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing.

PHILADELPHIA, PENN./ORANGE, Calif. (Sept. 25, 2017) – Heralded prospects, featherweight Ruben Villa and junior lightweight Michael Dutchover remained perfect with unanimous decision victories this past Friday night in Ontario, California.

Ruben Villa (8-0, 4 KOs) of Salinas, Calif. displayed his superior talent by out boxing veteran Ernesto Guerrero (26-20, 18 KOs) of Mexico through six rounds. Villa swept all three scorecards (60-54) to continue an impressive start to his young career.

In what was perhaps his toughest test to date, Villa performed admirably and displayed his quickness by darting in and out of danger, all the while landing power shots to the head and body.

“We had a game plan for Guerrero, and we executed it perfectly,” Villa said. “We gave him different looks and fought him from different angles. I don’t think he ever got comfortable.”

Villa is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

Dutchover (6-0, 4 KOs) of Midland, Tex. knocked down Mexico’s Carlos Flores (4-6-1, 3 KOs) in the opening round to get things going on his way to a unanimous decision sweep (40-35).

Throughout the fight, Dutchover snapped his left jab to set up an inside attack that left Flores bruised and battered by the fourth round.

“I had a lot of success working off the jab,” said Dutchover, who is co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing. “I’m happy with the win. I’ll rest for a little, and then I’ll be back in the gym working to get better.”

Photos by Carlos Baeza / Thompson Boxing
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For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing.

ORANGE, Calif. (Sept. 20, 2017) – Ruben Villa (7-0, 4 KOs), one of the featherweight division’s brightest young talents, takes the next step in his development by clashing with veteran Ernesto Guerrero (26-19, 18 KOs) in one of two highly anticipated match-ups on Friday’s “New Blood” undercard.

The 6-round bout takes place at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and are available for purchase by calling 714-935-0900 or visiting ThompsonBoxing.com.

Villa, a southpaw fighting out of Salinas, Calif., turned professional last July and already has produced seven one-sided wins. His opponent for Friday, Mexico’s Guerrero, is no push over. Guerrero has won his last five fights, four of which ended in knockout fashion.

“Guerrero’s a veteran so we’ve been extra serious in this camp,” said Villa. “My team believes that I can take him out. My team wouldn’t set me up against an opponent that I wouldn’t be able to handle so I feel ready for this challenge.”

Villa, 20, loaded up on top-level sparring to help bridge the experience gap between him and Guerrero. He spent three weeks in Indio, Calif. sparring against elite competition such as unbeaten, world title contender Joseph Diaz.

“The way Diaz puts his punches together was really impressive,” said Villa, who is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing. “It was a great learning experience for me. It’s not every day you get to spar with someone with that high of a skill level.”

In addition to the knowledge learned from the Diaz sessions, Villa is attempting to sharpen his mental focus for his fight against Guerrero.

“I need to be more intelligent in the ring,” Villa said. “I’ve been a little reckless listening to the crowd and taking unnecessary risks. We sparred against bigger guys during this training camp to help me stay disciplined.”

Also on the “New Blood” undercard, advanced junior lightweight prospect Michael Dutchover (5-0, 4 KOs), who is a close friend and occasional sparring partner to Villa, fights Carlos Flores (4-5-1, 3 KOs) in bout set for 6-rounds.

Like Villa, Dutchover comes from an outstanding amateur career and also shares the same promotional outfits in Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

All five fights will be livestreamed on TB Presents: New Blood via Thompson Boxing Facebook page and ThompsonBoxing.com.

The livestream starts at 8:00 p.m. PT / 11:00 p.m. ET with Beto Duran as the blow-by-blow announcer and Steve Kim providing expert color commentary.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing.

ORANGE, Calif. (Aug. 10, 2017) – Ruben Villa (7-0, 4 KOs), one of boxing’s brightest, young talents in the featherweight division, recently received an award for his community building presence in his hometown of Salinas, Calif.

The Monterey County Board of Supervisors recognized Team Villa Boxing, a non-profit gym, for creating a safe space for low-income youths in East Salinas. Through grants, Team Villa Boxing offers free boxing and physical fitness lessons to select youths.

“I was really surprised that we were honored with the award because we only found out about it the day before,” Villa said. “We are obviously very happy about it, but we don’t do it for the recognition. It’s all about helping the community. There’s not much opportunity out here so we have to give the kids additional chances to succeed.”

“Ruben cares about his community and wants to be a positive role model to the local kids,” said Danny Zamora, Villa’s manager. “The gym offers a safe and productive outlet for young kids and keeps them from getting into trouble.”

For those that are unaware, Salinas has an ongoing struggle with drug related gang violence. The Villa family, in an effort to pull local kids away from a life of crime, formed the gym three years ago. When not conducting training camps in Riverside, Calif., Villa stays sharp at the gym that bears his name.

Villa received the honor as part of the “National Night Out” event hosted by the City of Salinas.

The public awareness event, which drew thousands to the Salinas Soccer Complex, aimed to strengthen community relations with law enforcement and other public safety personnel such as firefighters and first responders.

Villa marks his return to the ring on a Thompson Boxing card Friday, Sept. 22 from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif. An opponent will be announced at a later date.

Villa is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing.

PHILADELPHIA, Penn. /ORANGE, Calif. (July 3, 2017) – In the “Locked n’ Loaded” main event, welterweight Taras “Real Deal” Shelestyuk (16-0, 10 KOs) made quick work of Jesus Alvarez Rodriguez (15-3, 11 KOs) by knocking him out in the third round Saturday night from Omega Products International in Sacramento, Calif.

Shelestyuk, who is ranked No. 5 by the WBO, predicted a knockout win in his prefight interview with the Olympic bronze medalist (London 2012) saying he planned to be aggressive from the start.

“I didn’t want this fight going the distance,” said Shelestyuk, who attributes the aggressiveness to new trainer Joel Diaz. “Joel and I worked on increasing our punch output and it showed in this fight.”

Shelestyuk, who is from the Ukraine but now makes his home in Los Angeles, rocked Rodriguez in the first round. He connected on a two-punch combination that sent the Mexican to the canvas. In the third round, Shelestyuk struck early and often, earning the knockout win at the 2:05 mark.

Top featherweight prospect Ruben Villa (7-0, 4 KOs) of Salinas, Calif. delivered a beating to overmatched veteran Jonathan Alcantara (7-16-2, 1 KO) of El Salvador. Villa, who swept all three scorecards (40-36), looked equally comfortable fighting on the outside or in the pocket.

“I think this fight showed how versatile I am,” Villa said. “I boxed him well and mixed it up inside without taking any hits. It was a solid performance.”

Villa, indeed, looked the part of an elite prospect. He was aggressive the entire fight, yet was extremely disciplined on the defensive end.

“There’s no doubt I frustrated him,” Villa continued. “I could tell he was having a hard time. I never let him relax.”

Shelestyuk and Villa are co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

For more information, please visit Banner-Promotions.com.
For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing.

ORANGE, Calif. (May 22, 2017) – Top featherweight prospect Ruben Villa (6-0, 4 KOs) continues to impress early in his professional career. Villa, a southpaw fighting out of Salinas, Calif., picked apart Anthony de Jesus Ruiz (2-3, 2 KOs) to win by fifth round technical knockout.

Villa, who was naturally bigger than Ruiz, unloaded a serious of damaging shots in the fifth round. By that point, Ruiz had already absorbed a great deal of punishment and his corner wisely put an end to the onslaught at the 2:43 mark.

“My jab was working well all night,” said Villa, who is promoted by Thompson Boxing and Banner Promotions. “I worked off backing him up with the jab and then that opened up a lot of angles for me to land power shots.”

“Ruben looked fantastic on Friday night,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing. “He looked really comfortable and was in firm control of the fight from start to finish. He managed to fight a patient, yet aggressive fight to secure another knockout win.”

“We have been very happy with Ruben’s development. He is shaping to be the fighter we believe he will be,” said Banner Promotions vice-president, Matthew Rowland. “He is going to have a big future.”

The fight can be viewed on Thompson Boxing Promotions Facebook page.

Connect with Ruben Villa on social media: Instagram: RubenV4 , Facebook: Ruben Villa IV , & Twitter: @Ruben_Villa4 .

ORANGE, Calif. (May 17, 2017) – Blue chip featherweight prospect Ruben Villa (5-0, 3 KOs) headlines an action-packed “New Blood” undercard when he puts his undefeated record on the line against Anthony de Jesus Ruiz (2-2, 2 KOs) this Friday, May 19, from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Thompson Boxing’s 17 year anniversary show will be live streamed on its website and Facebook Live beginning at 7:45 p.m. PDT this Friday.

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and are available for purchase online at ThompsonBoxing.com, or by calling 714-935-0900.

Friday’s bout marks the fourth time Villa will fight in front of an expected sold out crowd at the Doubletree Ontario. It will be his first, however, fighting on a live streamed show.

“I’m definitely excited for it. It’s great exposure for us new guys trying to make a name for ourselves,” said Villa, who is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing. “I know a lot of my friends and family will be watching. It also gives an opportunity for boxing fans all over the country to tune in and watch some quality fights.”

Villa, a southpaw, is coming off his East Coast debut in April where we notched his third career knockout win over the previously unbeaten Luis Diaz Torres. Villa stopped the stiff-chinned Torres in the sixth and final round. It was the first, sixth round fight of Villa’s career, one that tough him several impactful lessons.

“It’s important to stick to the plan and listen to my corner,” said the 20-year-old, who hails from Salinas, Calif. “He was somewhat reckless so I needed to show a little more patience with him. I’m used to fighting guys who are a little more technical. Diaz was able to take a shot. He was willing to absorb two or three punches to set up one of his own. I learned not to give him those opportunities.”

For Friday’s six-round bout versus Ruiz, Villa spent most of his training camp sparring at the Robert Garcia Gym in Riverside, widely seen as one of Southern California’s most boxing rich environments. His chief sparring partner was Hector Tanajara, another highly regarded prospect with an undefeated record.

“Training camp went great,” said Villa, who as an amateur won back-to-back National Golden Gloves championships. “I had quality sparring sessions against Hector Tanajara. He fights one division higher than me so it’s always good to learn from guys that are naturally bigger than you.”

While Villa comes from a well-rounded amateur career that saw him bank two wins against fellow high ceiling prospect Shakur Stevenson, the Northern California native is always on the quest to better his skills.

“I’ve been working on using more angles to set up punches,” Villa said. “The goal is to develop better range with my jab so I can be more effective. With Ruiz, I plan to feel him out for the first round and then I’ll start going at his weaknesses. A lot of what I plan to do will come off the jab.”

The live stream, titled “TB Presents: New Blood,” will be anchored by blow-by-blow announcer Beto Duran with Steve Kim providing expert color commentary.

Connect with Ruben Villa on social media: Instagram: RubenV4 , Facebook: Ruben Villa IV , & Twitter: @Ruben_Villa4 .