Entering into its ninth consecutive year, DiBella Entertainment’s (DBE) Broadway Boxing series kicks off the 2012 schedule with an exciting 10-bout card this Saturday night at New York City’s famed Roseland Ballroom. Headlining the card will be Brooklyn’s undefeated NABF light welterweight champion, Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (18-0, 3KO’s) defending his title against his toughest opponent to date, former junior welterweight world champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley (37-10-1, 22KO’s). The bout is schedule for 10 rounds.
In addition to the exciting main event, there is a number of DBE’s most promising up-and-coming prospects and contenders being featured on the card, including world-rated Ran Nakash (25-1, 18KO’s) and Luis “Orlandito” Del Valle (14-0, 11KO’s).
Nakash, who just recently signed with DBE, is ranked number 15 by the WBC at Cruiserweight. Nakash, who hails from Haifa, Israel, will be returning to the ring for the first time since his unsuccessful title challenge against WBO Cruiserweight champion, Marco Huck. Nakash pressed the action throughout, giving Huck all he could handle for the entire 12-round championship contest before dropping a 116-112, 118-110, 118-110 decision in Huck’s home country of Germany. In 2007, Nakash was appointed to the Head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Krav Maga School, and is currently a Chief Commander of the IDF’s Krav Maga instructional division, the highest ranking professional authority. Looking to impress in his DBE and New York City debut, Nakash is scheduled to take on the very dangerous Derek Bryant (20-6, 17KO’s) in an eight-round cruiserweight showdown.
Del Valle is one of the most promising prospects in boxing right now. Chosen as one of ESPN reporter Dan Rafael’s “Super 25: Best Prospect of 2011” list, Del Valle is already rated number five by the WBA at featherweight. Del Valle is two fights removed from his most impressive victory as a professional, in which he won a dominant 10-round unanimous decision over Dat Nguyen (17-1 at the time) on ShoBox to grab the vacant NABA featherweight title. Weighing in at 124lbs. for his past two fights, Del Valle has worked his way down to start contending in the junior featherweight division. Del Valle is scheduled to take on hard-hitting Mexican Jose Angel Beranza in an eight-round junior featherweight contest.
DBE undefeated prospects, welterweight Alex Perez (14-0, 8KO’s) and junior featherweight Luis Rosa (9-0, 5KO’s) are also set to see action on the card in separate bouts. Perez, from Newark, NJ, is scheduled to take on Josh Sosa (10-1, 5KO’s) in an eight-round welterweight match-up, while New Haven’s Rosa, is scheduled to square off against Queens-native Jhovany Collado (3-6-2, 1KO) over six scheduled rounds.
Ever a fan of Irish fighters (DiBella promoted Micky Ward, and currently promotes upcoming middleweight world title challenger Matthew Macklin, and top three world middleweight contender Andy Lee), DBE has added three exciting Irish-American fighters to Saturday’s card, including undefeated light heavyweight Seanie Monaghan (11-0, 8KO’s), heavyweight Thomas Hardwick (3-0, 2KO’s) and junior welterweight Danny McDermott (9-3-1, 4KO’s).
Monaghan, who lives in Long Beach, NY, has become increasingly more popular throughout the New York City Irish Community since turning pro in May 2010. With a relentless seek-and-destroy style, and knockout power in either hand, Monaghan continuously packs the house each time he steps into the ring. Monaghan is set to square off against the tough-as-nails Billy Bailey (11-13-1, 4KO’s) in an eight-round light heavyweight match-up.
Hardwick was born and raised in Ireland, before moving to New York in 2009 and setting up his base in the heavy Irish-American community of Yonkers, NY. Hardwick won the NY Golden Gloves in 2010, making him the first Irish born boxer to win a Golden Gloves championship. Hardwick will take on Long Island’s Richard Mason (0-3). The bout is scheduled for four rounds in the heavyweight division.
Rounding out the trio is Jersey’s City’s McDermott who is set to take on Terry Buterbaugh (6-6-2, 3KO’s) in a six-round junior welterweight contest.
Also scheduled to see action on the card is undefeated female heavyweight prospect Sonya Lamonakis (6-0, 1KO), as she is set to take on her toughest and most experienced opponent to date, Carlette Ewell (15-7, 9KO’s). Lamonakis, who, in addition to her professional boxing career, is a full-time school teacher, won the New York Golden Gloves an astonishing four-times, before turning pro on June 24, 2010. The Lamonakis-Ewell bout is scheduled for six rounds.
In a six-round junior middleweight match-up, popular undefeated West Point graduate, Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson (7-0, 4KO’s) will square off against Sean Rawley (6-5, 1KO). Melson is the founder of Team Fight to Walk, a team of professional boxers, in association with the Justadollarplease organization whose mission is to raise awareness within the boxing community about Stem Cell Research. The boxers not only look to spread awareness about the organization, and how people can help, but also donate portions of their purses to the charity. The honorable Melson donates his entire fight purse to the organization after each one of his professional contests.
Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65, and $45, and can be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet, visiting Ticketmaster.com, calling (800) 745-3000 or simply by CLICKING HERE.
Tickets are nearly sold out for the event Saturday, with additional standing-room-only seats having to be added this week. There will be a limited number of tickets available at the door Saturday night. Doors open at 6PM with the first bout schedule for 6:30PM.
