On Friday, August 5th summer in Sacramento heats up as the longest-running combat sports promotion in Northern California, Upper Cut Promotions presents “Hot August Fights,” at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton.
The evening of professional boxing and mixed martial arts is headlined by rising middleweight star Amari Jones (6-0, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada taking on Michael Lemelle (3-10-1) of Arlington, Texas in a six-round bout.
The 20-year-old mega prospect Jones fights under the Devin Haney Promotions promotional banner and is a protégé of the Haney family. Jones was last seen in the ring on June 5th, scoring a second-round stoppage of previously unbeaten Ankush Hooda on the ESPN+ televised Haney-George Kambosos lightweight title unification aftercard in Melbourne, Australia.
Joeshon James (6-0, 3 KOs) of Sacramento meets Chris Thompson (7-0, 5 KOs) of Kansas City, Missouri in the six-round middleweight co-feature, where someone’s “0” must go.
James, nicknamed “Shontime,” scored a unanimous decision in his first scheduled six-rounder in his last ring action on April 15th in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Traveling into town hoping to play the spoiler, Thompson was just in the ring on June 4th, earning a four-round decision in Louisville, Kentucky. Thompson, nicknamed “Crunch Time,” comes to the west coast for the first time, seeking professional win number eight.
In other action, Northern California favorite Tony Hernandez (5-2, 4 KOs) of Live Oak will rematch Alejandro Fugon (3-2-1, 3 KOs) of Palmdale in a four-round super middleweight grudge match.
Former amateur standout Cain Sandoval (5-0, 5 KOs) of Sacramento takes on experienced veteran Daniel Evangelista Jr. (20-14-2, 16 KOs) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico in a six-round lightweight affair.
Rounding out the boxing portion of the card, power-punching Angel Chavez (6-0, 5 KOs) of Salinas will see action in a six-round super middleweight contest.
On the MMA end of the bill, Ethyn Ewing of Anaheim Hills meets Rome Ottolini of Sacramento in a three-round featherweight fight, while Steve Clacken of Vallejo takes on Salvador Martinez of Stockton over three rounds at the middleweight limit.