Mayweather Promotions has retained the services of Pinta, a cross-cultural marketing firm, to assist efforts in marketing the company as a whole to the Hispanic community, announced on Wednesday via release.

“Pinta, which means ‘paint’ in Spanish, targets general market consumers in diverse communities, first-generation Hispanics nationwide and U.S.-born, English-dominant and fully-acculturated Latinos.

“Pinta has offices in Miami, New York and Los Angeles and will offer a wide array of services to reach this key audience through public relations, digital, social, research, grassroots and experiential strategies.

“‘We are fully aware of the importance of the Hispanic market and we want to go that extra mile and make sure that we pull out all the stops for our events,’ said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. ‘We look forward to integrating Pinta’s expertise with our already established and ongoing marketing efforts in order to reach as broad an audience as possible to make our promotions a great success.'”

Pinta will go to work immediately marketing the August 30 event headlined by super middleweight J’Leon Love with 168-pounder Badou Jack in the supporting bout at The Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, as well as the rematch between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Marcos Maidana at the MGM Grand on Sept. 13 on Showtime Pay-Per-View.

Quotes courtesy of Mayweather Promotions

JERRY BELMONTES 130, ABNER COTTO 130

Junior lightweights Jerry Belmontes (19-4, 5 KOs) and rival Abner Cotto (17-2, 8 KOs) weighed 130 pounds each in advance of Thursday’s main event of a “Golden Boy Live!” show to be televised on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes from the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Also on the card, rising junior welterweight Keandre Gibson and opponent Jose Hernandez weighed 145.25 each.

JOSE RAMIREZ TO ‘FIGHT FOR WATER’ ON OCT. 25

Junior welterweight Jose Ramirez, a undefeated 2012 Olympian, will compete in the main event of Top Rank Promotions’ “Solo Boxeo Tecate” card from the Selland Arena in Fresno, Calif., on Oct. 25.

Ramirez will headline “Fight For Water 3,” whose proceeds benefit farm workers and farmers who have been adversely affected by
California’s historical drought that has depleted water supplies.

“We are very proud of Jose as a fighter and as a young man who cares for his community,” said Top Rank CEO Bob Arum. “When Jose goes into the ring, he really does ‘Fight for Water,’ which is so important to Fresno and all surrounding communities.”

Ramirez, 21, is 11-0 with eight knockouts and is coming off last Saturday’s unanimous decision over Alfred Romero.

“This fight is special to me,” said Ramirez, “because on Nov. 1, we have a chance to get the water flowing back in Central California and help keep jobs, food and hope alive.”

IBF PRESIDENT DARYL PEOPLES, FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT TITLEHOLDER JOHN RUIZ TO BE HONORED

IBF President Daryl Peoples, former heavyweight titleholder John Ruiz and former middleweight Peter Manfredo are among those to be inducted into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame’s Class of 2014, the organization announced on Wednesday.

Referee Michael Ortega, trainer Paul Cichon and boxing judge William Hutt, the latter, posthumously, are also among those to be honored during the 10th annual dinner on Nov. 8 at the Mohegan Sun resort in Uncasville, Conn.

DMITRY MIKHAYLENKO SIGNS WITH MAIN EVENTS

Russian Dmitry Mikhaylenko (17-0, 6 KOs) has signed with Main Events, the promotional company announced on Wednesday.

Mikhaylenko made his U.S. debut with Saturday’s unanimous decision over Sechew Powell in a junior welterweight bout.

“First of all, I would like to thank Main Events for giving me this opportunity and trusting in me. I am very happy of signing promotional agreement to Main Events” said Mikhaylenko.

“I know they can help me to go the right way as they did for many fighters. I am very motivated and ready 100 percent to prove and to show what I am capable of in the ring. To come and fight in America was always my dream.”

JOSE PEDRAZA MEETS JUAN CARLOS MARTINEZ ON AUG. 15

Junior lightweights Jose Pedraza (17-0, 11 KOs) and Juan Carlos Martinez (20-14-1, 7 KOs) will meet on the undercard of an August 15 lightweight main event featuring Rustam Nugaev against Denis Shafikov on ESPN “Friday Night Fights” from the Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif.

WILLIE NELSON-LUIS GRAJEDA CLASH ON FRIDAY

Junior middleweight Willie Nelson (22-1, 13 KOs) takes a six-bout winning streak into Friday’s bout against Luis Grajeda (17-2-2, 13 KOs) on ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights” from the Churchill County Fairgrounds, Fallon, Nevada.

“I’ve seen a few of Grajeda’s fights,” said Nelson, who was last in action for a first round stoppage of Darryl Cunningham in June. His lone defeat was by majority decision to Vincent Arroyo in April 2011.

“He fights at a slow, steady pace and throws loopy punches…There’s nothing really special about him besides his power. He really does have big punching power but his quality of opponents wasn’t the best.”

Grajeda’s most recent appearances were a loss to Pablo Munguia in February and a draw with Said El Harrak in May, the former of which ended his run of seven consecutive victories.

The co-feature will match super middleweight Norbert Nemesapati (14-0, 13 KOs) against Jason Escalera (14-2-1, 12 KOs), and the oppener will feature 6-foot-6 Chinese heavyweight Zhang Zhilei, a 2008 Olympic silver medalist, in his professional debut against Curtis Lee Tate (6-4, 6 KOs).

Photo by Naoki Fukuda