Brooklyn, N.Y. (Monday, March 7, 2016) – Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions announced today that it has added undefeated Jamaican middleweight Kemahl “The Hitman” Russell (8-0, 6 KOs) to its roster. Russell comes to the promotion as the winner of the Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum Contender 2015 Boxing Series, and he brings a perfect professional record to the promotion.
“Kemahl Russell is a big, strong, hard-punching middleweight who has a lot of talent. We are expecting big things from him,” said Ronson Frank, Uprising Promotions President. “We now have Kemahl working with Colin Morgan as his head trainer, which will aid him tremendously in his growth as a fighter. Colin is one of the best trainers in the world in terms of teaching guys the sport and helping them figure out exactly what kind of fighter they are, and that makes you a better overall boxer. He identifies your strengths and teaches you how to maximize them, and I cannot wait to see the results. Kemahl also has a great support system behind him that starts with his manager, and I think we have a potential world champion on our hands.”
Russell won the Jamaican edition of the Contender Boxing Series last July when he stopped Richard Holmes in the fourth round of the finals. He earned his way into the Contender Finale with stoppage wins over Kevin Placide and Kevin Hylton before a unanimous decision victory over Devon Moncrieffe in the semifinals.
“This is a great opportunity for me to establish myself in the United States and make Uprising Promotions proud,” Russell said before being asked what type of fighter he considered himself. “I’m a boxer-puncher, but I can switch it up and pressure my opponents. That makes me a lot harder to beat than most boxers.”
Eight bouts into his professional career, Russell is unbeaten with six knockouts, but he has big ambitions in terms of what he hopes to accomplish before his boxing days are done.
“My first goal is to become a world champion,” he stated. “As time goes by, I want to be remembered as a great boxer, not just someone who won a world title. I want to be remembered in boxing history. Back in my country, the only world champion is Nicholas Walters. There aren’t a lot of big prospects from Jamaica in the bigger weight classes. I want to become a great boxer who everyone is talking about.”
Plans are already in the works for the debut of Russell under the Uprising Promotions banner, and he predicts that fans will be treated to fireworks when it happens.
“I am going to tell you what I tell everybody. Expect a great fight, an explosive fight,” he remarked. “I am fight-friendly, and people enjoy watching me fight. People enjoy seeing bombs get thrown, and people can definitely expect entertainment when I get into the ring.”
After selling out the Five Star Banquet Hall in January, Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions will be returning to Long Island City for its second show of 2016 on Saturday, April 9th. Headlining the card will be Uprising Promotions light heavyweight Samuel “Main Event” Clarkson (17-3, 11 KOs), with ultra-popular middleweight Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (5-0, 4 KOs) also being featured.
The first bell on April 9th is scheduled for 7:00 PM sharp, with doors opening at 6:30 PM. The Five Star Banquet Hall is located at 13-05 43rd Avenue in Long Island City, and its intimate setting ensures that there is not a bad seat in the house. Tickets are priced at $60 for general admission and $100 for ringside seating, and there is also a table option with dinner. For pricing on those tables, call (516) 451-6773.
This Uprising Promotions card will continue its initiative to KO Autism, with proceeds from the night getting donated to The School For Language and Communication Development (SLCD) in Glen Cove, New York. This show is being sponsored by Brooklyn Brothers, Sleep Inn, Alma Restaurant and Charlie’s Auto Collision in Long Island City.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
