[NEF Press Release]
Lewiston, Maine (September 17, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America's number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, "NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE" on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The event will feature a first for Maine - mixed-martial-arts (MMA) bouts and professional boxing bouts on the same event with an MMA cage and a boxing ring set up side-by-side. As announced this past Saturday night at "NEF XIX," Billy "Bigfoot" Leahy (3-1) is scheduled to defend the NEF MMA Amateur Heavyweight Title that evening against the challenge of Dave Smith (2-0).
Leahy won the inaugural amateur heavyweight title at "NEF XVIII" this past June when he defeated Smith's Berserkers MMA teammate Ryan Glover (2-1) via unanimous decision. Leahy's decision to take time off from competing rather than to defend the title against number-one contender Smith at "NEF XIX" earlier this week was met with criticism from the Berserkers camp. The heavyweight champion splits time training between Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) in Auburn, Maine and Young's MMA in Bangor, Maine.
"Berserkers wants to say I'm avoiding fights?" asked an enraged Leahy. "I'll clean their whole damn gym out one-by-one. They want to come and try to take my belt from me? Good luck, I'll see you in November."
Dave Smith made his MMA debut this past spring at "NEF XVII" in Lewiston. That night, he defeated Sonny Spratt (0-2) by first-round technical knockout (TKO). He followed up that victory with another win at "NEF XVIII" in June. This time, it was Gravin Guillen (2-4) who fell to Smith in the first round by submission. Smith is confident that he will take the heavyweight title from Leahy on November 21 in Lewiston.
"First, I would like to thank everyone involved in making this fight happen," said Smith. "I'm sure it wasn't easy to get Billy to commit for November, he wouldn't do it for September. I respect anyone who gets in the cage, including Mr. Leahy. I really hope he isn't expecting a win. I say directly to Billy--get ready and bring my belt."
New England Fights' next event, "NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE," takes place on November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The event will mark the first time in Maine history a mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event and a professional boxing event have taken place together on the same show. Tickets for "NEF XX" start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”