Releford Continues to Bring Big-Time Boxing Back to the 817

Like a Phoenix from the ashes, Fort Worth boxing is on the rise. Thanks to the efforts of former heavyweight contender and Texas State champion and Fort Worth native Kendrick Releford he is working on bringing "Funky Town" back to its heyday. Not long ago Fort Worth was one of the brightest cities in the boxing home. It's home to not only Releford but also Hall of Famer Donald Curry, former world champions like Paulie Ayala, and US olympian Sergio Reyes Jr. It again has the talent and the interest to get back to that status, and the former heavyweight contender is laser-focused on putting Fort Worth boxing back on top.

Releford's initial show, back in April in which he worked along Marshall Kaufman's King Promotions, was a smashing success. They are back at the El Corral West n to bring the next show on Thursday, July 13th. The card will feature Woman's amateur standout and national champion Alexis Mones of Fort Worth, who will make her third professional fight and take on Macy Breaux of Louisiana. The card also features a pair of 3-0 fighters looking to continue their winning ways. Emanuel Moreno of Wichita Falls and Jose Gomez of Dallas, both look to make it 4-0 on Thursday.

Two highly touted and highly decorated amateurs look to move to 2-0 as well. Jaycob Ramos of Plano scored an impressive UD victory in Irving in May, and Fort Worthian Fernando Solis wowed the crowd at the El Corral West on the First show. He will return against cagey veteran Waldo Zamudio, who has eight fights of experience and has been in with some of the top talent in Texas, including Xavier Nunez, Ben Gurment, and Favian Lopez of Houston.

Sensational one-punch KO Malik "One Punch" Calhoun, who now fights out of Fort Worth's FHG Gym, makes his much anticipated ring return. He looks to get back into the win column after being inactive for over a year and a half. Calhoun sports a 2-1 (2) record and will battle Austin Dulworth in a middleweight bout.

Fort Worth's Next Great "Cobra" Sammy Brown To Make Pro Debut on February 11

The nickname "The Cobra" is synonymous with one man in particular. Donald "The Cobra" Curry. A Fort Worth legend and a two-division world titleholder who held world titles in the welterweight and junior middleweight division from 1983 to 1989, and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2019. For the last 40 years, worldwide but especially in Fort Worth, "The Cobra" was and is Donald Curry! However, just like one great Dallas Cowboys Wide Reciever to the next pass down the #88, there's another "Cobra" on the rise. 21-year-old Sammy "The Cobra" Brown, a regional and state champion from Fort Worth. He is poised to carry that nickname to the next generation. Brown showed plenty of respect when asked about the nickname, "I go by cobra, and we already know we had someone who went by the name of cobra, Donald Curry. So I gotta represent!!" It's a lofty goal for the youngster, but he lacks no confidence and added, "my goal is to be better than him!" A lofty goal but not an unreasonable one.

Brown is scheduled to make his professional debut on February 11th at the Southern Junction in Irving, 43 years after Curry made his pro debut.

After a sensational amateur career that saw Brown win his first-ever tournament. He then went on to the national Golden Gloves and made it all the way to the semi-finals. The Fort Worthian combined a relentless love for the sport, natural athleticism, and a willingness to listen from his coach, a former title holder Kendrick Releford, also of Fort Worth, and parlayed that into massive amateur success. He won the regional and state Golden Gloves in 2022 at 165 pounds, and at that point determined it was time to turn pro.

In part, it was a financial decision, and in part, he was simply ready. Brown said "I lost my mom in 2013. I have a brother and a sister that I'm trying to provide for, and my granny. I am trying to take care of my family." A lot of pressure put on the 21-year-old."

Releford, who Brown describes as "like a father to me." is supremely confident in his pupil saying "from the beginning, you could tell he was something different... you couldn't hit him. I'd put him in with anybody. I never had any fear of putting him in with anybody." Releford spoke of "consistent development and staying busy" and insisted they weren't in a rush, and Brown will definitely find his sport in the sport. Relford went on to add that The Cobra's greatest strengths are his ability to adapt and being able to listen.

He is getting to adapt and make a big adjustment from the amateur ranks to the pros, something he is ready for. When asked if there was a difference between preparing for a professional fight and an amateur tournament. He said preparation is "pretty much the same, but we are working on more technical things. Staying tighter and keeping my defense tighter and we're sparring much better opponents... definitely running more and keeping the intensity high."

Brown will make his pro debut at the middleweight limit of 160 pounds, but the plan is to move him down to the junior middleweight limit of 154 and eventually down to 147 when he's ready to start competing at the world-class level. The same divisions Donald Curry competed at. At the top of the 147-pound division currently is WBC/WBA/IBF Worlch Champ Errol Spence of DeSoto and numb top-ranked contender Vergil Ortiz of Grand Prairie. The Fort Worthian acknowledges, "I got quite a while till I make it up there probably, not Errol [Spence], he'll probably be retired, but Vergil [Ortiz], yea I'll probably fight him.

That March to the top starts this February 11th at the Southern Junction, and the plan is to keep the Cobra bust throughout the year and have him fight at least 4 to 5 times this year, if not more. There's no rush to rush Brown to the top, but if he stays dedicated and stays focused, he could get there sooner than expected.

Former Heavyweight Title Holder Kendrick Releford Bringing Fort Worth Boxing Back in a Big Way

For decades Fort Worth boxing was a force to be reckoned with from the 80s to the 2000s. Fighters like the"Lone Star Cobra "Donald Curry, Paulie Ayala, Sergio Reyes, and heavyweight contender Kendrick Releford put Fort Worth on the boxing map and represented the city well. It gave the city its own identity, not just a city 35 miles west of the bright lights of Dallas. Fort Worth had its own identity and stood on its own. In recent years that identity has started to fade with fighters like Errol Spence and Maurice Hooker winning world titles and the emergence of upstart prospects like Vergil Ortiz Big D has stolen the spotlight.

Releford, a former title holder, spoke on the recent Golden Boy card held in Fort Worth this past summer that was headlined by Grand Prairie native Vergil Ortiz "I'm thankful for Golden Boy being here. I hate the fact that we have a Golden Boy card but never Fort Worth Fighters on it right here in our city." Releford explained that we have good fighters "they just need exposure."

Releford, is the owner of Dream performance Boxing Gym in Fort Worth and REMG, a professional boxing management Company, and is working to bring a list of boxing events to the area. First up is this Saturday, January 21st, an 80s throwback amateur event at OD Wyatt High School. He will follow that up with a card stacked with some of Fort Worths' best talent on February 11th, at the Southern Junction in Irving. Additionally, there are plans to bring three more cards to Funky Town in the upcoming months. With July 8th official, additional dates in April and June are in the works. "We're gonna put Fort Worth Boxing Scene on our back and take off." The former heavyweight title holder said and added " "it's building... it's only up" when asked about the direction of Fort Worth boxing.

February's main event will be between two Fort Worth natives. The undefeated Ben Gurment, 7-0-2 (5), and Emmanuel Tennision 3-3 (2), who has won two consecutive fights by stoppage and will be for the Texas state title. Releford said the two fighters "know each well. They have sparred plenty of times. It's going to be a great fight." it's a stacked card filled with some of Fort Worth's finest "the whole card is a crowd pleaser" Releford explained.

Other Fort Worth talent on the card includes a 6-foot-tall, featherweight, amateur stand-out, and unbeaten professional Joel Martinez. He will have a Fort Worth VS Dallas battle with Xzavier Jackson. Also, undefeated Gary Hampton will be on the card. A hard-hitting super featherweight who looks to move his record to 3-0.

The February 11th show will also feature the professional debut of Sammy "Cobra" Brown the 2022 regional and state Golden Gloves champion a fighter near and deal to Relefords heart "that's like my son... I Have a 21-year-old son.. he has developed really well.. it is his time to make a move now and we're ready... He's ready to start making money." Relford explained.

The event is promoted by Made Men Promotions, an out-of-state promotional company that has relocated to Fort Worth and is on a mission to highlight Fort Worth Fighters and get them the exposure they deserve.

Tickets for the February 11th event can be purchased on their website https://www.mademenpromotions.com/

Tickets for this Saturday's amateur event can be purchased at Eventbrite and start at just $15 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dream-performance-remg-talent-presents-an-80s-throwback-boxing-event-tickets-494561425537?aff=ebdssbdestsearch