Marlon Bacalando

In the news

December 2, 2021

Ultimate Knockout Challenge

Simply put, we think ULTIMATE KNOCKOUT CHALLENGE is going to be the biggest show of the year in the Philippines! 13 fights with some of the biggest names in the country coming together to show you what quality match ups looks like. To make the event even more entertaining, VSP Promotions will give away USD 1,000 to anyone that can correctly guess the outcome of each fight! It's FREE so make sure to try our VSP SUREPICK!

Latest news

November 22, 2024

HAVE THE WBA LOST THE PLOT ??

It's seems that the World Boxing Association are permanently on their backs with their knees pinned behind their ears !

Years of inconsistent and slutty sanctioning has seen the WBA deleted from the industry's official record keeper BoxRec.

So I guess nobody would be surprised by the following :

"Boxing promoter, Lou DiBella gives his thoughts on WBA president Gilberto J Mendoza’s shameful tweet, where he insisted he would “love to see” Jake Paul vs Julio César Chávez Jr for a “championship belt” "

November 22, 2024

VENCENT LACAR TO FIGHT FOR TITLES IN CHINA

Exciting breaking news is that VSP have just signed Mindanao prospect Vencent Lacar to challenge for both the WBO Oriental and WBC Far East titles on December 28th.

Lacar, who boasts an unblemished 8-0 record, will take on former Chinese Olympian Bin Lu.

The Chinese boxer is world youth champion and Asian Games medalist as an amateur, and sits at 4-1 since turning professional.

The bout will take place at city of Haikou, the capital of the very beautiful Hainan Island off the coast of Vietnam.

Updates on this big fight coming soon - meanwhile, here is some information on the Chinese opponent Bin Lu :

BIN LU

*Name:* Lü Bin (Chinese:, pinyin: Lǔ Bīn)

*Birthdate:* October 18, 1994

*Nationality:* Chinese

*Weight Class:* Light Flyweight

*Stance:* Southpaw

AMATEUR CAREER

- *2012 World Youth Championships:* Won the gold medal

- *2013 Asian Amateur Championships:* Won the bronze medal (light-flyweight)

- *2016 Summer Olympics:* Represented China, reaching the Round of 16

PROFESSIONAL CAREER

- *Debut:* 2017

- *Record:* 4 wins, 1 loss

- *Ranking:* Currently #3 in China

- *Notable Fight:* Challenged for the WBA light-flyweight title in 2018

#vspboxing #vsppro #VSPPromotions

November 19, 2024

HAS THE ZHU DIANXING SHIP SAILED ?

Oscar Collazo's devastating win in Saudi Arabia has thrown down the gauntlet to the Philippines Pedro Taduran by posing the question - just exactly which of these two fistic dynamos is THE GREATEST minimumweight fighter on the planet ??

Collazo destroyed the unbeaten Thammanoon Niyomtrong for the WBO World Title, and announced immediately after the event that it was his ambition to unify all the belts.

But he is late to the party.

Taduran has identical designs on all those belts !

Taduran was meant to fight China's top prospect Zhu DianXing on November 23rd, but the bout was postponed. Those plans now appear to be in tatters.

Expect some big news on Philippines world champ very soon.

* big thanks to Solid Sports Fans for the following story :

Pedro Taduran vs Oscar Collazo! Who will win!

It all comes down to styles and grit. Taduran, the current IBF minimumweight champion, is known for his relentless pressure, unrelenting volume punching, and an almost unbreakable chin. These traits make him a tough puzzle for any fighter, even someone as polished and technical as Collazo.

Collazo’s skill set is undeniable—his recent knockout win over Thammanoon Niyomtrong proves his sharpness and ring IQ. But against someone like Taduran, who can set a grueling pace and attack relentlessly, there’s a chance Collazo’s defensive and stamina vulnerabilities could be exposed.

Taduran’s resume includes battles with elite fighters like Rene Mark Cuarto and Daniel Valladares. While he hasn’t always come out on top, his rugged, fearless style often disrupts the rhythm of opponents. If Taduran can close the gap and turn the fight into a war of attrition, he might have the edge to pull off the upset.

November 17, 2024

TWO YEARS AGO ALREADY !!

Bit of nostalgia here, but this FORTUNES OF WAR was an extremely fun event (despite the many dramas) and well worth revisiting. And you will see that there are lot's of familiar names on this historic fight card.

The Vietnam 🇻🇳 team was spearheaded by Dinh Hong Quân, a guy that had been on a winning run and was defending an IBF Title, but he was having lots of trouble with his weight in the lead up. He even collapsed at one stage and had to be resuscitated at one point !

We had top young prospects Lê Hoàng Hiep and Phan Minh Quân, who fought out of their skins against international pro boxers with more than 70 wins between them !

Nguyễn Văn Hải is obviously a legend on the local scene but had been inactive, so he was a bit of a "query" inclusion - yet he produced a memorable performance that culminated in two dramatic knockdowns.

But even more amazing was the debut of another Vietnam kid Thai Hoang Huy - this guy had never even boxed (he was a muay thai student that loved the idea of being a boxer !) And he went in with an opponent that had 14 knockouts in 15 wins - BIG BALLS !!

Suffice to say, the Vietnam 🇻🇳 team had a great experience and a lot of fun at this show - it was held at the beautiful Grand Ho Tram Resort in the coastal area of Vung Tau.

The visiting international team?

Well - some crazy talent on that side of the fence !

Philippines 🇵🇭 - Charly Suarez, Mark John Yap, Arnel Baconaje, Jetro Pabustan and Jon Jon Estrada.

These guys share plaudits as multiple national and regional title holders, with the unbeaten Suarez currently on the precipice of a world title.

Indonesia 🇮🇩 - Paisal Panjaitan - a really top unbeaten prospect who is now #2 in his country.

Defry Palulu - an Indonesia #2 and WBC belt holder.

South Korea 🇰🇷 - Chan Ho Song - an unbeaten 12-0 guy with blazing hands and a World Youth champ.

Thailand 🇹🇭 - Anuson Thonglueang - a top youth prospect with only one loss in 14 bouts, and who currently sits at #2 rated Welterweight in Thailand.

Thanks for making this FORTUNES OF WAR a very memorable event boys, you put on a thrilling and entertaining show for everyone that was lucky enough to be there to see it.

VSP wish you continued luck and enjoyment in your boxing adventures ahead.

PS. the main event between Dinh Hong Quân 🇭🇰 and Arnel Baconaje 🇵🇭 was watched by more than 2 million people online !

https://youtu.be/wtvhUrz5EVg?si=wFMeYF-L41LBBD7p

November 15, 2024

DANA COOLWELL SET TO OPEN THE SHOW

Australia's Dana Coolwell takes on the unbeaten star Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington on the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul undercard tomorrow.

5.30am Vietnam 🇻🇳

6.30am Philippines 🇵🇭

9.30am Australia 🇦🇺 (8.30 Queensland)

Check out the great write up by the Glasshouse Country and Maleney News :

DEADLY SET FOR LONE STAR STATUS

AFTER all the blood, sweat and tears in the most intense training camp Dana ‘Deadly’ Coolwell has ever experienced, there’s just one thing left to do.

And that’s defeat up and-coming American featherweight, Bruce ‘Shu Shu’ Carrington, on the undercard of the blockbuster Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul main event. Coolwell is expected to walk into the middle of the 80,000 seat AT&T Stadium in Arlington Texas from 8:30am-11am on Saturday, November 16.

The eight-round battle will also be broadcast on Netflix, with estimated viewers upwards of 25 million.

Coming after his last fight – in front of a sellout audience of 500 at the Caloundra RSL earlier this year- Coolwell knows what’s at stake.

“Every young kid playing sports dreams of competing on the biggest stage and I’m absolutely thrilled that this moment has arrived for me,” he said.

Win against Shu Shu and Deadly will have the world at his feet and a world title within his grasp. Lose and it’s a tough road back but if adversity was going to stop him, it would surely have done so by now.

The 25-year-old has overcome significant challenges, including witnessing domestic violence, losing his father at a young age, and experimenting with drugs and alcohol by the age of 12. But at the age of 14 Dana stepped into the Hinterland Boxing Club, where he met trainer and owner Steve Pitt, who would become his long-time coach and friend.

“I’ve been with Steve for 11 years now, and I originally went there for a bit of fitness because I was playing rugby league for the Beerwah Bulldogs,” he said. “But as I started sparring and enjoyed the sport more, I eventually had my first amateur fight after the footy season and I’ve never looked back.”

Dana quickly realised boxing was his calling. “Once I started boxing, I knew I wanted to go professional and that I wanted to win a world title,” he said. “I thought I had enough of the amateurs, so I decided to turn elite when I was 20.”

This marked a turning point in his life, helping Dana stay on the right path. Now competing internationally, his dream of winning a world title by next year is becoming more and more a reality. “Steve has helped me every step of the way,” he said.

“We’ve got a really good relationship, and he helps me not just in the ring but outside of boxing too. We make a great team.” Dana and his coach, Steve, flew to Los Angeles a month before the fight for an intense three-week training camp at Churchill Matchroom Boxing Gym.

“It’s been a really hard one to train for but it is exactly what I needed— coming to America early, getting away from family, and just getting in that fight camp mindset, taking it to another level,” Dana said.

“We did a lot of high-level sparring, which is what I needed to get used to that American style because they fight slightly differently over there. “We have also been working on sharpening up our pad work, fitness sprints, and just staying on track in training and acclimatising to the environment and time difference.”

Dana added that sparring with American boxers similar to Carrington has been invaluable, as they bring a specific style he lacked experience in boxing against. “It’s the typical Mayweather style, like with the shoulder roll, a bit more side-on, and they use their jab more and are a bit more patient, but we have had many different looks at the camp as well,” he said.

“I wouldn’t say it has been harder sparring with American boxers, because there’s a lot of good Australian boxers too, but it’s just the style I need to work on and train against.” Dana said he feels stronger and more prepared than ever, comparing his readiness to his IBO Intercontinental title fi ght at the Caloundra RSL on March 24, where he won. “I’m feeling really good, obviously all the hard work has paid off ,” he said.

“My fitness is right up there, and now I just have to do the last part, which I don’t like, which is making weight. “Once we get to Texas, I’ll be in a bit of a rest and recovery period. “There won’t be much intensive training—just focusing on the weigh-in where I’ll meet Bruce for the first time.” Dana is confident that he will win his bout against Bruce Carrington.

“What sets me apart is the will to want it and everything I’ve put into this fight camp,” he said. “I’m not underestimating him like I believe he’s underestimating me.” Dana flew out of LA on Sunday night, arriving in Arlington, Texas, just days before his life-changing bout. While training was his priority, Dana also took time to enjoy some iconic sights in Los Angeles. “We’ve gone to Venice Beach, Hollywood Boulevard, and a few restaurants around LA,” he said.

The Beerwah local expressed gratitude for the support he’s received from fans back home in Australia. “Thank you to everyone. I’m just so grateful I can do something I love and that so many people support me—it’s pretty cool,” Dana said. Dana is also a father to one, his son Iluka who was born on August 1, 2022. His coach, Steve Pitt, said he had a different look in his eye since his son was born.

“He’s really focused like I haven’t seen him in a long time… the responsibility of becoming a father has really heightened his maturity,” he said. The preliminary card featuring Shadasia Green vs. Melinda Watpool for the WBO Super Middleweight title, Lucas Bahdi vs. Armando Casamonica, and Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington vs. Dana Coolwell, will be broadcast live from 8:30am AEST November 16 on Most Valuable Promotions’ YouTube, Netflix Sports YouTube and Tudum. kirra@gcnews.com.au

November 12, 2024

NETFLIX DEBUT FOR "DEADLY" DANA COOLWELL

Aussie indigenous star Dana Coolwell never officially fought on a VSP show, but we got him a gig in Dubai, and we had a couple of failed attempts to get him to Vietnam.

We also got him Aussie fights with a couple of good VSP boys Lorenz Ladrada and Fernando Tagpuno.

Now Dana has a big fight coming up in the States this Saturday against one of their rising stars - Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington.

But this ain't no ordinary club show - Dana will be fighting in front of 80,000 people as one of the big Mike Tyson undercard bouts at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas Texas !!

And there's more.

If you are a boxer, you'd never expect to end up on Netflix ! Crazy but true - the streaming giant is sending this worldwide !!

Dana takes on the much hyped American Bruce Carrington - an unbeaten 13-0 top ten Featherweight.

The guy is real slick - but he ain't DEADLY !!

Go Dana !!

ABC News ran a great story a little while back on the indigenous prodigy which we have published before.

It's a great read with some nice insights, so here it is again if you missed it:

THEY SAY EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS and that is true for boxer Dana Coolwell !

The 25-year-old from the Queensland town of Beerwah, roughly an hour's drive north of Brisbane, could have the eyes of over 550 million households worldwide tuning into his fight when he features on Netflix's maiden livestream boxing event in November.

ABC Sport can reveal the Mununjali man, who is the 16th-ranked featherweight in world boxing, will fight undefeated American Bruce Carrington on the undercard of Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.

The fight will take place at the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, with 80,000 spectators expected to pack the Arlington stadium on November 16, AEDT.

"It's life-changing," a humble, softly-spoken Coolwell said.

"It'll be one of the biggest events a fighter from Australia has fought on and I'm very grateful for this opportunity and I just really want to showcase my skills to the world of boxing and put my name in that mix of the world class boxers."

The massive bout for Coolwell, nicknamed Deadly, is in stark contrast to his last fight in March.

He improved his record to 13-2 with a win in front of a sold-out crowd of 500 people at the Caloundra RSL.

It is a moment that Coolwell believes he will thrive in and make the world take notice of his potential.

"I'm just making the walk out to the stage into the ring, and just imagining the crowd. But I think I'll rise to the occasion and feed off the crowd, and it'll bring out the best of me.

"These are the type of fight cards people dream of being on and I'm just really grateful that I get to be a part of it, part of history and fight in front of that many fight fans."

The fight card will be streamed by Netflix and will be available their millions of subscribers.

Sports commentator Renee Gartner said the unique opportunity for Coolwell to fight with potentially hundreds of millions of people watching can become a major moment for the young fighter.

"This is the biggest exposure Dana's possibly gonna be able to get," she said.

"People are gonna be seeing him for the first time on an international stage and beamed into households, 550 million households are worldwide, is going to put his name on everyone's lips.

"This whole undercard is absolutely stacked … We have some of the best female fighters, male fighters, everyone who's a boxing enthusiast is watching it."

"What's the topic of conversation at the moment? It's all about the cost of living and how hard it is for all of us to sort of dip in the pocket.

"People in Australia use sport as a way to sort of escape from the realities of what we're sort of doing on day-to-day life."

Coolwell believes in the American dream

The Australian will head to the United States in the coming weeks, landing in California where he will start his training camp in Santa Monica.

New York-born Carrington, who is undefeated through 13 professional fights, has been on Coolwell's radar for a while according to his coach Stephen Pitt.

"We've wanted the Bruce Carrington fight for a while," he said.

"He's a very well respected and very well liked American boxer … They think he's gonna be next world champion."

While praising the American challenger, Pitt said he believes Coolwell is in equal class to some of the best fighters in the world.

Pitt, who trains Coolwell out of the Hinterland Boxing Club, said he believes his fighter has always had the makings of being Australia's next world champion.

"I've known Dana's a star since he walked in my gym 12 years ago," he said.

"The entire world's going to see what I've known for a long time.

"You know we're not the underdog, we're the underestimated.

"Texans love Australians, Dana's a very likeable young man, he performs well, he speaks well, he holds himself well and we believe that the Americans will adore him."

If he defeats Carrington in his own backyard then he'll take a giant leap towards reeling in his world title opportunity.

November 9, 2024

AND THIS IS WHAT BOXING SHOULD BE !!

Two very exciting prospects met centre ring in Sydney last night- both intent on pushing their world class credentials, and they didn't disappoint. They turned on a cracking main event in front of a sold out and noisy crowd at The Grand Vaudeville !

Emmanuel Shemeza 3-0 from Kenya 🇰🇪 and Jamie Chang 2-0 of Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬 were both sparkling amateurs before recently turning pro.

Shemeza was the boxer who was unluckily eliminated in the Olympic trials by an opponent who ultimately won the bronze medal.

Jamie Chang has battled limited opportunities to become a Pacific Games champion.

And despite the relative inexperience of both boxers at the pro level, their qualities and upside shone like beacons.

The Kenyan was a hot favourite, but Chang's southpaw stance and staunch defense had the champion troubled. And this proved to make it an extremely even contest.

Shemeza was the more fluid and active with his hands, but Jamie Chang threw thoughtful counters with purpose, perhaps even hurting his rival in the 5th round.

Most rounds were too hard to split, but Emmanuel Shemeza looked the more polished, and he finished it with a definitive final round.

Emmanuel Shemeza won by majority decision (MD) against Jamie Chang in this highly anticipated bout!

The judges' scores reflected a closely contested fight, with one judge scoring it 57-57 (a draw), while the other two judges scored in favor of Shemeza, 59-55.

Perhaps a little "home cooking" by the judges - VSP had it 58-56 to the Aussie based Kenyan - but no one would argue that Shemeza deserved the victory.

This was a thrilling matchup between two genuine world-class prospects, and full credit to their respective camps for testing the deep waters.

Congratulations to Paul Nasari and the team at Neutral Corner for making great fights like these, and we hope to see these boys make their mark on the Asian scene in 2025.

#vspboxing #vsppro #neutralcornerpromotions #VSPPromotions #RoyalRumble

November 7, 2024

CHANG AND SHEMEZA TOMORROW NIGHT

The boys are weighed in and ready for an epic battle in Sydney tomorrow night when Pacific Games gold medalist Jamie Chang takes on undefeated Kenyan boxer Emmanuel Shemeza in a thrilling 6-round super flyweight contest at the Grand Vaudeville function centre.

Shemeza hails from the much vaunted Akkawy Gym, and the tall unbeaten 3-0 prospect is already being hailed as a future world prospect.

But he won't have it all his own way !

Jamie Chang shapes as one of Papua New Guinea's top boxing prospects.

He makes his international professional debut courtesy of VSP Promotions. who are working overtime to make great fights for boxers in the Asian region while the local Vietnam scene remains a shambles.

Jamie Chang's appearance comes on the heels of his impressive knockout victory at Port Moresby's Sir John Guise stadium, where he overcame a wrist injury in training to claim his an emphatic victory.

Chang's coach, Ephraim Montoru, is confident in his fighter's abilities, stating

"Jamie is a very good all-round boxer - he does everything right."

However, Montoru also acknowledges that there's still room for improvement, saying

"We are definitely still a work in progress.

The best is yet to come, and exciting times are ahead!"

*The Fight Details:*

- *Date:* November 8th, 2024

- *Location:* Grand Vaudeville function centre, Sydney

- *Opponent:* Emmanuel Shemeza (Kenya)

- *Weight Class:* Super Flyweight

- *Rounds:* 6

*Chang's Background:*

- Pacific Games gold medalist

- 2 wins from 2 professional bouts this year

Will Chang's skills be enough to take down the unbeaten Shemeza?

Tune in to Paul Nasari's Neutral Corner Boxing show "Royal Rumble" to find out!

VSP PROMOTIONS supporting Asia’s best !

November 3, 2024

PNG TEAM ARE SET TO FLY OUT TOMORROW

Papua New Guinea's Junior Kauko Raka and Jamie Chang will arrive in Australia by midday tomorrow in advance of Friday night's "Royal Rumble" in Sydney.

The PNG pairing will be on hand to answer questions at tomorrow night's press conference, and will be accompanied by trainer Ephraim Montoru and assistant Peter Morrison.

VSP Promotions have worked with Paul Nasari to ensure that Australia gets to see the best of Papua New Guinea's current and emerging talent, and Raka and Chang will take on two hot and unbeaten prospects.

It is a credit to the PNG boxers for traveling to the lion's den to compete, and VSP can report that their opponents Jayden Buan and Emmanuel Shemeza had been forced to scour foreign shores in search of competition.

These are two genuine excitement machines that have been continually ducked at the local level, and are keen to build on their already excellent resumes with meaningful bouts.

Royal Rumble this Friday night presented by Neutral Corner Fight Promotions. live from the Grand Vaudeville, Condell Park Sydney 🥊🔥

Also catch all the action live on http://www.livecombatsports.com.au/live-ppv

#NeutralCornerPromotions #RoyalRumble #vspboxing #VSPPromotions #vsppro

October 31, 2024

VSP SENDS PNG TRAIL BLAZERS "DOWN UNDER"

The recent Pacific games gold medalist boxer Jamie Chang is set to attend his first professional international bout in Australia next week.

The top PNG prospect knocked out his opponent in his recent bout at Port Moresby' Sir John Guise stadium, overcoming a wrist injury that had hampered preparations.

Chang already has scored 2 wins from 2 professional bouts this year, but unfortunately, the successes were not recorded in BoxRec.This is not uncommon for PNG events.

Jamie Chang is set perform in Sydney on November 8th 2024, and will be joined Papua New Guinea's lightweight champion - Junior Kauko Raka.

The invitations to Australia were made possible by VSP Promotions, and both boxers will appear on Paul Nasari's Neutral Corner Boxing show "Royal Rumble" to be held at the Grand Vaudeville function centre.

Chang will be facing off against outstanding and unbeaten Kenyan Emmanuel Shemeza of the famed Akkawy Gym in a bantamweight contest over 6 rounds.

Chang's coach Ephraim Montoru (Maikuna Boxing Club) said his fighter is doing very well in his preparation for the upcoming event.

"Jamie is a very good all round boxer - he does everything right. But obviously these are early days, and we are definitely still a work in in progress, and as a team concede there is plenty of room for improvement.

The best is yet to come and exciting times are ahead !

We are taking on a really good fighter named Emmanuel Shemeza for our first test on foreign soil - and its a huge task, but we believe we have a very good chance of winning this fight."

October 24, 2024

AUSTRALIA versus PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Jayden "the Bullet" Buan was once famously quoted as claiming he has better hand speed than Ryan Garcia - and that he also possesses the silky skills that put that guy in the shade.

And Junior "the Prodigy" Raka is simply Old Skool - hard hands, hard head, and hard to beat !!

Great fight coming up in Sydney on November 8th at Paul Nasari's ROYAL RUMBLE !!!

October 26, 2024

VAN HAI SET TO BE A BIG "HIT" IN SOUTH KOREA

Nguyễn Văn Hải, one of Vietnam's best known boxers, returns to the ring on December 15 in an 8-round showdown in South Korea.

And despite two losses in 2024, Hải has shown menacing form, foreshadowing a major victory at the Jeju Island event.

Following consecutive WBO and WBC title bid setbacks against undefeated, world-rated opponents, the man dubbed the "Hanoi Hitman" is poised for a big bounce back win.

His upcoming challenge comes against a yet-to-be-named South Korean opponent, a former national titleholder that is looking for a big scalp to re establish his rankings.

Stay tuned for more updates on this highly anticipated matchup set for Jeju Island South Korea on December 15th.

Details coming soon!

October 15, 2024

JBC SUSPENDS JOHN RIEL CASIMERO

OUCH !!!!!!!

Due to failing to make weight, the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) has suspended John Riel Casimero for one year. This suspension follows Casimero’s inability to meet the weight requirements for his non-title fight against Saul Sanchez, scheduled for October 13, 2024, in Yokohama, Japan.

Casimero’s past issues with weight management have now led to serious consequences that could affect his future plans, including a highly anticipated potential matchup against Naoya Inoue.

October 11, 2024

THAT'S DEADLY !! DANA COOLWELL

Aussie star Dana Coolwell never officially fought on a VSP show, but we got him a gig in Dubai, and had a couple of failed attempts to get him to Vietnam. We also got him Aussie fights with a couple of good VSP boys Lorenz Ladrada and Fernando Tagpuno.

Now Dana has a big fight coming up in the States against one of their rising stars :

Some big stories in Aussie boxing coming up, and now you can add this one to the impressive list :

DEADLY DANA COOLWELL will be fighting in front of 80,000 people next month on the Mike Tyson undercard at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas Texas !!

Dana takes on much hyped American Bruce Carrington - an unbeaten 13-0 top ten Featherweight.

The guy is real slick - but he ain't DEADLY !!

Go Dana !!

ABC News ran a great story on this indigenous prodigy :

They say everything is bigger in Texas and that is true for boxer Dana Coolwell.