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Alicia Ashley wants to recapture female crown at 48 years old; fights Oct 29th in Brooklyn

The Guinness Book of World Records may need to be updated after the Thursday, Oct. 29 Brooklyn Brawl card at the Aviator Sports Complex.

Brooklyn’s own Alicia “Slick” Ashley, who will be 48 years, 81 days when the bell rings later this month, is a former world titleholder who currently owns the Guinness World Record as the most mature female boxing world champion. She first earned the distinction on Oct. 13, 2013, when she defended the WBC Super Bantamweight belt with a victory over Zenny Sotomayer in Tijuana, Mexico, at 46 years, 61 days, thus etching her place in the renowned global archive.

Ashley (22-10-1, 4 KOs) – ranked second in her division by BoxRec and noted as one of the best pound-for-pound women’s battlers in the world – has the chance to re-write history once again and put her own world record further out of reach when she challenges undefeated Irish fighter and current Interim WBC Bantamweight champion Christina McMahon (7-0, 3 KOs). McMahon has compiled an unblemished slate since beginning her professional career in 2010 and will look to halt Ashley’s attempt at extending her Guinness mark on Thursday, Oct. 29 – the winner takes home the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight title.

“This will be another, epic Brooklyn Brawl show with a WBC world title fight featured at the event. This show will have prospects and contenders, and fighters from all parts of the globe and from all around New York City,” said Salita, the former IBF, WBA and NABA International Junior Welterweight Champion who fights out of Flatbush, Brooklyn, as a professional. “Alicia is one of the most highly-regarded boxers in the world and is looking to follow in the footsteps of future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins by re-capturing a title at this point in her career. Her great skills will certainly be put to the test against an undefeated contender in Christina McMahon.”

Potapov – currently ranked as the No. 14 bantamweight in the world by the WBO and now rated No. 10 globally by BoxRec – will put his undefeated 13-0 record (6 KOs) on the line as he makes his debut on U.S. soil. The fast-rising battler piled up more than 180 amateur tilts and amassed a number of national and international tournament victories, and now as a 25-year-old pro has climbed quickly to challenge himself with four 10-round bouts and a 12-rounder against top competition. In his last pro victory, Popatov earned the WBA Asian title by beating Jason Canoy, who is rated No. 14 in the WBC and No. 12 in the IBF.

Welterweight prospect “Trigger” Tresean Wiggins (7-1, 6 KOs) – fresh off a third-round knockout at the Aug. 25 Brooklyn Brawl: Boxing At The Beach affair – will be back on the Aviator card. The fighting pride of Newburgh, N.Y., was impressive last month against Baltimore’s Kevin Womack Jr. and looks to add another stoppage victory to his burgeoning resume.

Undefeated junior lightweight contender Dimash Niyazov of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, will have his mettle tested once again at the Aviator complex. The Brooklyn police officer, whose story was chronicled by the Wall Street Journal in August, improved to 8-0-3 (5 KOs) with a six-round Boxing At The Beach unanimous decision over local fighter Ariel “Fuego” Duran in a Brooklyn-Queens crosstown rivalry bout.

Detroit’s James Gordon Smith (8-0, 5 KOs) is another rising star putting his unblemished record to the test in Brooklyn. The eight-time Motor City Golden Gloves title-winner and former national amateur champion is intent on making a name for himself in the pro ranks.

A light welterweight and Olympian making his professional debut, Serdar Hudayberdiyev comes to the Brooklyn Brawl after an accomplished international amateur career. The pride of his native Turkmenistan on the West Coast of the Caspian Sea, he captured gold in the Asian games and was selected his country’s flag bearer in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Heavyweight Emilio Salas (3-1-1, 1 KO) of Puerto Rico – who opened up the Boxing At The Beach slate with a second round TKO at the expense of opponent Glenn Thomas – will add some thunder to the Oct. 29 card while welterweight Giorgi “Goga” Gelashvili (2-0, 2 KOs) of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, will provide the lightning. Gelashvili, a former three-time Georgian national champion, overwhelmed opponent DeLoren Gray-Jordon last August with a speedy salvo of blows in round two, leading to his second stoppage victory in as many fights and as many months.

A product of Corona, Queens, Edward Valdez was recently added to the upcoming Brooklyn Brawl slate. A veteran at 13-11-2 (10 KOs), Valdez will face Aik Shakhnazaryan (16-2, 7 KOs) of Samara, Russia, in an eight-round lightweight contest.

Broadcast information will be announced at a later date. Interested corporate partners should contact Mark Fratto at mfratto@linacremedia.com.