PFC signs former NCAA wrestling Champion
Posted on | May 8, 2007 | No Comments
LEMOORE — The Palace Fighting Championship® (PFC™) is proud to announce that one of the most exciting mixed martial arts prospects to hit the scene in recent memory has been added to the loaded July 19th card at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino. Former Oklahoma State all-American wrestler Mark Munoz will make his PFC debut at PFC 3 “Step Up”.
Munoz’s opponent for a light heavyweight showdown has yet to be announced. He won the 2001 NCAA championship during his senior season at Oklahoma State.
“We’re extremely excited to see Munoz bring his talents into the PFC ring. He’s a guy that has been talked about for a long time now and to see him begin his MMA career in the PFC is special. It’s just the beginning for the guy and we’re proud that his journey towards superstardom will begin at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino,” Palace Entertainment Director Christian Printup said. “The long history of our venue catapulting fighter’s careers continues on July 19th.”
Munoz brings Olympic-level wrestling and top-quality MMA training, as a member of the talent rich Capitol City Fighting Alliance, which features such MMA greats as Urijah Faber, Scott Smith and James Irvin.
Munoz captured two Big 12 titles and earned back-to-back all-America honors at 197 pounds. He also made the NWCA all-academic team for three years and the Big 12 all-academic squad for four. Additionally, Munoz was a three-year member of the FILA Junior World Wrestling Team, earning the silver medal in 1998.
Munoz joins a card that already features:
— The MMA debut of K1 veteran, and undefeated professional boxer Las Vegas’ Dewey Cooper.
— World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Fresno’s Casey “Underdog” Olson (4-1) vs. Stockton’s Brandon Jinnies (1-3) in a lightweight bout.
— Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Jason Von Flue (12-7-1) of San Luis Obispo vs. WEC veteran Lemoore’s Chris Botelho (2-2) in a welterweight bout.
— Calousa’s Ruben “Warpath” Villareal (11-12-3) vs. WEC veteran Rafael del Real (3-5) of Tulare in a heavyweight contest.
— Sacramento’s David Espinosa (3-0) vs. Porterville’s Shawn Klarcyk (5-1) for the PFC Bantamweight Championship.
— Former Nevada State wrestling champion Angelo Antuna (4-0) vs Seth Dikun (0-1) in a featherweight contest.
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, May 18th at 10 a.m. with public tickets on sale at $20, $30 and $40. Tickets can be obtained through any tickets.com outlet, including the Internet, tickets can also be charged by phone by calling 1-8000-225-2277 or in person at The Tachi Palace Gift Shop.
COLISEUM CARNAGE COMPLETE WRAP-UP
Posted on | May 8, 2007 | 1 Comment
Coliseum Carnage I Complete Wrap-Up
By: Rich Bergeron
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I recently had the good fortune of traveling to Iowa for an amazing MMA event that will not be easy to forget. Filled with blood, intriguing match-ups, and non-stop action, Fight Sport Global Network and Extreme Contact Fighting’s Coliseum Carnage I more than lived up to its billing.
Leading up to the event the anticipation mounted with every day. For many of us involved in the marketing and promotion, it was a first of its kind occurrence. It was my first foray outside the state to cover a fight. For Extreme Contact Fighting Owners and Promoters Troy Waller and Justin Goodno, it was their first event at such a huge venue: the Hilton Coliseum. For all the players involved in Fight Sport Global Network it would be the inaugural broadcast of their internet pay per view service. None of us could have imagined the kind of battles we would see unfold, as most of the fighters came in ready, willing, and able to put on a spectacular show.
From start to finish I garnered a complete appreciation for what it takes to promote a successful MMA show. Working around his day job at his auto body shop, Troy Waller kept an around-the-clock schedule dealing with all the particulars. Justin Goodno, who also operates O’Goodie’s Irish Pub and manages fighters, was also constantly on the move. Announcer T. Scott had his hands full, too, providing his own measure of constant support leading up to the festivities. From the time Scott picked me up at the airport to the time Waller dropped me off to fly home, the whole trip featured an inside look at how an event like this comes together.
Amidst all the buzz of the ring card girl contest, the pre-fight party, and the set up of the ring and the venue, everyone had a significant role in making things happen. We were always busy. When it finally came time for the first match, I think all of us breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Amateurs Jesse Wilson and Ryan Stanick led off the evening. Wilson scored the first takedown and worked the ground and pound well. Stanick managed to work his way back to his feet after throwing Wilson off. Wilson worked another takedown after a bit of slugging and kicking. Wilson earned a quick tapout win once the match hit the floor again.
Tyler Anderson took on Matt Dempsey in the next amateur match. Dempsey wasted no time, striking early and landing blows to Anderson’s face with punches and knees. Anderson tried for a takedown, but he had no luck. The referee stopped the fight when Dempsey earned his own takedown and ended up on top punching away.
Before the pro card started, Local Iowa Superstar Jeremy Stephens (8-1) came up into the ring to announce his face-off with Din Thomas (19-6) at UFC 71.
EDITOR’S NOTE: SOME OF THE BEST MATCHES OF THE NIGHT WERE FEATURED IN THE FIRST POST-FIGHT REPORT: COLISEUM CARNAGE LIVES UP TO ITS NAME
The professional portion of the fight card began with a Featherweight battle pitting Micah Bowles against John “Lil Ninja” Swanberg. “Lil Ninja” came storming out with punches and knees. Bowles scored the first takedown and snuck in a few rib punches before Swanberg squeezed out. Once out of trouble Swanberg amped up the crowd by slamming Bowles hard to the canvas and working his ground and pound with precision and power. Bowles finally rolled over trying to escape and left himself wide open for a rear-naked choke. Swanberg locked it up and didn’t let go until the match was over.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT: THOMAS “THE IRISH ASSASSIN” MASTIN VS. BEN “THE BEAST” THOMA
Grappling off the bat, Thoma ended up on top with Mastin covering up. Thoma proceeded to land quick shots as Mastin tried to protect himself. Mastin tried pulling Thoma’s head down, but he had no success. Mastin landed a couple hammer fists trying to work out, but Thoma was in complete control on top, landing solid shots to Mastin’s ribs and head. Mastin finally had to tap out due to punches.
HEAVYWEIGHT: JEREMY HART VS. MATT HIRSCH
Hart made the best of his pro debut despite Hirsch getting the fight’s first takedown. Hirsch pounded away, but Hart kept guarding well. Hart saw an opening and tried to tighten the triangle choke, but Hirsch found his way out and back to his feet. Hart jumped on his chance to do some damage and wobbled Hirsch with a succession of huge rights. The fight went to the fence, and Hart wailed away with some knees. At this point Hirsch was already bleeding badly from the eye. Hart unloaded on Hirsch, landing shots at will until Hirsch took him down. Hart kept punching from the bottom. He tried the triangle choke again, but instead of a submission he earned a referee and doctor stoppage. Hirsch put up a great fight, but he truly was losing too much blood. The cleanup crew worked overtime to get the mat ready for the next bout.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT: MATT DEWOLFE VS. HEATH JOHNSON
DeWolfe gets the first takedown, but Johnson reverses it. Landing some good shots from the top Johnson’s punches are more quick hits without much power. Dewolfe goes for an arm bar, but Johnson slams him three times to break out of it. Johnson begins raining punches down until he receives a harsh referee warning for chokes. Both fighters are broken up and then allowed to fight again. Johnson picks up DeWolfe and tosses him like a rag doll. Clearly overmatched, DeWolfe winds up submitting due to strikes just a few moments later.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT: TOM AMESQUITA VS. TYLER LANE
One of the quickest fights of the night, Lane and Amesquita started slugging right off the starting bell. Amesquita got a huge knee in, but Lane responded brilliantly by landing a quick left and right. The punches drop Amesquita like a rock. Lane wins by TKO.
LIGHTWEIGHT: ZACH JENKINS VS. JOSH RAVE
The first fight of the evening to make it out of the first round, lots of grappling went on between Jenkins and Rave.
Jenkins lands a big kick early, but he ends up on the ground. Jenkins misses his first triangle from there, and Rave winds up on the offensive from the top, nailing Jenkins in the ribs a few times.
The two reversed positions all through the first two rounds, with Jenkins trying countless times to catch Rave in a triangle choke. Rave tried for his own triangle with no luck, too. The referee finally stood them up, and after a slam Jenkins ends up on top, with both trading blows until the close of the second.
In round #3 Rave gets the takedown right away, and Jenkins goes down while trying for the guillotine. Rave lands a few punches and elbows from the control position. Finally Rave locks up a crazy front choke, an arm triangle, and wins by submission.
SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT: DAVE HERMAN VS. GREG HAMMAR
Herman lands a kick and then works to a takedown. Hammar taps out quickly due to strikes. The crowd boos him as he leaves the ring. Though Hammar has not been in the sport that long, he nearly beat Brad Imes in a recent fight, so the local fans expected a lot more from him leading up to this fight.
SCOTT HOUGH vs. JUSTIN EILERS
Hough and Eilers fought a back and forth battle, with Eilers finally winning out. Though Eilers eventually came out on top, Hough did press the action at times and looked impressive. At one point Hough landed a few strong knees and a couple roundhouse shots, but Eilers came back with a huge left, and it made Hough woozy. Eilers dropped him, but Hough still kept fighting back. A few elbows from Eilers landing solidly to Hough’s temple ended it. Since it was the last match of the night and the elbows earned Eilers a warning, the feel of the final decision took the same tone as the inaugural broadcast for Pro-Elite’s Showtime card when Frank Shamrock lost for knees to the head of Renzo Gracie. Rather than whip the crowd into a frenzy and disqualify Eilers, the referee ruled in his favor when Hough could not continue. The ref raised his hand as his corner team (led by Jens Pulver) cheered him on.
Featuring so many intense battles, this card was incredible, and the after parties that followed featured many fighters rehashing some of the night’s best moments. Sporting bruises and black eyes, even some of the losers still stood proud, explaining how much they were itching to get a rematch. Everyone couldn’t help talking about the night’s best matches: the upsets, the last second stoppage of the Ahrens bout, and Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer tumbling out of the ring. At one point someone held up a cell phone where Tom Ahrens listened on the other end as everyone at the party yelled out one last, “To The Top!”
There was an ominous symbol of the previous night’s action when it came time to go back home the next day. Sitting bruised, broken, and idle in the hotel parking lot was a mashed and trashed mini van, missing taillights and sporting an ugly primer gray color and rust from its hood to the rear hatch. It almost looked as if it had escaped nearly undamaged from a fantastic performance at a demolition derby. I couldn’t help but think that’s how Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer felt after what will probably go down as the toughest battle of his life. Scraping himself up off the floor and wading right back into the action, Van Meer showed what a true warrior really is.
It occurred to me as we headed for the airport that it is that kind of effort that all involved must put in to make any MMA show truly successful. At the end of the night you really should be exhausted, worn out, and truly proud that what you put in was everything you could muster up from the depths of your heart and soul.
Special thanks to FSGN CEO Neil Norman, XCF Co-Owners Troy Waller and Justin Goodno, Announcer T. Scott, Trainer and Color Commentator Pat Miletich, and all the fighters who gave their all. Last but not least, a big thanks to the makers of CL-ONE energy drink. As one of XCF’s sponsors, they had plenty of the juice on hand to keep me awake and alert.
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Tags: Arm > auto body shop > card > carnage > Control > day job > Editor > festivities > fight > fight sport > foray > girl contest > global network > good fortune > goodie > Hammar > head > heavyweight > hilton coliseum > irish pub > kick > lane > Lil > MMA > nbsp > particulars > POWER > promoters > report > ring > ring card girl > round > sigh of relief > submission > T. Scott > time > time scott > ups > WERE
AIR FORCE ACADEMY COACH ED WEICHERS TALKS ABOUT COLLEGIATE BOXING
Posted on | May 8, 2007 | 1 Comment
A TRUE AMBASSADOR OF COLLEGE BOXING: COACH ED WEICHERS
By: Rich Bergeron
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I met Coach Ed Weichers for the first time as a freshman at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and he literally taught me everything I know about the sport of boxing. Though academic difficulties led to my dismissal from the school, I was lucky enough to be able to participate in another boxing program at Virginia Military Institute a few years later. I ran into Coach Weichers again at the 1998 National Collegiate Boxing finals in Lexington, Kentucky. Although I did manage to take home a bronze medal, I couldn’t help but wonder how far I might have made it in my college years if I had been able to train under him for all four years. If I had made it to the gold medal match that year, I would have faced one of his best fighters—a guy who looked more like a heavyweight than a 185-pounder.
I caught up with Weichers again over the phone recently, and he had just returned from the 2007 NCBA finals in Reno, Nevada.
“I’m pleased,” he said. “We did well. We ended up in second place, Lock Haven was number one, and Air Force came in second this year. It was real close.”
Heavyweight Captain Ian Tuznik took home his second national title for Air Force, and 119-pounder Jesse Horton, a sophomore, won his first national championship at the tournament. Willie Lloyd, the other team captain, picked up a silver medal after a controversial decision against a cadet from West Point. Rounding out the AFA field, Freshman Matt McPhail (125 pounds), Sophomore Nicholas Goc (139), Senior Joe Conrad (165) and Junior John Quinn (195) all claimed third-place honors.
When asked what made the program so successful over the years, Weichers remained humble and pointed to the structure of the program more than anything special or different he does personally. “There’s no secret,” he said. “We just have a great intramural program, and from there you progress to Friday matches, then sign up for the Wing Open, and it’s that progression of crawl, walk, run, sprint, and that’s kind of unique. In terms of any secret or formula, that would be it. It’s an idealistic set up, and the cadets just progress through it.”
The Wing Open is a huge yearly event that decides which boxers get to compete in NCBA events for the season, and it takes on the tone of a professional fight card when all the cadets pack into the stands with the other local spectators. There is no other school in the country that can boast a similar turnout and buzz that surrounds the box-offs that occur at the Wing Open every year.
The three major military academies (AFA, West Point, and The Naval Academy) have the most illustrious history in college boxing due to their strong, intensive and once-mandatory boxing programs, but they are no longer the only thoroughbreds in the race. Other schools have picked up programs and are starting to produce champions and worthy contenders at a higher rate than ever before.
“I think it’s pretty healthy right now. There’s a lot of schools involved, and not just the flagship schools, there’s new schools,” said Weichers about the influx of new talent in the NCBA. “West Virginia was involved this year, and they had a guy at nationals. Mansfield was involved. Iowa State had a national champ, and the Coast Guard Academy had a guy in it, too. They don’t all have huge programs, but they do have clubs and involvement.”
The schools currently involved in NCBA competition are: Air Force Academy, West Point, UNLV, Lock Haven University, Kentucky, Naval Academy, Nevada, Mansfield, Santa Clara, West Virginia, Cal Berkeley, San Jose State, Penn State, Maryland, Iowa State, Miami of Ohio, University of San Francisco, Coast Guard, and Shippensburgh.
Though college boxing is experiencing a bit of a growth spurt, Weichers sees the professional ranks of the sport dropping out of the public eye. “I think college boxing is healthy and on firm ground,” he said. “But, professional boxing is struggling right now, because there’s only a couple of people who are really superstars and attractive to the fan base.”
He mentioned the buzz behind the De la Hoya vs. Mayweather fight and not too much else able to gain the attention of the fans and followers of boxing. Weichers can also see the MMA trend picking up speed. “A lot of people are drawn away from boxing by MMA, Ultimate Fighting. Some of these gladiators, as you want to call ‘em, are very vocal, and they give good interviews,” he said. “They have something that’s attractive to a bigger fan base, and that’s kind of put a cloud over boxing, because where’s the superstar, the role model, or the guy who’s gonna give the sport a proper image that it needs?”
He noted all the other sports that have struggled with steroid issues. He contends that too many professional athletes are “constantly in trouble and don’t know how to act.”
On the other hand, at his level of the sport the people involved are often the highest caliber as far as their attitude and character. “College boxing is as pure a form of amateur athletics as used to exist when the Olympics were around before the dream team,” said Weichers. “I just love going to the gym and watching guys mature and grow in confidence, seeing little green freshman have the self-confidence to just walk in there and just box against anybody. It’s amazing how people adapt to winning the Wing Open, and then going as far as they can beyond that. Growth and self-confidence and self-esteem are all gratifying things to see in young people.”
Though he claims to have no secret and no particular method that stands above that of other coaches, what seems to shine through most about Coach Weichers is his humble nature and his emulation of one of the major principles of Academy life: Service Before Self. One of my favorite quotes from my military academy days is something George C. Marshall once said: “There’s no limit to the good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.” I have met very few people in life who have been able to live up to that standard, and Ed Weichers is one of them.
The National Collegiate Boxing Association’s 2007 National Tournament will be aired in three parts on CSTV: May 12 (9:00 p.m.), May 13 (10:00 p.m.) and May 14 (9:00 p.m.) ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN STANDARD.
To find out more about Ed Weichers visit: ED WEICHERS WIKIPEDIA PROFILE
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Tags: AIR > air force academy > Bergeron > boxing coach > boxing program > bronze medal > buzz > Close > coach ed > college > college boxing > controversial decision > everything > fight > goc > Guard > Haven > heavyweight > help > Lock Haven > national championships > Open > phone > place > point > pounder > progress > Reno Nevada > silver medal > three decades > time > true ambassador > University > virginia military institute > weichers > willie lloyd > wing > YEAR
Gracie-Sakuraba Rematch Among Key Bouts on Star-Studded Dynamite!! USA Fight Card
Posted on | May 8, 2007 | 1 Comment
Gracie seeks to exact revenge for legendary 90-minute bout seven years ago;
Full card features MMA favorites and crossover curiosities
Los Angeles, May 8, 2007 – MMA legends Royce Gracie and Kasuzshi Sakuraba, who fought an exhausting 90-minute battle seven years ago, will meet once again, this time as the co-main event at “Softbank presents Dynamite!! USA in association with ProElite” in the Los Angeles Coliseum on June 2 (live SHOWTIME® PPV, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).
Gracie (roycegracie.proelite.com), considered the godfather of modern-day mixed martial arts, will face the imposing Sakuraba (sakuraba.proelite.com), nicknamed “The Gracie Hunter” for his well-documented victories over four members of the Gracie family, including the dramatic victory over Royce in 2000.
The rematch will be part of an extraordinary main fight card that includes 7-foot-2 South Korean Hong Man Choi, former WWE champ Brock Lesnar, NFL star Johnnie Morton, Ray Sefo (New Zealand), Antonio Silva (Brazil) and J.Z. Calvan (Brazil). The complete fight card is as follows:
SHOWTIME® PPV (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)
Brock Lesnar VS Hong Man Choi
(USA) (Korea)
Royce Gracie VS Kazushi Sakuraba
(Brazil) (Japan)
Mighty Mo VS Mu Bae Choi
(USA) (Korea)
Melvin Manhoef VS Dong Sik Yoon
(Netherlands) (Korea)
Live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT)
Jake Shields VS Ido Pariente
(USA) (Israel)
Gina Carano VS Jan Finney
(USA) (USA)
Live Stadium Only (5 p.m. PT)
Javier Vasquez VS Katsuhiko Nagata
(USA) (Japan)
Brad Pickett VS Hideo Tokoro
(UK) (Japan)
The Gracie-Sakuraba story is rich in history, as the Gracie family, represented by Royce, Ryan, Renzo and Royler have come after Sakuraba four times and all four times have fallen short of victory. The final and longest of those matches took place on May 1, 2000, in the second round of the Pride Grand Prix Open Weight Tournament, when Royce faced Sakuraba for the first time. The fight, a no-time-limit match, was scheduled for 15 minute rounds until a winner was declared. The match lasted for 90 minutes (7 rounds at 15 minutes each), and both fighters demonstrated remarkable heart and determination, especially because the winner was expected to face his next opponent on the same night. In the 4th round, Gracie injured his leg due to repeated kicks from Sakuraba and remained hobbled for another 45 minutes, until the beginning of the 8th round, when his corner threw in the towel, stopping the fight.
“I’ve been waiting for this fight for close to a decade, it’s been something that I’ve struggled to live with for some time,” said Gracie. “We both have mutual respect for each other, but June 2 is circled on my calendar as the date I plan to avenge my family’s legacy from Sakruraba.”
Tickets for Dynamite!! USA are on sale via Ticketmaster locations, www.ticketmaster.com and the LA Coliseum box office. Seats will be available on the field and throughout the majority of the stadium bowl, with the exception of limited blocked sections on each end for restricted viewing. In the stadium bowl, seats in the upper sections will sell for $30, with the exception of the west end, which will be $10. The lower bowl will sell for $60 in most areas and $30 in the west end. On the field, tickets will run at $100 on the outer rim, $250 in the middle section and $1,000 at ringside.
The other co-main event on the Dynamite!! USA fight card will face 7-foot-2 South Korean giant Hong Man Choi, aka “Techno Goliath,” against former NCAA and WWE wrestling champion Brock Lesnar. Johnnie Morton, a former USC Trojan wide receiver and NFL star, will return to the Coliseum for his MMA debut.
Dynamite!! USA will begin at 5:00 p.m., PT with doors opening at 3:30 PM, with a fight undercard that includes Hideo Tokoro, J.Z Calvin, Brad Picket as well as EliteXC fighters Jake Shields, Antonio Silva and Gina Carano. The SHOWTIME® PPV fight card will begin at 7 p.m. PT, 10 p.m. ET.
Dynamite!! USA marks the first FEG event on U.S. soil and the inaugural MMA contest in the LA Coliseum’s 74-year history. FEG’s Heroes MMA events in Japan and Korea have routinely sold out major arenas and stadiums, including the 74,000-seat Tokyo Dome. The inaugural Dynamite in August of 2002, held at Tokyo National Stadium, drew a record crowd of 92,000 fans.
The SHOWTIME® PPV fight card will feature up to six fights, with co-main events. Prior to the pay-per-view, SHOWTIME will televise the three undercard bouts, free to SHOWTIME subscribers from 9-10 p.m. ET/6-7 p.m. PT. For pay-per-view pricing and ordering information, viewers should contact their local cable or satellite provider.
# # #
About FEG
Formed in 2003, FEG, Inc assumed the role of K-1 Corporation in production and management of K-1 events that at the time were enjoying 13 years of success. In addition to K-1 Events, FEG, Inc’s goal was to expand the company’s presence into the world of Mixed Martial Arts as it saw the overwhelming demand from the
viewers and fans. In 2005 FEG, Inc started the production of the Hero’s events in Japan. Under the current corporate structure, FEG, Inc is responsible for the production and promotion, as well as all other
aspects of business from fighter contracts to event marketing of both the K-1 and Hero’s (Mixed Martial Arts) events all over the world.
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® TOO™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE® and TMC XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND™ and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. 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. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME® PPV.
About ProElite
ProElite Inc. 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. ProElite’s interactive business, ProElite.com, capitalizes on the growing popularity of the sport of mixed martial arts by building a community of mixed martial arts 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
DIEGO CORRALES DIES IN MOTORCYCLE CRASH
Posted on | May 7, 2007 | 5 Comments
Diego Corrales Killed In Motorcycle Accident
By: Matt Yanofsky
Former Junior Lightweight and Lightweight World Champion Diego Corrales 40-5 (33 KO’s} was reportedly killed in a motorcycle accident earlier today in Las Vegas, Nevada as reported by manager and hip hop mogul James Prince. Corrales fought many of boxing’s best names including Floyd Mayweather, Jose Luis Castillo, Joel Casamayor, and Acelino Freitas. Corrales’ most memorable bout was his first fight with Jose Luis Castillo where he came off the canvas twice in the 10th round to incredibly stop Jose Luis Castillo only seconds later. Corrales was the first man to defeat Freitas and also defeated Current Lightweight World Champion Joel Casamayor during their second fight.
Unfortunately, Corrales’ career was on a down fall. After threatening to sue Jose Luis Castillo for twice missing weight, Corrales himself missed weight by 4 1/2 lbs prior to his split decision loss to Casamayor in their third match this past October. On April 7th, Corrales’ showed his bravery by moving up two weight classes and facing the very tough Joshua Clottey. Corrales was knocked down in both the 9th and 10th rounds while losing on points.
Corrales will ultimately be remembered as not only a warrior but a great family man who recently became a father of his first child. UNLIMITEDFIGHTNEWS.COM sends its condolences to the friends and family of Corrales.
MAYWEATHER VS. DE LA HOYA POST-FIGHT WRAP-UP
Posted on | May 7, 2007 | 1 Comment
Mayweather vs De la Hoya
Recap, Analysis, and the Pressing Questions
By Tony Penecale
WHAT HAPPENED?
In a battle between two of boxing’s marquee attractions, “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather was able to rally down the stretch and win a close, tactical, and hard-fought split decision over “The Golden Boy” Oscar De la Hoya.
The bout was very difficult to score, with De la Hoya being the aggressor, stalking Mayweather and forcing the action. Mayweather boxed well in the center of the ring, dictating the tempo with his speed.
The bout was back-and-forth over the first 8 rounds, with each fighter having his moments. Mayweather scored well on the outside, spearing De la Hoya with fast jabs and lead hooks. When De la Hoya used his jab, he was effective in backing Mayweather to the ropes where he kept him on the defense with combinations to the head and body.
After the 8th round, De la Hoya inexplicably abandoned his jab and let Mayweather control rounds 9-11, before rebounding in the 12th round and attacking throughout.
Judge Tom Kaczmarek had De la Hoya winning 115-113 (7 rounds to 5) but was outvoted by Chuck Giampa and Jerry Roth, who favored Mayweather by scores of 115-113 and 116-112 (8 rounds to 4). Respected boxing writer Bernard Fernandez of the Philadelphia Daily News scored the bout even at 114-114.
Judge 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total
Roth M D D D M M D M D M M M FM 115-113
Giampa M D M D M M D M M M M D FM 116-112
Kaczmarek M D D D M M D D M D M D OD 115-113
Fernandez M D D D M M D D M M M D 114-114
TP M D M D M M D D M M M D FM 115-113
Take into consideration:
The 8th and 12th rounds were both very good rounds for De la Hoya, yet Jerry Roth gave both to Mayweather. If he scored one of them differently, particularly round 12, which was a clear De la Hoya round, the bout would have been a draw.
QUESTIONS
Why did the fans boo the decision?
Several reasons: The most obvious reason was that De la Hoya was the crowd favorite. Mayweather was clearly the villain throughout the promotion and most fans were hoping for a De la Hoya victory. De la Hoya was the aggressor throughout the bout, pressing the action, and while that didn’t always equate into effective offense, it brought drama and excitement to the bout. When De la Hoya was attacking on the ropes, Mayweather was lurching back, which to the audience may have seemed that De la Hoya was connecting with his punches. Even Floyd Mayweather, Sr., admitted that he thought De la Hoya should have won the fight because he was the aggressor and pressed the action.
Mayweather dominated the punch stat numbers. What does that mean?
In truth, not a whole lot. The final numbers saw Mayweather landing 207 of 481 punches (43%) while De la Hoya landed 122 of 587 (21%). Some of Mayweather’s best rounds were in rounds 9-11 where he outlanded De la Hoya, making those numbers look more one-sided.
It also appears that De la Hoya did not receive credit for the numerous and effective jabs he landed to the body, shoulders, and torso of Mayweather.
What could have De la Hoya done better?
De la Hoya made two major mistakes as the bout went on. When he was firing his jab, to both Mayweather’s face and torso, he was effective in backing him to the ropes and disrupting his offense. As the ninth round started, De la Hoya abandoned his jab and tried to pursue Mayweather. This gave Mayweather the opportunity to land lead hooks and sharp right hands.
De la Hoya also made the mistake of smothering his punches on the inside. At times, he was so focused on pinning Mayweather to the ropes; he didn’t leave himself enough room to get full leverage on his punches.
Was De la Hoya’s reason for abandoning the jab acceptable?
When asked why he stopped using the jab after if was so effective, De la Hoya stated that he wanted to press the action and some nights you just don’t use the jab as much. That is not an acceptable answer for a veteran elite boxer of his stature. In truth, he may have been a bit tired and looking for his second wind.
Did Mayweather show any signs of pain in his hands?
Mayweather’s hands seemed to hold up better than as of late until the last few rounds. After landing a solid right hand in the eleventh round, Mayweather noticeably grimaced and spent the rest of the round using his left while his right hand was held in an open position instead of a balled fist.
Did the fight live up to the hype?
There was a lot of hype for this bout, including an HBO documentary series that followed both fighters through training camp. It was a skilled and entertaining fight. But in no way was it on the level of Hagler-Hearns, Pryor-Arguello I, Chavez-Taylor I, or more recently Corrales-Catillo I and Ward-Gatti I. It is difficult to say how many non-boxing fans were excited or turned off by the action in the ring. The fight reminded me of the first bout between Roy Jones Jr. and Antonio Tarver. Tarver, like De la Hoya, was the aggressor and forced the fight on the ropes. Jones, like Mayweather, took advantage when his opponent was pursuing and not punching. That bout saw Jones winning a close and somewhat controversial decision.
Will there be a rematch?
Although De la Hoya’s future is uncertain and Mayweather contends that he is retiring, HBO is already exploring options on a rematch. If a rematch is signed, it probably won’t be until at least late ’07 or early ’08. There will be considerably less hype since it won’t be a first time encounter for fans. Logic says Mayweather wins again, probably by a wider decision. De la Hoya’s best chance for victory would reside in the chance that he would retain the services of Freddie Roach and have more time to work with him and fully understand the strategy laid out for victory.
Where does Mayweather rank as an all-time great?
Mayweather is undoubtedly the #1 Pound-4-Pound boxer today. He is undefeated in 38 fights. Only two of those bouts have even been close. But the truth is that many of his opponents have been overmatched. Despite his claims that he is the best boxer of all time, he does not have the resume of two notable boxers that he has mentioned superiority over, Sugar Ray Leonard and Sugar Ray Robinson. In dream matches at 147, both Leonard and Robinson would defeat Mayweather. Both were just as fast and had superior power.
What does the future hold for both fighters?
It wouldn’t surprise me if De la Hoya retired if a rematch can’t be secured. He is moving more and more into the promotional game. It would greatly surprise me if Mayweather stayed retired. He is on the top of his game right now. The doubts and negative feedback from this victory will bring him to fight again. He has already been challenged by Shane Mosley. That bout would be interesting as Mosley owns two close wins over De la Hoya and is a quick-fisted boxer. Most likely, Mayweather would triumph by close decision.
If he does continue with his career, Mayweather has a number of up-and-coming worthy challengers looking to knock him from his throne. Like Roy Jones, Jr., who was the dominant boxer of the late 80s/early 90s, Mayweather has been able to make technical mistakes (I lost count how many times he made the mistake of going straight back with his hands down and chin up) and get away with it. Like Tarver and Glen Johnson were able to eventually catch up to Jones, odds are Mayweather will eventually meet his Kryptonite, possibly Paul Williams, a tall, hard-punching southpaw, or Miguel Cotto, a relentless body puncher. Another option would be the possible chase at a middleweight title, which would put Floyd in the danger zone of Jermain Taylor, Winky Wright, Edison Miranda and Kelly Pavlik.
Only time will tell if Mayweather is able to become the legend that he claims to be or just an extremely talented boxer surrounded with a lot of “what ifs” and “if onlys.”
MATT YANOFSKY’S UPDATED BOXING POUND FOR POUND LIST
Posted on | May 7, 2007 | 1 Comment
Pound for Pound List {As Of 5/6/07}
By Matt Yanofsky
Floyd Mayweather {Welterweight}
Floyd Mayweather once again becomes the clear number one pound for pound fighter after defeating the legendary Oscar De La Hoya. All of the Mayweather critics must give him respect for not only taking the fight at too high of a weight, but also using Oscar’s gloves and winning in Vegas where he is a favorite. I was surprised to see it be a split decision as I felt Floyd clearly won the contest. I see no issue if Floyd does not ever fight again. However, a rematch would never be a problem especially if Golden Boy Promotions gives Floyd $15 million worth of reasons to think about it.
Manny Pacquiao {Junior Lightweight}
Although he got off to a slow start and needed 8 rounds to dispose the tall awkward and undefeated Jorge Solis, Pacman got the job done. He also had an excellent 2006 where he twice knocked out Erik Morales and battered former champion Oscar Larios. Pacquaio may have to move up to 135 lbs for his next fight due to his promoter Bob Arum’s long time feud with Golden Boy Promotions. Golden Boy is led by Oscar De La Hoya who promotes both Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera. Pacquaio was called out by new WBA/WBO Champion Juan Diaz and stylistically, that would make a terrific fight.
Winky Wright {Middleweight}
After a disputed draw with champion Jermain Taylor in June, Wright returned to dominate former champion Ike Quartey who moved up from junior middleweight. Wright will now be facing Bernard Hopkins at a catch weight of 170 on a pay per view in July that few fans will order. Here is a good question, why are they fighting at 170? There was a vacant IBF Belt at 168 and I can assure you that if they elected to move down 2 lbs that belt could have defiantly been at stake as both fighters were IBF ranked. It is too late now as Alejandro Berrio holds the belt and now there is absolutely no build up behind this already boring fight. However, the winner is looking at a potential match up with Joe Calzaghe.
Rafael Marquez {Super Bantamweight}
Marquez successfully moved up from Bantamweight to stop WBC and Ring Magazine Champion Israel Vazquez in a thriller. The power punching machine broke Vazquez’ nose and traded blows with him until Vazquez retired on his stool after the 7th round claiming he couldn’t breathe. Marquez showed the heart of a champion when he recovering from a third round knockdown to ultimately come back to stop the fight. Both fighters want a rematch and the fans would love it as well.
Juan Manuel Marquez {Junior Lightweight}
Jus like his brother Rafael, Juan Manuel successfully moved up in weight to win the WBC championship. Marquez out pointed the legendary Macro Antonio Barrera. Marquez will most definitely be on tap to avenge his 2004 draw in rematch with Manny Pacquaio. Ironically, one year ago Marquez was thought to as being in no mans land after taking $30,000 in losing to Chris John instead of a potential rematch with Pacquaio which at the time Marquez priced himself out of.
Jermain Taylor {Middleweight}
Taylor earned a decision victory over the tough and awkward volume punching machine Kassim Ouma who took Taylor’s best power shots while refusing to go down. Ouma, the former Junior Middleweight champion had some success toward the end of the fight against Taylor who has shown inability to fight while going backwards. Taylor will be fighting the feather fisted 2 division world champion Cory Spinks who will be moving up in weight May 19th on HBO. This will be the third straight Junior Middleweight {Ouma and Wright} that he is facing. If Taylor is successful, he will be facing either the winner of Pavlik vs Miranda or move up to 168 to face long time WBO king Joe Calzaghe.
7. Joe Calzaghe {Super Middleweight}
Calzaghe had a controversial stoppage win over Manfredo but regardless of the controversy, Calzaghe was dominating as expected and it would have not lasted much longer then it did. Joe had a tougher time than expected in his prior fight. Calzaghe recovered from the first cut of his career against Sakio Bika to earn a unanimous decision. Calzaghe is successful, he will have some options. Calzaghe should next fight Mikkel Kessler, Jermain Taylor, or move up to Light Heavyweight to face one of the champions. But unfortunately, it appears he will be facing the undeserving Denis Inkin. This is exactly what is wrong with boxing
8. Ricky Hatton {Junior Welterweight}
After a very close call against Luis Collazo at Welterweight, Hatton moved back down to Junior Welterweight to dominate IBF Champion Juan Urango. Hatton almost immediately vacated his belt by electing to face Jose Luis Castillo instead of mandatory challenger Lovemore N’dou who was handed the title when Hatton vacated it. Hatton vs Castillo will be taking place this June and should be an incredible fight.
9. Marco Antonio Barrera {Super Featherweight}
Barrera dropped a decision to the great Juan Manuel Marquez in a fight some saw as a robbery. I disagree that the fight was a robbery but I do belive Barrera is still a top 10 lb for lb fighter and can rebound as he has in the past from his prior losses. Also on the bright side, all 5 of Barrera’s losses have come to multiple division world champions in Junior Jones, Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao, and Juan Manuel Marquez.
10. Ivan Calderon {Strawweight}
Calderon may perhaps be the best pure boxer in the world today. Unfortunately, to most boxing fans he is an unknown because he is fighting at the lowest weight class and receives little publicity. Calderon has been dominant for most of his career by using his ability to hit and not get hit. In his last fight, Calderon surprisingly struggled with Ronald Barrera needing a split decision victory after getting cut up for the first time in his career during a late rally by Barrera. Calderon, who has made 11 defenses of his WBO Strawweight title, is expected move up to 108 to face IBF Champion Ulises Solis in August. Hopefully we will see more of him on TV so he can get the respect he deserves.
Honorable Mention: Chris John, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, Jose Luis Castillo, Joel Casamayor, Wladimir Klitchko, Shane Mosley, Juan Diaz, Mikkel Kessler, Jean Marc Mormeck, Miguel Cotto
ALLEN CONYERS COMING BACK IN JUNE
Posted on | May 7, 2007 | No Comments
Conyers to return June 16th in Connecticut
For Immediate Release
Allen Conyers, the New York State Welterweight champion, returns to the ring June 16th in Uncasville, Connecticut. Conyers is coming off the biggest victory of his career in his last fight which was featured on ShoBox February 16th. Conyers moved up in weight to stop the previously undefeated Derek Ennis in two rounds. He will be facing an opponent to be named shortly. Conyers is looking forward to getting in the ring with another tough opponent.
“I want another tough fight,” says “The Dream Shatterer”, 11-2 (9 KO). “That is the only way I will progress as a fighter. Who ever I fight better come in shape because I’ll be in shape to go ten rounds. I doubt it will go the distance and I expect to be victorious once again.
“I was glad to get on ShoBox my last fight. It was truly a great feeling.”
The card is being headlined by the HBO televised fight between Paulie Malignaggi and Lovemore N’dou for the IBF Junior Welterweight Title. The card also features an intriguing match-up between Super Middleweights Curtis Stevens and Andre Dirrell. Dibella Entertainment is promoting the event and can be reached at 212-947-2577.
For inquiries regarding interviews and other information about Allen Conyers, contact publicist Matt Yanofsky at Yanoboxing@aol.com .
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