TONY PENECALE’S PAVLIK VS TAYLOR REMATCH PREVIEW
Posted on | February 11, 2008 | 2 Comments
PAVLIK VS. TAYLOR II
** In-Depth Preview and Analysis **
By Tony Penecale
In September, Kelly Pavlik ushered in a new era in the middleweight division. Where as Jermain Taylor had won the title on a controversial decision over long-reigning champion, Bernard Hopkins, Pavlik came in and ripped the title from Taylor in brutal fashion. Now Taylor returns, not for his title, but for pride. This bout is set at 166 lbs, so Pavlik’s title won’t be at stake. Can Taylor regain his form and avenge his only defeat as a professional? Or will Pavlik once again leave him battered and broken?
AGE, RECORD, AND STATS
Pavlik: Age: 25 years old
Record: 32-0 (29 Knockouts)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 159 1/2 * * Weight for last bout (9-29-07)
Reach: 75”
Taylor: Age: 29 years old
Record: 27-1-1 (17 Knockouts)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 159 ** Weight for last bout (9-29-07)
Reach: 74”
STYLE
Pavlik: A tall and lanky brawler who likes to mix it up and throw knockout-caliber punches. Possesses crippling power in both hands and a fearless attitude. Often ignores height and reach advantages and presses the action, fighting in the trenches, turning bouts into wars of attrition.
Taylor: Is a well-schooled, technically-proficient boxer. Opens the bout behind a razor-sharp jab that keeps opponents off balance while dictating the pace. Also uses the jab to keep opponents moving back and creating openings for his straight right hand. In recent bouts, has shown a lack of killer instinct and has failed to capitalize on opportunities.
STRENGTHS
Pavlik: * Power – Pavlik is a highlight-reel puncher. Has the ability to knock an opponent out with one shot. The straight right is his best punch but is also capable of ending a bout with a left hook.
* Poise – Pavlik keeps his composure when under fire. Not afraid to walk into opponent’s danger zone and is anxious to retaliate when hit. Was down and in serious trouble against Taylor, but was able to weather the storm and regain his senses.
* Range – Pavlik is a tall fighter with long arms. He can land his power punches from the outside, but is also an effective puncher in close. Was able to outjab Taylor and set up openings for booming rights from afar and left hooks inside.
Taylor: * Athleticism – Taylor is a natural athlete who has a complete package of speed, agility, and above-average power. Was able to time Pavlik’s rushes and land damaging counters.
* Jab – Taylor owns quite possibly the best jab in boxing. It is fast and sharp, with the ability to hurt or cut an opponent.
* Experience – Taylor has been in there with future Hall of Famers Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright in three straight bouts. Tallied defenses against sturdy, volume-puncher Kassim Ouma and speedy, defensive-specialist Corey Spinks before meeting the aggressive buzzsaw in Pavlik. Also competed in the 2000 Olympics, capping off an extensive amateur career. Has seen all types of styles in his fistic career.
WEAKNESSES
Pavlik: * Ignores Defense – Pavlik focuses so much on his own offense, he leaves himself open to be hit with flush punches. In the 2nd round against Taylor, it almost proved disastrous.
* Skin – Pavlik has skin that easily damages from opponent’s punches. In many bouts, he has come out with an assortment of bruises and lumps.
* Lack of Speed – Pavlik lacks natural hand and foot speed, much less than Taylor. Compensates by getting his punches off first.
Taylor: * Fades Late – Taylor often boxes in a very tense manner which causes him to fade as the bout progresses. In both bouts against Hopkins and also against Ouma, Taylor was visibly tired in the later rounds and allowed his opponents to capture the momentum.
* Confidence – Taylor has seemed gun-shy since being wobbled in his first bout with Hopkins, failing to engage the smaller Ouma and Spinks, and was tentative when he had Pavlik in serious trouble. After his devastating knockout loss, Taylor’s psyche might be beyond repair.
* Training Carousal – Taylor didn’t gel with the offensive-minded strategies of legendary trainer Emmanuel Stewart. He is now going back to his amateur roots and working with his first trainer Ozell Nelson, who has a very limited resume, much less than the man he is replacing.
BEST PERFORMANCES
Pavlik: * Edison Miranda (5/19/07) – Miranda was touted to be the new HBO star and Pavlik was seen as a mere stepping stone on the way to a dream match with Taylor. But Pavlik took the fight to Miranda from the start, wearing him down before impressively blasting him out in the 7th round.
* Jermain Taylor (9/29/07) – Pavlik didn’t allow Taylor to box, using a stiff jab to negate Taylor’s. Survived a brutal 2nd round and resumed his offensive attack, forcing Taylor on his heels. With Taylor curiously ahead after six rounds, Pavlik finished the job, trapping Taylor in a corner and hammering him to the canvas with a series of power punches.
* Jose Luis Zertuche (1/27/07) – Zertuche had never been down in his boxing career (pro or amateur). Pavlik punished him, knocking him down with a left hook, before finally knocking him cold with a single right hand in the 8th round.
Taylor: * Daniel Edourd (2/19/05) – Edourd was an undefeated brawler, a short spark-plug, that many thought would give Taylor fits. Taylor dominated from the opening bell landing his jab at will and overwhelming Edourd with power shots until the bout was halted in the 3rd round.
* William Joppy (12/4/04) – Joppy was a former world titlist who was looking to get back in the title picture. Taylor dominated him over 12 rounds boxing well, scoring a knockdown in the 5th round, and winning every round on the judge’s scorecards.
* Bernard Hopkins (7/16/05) – While many thought Hopkins deserved the decision, it doesn’t take away from what Taylor did in the bout. He gave Hopkins fits throughout, controlling the pace with the jab, and ended his decade-long title reign.
QUESTIONS
Pavlik: * Will he lack motivation with his title not at stake?
* If he runs into trouble, can he survive like he did the first time?
* If Taylor finds early success, will he make any changes to his original gameplan?
Taylor: * Will the added weight make an impact?
* If he gets hurt early, will his confidence crumble?
* Can working with his original trainer have the impact hoped for?
TO WIN
Pavlik: Pavlik must not allow Taylor to get any confidence early. Pavlik will need to once again jab in sync with Taylor and neutralize his best weapon. To avoid the counter right hands, Pavlik will be best served to fire two and three jabs at a time. Taylor has a bad habit of backing up against the ropes. Once he backs Taylor up, Pavlik need to bring his show-stopping right hand straight down the middle. Pavlik has a tremendous killer instinct once an opponent is hurt but he must not be over aggressive and leave himself open to counter punches.
Taylor: Taylor will stick and move. Pavlik was able to land his jab against Taylor and eliminate Taylor’s best weapon. Taylor will need to feint, move, and jab to avoid having Pavlik walk him down. If he can get Pavlik off balance, he will be able to create an opening for his right hand, both straight down the middle, and over the top of Pavlik’s left. He needs to discourage Pavlik early to avoid him building on the momentum of the first fight. If he gets Pavlik in trouble, he needs to do a better job of landing punches and avoiding getting tied up inside.
PENECALE PREDICTION
When they met back in September, Pavlik found his success by stalking Taylor and eventually overwhelming him with power punches. Taylor found his brief moments of success when Pavlik got sloppy and left himself open to counters.
Pavlik will start the bout with his trademark aggression, stalking Taylor. Taylor will use lateral movement to try and keep Pavlik from setting his feet and finding openings. Taylor will fire his jab but more for defensive purposes. Pavlik will keep advancing behind his thumping double and triple jab, which will snap Taylor’s head back.
There will be brief moments in the 2nd round where Taylor will try to stand in front of Pavlik and land counter right hands, but not to the success he found in their first meeting. Pavlik will take advantage of Taylor’s moments of being stationary to land right hands of his own, clearly more damaging.
By the 4th round, Pavlik will be shifting his offense into another gear while Taylor will seem to be stuck in neutral. Taylor’s offense will be reduced to single jabs as he will be more consistently forced backwards by Pavlik’s forward march.
A visibly discouraged Taylor will come out for the 5 th round, where he will attempt to change the momentum in his favor. The fighters will exchange right hands in the center of the ring, but Pavlik’s will do more damage, as it catches Taylor flush and staggers him. Pavlik will sense blood and will follow Taylor back into the corner where a left hook-straight right combo will hit home and Taylor will go down hard. He will try to beat the count but he will be unable, rising just as the referee completes the count.
Tags: Boxing > Jermain Taylor > Kelly Pavlik > rematch > Tony Penecale
Crawford punishes Davis; pounds out decision win!
Posted on | February 11, 2008 | No Comments
Solid welterweight prospect dominates eight round main event.
By Mike Indri
Retired Boxers Foundation
February 9, 2008
UNION CITY, NJ – Prior to Henry Crawford entering the ring for his main event bout against Tennessee native Thomas Davis, the boisterous crowd that made its way to the Pound-for-Pound Promotions premiere boxing show, caught brief glimpses of four young and talented area fighters that made quick work of their overmatched opponents.
While the quick ending undercard bouts served the purpose of producing four W’s for the hometown hopefuls, the mismatches also made for some lighter hearted moments; such as a downed fighter rolling out and then back into the ring, and a pro debuter with the self-anointed nickname “Playboy” getting knocked off of his feet!
There would be no joke with Henry Crawford. After many cancellations and fighter pull outs of the originally proposed 9-bout show, the 26 year-old Paterson fighter stepped up and assumed the role as the main event fighter.
Crawford did not disappoint, and thrilled the crowd with his workman-like effort and non-stop offensive attack against the cagey and deceptively dangerous Davis; who handed fellow Paterson fighter and good friend Kendall Holt his first professional defeat (KO 1, 06/18/04). Holt was clobbering Davis throughout their fateful first round when Davis landed a roundhouse shot from his ankles, which surprised and hurt the elite fighter who was dropped to the canvas only to struggle to get to his feet and get dropped again before the nightmare of a fight was stopped with 1 second left in the round.
From the fight’s opening bell Crawford swarmed the taller, lankier former marine, forcing Davis to spend much of the round covering up and backed onto the ropes. Banging away at his overwhelmed foe, Crawford snapped Davis’s head back more than a couple of times and had the crowd sensing another early stoppage might be in store; with Davis, who possesses five first round knockout wins to his credit, as the victim for this one.
Round two brought more on the same onslaught. A clean, hard Crawford left drove the dazed fighter into his corner. In the mist of the barrage, Davis did manage one of his homerun bombs but Crawford was not fazed; essentially the fight was already over.
Each round being practically a carbon copy of its predecessor meant that Crawford continually punished Davis; hurting his game opponent each and every round, as evidenced by the reddened body welts of the 1996 Olympic Trials finalist and his badly bruised face. Along with the damage, and the loss, Davis (now 12-7-2, 7 KO’s) heads back to Knoxville with a heart as big as any fighter. Not many fighters possess the resilience and flat out courage to resign themselves to travel into a prospect’s backyard to fill the role as the opponent. Davis has done that for the latter part of his once promising career, and is to be commended.
Judges Eugene Grant scored it 79-73, John Poturaj 80-72 and Julie Lederman 80-71, all for Crawford, who earned the unanimous decision.
With the impressive victory Crawford remains undefeated and improves to 18-0-1 (8 KO’s). In the talent rich welterweight division Crawford realizes the chore ahead, and with the steady progression shown in the ever-capable hands of top notch, longtime trainer Nettles Nasser, the future is bright for the likable, former 3-time NJ Golden Gloves champion; who has the tools, maturity and drive to again become a champion, as a pro.
On the Pound-for-Pound Promotions “Night of the Rising Stars” undercard:
New Brunswick, NJ resident Jorge Diaz opened the show with a brutal display of skillful power as he pounded out a 2nd round TKO win over an out-gunned Arthur Parker. Parker, fighting out of Lancaster, PA, was twice forced to take a knee to the canvas in round one – due to the vicious body attack by the 2-time national champion, who recorded his third knockout win, in as many fights. Diaz continued the battering in round two, until Parker’s trainer Terry Nye wisely motioned for referee Randy Neuman.
The sturdy Parker, now 1-6 (1 KO), had never been to the canvas prior to his facing Diaz.
Union City hometown fighter Jason Escalara brought the crowd to their feet as he tore into Indianapolis, IN native Jeff Gross, in a battle of pro debuting light heavyweights. It was a much better debut for the local guy as the powerful Escalara sent his under skilled, and overmatched foe, to the deck three times before referee Eddie Cotton ceased the massacre at the 1:43 mark of the first round. On-scene paramedics gingerly helped Gross, nicknamed “Playboy”, out of the ring while wearing a neck brace, to an awaiting stretcher. Gross’s first fight will hopefully also be his last.
Although having not fought in over four years, jr. welterweight Adam Salas was thought to be a decent test for highly touted, soon to be 21 year-old, Jeremy “Hollywood” Bryan (Feb. 11th). This would not be the case as the ring rust was too much for the once formidable Dover, NJ native. While appearing able to handle himself defensively against the former two-time national amateur champion, Salas (now 10-11, 2 KO’s) fought like a spent fighter- unable to pull the trigger. Bryan improved to 3-0, picking up his first stoppage victory as referee Randy Neuman halted the one-sided contest after the Salas corner threw in the towel at the 2:19 mark in round three. Bryan dazzled the crowd with his stinging jab and two-fisted attack to go along with a ring generalship rarely found at such an early point in a fighter’s career. The best part… to go along with all that skill and talent, Jeremy Bryan is a humble and classy young man who is a wonderful example of the goodness of boxing.
Not since the Buster Douglas belly flop in his first and only heavyweight championship title defense, against Evander Holyfield (10/25/90 KO 3), has any fighter out of Columbus, Ohio swan dived the canvas as well as William Armstead did, within the first minute of his scheduled six round jr. middleweight bout against Ronney Vargas, from the Bronx, NY.
Not looking fight ready prior to the opening bell, Armstead made a half hearted flurry then turned his back on his opponent, not once but twice, and cowered; to the amusement and surprised delight of the fascinated crowd. The first combination by the still unbeaten Vargas, now 5-0 (4 KO’s), did not appear that lethal, yet sent the now 2-5 (1 KO) fighter crumbling to the deck where he rolled out of the squared circle, unto the ring apron. Judge Eugene Grant told the downed fighter he had to get back into the ring so Armstead complied and rolled back inside. With referee Eddie Cotton counting ever so slowly Armstead made it to his feet at the count of nine and three quarters, only to say he was unable to continue. Vargas, who later would futilely say he broke more of a sweat in the dressing room than in the ring, was extremely disappointed, as were the rest of us.
All in all, a decent night of boxing was had, and the fans went home happy – and definitely entertained.
Pound-for-Pound Promotions, headed by John Lynch, a Union City attorney, already have penciled in April 11th as their next show date. A deserved applause to the upstart promotional company for their efforts to revive club show boxing to northern NJ and to provide opportunity to the young, local fighter.
Mike Indri can be contacted at: RBFNJMIKE@aol.com
A NEW FIGHT NEWS UNLIMITED POLL
Posted on | February 10, 2008 | 1 Comment
a new segment of Fight News Unlimited:
WE REPORT, YOU DECIDE!
What do you think is really better?
A. A Vintage Chuck Liddell Hoodie for $24.98
B. The Generic Xyience Logo Hoodie for $64.98
C. A RIGHTEOUS FIGHT NEWS UNLIMITED HOODIE FOR $42.99
D. NONE OF THE ABOVE (a fight news unlimited free speech button for $4.75)
XYIENCE CO-CEOS ADAM FRANK AND KIRK SANFORD RESIGN FROM BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS THE COMPANY PREPARES FOR A SALE
Posted on | February 10, 2008 | 5 Comments
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CEOS BAIL OUT WHILE CORNER OFFICE MANAGEMENT GETS TO COLLECT ON THEIR SIX-FIGURE SALARIES
By: Rich Bergeron
Even while the company is steamrolling through bankruptcy with the help of more capital infusions from Fertitta Enterprises to facilitate exploration of the company’s sale, recent court filings from Xyience indicate that the latest casualties include Co-CEOs Adam Frank and Kirk Sanford. What’s more intriguing is that the February 2nd filings claim that prior to Sanford and Frank resigning from the board of directors in late January they were not even paid employees.
Sanford and Frank have in recent months become the public faces of the Xyience/Zuffa scandal that is still unfolding in the press and inside multiple Las Vegas courtrooms. Both men came to Xyience under questionable circumstances with Frank having a serious breach of contract lawsuit hanging over his head and Sanford wrapped up in an internal investigation at Global Cash Access Holdings after he suddenly and suspiciously vacated his position there as President and CEO.
GCA is a financial services company that provides cash access products and services to the gaming industry. Sanford took the reins of GCA in February of 1999 and reportedly left just before November to “pursue other interests and spend time with his family.”
Global Cash Access stocks then took a mid-November nosedive amid the internal investigation that followed Sanford’s departure. Some of the company’s financial reports were delayed as a result of the investigation. Despite the investigation not turning up any major fraud, the company’s stock has yet to recover from the sharp losses it took last November. Trading just under $20 at its peak in April of 2006, the stock has been gradually depreciating ever since. Virtually flatlining around $16 between October of 2006 and July of 2007, the stock’s market value tanked in November and dipped below $4. Since then the stock has been unable to reclaim even half of its pre-November value.
Not surprisingly, prior to Sanford’s being brought on as CO-CEO of Xyience under Fertitta Enterprises’ financing of the company, Station Casinos and GCA had a substantial business partnership.
Upon the company’s successful acquisition of the Fertitta financing, Kirk and Sanford were also handsomely rewarded. The following snapshot is taken from the funding consent request sent out to shareholders in late September of 2007:
The February 2nd filing announcing the resignation of Sanford and Frank also ensures the company’s employees making more than $100,000 are duly compensated. The document includes the following passage:
“On January 23, 2008, the Bankruptcy Court heard the Debtor’s Emergency Application for Authorization to Pay Salaries, Commissions, Employee Benefits, Accrued Vacation and Reimbursable Employee Expenses (“Payroll and Benefits Motion”). In conjunction with the Payroll and Benefits Motion, the Court required the Debtor to file a motion seeking the Bankruptcy Court’s approval of compensation paid to all employees who are presently paid an annual salary in excess of $100,000. This Salary Motion is filed for the purpose of seeking that approval.”
Meanwhile, 12 other employees were laid off on January 25th, 2008 leaving Xyience with a bare bones staff of just 27 salaried employees. So who benefited with big paydays that forced 12 folks out of a job? The filing lists: Susan Curry, Vice President of Manufacturing; Vicki DiBernardo, Vice President of Human Resources and Administration; Michael Levy, Chief Financial Officer; Jeffrey Martin, Eastern Division Manager; Ruben Rios, Vice President of Sales; and Omer Sattar, Chief Operating Officer and President.
Two other unpaid board members, Lanis O’Steen and Jerry Kramer, also resigned at the same time as Frank and Sanford, though it is not clear how involved they were in the day to day operations of the company. Interestingly enough, the filing that revealed this information was almost put under seal. Instead, the court document was released in the spirit of full disclosure, which is a principle some Xyience officials, Fertitta Enterprises, and now-former Board Members Adam Frank and Kirk Sanford have all been accused of avoiding at all costs according to multiple initial Xyience shareholders.
This case continues to develop and raises more questions with each passing day. So far, only a select few independently driven fight news Web-sites have dared to delve into the really meaty details. The Las Vegas Review Journal has published only flat reports about the bankruptcy and what appear to be one-sided allegations of death threats claimed by the current Xyience brass.
The Review Journal’s lack of any hard-hitting or critical coverage of the real heart of the story here may be related to the close ties between the Fertitta family and the Greenspun Corporation. The Greenspun-owned Las Vegas Sun is distributed in The Las Vegas Review Journal. 50/50 partners on the development of a 2005 hotel and casino community called Aliante Station, the Greenspun Corporation and Station Casinos go way back. It is also not the only project they’ve corroborated on.
“We have a great relationship with the Fertittas and Station Casinos as a result of the success of Green Valley Ranch Resort and we are confident that they will develop and operate a high-quality project for our residents and the surrounding North Las Vegas community,” Brian Greenspun reportedly announced at the time of the Aliante Station project’s unveiling.
Greenspun is the chairman of the corporation that controls more than just one Vegas newspaper. Greenspun Media Group’s holdings include the Las Vegas Sun, Showbiz Weekly, Las Vegas Life, Las Vegas Weekly, VegasGolfer, The Ralston FLASH, In Business Las Vegas, VEGAS Magazine, Las Vegas Life Home & Design, and The NEWS. GMG also publishes a number of targeted and special interest products each year for businesses such as the Fashion Show Mall and the Wynn Hotel.
No wonder FNU’s emails about this situation have not been returned by editors at the Las Vegas Sun.
The Greenspun Corporation also has other lucrative business connections with cable news outlets, local broadcast media, a film company, and transportation services. With that many smart investments, it’s easy to see why they don’t have any Xyience stock in their portfolio.
Beyond the lack of local scrutiny in the print media, Xyience is still holding its own despite the very public embarassment due to their voluntary bankruptcy. Ironically, even amidst all this internal turmoil, the almost completely financially tapped Xyience, Incorporated has yet to relinquish their lucrative marketing partnership with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The court documents report, “Based upon the post-petition agreement entered into with Zuffa Marketing, LLC, Xyience retains its status as the Official Energy Drink of the UFC.”
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Kimbo vs. Tank Slugfest Highlights EliteXC’s “Street Certified” Live MMA Event in Miami;
Posted on | February 10, 2008 | 1 Comment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MORE POPULAR THAN SLICED BREAD? KIMBO GETS
LONG AWAITED SHOWDOWN WITH TANK ABBOTT FEB. 16
Sensational Undercard at BankUnited Center Features Big Foot, Scott Smith & More
LOS ANGELES (Feb. 9, 2008) – Are you ready for some February Fireworks? The Street Fight of the Year will take place inside a cage.
In what will be a thrilling heavyweight brawl and South Florida homecoming, the incredibly popular Kimbo Slice (1-0) of Miami will face hard-hitting David “Tank’’ Abbott (9-13) in the main event of “Street Certified” on Saturday, Feb. 16, at the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami.
Tickets for a spectacular 10-bout event, presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s EliteXC, start at $35 and are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the BankUnited Box Office at the University of Miami. Doors open at 7 p.m. The first live fight is at 7:30.
SHOWTIME will televise five fights including the Kimbo-Tank showdown live at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), while five non-televised undercard matches will be streamed live on the leading MMA internet site, ProElite.com
“There are a lot of fans who’ve waited a long time for two legendary, slugging fighters who built their reputations as street brawlers before turning to mixed martial arts to get it on, and EliteXC is proud to be the ones who finally were able to make it happen,” EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw said.
“I’d hate for longtime, hardcore MMA fans not to get to see the Kimbo-Tank fight come off. It is going to be as thrilling a fight as one can be for as long as it lasts. It may not be fun for one of the fighters, but, from a fans’ point of view, Kimbo versus Tank was a long time coming and sure will be fun to watch.
“From top to bottom, this card is stacked. All the fights are competitive, non-stop action fights with no clear-cut winners. It is what EliteXC is all about. We expect to sell out the BankUnited Center and look forward to putting on a great show for those in attendance and those tuning in on SHOWTIME.”
In addition to Kimbo-Tank, the SHOWTIME telecast will include: Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (9-1), a highly touted Brazilian who lives in Coconut Creek, Fla., and is considered one of the world’s top heavyweights, versus tough contender Ricco Rodriguez (27-7), of Staten Island, N.Y., England’s James “The Colossus” Thompson (16-7) battles unbeaten Brett Rogers (7-0) of St. Paul, Minn., in a heavyweight match, Australian Kyle “The Ozzie” Noke (14-3-1), the bodyguard of the late Steve “Crocodile Hunter’’ Irwin, meets Scott “Hands Of Stone’’ Smith (14-4), of Sacramento, Calif., in a compelling contest at 185 pounds; and Edson “Little Tiger” Berto (14-4-1), of Tampa, Fla., faces Yves Edwards (32-13-1) of Conroe, Tex., in a scrap at 160 pounds.
A non-televised undercard, which will be streamed live at ProElite.com, will include: Rafael Feijao (4-1), of Brazil, vs. John Doyle (6-2), of Allentown, Pa., at 205 pounds; Mike Bernhard (3-0), of Miami, vs. Lorenzo Borgameo (2-0), of Miami, at 170; Eric Bradley (2-1), of Las Vegas, Nev., vs. Mikey Gomez (6-3), of Orlando, Fla., at 170; Mario Rinaldi (6-2), of Miami, vs. Dave Herman (9-0) of Indiana at 265; and Jon Kirk (10-2), of Houston, vs. Yosmany Cabezas (4-0), of Tampa, Fla., at 185 pounds.
Fighter pages (non-televised bouts): Borgameo (http://lorenzoborgame.proelite.com), Bernhard (http://mikebernhard.proelite.com), Bradley (http://ericbradley.proelite.com), Gomez (http://mikeygomez.proelite.com), Rinaldi (http://mariorinaldi.proelite.com), Herman (http://daveherman.proelite.com), Kirk (http://jonkirk.proelite.com), Cabezas (http://yosmanycabezas.proelite.com), Feijao (http://rafaelfeijao.proelite.com), Doyle (http://johndoyle.proelite.com).
In addition to the fights being streamed live, fans can watch pre- and post-fight interviews on ProElite.com. The 10 contests are scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds.
For Kimbo (http://kimboslice.proelite.com), the back-yard brawling street fighter and Internet superstar legend formerly known as Kevin Ferguson, his second MMA start will be a home game.
“I’m looking forward to fighting in Miami, but I just like to fight,” said Kimbo, a natural athlete and star football player in high school. “With these hands I can part the sea. With these hands I feed the family.”
Kimbo grew up bashing the neighborhood bullies in Perrine, Fla., near Miami, which may help explain why he brings the same fervor and edge-of-your-seat anticipation into a cage as Mike Tyson brought to the ring in professional boxing.
Yet, if one can get past the mean, scary, intimidating looks, Kimbo is truly a shy, brutally-honest, funny, marketable man and devout father of six. “I am what I am,” said Kimbo, 33, who was offered an academic scholarship to the University of Miami.
“I’ve learned a lot. There is a time and place for everything.’’
Kimbo, whose YouTube video-taped fights have been downloaded millions of times and made him one of the most popular, widely-recognized figures in the history of the Internet, made a successful transition from Street To Elite by scoring a smashing, electrifying 19-second, first-round knockout over Bo Cantrell in his MMA debut on Nov. 10, 2007, at Corpus Christi, Tex., on SHOWTIME.
Kimbo possesses excellent striking skills. He is a well-conditioned power puncher who comes to war. Yet his ground game is underrated — he just didn’t get the chance to illustrate it during his abbreviated match against Cantrell.
“It’s all good,” said Kimbo, who’s going from the small screen of a computer to the big screen of television for a second time. “But I hope I get a chance to show more of my overall skills in this fight, but you never know. At some point, you’ll see I have a ground game to go along with my standup.’’
A sign of the times, perhaps, Kimbo could be the first superstar athlete to get his start in any professional sport after making a name for himself via the Internet. Outside the cage his career has been on the rise since his memorable EliteXC and SHOWTIME fight, and he is more in demand than ever.
Kimbo was on Jimmy Kimmel Live in early February and ESPN’s “E:60” featured him on a program that aired in December. In an interview during the ESPN segment, Tito Ortiz downplayed Kimbo’s ability, which prompted Shaw to call out Ortiz.
“Any time someone talks either on TV or to a reporter and demeans a fighter or says ‘let’s bring it on,’ I’m willing to do the fight,’’ said Shaw, who’s also one of the leading boxing promoters in the world. “Kimbo would get into the cage with Tito Ortiz any day and would probably knock him out.’’
Ortiz or not, Kimbo is a legitimate force to be reckoned with in ‘08. His goal is to become EliteXC world heavyweight champ. “I have dedicated myself to this and train very hard,’’ he said. “When the time comes to fight for the title, I’ll be ready. You know, though, I feel ready now. I’ll fight anybody.’’
Tank (http://tankabbott.proelite.com) hails from Surf City (Huntington Beach, Calif.), but he is no beach boy. In fact, this rough, tough dude does not ride waves — he makes them. Throughout his career, fans either loved him or detested him because of the reckless way he would attack an opponent or the disdain he would show toward them.
A bad boy with hands that could crush any foe, Tank is a notorious trash-talker that fights with a fury and intensity that has made him an MMA mainstay for many years. No stranger to the big stage or fighting in an opponent’s backyard, the experienced veteran will empty his tank and give it all he’s got.
His nickname tells all: Like a tank, Abbott is designed to engage enemies head-on, using direct two-fisted fire from, in his case, his fists. Be assured a guy that can bench press 600 pounds and competes with a total disregard for his opponents will not respect a fighter with one fight — no matter his reputation.
A true icon of MMA and one of the individuals who helped usher the sport into the mainstream, Abbott does not pull punches – or words – and has long claimed he could put a beating on the massive Slice. Now, a fighter known for being very blunt and telling it like it is will get his opportunity.
“If Kimbo thinks he’s just going to come in and overwhelm me, throw a few punches and knock me out, he is dead wrong,’’ said Tank, who is infamous for his ‘fight anyone anywhere mentality’ and has called out Kimbo numerous times. “People think I’ll be gassed after a few punches and just fall down.
“Everyone is in for a big surprise. This is going to be a fun night for everybody, but especially for me. I’m looking forward to Feb. 16. Once I land – and I will land – you will see what I’m talking about.
Some may say the free swinging Tank possesses more name value than game value these days, but he certainly doesn’t lack confidence. “Watch the YouTube star go down the tubes,’’ the striker supreme said. “I don’t respect anybody in the cage. On Feb. 16, watch the way the Kimbo crumbles.’’
Silva (http://antoniosilva.proelite.com), who has won all nine of his bouts in the opening round, is making his second start since dropping down after competing as a 300-pound super heavyweight.
A rising star, it is Silva’s his first crack at a “name’’ heavyweight and his shot to prove he’s No. 1 in his weight class in EliteXC. In his last outing and first in nine months — a trimmed-down, 265-pound Silva scored an impressive first-round submission (rear naked choke) over hard-trying but outclassed Jonathan Wiezorek (http://jonathanwiezorek.proelite.com) on Nov. 10 at Corpus Christi on SHOWTIME.
Silva possesses excellent striking and grappling skills and moves extremely well for a fighter his size. The six-feet-four-inch Silva has been touted by Shaw as “being the best heavyweight in the world. I know Ricco disagrees, which is why this is going to be a great fight.’’
Offered Silva: “Since dropping to 265 pounds, which I had planned all along, I feel quicker and faster. My best days are ahead of me. I want to continue to stay active. I do not overlook anybody but I would be comfortable fighting any of the biggest-named fighters right now.
“My goal is to prove I’m the No. 1 heavyweight in the world.’’
Rodriguez (http://riccorodriguez.proelite.com) has fought the biggest names in MMA, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, Tim Sylvia, Jeff Monson, Andrei Arlovski, Pete Wilson and Randy Couture.
A recent signee with EliteXC, Rodriguez has struggled with well-documented weight and substance abuse issues, even ending up on VH-1’s “Celebrity Rehab’’.
Rodriguez, however, is now lean, clean and headed in the right direction — in and out of the cage. He has won six of his last seven; the loss came in a good performance in a fight he took on short notice with top IFL heavyweight, Ben Rothwell.
Once considered one of the world’s most talented and dangerous heavyweights, Silva is looking to re-establish himself in the division. For sure, he will not be intimidated by Silva.
“Silva is a phenomenal opponent,’’ said Rodriguez, who’s coming off a TKO over Kevin Filal on Dec. 9, 2007. “He’s huge and fast with great speed and agility. I haven’t fought a guy his size but I’ve been training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas where the guys are serious and the tempo and energy level is always high. So it doesn’t matter who I fight as long as I’m in my best physical shape, which I will be.
“Like me, who once fought at 330 pounds, Silva is coming down from super heavyweight. What EliteXC is doing by basically bringing the best fighters together is a great thing for the fans and sport and I’m happy to be part of it. I definitely feel healthier. I feel 265 will be a great weight for me to fight at.
“It is more than just a fight for me. It’s an opportunity to show the fans, myself and the company I’m not on the downside and can contend with the best. A win gets me back on top and into the spotlight. This is going to be my best fight; maybe the fight of the night. Someone is going to lie down.’’
Smith (http://scottmith.proelite.com) has won all 14 of his fights by knockout or technical knockout, including 12 first-round stoppages. He will be making his first start since signing with EliteXC.
A “freestyle” fighter and one of the most dangerous strikers in the business, Smith is remembered most for his dramatic comeback victory over Pete “Drago” Sell in perhaps the most totally unexpected, shocking ending to a fight in MMA history.
“This is obviously a great opportunity for me and I am grateful to EliteXC for giving it to me,’’ said Smith, who rallied from the brink of defeat to register a remarkable second-round knockout over Sell on Nov. 11, 2006. “I am really looking forward to fighting for EliteXC.’’
Smith is a KO artist who comes out throwing bombs with an abandon that has made him a fan favorite. Aptly nicknamed “Hands Of Steel’’ — he’s a union field foreman in his family’s steel business — his record includes 12 victories inside the distance. But he also shows a strong wrestling background and possesses terrific cardio. His two other triumphs were by submission
“The fans know I come to war, that I am a fighter,’’ Smith said. “I think they love that I engage and I keep punching until I knock you out. They can read that when they watch me in the cage.’’
A former WEC light heavy and Gladiator Challenge heavyweight champ, Smith has fought some of the biggest names in MMA, including Dave Terrell, Patrick Cote, James Irvin and Jaime Jara. In his last start, Smith scored a 22-second, first-round TKO over Jeff Morris Dec. 22, 2007, at Sacramento.
Noke (http://kyle-noke.proelite.com), who turned pro in 2002, is 6-1-1 in his last eight outings and undefeated (3-0-1) in his last four.
The lone loss came on a split decision to Shooto fighter & BJJ Black belt George Sotiropoulos on Feb. 25, 2006, in a rematch of a fight Noke had won in 2005 on a night in which Noke fought for more than 45 minutes to win an eight-man tournament.
A Integrated Martial Arts fighter turned some heads when he recorded an exciting knockout (cuts) at 4:22 of the second round over highly regarded Seth Kleinbeck (http://sethkleinbeck.proelite.com) on the EliteXC Nov. 10 event at Corpus Christi.
“I want to show the rest of the world that Australia has some good fighters and I guess I did that,’’ said the popular Noke, who was born in Queensland, but fights now out of Albuquerque, N.M.. “That was a very good win for me, but a very hard fight. This fight is going to be hard, too. They all are.”
Since the exciting triumph, the Aussie has received attention as a pound for pound contender. But if he upends Smith, which could be his sternest challenge to date, he will truly have made his mark not only on the EliteXC middleweight division but on the worldwide MMA map.
Berto (http://edsonberto.proelite.com) has won two in a row since an eight-fight unbeaten streak (7-0-1) ended in shocking fashion when he lost by third-round knockout to Noons on July 26, 2007, on ShoXC: The Elite Challenger Series on SHOWTIME at Santa Ynez, Calif.
A true mixed martial artist, Berto is an athletic, accomplished fighter who possesses a strong ground game and excellent standup. He is extremely dangerous when he connects with a head kick and is notorious for tapping guys with his heel hook.
But it wasn’t his night against Noons, who went on to upset Nick Diaz to become the EliteXC world lightweight champion.
.“I am a much better fighter than I showed against Noons,’’ said Berto, whose father, Dieuseul, owns and operates a mixed martial arts gym in Winter Haven, Fla. called Tigersworld. “I was really dehydrated and very fatigued. It just didn’t allow me to be myself out there.”
In his last outing, Edson, the brother of top boxing contender Andre Berto, recorded a three-round decision over IFL veteran Josh Odom on Nov. 10, 2007. “The fans will see the real me on Feb. 16,’’ said Berto, who is nicknamed ‘”Little Tiger” for his ferocious fighting style. “This is going to be a great fight.’’
Edwards (http://yvesedwards.proelite.com) is one of the toughest fighters in combat sports. An excellent striker who is dangerous in the clinch and well versed on the ground, The American Top Team member is equally capable of knocking out or submitting an opponent with his “Thugjitsu’’ fighting style.
A winner of two in a row, a native of the Bahamas has faced a Who’s Who of fighters, including Caol Uno, Matt Serra, Rich Clementi, Josh Thompson and Hermes Franca. His KO of Thompson, via a spectacular head-kick, is regarded as one of the greatest knockouts due to a kick in MMA history.
Edwards snapped a career-high three-fight losing streak by submitting Nick Gonzalez (rear naked choke) at 3:05 of the first round on Nov. 10, 2007, on SHOWTIME at Corpus Christi.
In his most recent outing, Edwards scored a knockdown en route to a second-round submission over Alonzo Martinez on Dec. 15, 2007. The 11-year MMA veteran dropped Martinez with a left hand, which helped set up a rear naked choke that forced Martinez to tap out at 3:04.
It was Edwards’ first fight since the death of Sammy Vasquez two weeks earlier. “To everybody, it was a death in MMA, but to me, it was a friend who died,’’ said Edwards, who helped train Vasquez. “He was the kind of guy who worked a lot of hours during the day and made his training time before and after work. He’d come in and help me get ready when other people couldn’t. I think about Sammy a lot.’’
Until winning his last pair, Edwards had fallen on tough times, which was a drastic departure for a fighter accustomed to winning and stringing together six and seven victories at a time.
“I am very happy to be with EliteXC and I appreciate the opportunity they are giving me,’’ said Edwards, who’s one of the most celebrated fighters to come out of Texas. “They believe in me. I believe in myself. But I know I can’t afford to screw up and lose any more fights.’’
Thompson (http://jamesthompson.proelite.com) is aptly nicknamed. At six-foot-five and weighing close to 290 pounds, “Colossus’’ is just that – huge. A former Pride and Cage Rage fighter, he lives in England but recently joined Couture and his stable of strong wrestlers at Xtreme Couture.
“It was a hard decision to leave my old team (Trojan Free Fighters) and switch to Xtreme Couture, but to prepare myself for the top EliteXC fighters like Kimbo and ‘Big Foot’ Silva, I knew it had to be made,’’ said Thompson, who will be making his EliteXC, United States and SHOWTIME debut.
“Already one of the biggest differences is I used to fight anywhere between 265 and 290 pounds. Now I’ll fight at 254 pounds, so my stamina has gotten much better. Signing with EliteXC and fighting in the states on SHOWTIME is a great chance for me to make new fans and I’m looking forward to it.
“I have the best fans in the world and I don’t make life easy for them, as I have more ups and downs than a rollercoaster, but I truly appreciate their support. I feel ready and excited for 2008.
“I have a new team, a new organization to fight for and a new goal: to make ‘08 the year of ‘The Colossus.’ ”
Thompson, who’s fought all over the world, has fought some of the best in his division. One of his best victories came on a unanimous five-round decision over San Severn Sept. 12, 2004. Another top win came versus Japanese judo legend Hidehiko Yoshida on New Year’s Eve 2006.
“This fight on Feb. 16 is a big one for me,’’ Thompson said. “I am coming off a bad performance in my last fight and nobody wants to be on the wrong end of a loss like that. Since then I have had four different fights cancel so I have been waiting a long time to fight again.
“Now I get the opportunity to fight in EliteXC and have my first fight in the states. It is really exciting for me and basically a fresh start for my career. I can’t wait for the day to get here.’’
Rogers (http://brettrogers.proelite.com) will be making his second appearance for EliteXC. In his debut and last outing, he registered a 1:43, first-round submission (strikes) over Ralph Kelly on Nov. 10 at Corpus Christi, Tex.
A big guy with heavy hands, Rogers is making his initial appearance on SHOWTIME.
SHOWTIME announcer Mauro Ranallo will handle play-by-play for EliteXC with world wrestling star Bill Goldberg and The Fight Professor Stephen Quadros, serving as color analysts. The executive producer is David Dinkins, Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.
For more information on EliteXC and other MMA-related stories, including bios, video-on-demand, photos, stats, Fantasy Fight Game TM and more, please visit ProElite.com and EliteXC.com. For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video, photo galleries and complete telecast information, please visit http://www.SHO.com/Sports.
About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite Inc. [PELE.PK] delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment via the Internet. ProElite embraces MMA with the highest levels of honor, integrity, discipline and self-esteem all the while remaining inclusive for fighters, fans and schools. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. ProElite’s interactive business, ProElite.com, capitalizes on the growing popularity of the sport of mixed martial arts by building a community of MMA enthusiasts. In addition to streaming the most exciting live fights to the web, ProElite expands the fan base of the sport by providing a comprehensive set of online social networking tools for fans, fighters and organizations. ProElite.com – Empowering the Fight Community TM
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI is also an owner and manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL®, a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and SNI. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
BARONI SIGNS ELITEXC CONTRACT
Posted on | February 10, 2008 | No Comments
TOUGH-TALKING, CROWD-PLEASING PHIL BARONI
SIGNS MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT WITH ELITEXC
LOS ANGELES (Feb. 9, 2008) – One of the toughest-talking, hardest-fighting, most colorful competitors in Mixed Martial Arts, Phil “The New York Bad Ass’’ Baroni, has signed a multi-year contract with Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s Live Fight Division, EliteXC.
“You know any Jersey boy like me likes a ‘New York Bad Ass’ and Phil’s definitely as bad as they come,’’ said EliteXC Live Events President, Gary Shaw, who made the announcement Saturday. “Phil is a promoter’s dream. He’s a character but also as courageous a fighter as I’ve been around.
“But what I truly love about him is he always comes not only to fight but to win and put on a show. He’s a crowd-pleaser extraordinaire. This is a great addition to the EliteXC family and we are thrilled to sign him. Fans can expect to see Phil back in the cage and fighting his heart out very soon.’’
Baroni’s next fight is March 15 on the EliteXC Hawaii-based Icon Sport promotion. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“This is a great deal and opportunity. I appreciate EliteXC sticking with me and believing in me enough to sign me,’’ said Baroni (http://philbaroni.proelite.com), whose last fight came against Frank Shamrock (http://frankshamrock.proelite.com) on June 22, 2007.
A native of Long Island, N.Y., Baroni didn’t win an incredibly exciting slugfest that lived up to its hype and anticipation, but he showed as much grit and determination as anyone could expect.
“I’m looking forward to returning to the cage and kicking (butt),’’ said Baroni, whose EliteXC contract will allow him to continue to perform for Strikeforce. “Everybody knows I got hurt early and couldn’t do everything I wanted to do against Shamrock. But I’m 100 percent now, ready for anybody. I pity the guy I fight next, or the one after that. Trust me, everybody is going to pay from here on out.’’
For more information on EliteXC and other MMA-related stories, including bios, video-on-demand, photos, stats, Fantasy Fight Game TM and more, please visit ProElite.com and EliteXC.com.
ProElite, Inc.
ProElite Inc. [PELE.PK] delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment via the Internet. ProElite embraces MMA with the highest levels of honor, integrity, discipline and self-esteem all the while remaining inclusive for fighters, fans and schools. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. ProElite’s interactive business, ProElite.com, capitalizes on the growing popularity of the sport of mixed martial arts by building a community of MMA enthusiasts. In addition to streaming the most exciting live fights to the web, ProElite expands the fan base of the sport by providing a comprehensive set of online social networking tools for fans, fighters and organizations. ProElite.com – Empowering the Fight Community TM
DeVictoria pounds out a unanimous decision over Moon at The Legendary Blue Horizon
Posted on | February 10, 2008 | No Comments
Philadelphia (February 8th, 2008)—Jr. Welterweight Lenny DeVictoria scored an eight round unanimous decision over the gritty Derrick Moon to headline an exciting five bout card at The Legendary Blue Horizon on Friday night.
It was the second straight back and forth wall that the Philadelphian has engaged in as he was coming off his classic sixth round knockout over Elad Shmouel last December 7th in the same venue.
Both Moon and DeVictoria traded hard punches in close throughout the affair. Every time it seemed that DeVictoria would have Moon in trouble, Moon would show tremendous heart and determination to kind some vicious body shots off his own.
DeVictoria was just a bit more active and more effective as he won by scores of 78-73, 77-75 and 76-74 to climb above the .500 mark at 11-10. Moon showed why his record is deceiving but the Fort Worth, Texas native is now 12-16-1.
Blue Horizon fan favorites Gee Culmer and Ran Naksah scored victories as Culmer pounded out a tough unanimous decision over John Michael Terry in a six round Super Middleweight bout and Nakash scored a vicious third round stoppage over Ray Ruiz in a cruiserweight tussle.
POST FIGHT QUOTES
Lenny DeVictoria- “The Kid was tough”
“I was landing shots to the body and I thought I hurt him but the kid was relentless”
“That’s my type of fight. I’m not a boxer. I like to brawl”
“I give the crowd what they want”
Derrick Moon- “I defiantly would not fight a rematch here”
Gee Cullmer- “He’s a good fighter because I knew he fought one of my stalemates Jamal Davis.”
“He gave it his all but you can’t win a fight by fighting only half a round.”
“He pushed me and I had Bronchitis a week before the fight.”
FULL REUSLTS
Lenny DeVictoria (11-10) 137 1/2 lbs, Philadelphia UD over Derrick Moon (12-16-1) 136 lbs, Fort Worth, Texas in a 8 round Jr. Welterweight bout…scores ere 78-73, 77-75, 76-74
Gee Culmer (13-1), 167 ½ lbs, Philadelphia UD over John Michael Terry (2-8-3), Portsmouth, Virginia in a 6 round Supper Middleweight bout…scores were 58-56 on all card
Ran Nakash (11-0, 7 KO’s), 203 ½ lbs of Haifa, Israel TKO 2 (2:30) over Ray Ruiz (6-9-3), 194 lbs of Passaic, New Jersey in a 6 round Cruiserweight bout
Ahmad Samir (1-0), 194 lbs of Egypt UD over Kamarah Pasley (0-2). 199 ½ lbs Philadelphia in a 4 round Cruiserweight bout…scores were 40-36, 40-36 and 49-47
Julias Edmonds (1-0), 140 ¾ of Philadelphia UD over Shavris Buie (0-3), 140 lbs of New York in a 4 round Jr. Welterweight bout…scores were 40-36, 39-37 and 39-37.
Olson takes on Olaf in biggest test of his young career
Posted on | February 8, 2008 | No Comments
LEMOORE, Ca. — On Friday, Feb. 29th Fresno’s Casey Olson will attempt to take a huge step in his mixed martial arts career.
Olson (6-1) is scheduled for a 3-round bout against Ensenada, Mexico’s Olaf Alfonso (5-8), who is one of MMA’s stranger characters.
The bout will be apart of the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino’s explosive night of World Championship Boxing, as Showtime comes to Lemoore for Shobox.
In the main event, reigning IBF Featherweight Champion Robert Guerrero (21-4) takes on Jason Litzau (23-1). Also in the co-main, heavyweight Travis Walker (26-1) will take on T.J. Wilson (12-1).
Olson has won twice in the Palace Fighting Championship, most recently defeating Anaheim’s Scott Brommage by technical knockout at PFC 6 in Jan.
Meanwhile, Alfonso is trying to put a halt to a 6-fight losing streak. Alfonso has been in the cage/ring with some of the best in the business and fought around the world. He is still considered a formidable opponent.
Alfonso’s most recent loss was at PFC 4 in Oct. when he lost to Hesperia’s Thomas Denny (25-16) by unanimous decision.
The bout will be fought under PFC rules — with three, 3-minute rounds.
“I can’t imagine a more compelling fight at this time. Casey Olson is a guy who has unlimited potential, obviously a tremendous wrestling background. His career had stalled somewhat due to medical reasons, but he has gotten through that and has looked great since he’s been back,” said PFC President Christian Printup, who also promotes boxing for the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino.
“Olaf as we all know is a dynamic, energetic and an aggressive fighter. He has that never say die attitude that makes great fights. You look at Olaf and who he has fought; he’s fought Denny, [Alex] Karalexis, [John] Polakowski. He’s fought [Gilbert] Melendez, [Gabe] Ruediger, [Hayato] Sakurai and Razor Rob [McCullough]. The list goes on and on. For Casey this is his chance to step up and show all of his tools and really solidify himself as someone to look out for.”
The bout will be sponsored by the PFC and the second time an MMA bout has been apart of a boxing show at the Palace. Lemoore’s Poppies Martinez (14-4) defeated Taft’s Billy Terry (2-6) by submission in Dec. at the Palace.
Olson, who is known in the MMA circuit, as “The Underdog” will relish in that role against Alfonso.
“Olaf is a veteran and been around a long time. He’s fought a lot of top quality fighters. I remember watching him before I even started fighting. And he’s a goer; he is ready to take the fight in any direction. And he’s dangerous with his hands,” Olson said. “This is definitely the biggest challenge to date. He has fought everywhere, very experienced and knows what it takes to win. He’s well known and an exciting fighter, its the next level for me.”
The lightweight bout will cap a night of boxing and will move one fighter one step closer to a PFC World Title shot.
“Is fighter ‘A’ ready for fighter ‘B’? That’s a great question. That question gets posed all the time. The true answer is you never really know until the bell sounds. In regards to Casey vs. Olaf, they both possess the ability to win this fight,” Printup said. “It’s a tough fight to call, a great match up and I think this fight will come down to two big factors. The first is conditioning, who can go 150 miles per hour for the full three rounds.
Secondly and most importantly, who can impose their will and game plan on the other. I think both guys will have different objectives and strategies and it’ll be a battle of wills for sure to see who can dictate the tempo and style of this fight.”
There’s been no doubt in Alfonso’s fights that he likes to push the action and doesn’t seem to ever run out of gas.
“A fight is a fight. Anything, I mean anything can happen. All I can say is that this is one of the most intriguing and anticipated MMA bouts ever in the Valley and to be able to feature it on a night when we also host Showtime and an IBF Featherweight Championship boxing match. It’s great and another step towards helping traditional boxing fans learn and thereby appreciate MMA.”
Alfonso, like he does for most of his fights, is in seclusion and could not be reached for comment.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at tickets.com or at the Tachi Palace gift shop starting at $40.
For more breaking PFC news log on to www.palacefightingchampionship.com
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