MMA UK

Pauly Upton hits back at Cheeseman’s ‘fraud’ jibe

Mick Kane 05/06/2018

Pauly Upton hit back at Ted Cheeseman’s ‘fraud’ jibe as the unbeaten super-welterweights prepare to face off on Wednesday night – live on Sky Sports. Upton (15-0-KO3) was accused by Cheeseman (13-0-KO8) of feeding off journeymen but the underdog remains confident of claiming the WBA ranking title at York Hall. Speaking first, Cheeseman said: “Camp’s gone really well. I’m a full, big light-middleweight now. I’m maturing and hitting harder. “I showed last time out that I can box and fight and change to the opponent in front of me. “Come Wednesday night I’ll show everyone that I’m levels above Pauly Upton. He’s a fraud really and has boxed 15 journeymen. He’s got a real test on Wednesday. “Pauly Upton is alright for a few rounds but he won’t be able to keep me off for 10 rounds. I personally thought he lost to Adam Jones.” Upton was quick to retort: “You can only beat who they put in front of you. “No matter what he thinks, I beat Adam Jones. The win’s on my record. I shouldn’t have fought at that weight – I was fat! Now I’m at my correct weight. “This belt is a massive thing for me and I’ll be taking it. This is a big opportunity for me to provide a better life for my family and kids. It’s huge.” Watch Cheeseman v Upton live on Sky Sports this Wednesday evening

MTK Scotland Boxing Dinner Club Results

Mick Kane 25/05/2018

MTK Scotland’s Boxing Dinner Club takes place Friday 25th May at the Crowne Plaza Glasgow. Headlined by Paul Kean taking on Jay Byrne for the vacant BUI Celtic Super Welterweight Title. Also on the card is a two weight Scottish champion, Jordan McCorry who should have a big support in his home city. McCorry will be looking to put on a show after the disappointment of his opponent pulling out for last week’s European title shot. Undefeated Celtic champion Tommy Philbin will be looking to add to his 10-0 record on the show. With undefeated fighters, debut fighters, a title fight and current Scottish champion it all adds up to a great card. Live results will appear below. FIGHT CARD: Vacant BUI Celtic Super Welterweight title Paul Kean (7-0) v Jay Byrne (7-4) Paul Kean wins by decision 79-74. This was the best fight of the night for me. Byrne who was looking to add the Celtic Super Welterweight title to his welterweight title liked to pressure Kean and try and drag Kean into a dogfight however Kean kept to the gameplan and was working from distance. The first round was fairly even, the next few, Kean had the better quality work. As the fight moved to the 6th, Byrne was still applying the pressure and probably had his best round since the first. The 7th round was more if the same, with the better quality again from Kean, Byrne would laugh off a couple of good punches from Kean. As the fight entered the last round, Byrne came flying out the traps but didn’t inflict much damage on Kean. Kean the deserved winner, with the better quality shots throughout and showing the more composure. Tommy Philbin (10-0) v Craig Nicholson (4-1) Fight cancelled. Jordan McCorry (15-3-1) v Luke Cash (2-39-2) Jordan McCorry wins by unanimous decision 60-54. A one sided match up between McCorry and Luke Fash, McCorry was comfortable throughout and controlled the distance and range from the beginning, felt like he could step up a gear or two anytime he chose. Another win for the current Scottish super featherweight champion. Jordan Latimer (1-0) v Jade Karam (9-6-2) Latimer wins by decision 39-37. Latimer dominated first 3 rounds with Karam throwing wild overhand rights. 4th round saw a couple of nice left hooks from Latimer to start round however this was Karam’s best round and clipped Latimer several times as the round progressed. Trigger Wood (debut) v Harry Matthews (15-27-2) Wood wins by decision 39-37. Impressive debut from Wood saw him dominate most of the fight against the experienced, rugged Matthews. Took until half way through first round for Wood to settle however after he landed a nice 1-2, he seemed to grow in confidence. The rest of the fight would see Wood take centre of ring and throw some nice combo’s. Wood had a big following at event and they were sent home happy after his performance.

Darren Till – Thompson may be older but not wiser

Mick Kane 21/05/2018

Darren Till has assured fellow UFC superstar Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson that while he may be the older man in the ring on May 27, he’s not necessarily the wiser one. Some see Thompson’s greater experience of top-level MMA – specifically his back-to-back world title bouts against Tyron Woodley – as a crucial factor in the clash at Liverpool’s Echo but needless to say, Till isn’t one of them. Although almost a decade younger than Thompson at 25, Till dismissed suggestions the match-up with Thompson bears any resemblance to Stipe Miocic’s recent victory over the relatively inexperienced heavyweight Francis Ngannou. Till said: “There’s no doubt Stephen is a top quality fighter with a lot of wisdom but I’ve got plenty as well. I’ve been fighting since I was a kid. “It’ll be about who’s smartest and quickest on the night and I really believe that. I’m very different from Ngannou. He’s looking for power and he’s not really practising much technique. “I’m not going out there looking for a big knockout. I’m training very intelligently. Stephen’s been around for longer and will know a few things but I have some ideas of my own and they involve going in there and taking his head off. “Every fight I want to get fitter, faster and stronger and I’m killing myself in the gym doing so. There can’t be any fails. You can’t teach hard work. I give it my all because you simply can’t cheat in this game.”

Ohara Davies back under bright lights on ‘biggest occasion’

Frankie 17/05/2018

Ohara Davies is determined to showcase his improvements when he makes his long-awaited comeback on the Lee Selby v Josh Warrington card at Elland Road on Saturday. The Hackney super-lightweight (16-1-KO13) is preparing for his first fight under a new promoter – live on BT Sport – and hopes to prove he’s matured inside the ring as well as out of it. Davies said: “This is definitely the biggest fight of my life in terms of the occasion. The crowd in Leeds’ stadium will be bigger than the one I fought in front of when I headlined in Scotland. “I’ve been on big cards in big places before but this will be different. It’ll be amazing and I have to be able to handle the nerves and control the nerves. I’m confident I will. “I don’t know much about my opponent. I should be putting guys like him away if I’m serious about getting to where I want to get to. I want to work him out quickly because I definitely don’t see this fight going the distance.” A potential future opponent – MTK Global team-mate Jack Catterall – is also hoping to snatch some limelight on the card but Davies dismissed the notion the two are competing to gain a psychologic edge ahead of a potential clash. Davies said: “Catterall isn’t someone I’m looking to compete with because I’m on a different level to him. I’ve been in bigger fights against better opponents. “When people discuss super-lightweights in the UK, I’m usually the one they talk of. My name gets mentioned first because I’m the big draw. He’s looking up at me and I’m looking up at world champions.” Watch Davies live on BT Sport this Saturday

Darren Till hails MTK Global signing 57 MMA stars at former Brazil base

Frankie 16/05/2018

UFC superstar Darren Till has welcomed the news he has 57 new MMA team-mates at MTK Global.

MTK Global makes history as 57 MMA stars sign up at Brazil gym

Frankie 15/05/2018

MTK Global is proud to confirm the signing of 57 (yes, fifty-seven) top MMA fighters to be trained in its gym in Brazil. Combat sports guru Marcelo Brigadeiro heads up the complex in Santa Catarina and is elated to agree on the deals with a long list of MMA legends as well as the sports’ top prospects. The size of the batch of arrivals is unprecedented in the flourishing world of mixed martial arts but the quantity is not at the expense of quality – Bellator champions Maiquel Falcao and Rafael Silva, UFC stars Glaico Franca, Alberto Uda, Viviane Pereira and Felipe Silva all leap off the page. Along with Brazil’s established stars, a glamorous roster of expatriates such as Mike Grundy (UK), Vladimir Filipovic and Stefan Sekulic (both Serbia), Tim Ruberg (USA) and Nahuel Gandolfi (Argentina) will help develop leading prospects such as Taila Santos (14-0), Julio Cesar Neves (34-1), Luis Rafael (32-1) and Alex Silva (19-1). Brigadeiro said: “There is no doubt that signing 57 fighters all at once is a big move. Once again, it’s an emphatic example of how committed MTK Global is to taking over in MMA. “It’s been a long road to selecting this large group of endlessly talented fighters but we’re so proud to officially announce that we’ve got there. “We have veterans of the highest calibre and also younger stars with some of the best professional records on the planet. The spectrum of age and experience is wide but one thing binds them together – talent.” UFC superstar Darren Till, who makes his hotly-anticipated homecoming at a sold-out Liverpool Echo Arena on May 27, famously spent years in Brazil learning his trade with several of the stars and coaches under Brigadeiro. With the support of MTK Global, Brigadeiro is certain the efficiency of the production line is heading only one way. Brigadeiro added: “I was always passionate to work with young talent and build careers towards stardom. Just look at Darren Till. “Darren was built in a very intelligent way and has become one of the biggest stars in the UFC. I have no doubt that many of this group of fighters will follow the same path. Many are already well on the way.”

Unbeaten ‘Riiddy’: WBC title another step to stardom

Frankie 09/05/2018

Unbeaten super-lightweight prospect Akeem Ennis Brown is brimming with confidence and grand ambitions ahead of his WBC world youth title shot in Gloucester on May 12. ‘Riiddy’ (10-0-KO1) will be fighting in front of his home fans at the GL1 Centre – headlining a card that also includes Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sean McGoldrick – but sees gaining the prestigious belt as just a landmark in a much bigger picture. Brown said: “When I close my eyes and think of the future, I believe I can be one of the pound-for-pound greats. “I want to make a lot of money to change my family’s lives but for me, it’s more about the legacy. I want to know that in 100 years from now, people will still mention my name when they mention boxing. “If you talk about boxing now with someone who doesn’t know boxing, they’re going to mention names like Muhammad Ali. That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave.” Brown, who has already won the English title by outpointing current Commonwealth champion Glenn Foot in July 2017, also lifted the lid on the street boxing that saw him bypass traditional amateur routes. Looking back on his formative years, Brown said: “My brother was betting on me when I was sparring in the street. It was for the fun it, really. “My brother had the eye for it and he was honing my skills. I just liked fighting. He knew how I could progress and he was getting me bigger and bigger guys to fight. “The guys I fought weren’t boxers – they were street fighters and bigger than me but with gloves on, I was ripping them up. All of that paid off and I learned a lot back then. “I don’t have the great illustrious amateur career but from doing it my way and learning through street sparring, even back then I was honing skills and bringing myself up to date.” Follow ‘Riiddy’ on Twitter @RiiddyRival

Peter Fury: Hughie now has power to go with skill

Frankie 07/05/2018

Peter Fury has warned the heavyweight division son Hughie Fury is developing the power to complement his undoubted technical skills. Fury (20-1-KO10) was controversially denied a world title by a majority decision defeat to Joseph Parker in September 2017 and will challenge Sam Sexton for the British crown in Bolton on Saturday. With his natural talent clear for all to see, father and trainer Peter Fury are encouraged by the increasing weight of the punches thrown by his son, who is still just 23 years of age. Peter Fury said: “It’s fair to say his power has grown. He’s holding a lot more in his hands these days. It’ll be nice to some improvements when he gets in there on Saturday. “If these fights become available, we’ll always take them. Safe to say, he’d fight for a world title tomorrow if it was available. “This is not about business or blagging people to get your face on in the internet. It’s about winning and proving you’re the best. If Hughie can take meaningful fights, that’s all we want. “God willing we get through this fight and he’s going to have three this year. He’ll be in a world level fight by the end of the year and hopefully, we’ll force our way back to a mandatory position.”

David Price books return with ‘mojo back’

Frankie 04/05/2018

Former British and Commonwealth heavyweight king David Price will return to action at Bolton’s Macron Stadium on July 27. Price (22-5-KO18) was stopped in a thrilling fight against former world champion Alexander Povetkin (34-1-KO24) last time out but despite the defeat, the Liverpudlian is more determined than ever to reward his growing fan base with a major title. Price said: “I’m made up to be back. I’m grateful to MTK Global. They’ve delivered this fight for me and I’ve got my mojo back. I’m back in love with boxing. “I really enjoyed the fight and the occasion last time out. It was great to be part of such a big event. My next fight won’t be on that scale but it’s a step back towards the big time. “I said before I’d target the European title but I’m not solely focused on that. I just want another big fight and it could just as easily be for a world ranking title. “A lot of inspiration has come from the fans. It’s really giving me such a boost. When you receive the support I have – especially after a defeat – it’s heartwarming. “I’ve come in for some stick from the public over the last few years – some warranted, some not – but to see people throwing their support behind me now, I’m drawing on that.” An impressive undercard for the MTK Manchester event will be revealed in the coming weeks.

MTK Global breaks Brazil with new MTK MMA gym

Frankie 04/05/2018

MTK MMA has opened its first gym in Brazil under esteemed fighter, coach, manager and promoter Marcelo Brigadeiro. The Astra Fight Team organisation will now fly the MTK Global flag with Brigadeiro overseeing operations at its headquarters in Balneario Camboriu, Santa Catarina. With Brigadeiro and his fellow coaches Tim Ruberg and Alexandre Guerra, MTK MMA will work to develop the careers of all 57 fighters currently under contract as well as a social project aiming to change the lives of hundreds of impoverished local children. Brigadeiro said: “I’ve managed to build one of the best teams and biggest promotions in MMA and until now, hadn’t found anyone who could add to what I was doing. “MTK has everything needed in order to boost the quality of the job we are doing. It’s a professional and highly-qualified team that can fill the gaps in what was previously a one-man mission. “I’m confident that we’ll quickly become a top player in the MMA management game and I could not be more excited about. We’ll do things people will talk about for years.” Already among the lengthy list of illustrious fighters on the MTK MMA roster in Brazil are Darren Till’s team-mate Mike Grundy, Viviane Pereira, Felipe Silva, Glaico Franca and Ricardo Prasel. World-ranked welterweight Till, who fights under the MTK Global banner, makes his homecoming at Liverpool’s Echo Arena on May 27 against fellow UFC star Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson.