Strikeforce At The Dome
Posted on | January 22, 2008 | 1 Comment
Sapp Returns, Smith Battles Roufus
TACOMA, WA.—Former University of Washington football star and NFL lineman turned martial arts fighting sensation, Bob “The Beast” Sapp (8-2-1), will make his highly-anticipated return to the fight world when he headlines Strikeforce’s debut mixed martial arts event at Tacoma Dome on Saturday, February 23rd.
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion and K-1 North America king, Maurice “Big Mo” Smith (73-20-4), will battle fellow legend and six-time world kickboxing champion, Rick “The Jet” Roufus (57-7), in a heavyweight contest during “Strikeforce At The Dome,” which will be presented by BodogFIGHT. Sapp’s opponent will be named shortly.
Tickets for “Strikeforce At The Dome,” priced at $150, $75 and $35, go on sale at all Ticketmaster locations (253-627-TIXS), the Tacoma Dome box office (253-593-7657), and Ticketmaster.com on Saturday at
10 AM PST. At 6 feet 4 inches tall and 375 lbs, the 33-year-old Sapp, a native of Colorado Springs , Colorado , is nothing short of a monstrous specimen of man. Following his college football career as an offensive lineman for the University of Washington, where he won the Morris Award, Sapp went on to play for three different NFL teams over the course of four years.
In 2002 and 2003, Sapp was recruited by Japanese martial arts fight federations, Pride Fighting Championship and K-1, respectively. His astonishing size and strength, which he has used to defeat some of the most seasoned martial arts combatants, including five-time K-1 World Champion, “Mr. Perfect” Ernesto Hoost, helped catapult Sapp to the forefront of pop culture in Japan and earned him starring roles in over 200 television commercials there as well as dozens of endorsement deals for a wide array of Japanese consumer products ranging from bento boxes to ice cream.
It wasn’t long before the American media caught wind of Sapp’s story and plastered it everywhere from the cover of The Wall Street Journal to the pages of ESPN magazine and The Seattle Times. Prior to his K-1 fighting debut in The United States, which saw him stop mixed martial arts legend Kimo Leopoldo at Las Vegas’s Bellagio on August 15, 2003, Sapp was a guest on Jay Leno’s “The Tonight Show.”
More recently, Sapp has been courted by the world of Hollywood. In 2005, he made two appearances on the silver screen – the first as a villain in the comic book adaptation of Elektra, which starred Jennifer Garner, and, the second, playing a supporting role in the Adam Sandler re-make of Burt Reynolds’s football comedy, The Longest Yard.
One of the original pioneers of mixed martial arts, Smith was crowned UFC heavyweight champion on July 27, 1997 after he took a judges’ decision from fellow legend, Mark “The Hammer” Coleman. Three months later, he defended his title by stopping David “Tank” Abbott.
A former world kickboxing champion, Smith is, in large part, responsible for bringing back the relevance of striking to the sport after the Gracie family had set off a revolution in the martial arts world by dominating competition in the early ‘90’s with their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ground fighting techniques.
His superior kicking and punching skills led Smith to the K-1 North America tournament championship at Las Vegas ’s Mirage on May 5, 2001 . Smith defeated three consecutive opponents in one night of action to conquer martial arts fighting’s most coveted tournament.
Three years before Smith was crowned K-1 champion, it was Roufus who stood in the winner’s circle in Las Vegas after a trying night of tournament action. During his career, the Milwaukee , Wisconsin native has defeated nearly every major rival including Michael “The Black Sniper” McDonald and Stan “The Man” Longinidis.
While maintaining his standing at the top of kickboxing’s heavyweight division, Roufus has also explored the world of professional boxing. After losing a judges’ decision in his debut, “The Jet” turned his fortunes around and reeled off 11 victories in his next 12 appearances. On August 10, 1996, Roufus was crowned World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas Cruiserweight Champion after stopping Sean McClain in the fourth round of their meeting in Las Vegas.
“Strikeforce At The Dome” will feature 10 world-class, professional mixed martial arts bouts. Doors at Tacoma Dome will open at 7 PM PST and the first fight will begin at 8 PM PST . The event is being promoted by Strikeforce in conjunction with Brian Halquist Productions.
About The Tacoma Dome:
The Tacoma Dome is one of the largest wood domed structures in the world. It is owned and operated by the City of Tacoma ’s Public Assembly Facilities Department. The Tacoma Dome hosts over one million guests annually. The Tacoma Dome Arena and its attached Exhibition Hall host over 300 days of events every year including WIAA high school sports, major concerts, family shows, and several tradeshows.
About Strikeforce:
Strikeforce is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006 , made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose ’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, Strikeforce has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” Since then, it has produced the first SHOWTIME PPV mixed martial arts event in history with its world championship “Shamrock vs. Baroni” card on June 22nd of this year followed by the first-ever mixed martial arts event at the world-famous Playboy Mansion on September 29th.
About Brian Halquist Productions:
Brian Halquist Productions is the Northwest premiere fight promotion company creator of the famed “Battle at the Boat” boxing series now in its 12th year and nearly 100 fights at the Emerald Queen Casino. In the past year Brian Halquist Promotions has promoted events for ESPN, ShowTime and HBO and was recently featured on Showtime’s historic boxing event in St Lucia. BHP fighters included Undefeated David Torres, Undefeated Heavyweight Eric Fields and Native American Prospect Roger Cantrell. Brian Halquist Productions has been promoting fights and concerts for over 20 years in the Pacific Northwest.
Ticket info:
Tacoma Dome Box Office: (253) 593-7657
Ticketmaster: (253) 627-8497 (Tacoma) (206) 628-0888 (Seattle)
Ticketmaster.com
WORLD BOXING COUNCIL NEWS
Posted on | January 22, 2008 | No Comments
January 21, 2008 – Mexico City .
From WBC President Jose Sulaiman:
“The World Boxing Council declares a day of world mourning for the passing away of two outstanding members of the Italian boxing community: the great former two-time super lightweight world champion Duilio Loi, and the former President of the Italian Boxing Federation, Ermanno Marchiaro.
“Duilio Loi was 78 years old. He ended his boxing career with a record of 115-3-8 and was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005.
“Ermanno Marchiaro was a great boxing commissioner. He was elected president of the FPI in 1981 and served in that position until 2001. He was my friend, as well.
“The WBC would like to extend to the Loi and Marchiaro families our most sincere condolences and prayers that they rest in everlasting peace.”
From the International Boxing Hall of Fame webpage: Born in Trieste , Italy on April 19, 1929, Loi is one of the most popular fighters Italy has ever produced. He turned pro in 1948 and would only taste defeat three times in a 14-year career. He captured the Italian lightweight title in 1951. He lost for the first time in 1952 when Jorgen Johansen won a 15-round bout for the European (EBU) lightweight belt. Loi regained the title with a 15-round points win in the rematch. The classy Italian would defend the European crown eight times over the next four years. Unable to secure a world lightweight title go, Loi moved up to welterweight to win the EBU title in 1959. In 1960, Loi engaged in the first of three bouts with Carlos Ortiz for the recently resurrected world junior welterweight championship. Ortiz won a hard-fought decision in the first bout on June 15, 1960 in San Francisco . Loi turned the tables in the September rematch before 65,000 fans in Milan when he took the title back. Loi successfully defended against Ortiz in the rubber match, again held in Milan . Loi also boxed a trilogy with the crafty Eddie Perkins. Their first bout, held in Milan with Loi’s title on the line, ended in a draw. Loi next lost and regained the junior welterweight title in bouts with Perkins in 1962. After regaining the title Loi, who is regarded as a fine all-around boxer with a tremendous left hand, announced his retirement on January 23, 1963 with a 115-3-8 (26 KOs) record.
REALITY FIGHTING: ANNIHILATION
Posted on | January 21, 2008 | No Comments
PLYMOUTH, MA FIGHT CARD PROVIDES CROWD-THRILLING ACTION
By: Rich Bergeron
Reality Fighting brought another spectacular show to a packed Memorial Hall in Plymouth, MA on Saturday, January 19th. Twelve phenomenal fights went down in the octagon ring, with some really quick finishes and a few marathon bouts that went the distance. For the second time in a row at Memorial Hall, the first fight of the night provided a stunning finish.
Disc Jockey Jay Witter faced Mark Greenwood in his professional debut, and despite a rough start he was able to claim bragging rights and sip from a celebratory beer when the bout was over. Greenwood was the better technical fighter in the first round. Witter came out slugging wildly and couldn’t connect with much early. Greenwood secured a quick headlock and released it moments later. He followed up with a knee to the chest and initiated a tight grappling war that ended with Witter being slammed to the ground. Once there, Witter guarded very well and only suffered some rib shots before the ref stood both fighters up. Witter went on the attack, missing a few head shots before going right to the body of Greenwood. The round ended with both fighters exhausted and Greenwood in obvious pain.
Witter’s second round performance was much better. He landed some early hooks and knees, with one knee connecting with Greenwood’s midsection and prompting a five-minute break in the action. Before Greenwood could even get warmed up again, Witter connected with a solid right hook that dropped Greenwood instantly. He lay motionless for a long time while the ringside doctor and EMTs tended to him. He finally had to be carried out on a stretcher, though he was conscious and talking by that point.
Middleweights Billy Flynn and Jay Fortier fought next, with Fortier trying to catch Flynn by surprise with a spinning kick in the opening seconds. The kick missed by a wide margin, but Fortier’s follow up right hand landed flush. Fortier tried another kick only to watch as Flynn caught his foot and tossed him backward. Fortier flipped out of a would-be takedown and managed to get his own takedown moments later. His advantage was fleeting, though, and both fighters ended up back on their feet. Once there, something came over both fighters. They stood toe to toe and slugged it out like madmen, trading wild head shots and following each other around the whole ring. The crowd roared with excitement as Flynn took hit after hit only to keep charging as if fueled more by each punch that landed. Flynn bulled forward and connected with a picture-perfect combination of blows that dropped Fortier to the canvas where a few more solid punches to the head forced the referee to tackle Flynn to stop the contest. Flynn seemed intent on hitting Fortier a few more times, but the referee finally managed to pull him off.
Tony Williams and Kyle Smith came into the ring next, and if the previous fight didn’t end early enough, they somehow managed to finish their own fight much quicker. Some early slugging came to an instant crescendo when Smith connected with a spectacular left hook. Williams folded and slumped to the canvas as the ref rushed in for yet another tackle. Smith waded in to do more damage only to be pulled off his opponent while Williams tried to recover and tripped trying to stand up.
Fans were finally treated to a fight that went deep into the third round next when “Wild” Bill Jones went up against Matt “The Mangler” Bessette. True to his nickname, Jones began by trying to land some wild head shots. He almost wound up on his back in the process, but he managed to turn things around and take Bessette down himself. Bessette tried to work in a triangle choke, but Jones didn’t let him have it. Jones did eventually give up his arm, but Bessette couldn’t complete the arm bar no matter how hard he tried. He escaped back to his feet where both fighters tried to kick each other at the same time. A moment later Bessette landed a leg kick, and then Jones followed up with a kick to the stomach. Jones connected with a knee before taking Bessette down yet again. Bessette went back to his bread and butter arm bar, but again he couldn’t finish it. Jones muscled out by picking Bessette up and slamming him a couple times before the round came to a close.
Both fighters traded some head shots early in the second round only to end up right back on the ground again where Bessette went back to his arm bar once more. Despite sinking it deeper this time, Jones got out of it and back to his feet again. Jones was the early aggressor in round three, but Bessette came right back with head shots of his own, landing a few solid ones. Jones faltered during a trip attempt and got pounded when he tried to push Bessette backward. Jones landed a 1-2 and a quick knee before the fighters tumbled to the canvas again. Bessette went for a rear-naked choke, but he was a bit too eager and didn’t wait until he was completely behind Jones. His opponent simply turned out of the hold and wound up in the top position. Bessette went for his trademark move once again only to have Jones rip his arm out just moments before the bell. The decision went to Jones.
A back-and-forth battle between Jon Bermudez and Fernando Perez came next. Perez tried to unleash some early fireworks with a big shot to the head of Bermudez that gave the ref Déjà vu from the second fight. Bermudez weathered the blow and didn’t wither one bit, but the ref pulled Perez back for a moment and looked at Bermudez as if in shock. Instead of a stoppage it was more of an extended break. Perez took Bermudez down the hard way with some grappling only to let him back up. Bermudez took a kick to the stomach before trying for a takedown and getting stuffed. Perez nearly slipped in a rear naked choke, but Bermudez was too slippery.
Perez began the second round with a takedown, but Bermudez worked for a triangle choke and reversed position eventually. He rained down a couple bombs from the top and managed to connect with a few hooks in a final flurry of punches before the bell.
Bermudez kept up the momentum in the third round after some early exchanges of punches and leg kicks. Perez failed to trip his opponent and paid for it. Bermudez unleashed a barrage of wild hooks that gave the ref every reason to stop the fight for real, and the KO for Bermudez secured him the comeback performance of the night.
Tim Pinney had to pull of some of his own magic against Chaz Ackles in the next fight. Ackles took advantage of his strength early on and wailed on Pinney with some big head shots. Pinney landed a leg kick and tumbled to the ground with Ackles on top and dropping a succession of relentless rib shots on Pinney. Both fighters then struggled to grab each other’s heel, but it would be Pinney who would secure the best hold. Ackles yelped in pain as Pinney twisted his heel enough to do damage. Ackles tapped out and wound up wincing with every step as he walked out of the ring.
The Flyweight Title was on the line in the next fight as Tom Giove took on 41-year-old Shawn Pacheco. Giove couldn’t muster much against his older foe. He could only land a few uppercuts and hooks to the body before the chiseled Pacheco took him to the mat after pummeling him with a leg kick, a 1-2 combo, uppercuts, a right hook, and a knee or two for good measure. Pacheco worked an arm triangle once he had Giove on the ground, and when that didn’t work he worked in the rear naked choke to finish the fight early. Giove had no other option but to tap out.
Corey Peterson and Anthony Leate put on the night’s best fight with the Lightweight title belt up for grabs. Peterson waded in early with leg kicks while Leate connected with a 1-2. Peterson responded in kind before Leate landed an uppercut and secured a takedown. Peterson threw some shots from the bottom before being let up by Leate. Between Guillotine attempts by Leate, both fighters traded some excellent shots right up to the bell.
Peterson managed an early takedown in round two. Leate reversed positions and made it back to his feet. Letting his hands fly, Leate connected with some well-placed shots before going for another Guillotine. Peterson wound up with top position and grappled with Leate until the close of the round. A welt under Peterson’s eye betrayed his poor performance earlier in the round, and both men looked completely exhausted going into the third.
The third started with another toe-to-toe battle with both men throwing bombs at each other to start the round. Peterson’s strength was gone, though. His punches didn’t have anywhere near the power that Leate’s still had. Leate finally managed to take Peterson down with the Guillotine. Soon both were back on their feet again, though. Peterson opened a cut on Leate’s eye and brought him back down to the ground where he secured an arm bar. Leate escaped and started throwing 1-2s while Peterson responded with uppercuts and a 1-2 combo of his own, but there was just no power left in Peterson’s punches. He managed a few weak hooks before Leate took him down and rained down the final flurry of hooks to end the bout by KO. Promoter Kipp Kollar, thrilled with the performance, called the battle “one of the best MMA fights in Massachusetts history.”
Rigo Dominicci and Rob McNeil fought a rematch next for the “Last Man Standing” Title. McNeil bested Dominicci the last time out with a last-second slam in the third round that sealed the deal.
This time both fighters came out with pawing shots until McNeil took Dominicci down with a trip. McNeil connected with a couple shots and worked his way into a rear-naked choke hold. Dominicci kept his chin tucked tight and didn’t allow McNeil to finish the submission. McNeil let his opponent slip out and wriggled his way into top position. Eventually Dominicci escaped back to his feet. He missed with a head kick and then landed two leg kicks before the round ended.
Dominicci was much more active in the second round. Both fighters traded early knees, and then Dominicci went on the offensive. He landed an uppercut, a head kick, and a leg kick. McNeil seemed to be waiting for the perfect moment, but instead of his approach giving way to an opening to land his best shot, Dominicci took advantage of the lull in the action. He rushed in with a running tackle and bulldozed McNeil into one of the corner pads. He landed a left hook before McNeil squirmed out and got back to his feet. McNeil landed a looping left hand and a leg kick before unloading some wild flurries to end the round.
Both fighters were more tentative this time out in the final round, knowing one mistake could turn the tide. McNeil began with a sloppy flurry without landing much. Dominicci connected with an uppercut, a knee, and a right hand before both fighters kicked each other in the ankle. Dominicci missed a head kick, and McNeil bulled in with a roundhouse left. He missed a takedown attempt and connected with a roundhouse right, and Dominicci weathered the final frame without taking much damage and managing to stay busier than his opponent. He took the decision this time and reclaimed the belt.
Light Heavyweights Cody Marandola and Greg Rebello came next and fought a close contest with little fireworks. Rebello connected early with a well-placed left hook that might have dropped any other opponent. Marandola weathered one more left hook before getting in a few of his own. He worked some inside knees and uppercuts to the ribs as the match became a grappling contest. Both fighters traded some more knees before Rebello slammed Marandola to the ground and maintained the top position for the rest of the round. Neither fighter was able to score any major blows from the ground.
Marandola picked up the first takedown in round two, and he managed to fire off a few head and rib shots before inactivity led to the ref putting them both back on their feet. Recognizing he was losing his momentum, Rebello went for an immediate takedown and fell into a Guillotine hold. He popped out of the hold only to heave Marandola end up on top again. Rebello pulled off his own reversal and maintained top position up to the bell once again. Marandola did connect with some shots from the bottom, but Rebello finished the round with some great hammer fists finding their target.
Rebello picked up the first takedown in a lackluster round three where it became clear that the last takedown might win it. He landed a few shots from the top while Marandola snuck in his own bottom punches. The ref stood both fighters up again, and Rebello landed another solid left before getting taken down by Marandola. Not waiting for them to roll around again until the bell, the referee wisely stood both fighters up with less than thirty seconds to go. Marandola landed a knee, but Rebello knew it would take more than that to win. He made it official with a final takedown with just ten seconds left on the clock. Marandola seemed upset with the final verdict and asked Rebello for a rematch in April. Rebello didn’t make any promises, but he did give Marandola props for being a great fighter who’s used to fighting at a much higher weight.
Fan favorite Eric Foley defended the Heavyweight Title in the final fight of the night against Jason Dolloff. Foley completely dominated each round, embarrassing Dolloff right off the bat by taking him down and unleashing punches to the head and stomach. Dolloff couldn’t manage any defense in any round of the fight, spending most of the match covering up. Only his big heart kept him going into the third round. Foley finally managed to lay the punishment on thick enough for Dolloff to tap out.
Despite one unruly hooligan in the crowd having to be escorted out by four Plymouth police officers, the night was a tremendous success. Fans were treated to some intense action, and the fighters put out their best efforts in front of a capacity crowd. Reality Fighting will be back in Plymouth on Saturday, April 12 for NIGHTMARE. Fans should purchase tickets as early as they can, because the venue sells out regularly. Go to www.realityfighting.tv to find out more.
Check out THE FULL RESULTS
Tags: fighting > Massachusetts > Mixed Martial Arts > Plymouth Memorial Hall > Reality Fighting > Reality Fighting Annihilation > realityfighting.tv
GOLDEN BOY AND 8-COUNT PRESENT THE MONTH OF KINGS
Posted on | January 21, 2008 | No Comments
Undefeated Chicago based welterweight prospect Ivan Popoca returns to the ring this Friday night, January 25th as he battles unbeaten newcomer Richard Baldo of Sheridan, Wyoming at THE MONTH OF THE KINGS, an evening of world class professional boxing presented by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions.
Tickets for THE MONTH OF THE KINGS are available in advance by calling the 8 Count Productions offices at 312-226-5800. Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie, just minutes from the Eisenhower and Stevenson Expressways. Doors for this event will open at 5:30pm with the first bell at 6:30pm.
The 25 year old Popoca, a former amateur standout has been training
diligently at Pesoli’s JABB BOXING GYM every day with WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz.
“David has been a mentor to me for a long time. His track record of success is what I’m trying to emulate. We’re friends, but when it comes to helping me train or sparring its all business.”
Added Popoca, “I’m thrilled to get back in the ring this Friday night. The fans have been very supportive since I turned pro early last year. “
A construction worker by day, Popoca ran his amateur record to 137-13
prior to turning professional. His amateur record includes success in the Silver Gloves and the Junior Olympics.
About his future, the modest Popoca stated, “One fight at a time; however this one is my last at welterweight. We’re going at 145 on this one and then I’m going down to junior welterweight.”
Popoca enters the scheduled four rounder with a record of 3-0-1 (3KO’s)
while Baldo travels to Chicago with a slate of 1-0 (1KO).
Along with Chicago ’s 8 Count Productions and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, THE MONTH OF THE KINGS is presented by TCF Bank, Tecate Beer and AeroMexico , Mexico ’s premier airline travel headquarters. The SOLO BOXEO TECATE broadcast will be viewed in 42 US markets and 70 foreign countries.
Headlining THE MONTH OF THE KINGS is an outstanding flyweight bout between former junior flyweight world champion Hugo “EL INCREDIBLE” Cazares, 25-4-1 (19KO’s) of Los Mochis, Mexico and Columbian veteran Kermin Guardia, 37-7 (21KO’s) both of whom will be making their Chicago debuts.
The full card of boxing is follows:
Hugo Cazares vs. Kermin Guardia, twelve rounds, flyweights
Carlos Ivan Velasquez vs. Ever Perez, six rounds, super featherweights
Barbaro Zepeda vs. Jose Navarrete, six rounds, featherweights
Juan Carlos Velasquez vs. TBA, four rounds, featherweights
Ivan Popoca vs. Richard Baldo, four rounds, welterweights
Michael Faragon vs. Heriberto Ponce, four rounds, junior welterweights
Daniel Jacobs vs. Francisco Martinez, four rounds, junior middleweights
Gadiel Andaluz vs. Marsay Buggs, four rounds, super featherweights
The Master of Ceremonies for THE MONTH OF THE KINGS will be Lupe Contreras, the internationally recognized voice of Latino boxing.
8 Count Productions was started by Dominic Pesoli in 1997 and has consistently presented the highest quality professional boxing events in Chicagoland. In 2003, Pesoli along with former featherweight contender Mike Garcia opened JABB Boxing Gym, a 6,000 square foot venue dedicated to the finest Chicagoland boxers of all talent levels.
To view the seating chart and poster for this event or for more information on 8 Count Productions and JABB Boxing Gym, please visit www.8countproductions.com and www.jabbboxinggym.com
Additional information can also be obtained by visiting the Golden Boy Promotions website at www.goldenboypromotions.com
CREATING CONTENDERS SINCE 1997
Bernie Bahrmasel
Publicist/8 Count Productions
www.8countproductions.com
bbahrmasel@aol.com
Team Haymer Confident Of Victory In Oakey Rematch
Posted on | January 21, 2008 | No Comments
With less than two weeks to go before his first ever British title fight, London based light heavyweight Peter Haymer has been tearing through sparring partners at an alarming rate as he prepares for a rematch with reigning British champion Tony Oakey on a Frank Maloney promotion at York Hall on Friday, February 1, 2008.
“Peter has been looking very good in training and I’m very confident that he’ll beat Oakey again,” said Haymer’s trainer/manager Chris Hall, a former amateur boxer who is also founder and director of the well respected London Boxing Academy. “It’s going to be either a very close fight or I think Peter might be able to stop him, but that’s a big task because Oakey’s never been stopped.”
For Haymer to fulfill Hall’s prediction, the hard nosed St. Pancras native must make better use of his five inch height advantage as he was forcibly dragged into a bruising 12 rounds of trench warfare by the much shorter Oakey in June of 2005 and had to summon every ounce of energy to eke out a razor thin points verdict to retain his English title at the time.
Haymer, 17-4-1 (5), will also have to reverse his lack of momentum going into this contest as he has suffered defeats in his last two outings while Oakey, 24-2-1 (6), hasn’t lost a bout in all six of his appearances since the first Haymer clash, including a British title win against Steve Spartacus in May of last year.
But Hall feels that Haymer’s recent disappointments were circumstantial in nature and in one case, could even serve to spur his trainee on through what is sure to be a hotly contested British title challenge against a motivated champion.
“Peter improved immensely for a year and a half after the first Oakey fight but was going through personal issues that I think had a lot to do with his dreadful performance when he challenged for the Commonwealth title in 2006; he just wasn’t himself that night,” said the trainer, who won three national titles as an amateur boxer and has university degrees in Sports Science and Management.
“Since then we had a fight with a good boxer called Paul David, which I thought Peter won but he lost it on a close points decision from the referee. We were supposed to be fighting Steve Spartacus on that occasion but a couple of days before that, Spartacus took a British title fight against Oakey and David was the late replacement opponent. Peter was really cheesed off because he had wanted to fight Oakey for the British title but instead ended up watching two guys that he had already beaten, Oakey and Spartacus, fight for the belt.”
It’s a must win situation for Haymer as a loss would make domestic title challenges a thing of the past for the 29 year old Londoner, but Hall is certain that “The Daddy” can regain his footing as one of the premier light heavyweights in the UK.
“Peter is bigger and stronger than Oakey and hits very hard; I’ve always fancied Peter being able to stop him,” he said. “We hurt Oakey several times in the first fight but Peter never followed up. I’m really hopeful that in this fight, if we catch him with a couple of good shots, that we actually follow up, as we intend to. Peter’s really strong, really fit and he been been fitter and stronger for the last four weeks than he was for the first Oakey fight. We’re really optimistic that we’re going to be taking the title home.”
Frank Maloney Promotions presents “The Return” featuring Tony Oakey vs. Peter Haymer for the Light Heavyweight Championship of Great Britain at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, England on Friday, February 1, 2008.
A full undercard features top heavyweight John McDermott, flashy super feather Kaash “The Bash” Bhatia, light heavyweights Tony Salem and Courtney Fry, welterweights Mark Thompson and Yassine El Maachi, lightweights Lee Cook and Danny Harding along with super feather Henry Castle, welterweights Scott Woolford and Jamie Radford, light welter Ross Hewitt and Women’s boxing sensation Laura Saperstein.
Tickets are priced at £75 Ringside and £40 Open Seating and are available by logging onto www.frankmaloney.com or by calling the Box Office at 0871 226 1508. Doors open at 6:45PM with first bell at 7PM.
Sky Sports will televise live on SS1 starting at 9:30PM.
Press Release composed by Curtis McCormick for www.frankmaloney.com
Duddy taking another bite out of Big Apple
Posted on | January 21, 2008 | No Comments
Duddy-Smichet on Feb. 23 Klitschko-Ibragimov card at MSG
NEW YORK (January 21, 2008) – World middleweight title contender “Ireland’s” John Duddy is looking forward to fighting again in his adopted New York City home for the first time since last May, when he battles tough Tunisian brawler Walid “Tempete de Sable” Smichet (17-3-1, 13 KOs) in the 10-round, off-TV co-feature on the February 23rd heavyweight championship unification show headlined by IBF king Wladimir Klitschko and WBO title-holder Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden.
Presently rated No. 3 by the WBO and WBC, as well as No. 6 and No. 11 by the WBA and IBF, respectively, Duddy (23-0, 17 KOs) also is ranked No. 10 in The Ring magazine.
Duddy, who has fought 11 times in the Big Apple, including five in Madison Square Garden, is training in North Carolina with his head trainer, Don Turner. The unbeaten, charismatic Irishman is coming off of three consecutive fights in Ireland, including his most notable victory to date in December, winning a 10-round decision against former 2-time world title challenger Howard Eastman.
“It’s my homecoming,” an excited Duddy said from training camp about his NYC fight versus Smichet. “It was great fighting in Ireland the past year, but I’m really looking forward to being back where I started my pro career with all those great fans. There’s a lot of interest in my career back home now and a lot of people are flying in to watch this fight. Most importantly, though, I think I’ve shown improvement in my last three fights, although a lot was just simple things we worked on. Don has me boxing like I did before (as an amateur).
“After the Howard Eastman fight, I’m confident about getting in the ring with any middleweight in the world. It wasn’t perfect, but I showed I had a good chin – I always knew that – used my head more and never took a step backwards. I’m much more comfortable. It was a step closer to me getting to the top and I’m happy with my progress.”
Smichet, fighting out of Montreal, has a portfolio that features a win by 10th round knockout of previously unbeaten (17-0) Matt O’Brien for the Canadian Middleweight Interim Title, as well as an eight-round draw against Donny McCrary of The Contender III fame
.
Undefeated New York City middleweights “Mean” Joe Greene (17-0) and Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (15-0) are on the Klitschko-Ibragimov card. The main event is the only bout to air on HBO.
Tickets, priced at $1,000.00, $600.00, $300.00, $200.00 and $100.00, are on sale at the following locations: Manhattan: Demsey’s, 36th W. 33rd (212.629.9899); Queens: Elaine’s Deli, 65 Pl. Maspeth, Fiddlers Irish Pub, 65 Pl. Maspeth, Connelly’s Corner, Grand Ave. Maspeth, Hill Tap Bar, Grand Ave. Maspeth, Doyle’s Corner, Broadway Astoria; Woodside: Starting Gate, Sean Og’s, Saints & Sinners, Gaslight; Sunnyside: McGuinnesses, Maggie Mays; Yonkers: Bronx Heritage, McLean Ave. (914.766.7532); Brooklyn: Gleason’s Gym, 75 Front St. (718.797.2872); Pearl River: Gildea’s Bar & Restaurant (845.735.2564), South Bound Café (845.735.2903); Long Island: Poor House, Hemstead Turnpike (516.859.8780).
For more information go to www.irishropes.com or call Mark Cahoun (917.939.5199), Pat Nee (917.279.7796), Paul McLoughlin (347.219.1530), Jimmy Kaneary (718.594.0861), Paddy Phealon (516.859.8780) and Jerry Quinn (in Boston – 617.733.4535).
-IR-
IFL UNVEILS NEW LOGO
Posted on | January 21, 2008 | No Comments
INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE UNVEILS NEW LOGO, BRANDING FOR 2008 SEASON
Change Reflects Shift To Focus On Camps, Commitment To Best Matchups
NEW YORK, January 21, 2008 – The International Fight League™ (OTC.BB: IFLI), a leader in the growing sport of mixed martial arts (MMA), today unveiled the new visual identity of its corporate brand.
The new logo is a reflection of the IFL’s exciting style of MMA action as the league enters its second full season of competition. The design incorporates the traditional gloved fist coming towards the viewer from between forward-slanted “IFL” initials in front of a silver oval plate, utilizing the league’s new color scheme of deep red, silver and black.
“The IFL has always showcased the top up-and-coming athletes, coached by the legends of MMA,” said Jay Larkin, IFL CEO and President. “Our new identity is part of the league’s renewed commitment to putting together the best matchups to a wide, burgeoning audience of fans worldwide.”
The revised IFL logo will appear in marketing materials and branding opportunities as well as on an array of merchandise available to fans attending events as well as through www.IFL.TV, the league’s official Website, which will be relaunched to reflect the new branding.
Larkin also announced that the IFL has also eliminated the league-created team logos and will instead use branding of the camps led by its coaches, such as Miletich Fighting Systems, Xtreme Couture, Team Quest and Renzo Gracie Academy.
About the IFL
International Fight League™ (IFL) has its headquarters in New York and offices in Las Vegas. For more information about IFL, please see: www.ifl.tv.
TRAINER FLOYD MAYWEATHER INTERVIEW
Posted on | January 21, 2008 | No Comments
FLOYD SR. LOOKING FOR RESPECT
John Martinez
Boxingrealm.com
(19Jan08) Moments ago, I spoke with none other than trainer extraordinaire, Floyd “ Joy” Mayweather Sr. The ever confident pugilist coach shared his thoughts on his much anticipated return to the corner of the Golden Goose in boxing, Oscar De La Hoya. Here is what the self-anointed “ best trainer in the world” had to say about his new high profiled assignment.
JM: Floyd, will you conform the rumors of your return to the De La Hoya camp and that you’ll be in his corner for his next fight May 3rd on HBO?
FM: Yes. That is correct.
JM: Do you have any insight on who’ll oppose Oscar on May 3rd?
FM: No I don’t. But Oscar called me the other day and I told him that I thought Carlos Baldomir would be a good opponent for him because he’s tough and durable. I told him that I thought Baldomir would be a good test for him coming back.
JM: What was Oscar’s response to your suggestion of Baldomir?
FM: He didn’t say one way or the other to be honest with you. I think he’s looking more towards someone that’ll stand out a bit more, you know?
JM: Is this agreement between the two of you going to cover the rematch bout with your son and pound for pound king, WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.?
FM: We haven’t gotten that far yet. He took a trial with Freddie the Joke coach Roach and he saw what happened. Everyone saw what happened. I know that I’ll be with him on May 3rd and after that anything can happen, but I already told him you seen what happens when you go with Freddie the Joke Coach Roach?
JM: What did he say to that question?
FM: Nothing. He just smiled.
JM: In the past, Oscar has mentioned some almost disparaging remarks about how you train with pads as compared to his then trainer, Freddie Roach. Why do you think Oscar would come calling again if Roach’s training regiment was far superior to yours?
FM: Well I think when Oscar went with Freddie; he got to finally see what Freddie really knew. You know there are a lot more things that Oscar could do that he didn’t do with Freddie. You know Freddie just held the pads; he didn’t throw any hooks, uppercuts, over counters, no nothing. Freddie doesn’t know anything. He’s a good man. I’m not trying to say anything bad about Freddie; I’m just trying to be honest with you.
And also think of this, if my training was all pitty pat, then think of this, you saw who in the hell he called right? If I were all pitty pat then why would he call? I mean, it’s so plain that even Ray Charles would see that.
It is during this time that Floyd Sr. puts a young man on the phone to further his position. The gentleman’s name is Adrian Gonzalez. He is a 5’ 10’’ flyweight amateur fighter from Manchester England that is currently being trained by Floyd Sr.
His inside information that he is about to share comes from the fact that is father is the trainer of Matthew Hatton, Ricky Hatton’s brother. Gonzalez begins to recount a discussion that he had with the Golden Boy regarding the differences between Roach and Floyd Sr.
AG: I was in Ricky Hatton’s last camp and stayed in the house with Ricky during his training camp and I talked with Oscar. He said that Floyd is a technician and an all around coach where as Freddie is more about fitness.
JM: Would you like to speak on the inevitable angle that some in the media will use regarding the Floyd Sr versus Roger, or Floyd Sr versus his son storyline in order to hype the upcoming bout between your son and Oscar?
FM: Yes. It isn’t me against my family. I don’t see it like that. I have nothing against them. If this fight does go off, then it’s just business. I am not fighting my blood.
JM: What will it take for you to be in the corner of Oscar in his rematch with Floyd Jr.?
FM: I just want to be treated with respect. I’m a man that goes on his principle. If it isn’t going to be right for me, then I won’t go with it. All I want is to be treated like a man and be treated fairly. That’s all. I’m not going to be looking for the usual ten percent from him either. I don’t need the ten percent as long as I’m treated fairly. That’s all.
Floyd informed me that training camp for Oscar’s May 3rd HBO fight will begin in early March in Big Bear, CA. He promised with him at the helm, that the world would see a better, stronger, and much improved Oscar De La Hoya.
john@boxingrealm.com
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