ESPN2 Friday Night Fights

Sovereign Nations Boxing and MMA Champions

in National Spotlight

July 10, 2009

The Arena

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Featured Bouts:

Cruiserweight Bout

Matt Godfrey (18-1, 10 KOs) vs. Shawn Hawk (18-0-1, 16 KOs)

Light Heavyweight Bout

Shaun George (18-2-2, 9 KOs) vs. Chris Henry (23-2, 18 KOs)

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NEW TOWN, N.D. – Sovereign Nations Boxing Council (SNBC) cruiserweight champion Matt “Too Smooth”

Godfrey defends his belt against Shawn “The Sioux Warrior” Hawk in a battle of full-blooded Native

Americans on this week’s ESPN2 Friday Night Fights at The Arena in Philadelphia.

Godfrey (18-1, 10 KOs) is rated No., 6 by the World Boxing Council and No. 7 by the International Boxing

Federation. He is also the North American Boxing Federation cruiserweight title-holder and rated No. 10 by

The Ring magazine.

Sovereign Nations Mixed Martial Arts (SNMMA) heavyweight champion Chris Tuchscherer is also in the

news having secured a fighting position in the coveted Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC). Chris makes

his UFC debut August 29 in “UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueora” against Gabriel Gonzaga in Portland, Oregon.

SNBC and SNMMA links federally recognized tribes throughout the United States and Canada. Its mission

is to develop, promote and help regulate professional boxing and mixed martial arts in a fair and professional

manner by federally recognized tribes that are sovereign nations.

The 28-year-old Godfrey, who captured the first SNBC title belt last November via a unanimous 10-round

decision against Edward Gutierrez at 4 Bears Casino, fights out of Providence, Rhode Island. Three of Matt’s

most impressive performances as a pro have been knockouts of Emmanuel Nwodo, Felix Cora, Jr. and

Shaun George, all broadcast live on ESPN FNF.

“This fight on ESPN is a good opportunity to let everybody watching on national television that Native

Americans are involved in everything,” Godfrey explained. “Native Americans are not seen very often boxing

on national television, but two of the best will be fighting each other in Friday night’s main event. I want to let

people know that not all Native Americans live in the Dakotas. We’re all over the place. I’m honored to be the

Sovereign Nations Boxing Council’s first champion. Friday night the boxing world will watch two Native

Americans fighting at the top of the boxing world.”

Godfrey, a Wampanoag, puts his belts on the line against Hawk (18-0-1, 16 KOs), a Sioux from Crow Creek

Reservation, South Dakota, which is the poorest Native American reservation in the United States. Shawn,

who trains in Minot, North Dakota, had a 108-12 amateur record, including victories in four national

championships, highlighted by a gold-medal performance at the National PAL Tournament when he was 14.

“Matt Godfrey is a great champion and it’s an honor to have him as the current SNBC cruiserweight

champion,” SNBC/SNMMA president Pat Packineau said. “Shawn Hawk feels the belt should be his but he

knows that he has to earn it because Matt isn’t going to give it to him for free.”

Fargo-native Tuchscherer (17-1-0) a former 2-time NCAA, Division II All-America wrestler now representing

the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy, where he trains with his good friend, UFC heavyweight champion

Brock Lesnar. Tuchscherer won the SNMMA crown this past March, recording a fourth-round technical

knockout (by punches) against Brandon Lee Hinkle at 4 Bears Casino.

“Chris is a great champion and will do very well in the UFC,” Packineau noted. “He is still the current

SNMMA heavyweight champion. Chris represents our organization with great respect like the true

professional that he is.”

SNBC & SNMMA

The (SNBC) and (SNMMA) seeks to unite tribes that participate in the sport of boxing or Mixed Martial Arts,

and is dedicated to promoting equal rights at all times, impartially, honestly and with fairness. The (SNBC),

(SNMMA) shall engage every effort within its legal jurisdiction and employ them for the betterment of boxing

as its number one goal. The SNBCMMA shall not accept any inequalities based on race, religion, politics or

nationality. The SNBC, Inc. is a corporation of permanent nature, with its own juridical personality and fiscal

autonomy. Having a championship boxing and Mixed Martial Arts title with an organization such as (SNBC)

or (SNMMA) will carry potential champions to the next level in their respective sport, and will make

professional boxing and MMA events taking place at tribal casinos a popular product for casinos to use to

expand their gaming revenues. With the added interest of the (SNBC) the future of professional boxing and

(MMA) Mixed Martial Arts along with other sporting events has never been brighter for native casinos in

regards to providing quality meaningful sporting events to native casinos at realistic site fees and providing

maximum exposure.

SNBC and SNMMA is committed to serving the communities and advancing the lives and economic situation

of all Native people, as well as all professional boxers and MMA fighters, in a positive and professional

manner. For more information about Sovereign Nations Mixed Martial Arts call 701.6277539, go online at

www.snbcmma.com, or write to SNMMA, P.O. Box 5, Parshall, ND 58770.

Subject to change

- Press Release from Full Court Press with a little editing from us (color, etc...)

(7/8/09)