Tucker Outpoints Smith in Big Apple Debut!

Posted on | February 10, 2011 | No Comments

For Immediate Release

New York, NY (February 10, 2011) –WBO/NABO Youth and USBO Light Heavyweight champion Mark “TNT” Tucker of Eldersburg, MD moved to 15-0 with 7 knockouts following a hard fought unanimous decision over Ray Smith last night at BB King Blues Club & Grill in New York, NY..

Fighting for the first time in eight months, Tucker was the busier fighter and racked up points by consistently throwing jabs, hooks, left hand crosses and crisp body blows. Smith had some success connecting in close quarters, but Tucker’s ability to whether the storm and dictate the pace powered him to victory.

All three judges scored the contest 59-55.

“The ring rust definitely played a factor and it was hard to train properly in this weather, but I definitely felt I won,” said the popular 23 year old southpaw. “He threw some big shots and most of them glanced off of me. He was tougher than I expected, but I landed more punches than him and that’s how the scoring works.”

Tucker’s next bout is scheduled for March 12 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.

Demarce replaces Johnson in fast-paced lightweight tussle at MFC 28

Posted on | February 10, 2011 | No Comments

Hell Boy’ to dance with ‘The Demon’

When Curtis Demarce signed his new multi-fight deal with the Maximum Fighting Championship, he hoped he would soon get an opportunity to face one of the combatants in the featured matchup of Kajan Johnson vs. Richie Whitson slated for MFC 28.

Demarce’s wish came true faster than expected as he draws in as an injury replacement. In what could be tabbed as an “All-Evil” encounter, “The Demon” will now face “Hell Boy” Whitson on the card set for Friday, Feb. 25 at the River Cree Resort and Casino, just outside Edmonton, Alberta.

Johnson, the popular Vancouver, B.C., product, has been sidelined by a separated shoulder, leaving the door open for Demarce (10-7), who puts his seven-fight winning streak on the line against Whitson.

Whitson (10-1) will be carrying his own four-fight streak into the bout as the Temecula, California, product makes his organizational debut.

Demarce made his debut under the MFC banner last September, and the 22-year-old from Brandon, Manitoba, turned in the best performance of his career. Demarce secured the win over Tyson Steele with a second-round triangle choke, earning himself the runner-up spot on the list of the MFC’s 2010 Submissions of the Year. Six of Demarce’s career wins have come via submission.

Tickets for MFC 28: Supremacy are going fast and are available only by calling the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024.

THIS MONDAY! Pacquiao-Mosley Media Tour Hits New York City!

Posted on | February 10, 2011 | No Comments

This Monday! February 14 at 11 A.M. ET

The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers – Pier 61

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

LAS VEGAS, NEV (February 9, 2011) – Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO and “Sugar” SHANE MOSLEY will conclude their coast-to-coast U.S. media tour, for their mega world championship fight, with a New York News Conference Luncheon This Monday! February 14, in the The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers – Pier 61 (23rd Street at the Hudson River, New York, NY 10011). The report time will be at 10:30 a.m. ET with the news conference beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. The Media Lunch will be served at the conclusion of the news conference at approximately Noon ET. One-on-one interviews will take place after the news conference.

The news conference will be open to the public.

Pacquiao and Mosley, who have won world titles in 11 weight divisions between them, will go toe-to-toe for Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight championship on Saturday, May 7, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. Named the “Fighter of the Decade” by the Boxing Writers Association of America, Pacquiao will be making his first ring appearance in The Fight Capital of the World since 2009. Joining Pacquiao and Mosley at Chelsea Piers will be Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, three-peat Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach, Matt Blank, Chairman and CEO of Showtime Networks Inc., and Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports®.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions, Tecate and MGM Grand, Pacquiao vs. Mosley will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®.

Interview With Former World Champion Colin Lynes

Posted on | February 9, 2011 | No Comments

by Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro

London – 9th February 2011

Former IBO Light Welterweight Champion of the World Colin Lynes is set to make his welcome return to the ring this coming Saturday, the 12th February, against Bradley Pryce at the Matchroom Sports promoted John Watson versus Anthony Crolla vacant British Lightweight Title clash at Olympia, Liverpool.

What may surprise a few people is that Colin, a career long Light Welterweight, will now be campaigning in the Welterweight division.

To aid him with the transition Colin has enlisted father and son team Jimmy and Mark Tibbs as well as switching his training base to Johnny Eames’ excellent Ultrachem TKO Gym in Canning Town.

It’s at the TKO that I managed to not only watch Colin train and spar over the past couple of months, but also managed to get to chat with him on various occasions. The last in an official capacity which enabled me to get an insight into why he has chosen to change division, coaching team and training base after all this time. The full interview follows but first a brief history of Colin Lynes’ championship career.

Colin, who began his pro career with 1st round knockout of Lee Frost in June 1988. After compiling a perfect record of 20 wins and 0 losses Colin successfully challenged Richard Kiley for the vacant IBO Inter-Continental title in December 2002. His reign as champion was short lived as just three months later, on his first defense at York Hall on 8th March 2003, he was stopped in the eighth round by South African Samuel Malinga.

Undeterred by his first career loss Colin put together a three win run, beating Brian Coleman, Fabrice Colombel and Cesar Alberto Leiva, to earn the right to make a full scale challenge against Argentinian Pablo Daniel Sarmiento for his IBO World Title at Goresbrook Leisure Centre in Dagenham on the 8th May 2004.

Following an exceptional hard fought battle Colin lifted the coveted belt, albeit with a little controversy, as when the judges score cards were read out two showed 117-111 and 116-112 in favour of Colin and with the other judge seeing it 114-115 in favour of Sarmiento.

Colin successfully defended his title in February 2005 against Oakland, California’s Juaquin Gallardo. Again it was another very close fight, Colin had the better of the early rounds with Gallardo coming on stronger in the later part of the contest. This time two of the judges see it in favour of Colin with 116-113 and 117-113 scores and judge Artur Ellensohn see the bout dead even at 114-114.

On the 21st October 2005 Colin unsuccessfully challenged Junior Witter for his European, British and Commonwealth titles. A few months later, on the 20th January 2006 Colin and Lenny Daws clashed, in a British title eliminator, for the Southern Area title. After nine grueling rounds Colin hopes of challenging for the British title again faded as the fight was waved off as he sat in his corner.

Never one to be dejected Colin secured two nice wins, against Janos Petrovics (6th round stoppage), and Arek Malek (2nd round retirement due to hand injury) before successfully challenging Barry Morrison for his British title in his own back yard on the 8th June 2007 at Motherwell Civic Centre.

Just over a month later, on the 20th July, Colin defended his newly won British crown and at the same time challenged Young Mutley for his European title, again in his opponents home town.

Colin was oozing confidence, and it showed in his performance. Mutley was outclassed on the night, constantly getting caught by stiff jabs and bruising left jabs from the Hornchurch man. By round eight Mutley began looking dejected and it came as no surprise to the watching crowd when Colin sends Mutley to one knee with a solid left. Mutley gets up and accepts the count.

The moment the referee, Richie Davies, finishes counting Colin is all over Mutley like a rash, throwing big left and rights that send his crashing back to the canvas. Richie Davies instantly jumped in to end the contest. Colin is elated to have added the European Light Welterweight Belt to his collection.

Colin successfully defended his European crown against Finland’s Juho Tolppola on the 25th January 2008 by a convincing 120-108 (twice) and 119-109 points margin.

Four months later, in Torino, Italy, Colin’s European reign came to an end following an incredibly close fight against Gianluca Branco. At the end of twelve hard fought rounds two judges scored it 113-114 for Branco and judge Predrag Aleksic scored it 115-113 in favour of Colin.

Two championship losses followed in quick succession, the first against Paul McCloskey for the British title on the 5th December 2008 see Colin retire in the ninth round. The second, for the now vacant European belt, against France’s Souleymane M’baye went the full distance and see Colin again on the wrong side of a contentious split decision verdict.

Colin’s next outing was competing in the hugely successful Matchroom Sports promoted Prizefighter series. In the first round Colin secured a split decision victory over David Barnes and then see off Young Mutley with yet another split decision. On the other side of the draw Gavin Rees was storming through to the final.

The final was all out war, neither protagonist gave or expected any quarter. But in the end there is only one winner and this was Rees’ time.

Colin’s final fight as a Light Welterweight came just four months later, when Colin challenged Nigerian Ajose Olusegun for his Commonwealth title. Colin’s challenge came to an abrupt end, just one minute and twenty three seconds into the eighth round, after Olusegun landed a massive body shot that left Colin retching.

This coming weekend Colin Lynes – The Welterweight – makes his new division debut against Bradley Pryce at the Matchroom Sports promoted John Watson versus Anthony Crolla vacant British Lightweight Title clash at Olympia. Liverpool.

Following one of his training sessions, with Jimmy and Mark Tibbs at the Ultrachem TKO Gym, I asked Colin why he has decided to campaign at Welterweight amongst other things.

Rio – After almost a year out of the ring you’re back again, this time as a Welterweight. What made you decide to move from Light Welter?

Colin Lynes – I was winning fights but I wasn’t feeling great about it, you know. I remember beating a Finnish guy Juho Tolppola. I won every round hands down and even after that fight I didn’t feel great in myself. I went home and spoke with my trainer and it was down to championship fighting.

I was fine in the gym sparring at ten-ten and then coming down to sort of ten-four the week of the fight. Obviously you don’t spar any more and it was only when it came down to getting in the ring for real that my body was slowing down. I think I was tiring after eight or nine rounds initially, then it started coming down to six rounds and then the last fight was just the last one and I didn’t even go in there feeling good.

Rio – Your first title was an International, not a domestic title. What made you decide to go this route?

Colin – Situation was you got Junior Witter, Ricky Hatton, Eamon McGee all active and champions and it was like a closed shop. The only sort of entry for me was to go the IBO inter-continental route and then win a full world title, which is what I did. You know, I didn’t look back after that.

Rio – You’ve had some fantastic fights during your career and lifted virtually every domestic title there is and of course the World crown. Which fight holds the fondest memories for you?

Colin – I think it was winning the British title in Scotland. I was up against it, it was in Barry Morrison’s home town. He had done a really good number on Lenny Daws, who had defeated me in a bad way for me.

Again another night when I wasn’t too well. My dad was ill at the same time so I was really up against it and to go in there and box as well as I did, again I don’t think I lost a round.

You know to pick the British title up and then four weeks later to then get the opportunity to fight for the European when the European fight between Mutley and Bami fell through I happily stepped in. I stayed in the gym and I won in emphatic style in Wolverhampton, again on away soil. It was a really good summer for me.

Rio – You recently switched trainers and are now with Jimmy and Mark Tibbs

Colin – I had to change, I had to change what I was doing. I had to take on board new information and I just had to change the whole preparation.

I was too stuck in a rut with the way I was getting trained for fights. You know I just needed to change what I was doing, take on board some new information, if it was out there – and I found that with Jimmy – and to go with my body.

That meant coming away from everything that I did do. New Gym, new me, new body and new information.

I didn’t realise when I joined the Tibbs camp it was Jimmy and his son Mark. I mean I’m really, really chuffed, when I started working with the pair of them the work that they put into you combined, with Jimmy being the mentor and Mark being conditioning and putting all the nice tuning into your body.

I’m not used to that and really enjoy that. My body at my age is getting proper stretching, getting into the niggles and piggles and all the pains that get into your legs it’s brilliant. They’re a fantastic team it’s really, really good. I’m really looking forward to this year

Rio – So it really is out with the old and in with new and that includes a new gym, so how is that working out for you?

Colin – It’s great here at the TKO gym. I moved here to be in a busy gym, to have fighters from all different promotions, all different weights, walks and sizes and shapes and you get that here.

I enjoy the buzz, if it’s a day time or an evening session, don’t matter what time of day if you come in this gym there’s something happening, there’s a buzz.

At my age you need the youngsters to get you buzzing and get you feeling like your young, and that is how I’m feeling.

Rio – I was here when you sparred Kevin Mitchell the other day, It was an awesome session. I suppose it helps having quality sparring like that in-house?

Colin – Yeah you’ve got the likes of Kevin Mitchell but you’ve also got some new guys coming through that keep you on your toes.

They are raw talent. They know who you are but you don’t know who they are. They always up their game and you sometimes show respect, but you’ve got to be careful and don’t get caught out because you’re being too lacksy-daisycall.

I’ve been sparring two young guys, Chris Evangelou and Ricky Boylan, both novices but really fancy the job, which is great for me and great for them, and I get rounds done.

As we touched on I’ve been sparring Kevin. We’ve know each other from old, we’ve been in the same gym before and we both know each other and know our flaws so we both know that if you lose that concentration for any second of any round you’re gonna get found out and caught. So it keeps us on our toes, both sharp and that’s without us going toe to toe really.

If I was helping him with a title fight or vice versa we’d have to up our game again and that’s nice to know that we can go to another level as well even though that was serious sparring.

Rio – OK, you’re fighting on Saturday – again it’s away turf being in Liverpool, how do you feel about that?

Colin – Yeah, it’s never fazed me, sometimes it’s nice to get away from your area. My family come with me but it’s nice to get away for your little bubble you’ve been used to and just get to the hotel and think about the task ahead. I enjoy it, I like it like that.

Rio – So now you’re at a new weight what are your championship plans?

Colin – The British ranking system has carried me over, without me having this fight this weekend, they’ve accepted that now I’m a Welterweight and they’ve ranked me # 5.

Get this weekend, get a good win, out of the way and there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be in for a title shot. I thought it would be two or three fights to make a point but people seem to listening to the feedback they get from what I’ve been doing in here and you boys. I’m quite pleased that after this weekend there’s no reason why I can’t get a challenge in.

Matthew Hatton’s looking for an opponent for his European, Denton Vassell is looking for an opponent for his Commonwealth and I’m always up for the Southern Area or British title so it’s all there.

Rio – talking about titles, Jimmy Tibbs recently went on record saying you could go for another world title shot. Now we all know Jimmy doesn’t do B.S.- so is that also on the cards?

Colin – I’m really, really chuffed about that. I don’t let anything get to my head but Jimmy’s been there, done it. Not just once but two or three times over and to hear that from Jimmy, that’s the belief, that’s one of the reasons I joined Jimmy and that to see it myself and if Jimmy believes it and I believe it there’s no reason why I can’t win another world title.

Rio – Colin, thank you so much, and good luck this Saturday.

Colin – Thank you and thanks to boxing fans everywhere.

Colin Lynes, against Bradley Pryce, will feature on the undercard of the Matchroom Sports promoted John Watson versus Anthony Crolla vacant British Lightweight Title clash at Olympia. Liverpool, on Saturday 12th February 2011.

STRIKEFORCE Grand Prix Fan Experience In NY City A Smashing Success

Posted on | February 8, 2011 | No Comments

Seven hours before the doors would open for the STRIKEFORCE Grand Prix Fan Experience Tuesday, a long line began to form outside the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. Once inside, the approximately 1,500 MMA fans who jammed the venue for the event were treated to a spectacular afternoon they will not soon forget.

All eight fighters who will compete in the eagerly awaited STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix — Heavyweight Tournament were in attendance and signed autographs, answered questions from emcee Scott Ferrall and posed for photos. There were ticket, T-shirt and STRIKEFORCE fight gear giveaways, fight videos shown on giant television screens, workouts in the cage and photo opportunities with The Rockstar Girls. Music was provided by special guest deejay, DJ Clue.

The STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix — Heavyweight Tournament begins this Saturday, Feb. 12, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) with two quarterfinal fights from the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J. The first live, non-televised undercard bout starts at 7:30 p.m. ET.
In the main event, Fedor Emelianenko (31-2, 1 NC) returns to action against Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (15-2) in a STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL co-promoted event. The opening quarterfinal will match former world champion Andrei Arlovski (15-8) against Russian star Sergei Kharitonov (16-4), the last fighter to defeat current STRIKEFORCE and DREAM Heavyweight World Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem.
The other two quarterfinal matchups at a site and date to be announced are: Overeem (34-11, 1 NC) versus the only man to tap out Fedor, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1), and hard-hitting Brett “The Grim” Rogers (11-2) against Josh Barnett (29-5).

Dyami Arroyo of The Bronx was the first to show at 8:30 a.m. Despite cold, bitter, windy conditions, he kept his spot at the head of the line. “There was no way I was going to miss a chance to meet Fedor and the greatest heavyweights in the world,” he said. “As soon as I heard about this, I told my boss I was taking the day off.”

His buddy, Freddie Diaz, of Queens, says he called in sick. “I love STRIKEFORCE, but this is a dream-come-true for any MMA fan.”

Said Brooklyn’s Joe Doyle, who arrived a little after Arroyo and Diaz: “To get this kind of access to these kinds of fighters is unbelievable,” he said. “There was no way I wasn’t going to be here. I am really happy that STRIKEFORCE did something like this for us. No other MMA organizations do anything like this around here.”

JOSEPH KING KONG AGBEKO & ABNER MARES, VIC DARCHINYAN & YONNHY PEREZ: THE BANTAMWEIGHT TOURNAMENT FINAL

Posted on | February 8, 2011 | No Comments

–
Winner Takes All
KICK-OFF PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Tickets On Sale Now

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 8, 2011) – Four of the best bantamweights in the world participated in a press conference to formally announce the eagerly awaited The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All on Saturday, April 23 LIVE on SHOWTIME® (10:30 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles.

Joseph King Kong Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs), of Accra, Ghana, will defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight world championship against undefeated rising star Abner Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. by way of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, who defends his WBC Silver bantamweight championship in the tournament final.

In what will be a hotly contested co-feature, former two-division world champion Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan (35-3-1, 27 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, by way of Vanadzok, Armenia, and former IBF bantamweight world champion Yonnhy “El Colombiano” Perez (20-1-1, 14 KOs), of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., by way of Cartagena, Colombia, will clash in the tournament consolation bout.

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, are available online at Ticketmaster.com, and via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at STAPLES Center Box Office.

Agbeko earned a berth in the final by dealing Perez his first career loss via a unanimous 12-round decision in the tournament semifinals last Dec. 11 in Tacoma, Wash..

Earlier in the night, Mares, came from behind in dramatic fashion to reach the tournament final by winning a 12-round split decision over former two-division world champ Darchinyan in a bloody affair.

The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All is promoted by Don King Productions, Gary Shaw Productions, Golden Boy Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions. An exciting undercard will be announced shortly.

See below for what the fighters and promoters had to say on Tuesday:

JOSEPH KING KONG AGBEKO:

“Boxing is one of the most beautiful sports in the world and this night of two great fights gives us the opportunity to show just how beautiful it is once again. Abner Mares is a great fighter and someone I respect outside of the ring. He better be ready to answer for what I’ve got for him come April 23.

“I was coming off a loss and came out the winner in the rematch (against Perez). Everything went exactly as planned. Abner Mares is a very different fighter compared to Perez and Darchinyan. Abner Mares is a much more technical fighter. We are going to come out with a style totally different than what we did against Vic and Yonnhy.

“We’re not worried about where this fight is being held. People say he has an advantage because it’s his hometown but we will fight him anywhere.”

“I will come to fight on April 23 against Abner Mares. I know it’s going to be a great fight and the best fight of the night.”

ABNER MARES:

“When I had my detached retina everyone told me my career was over. But God has given me the chance to continue doing what I do. And now I’m here and I’ve made it to the final. I thank God and I’m ready to fight again on April 23, the same night as three of the best bantamweights in the world.

“I’m really excited to be here and I thank SHOWTIME for continuing to make these great fights. I am in the final with Agbeko but Darchinyan and Yonnhy is another great fight. You can’t even say that it’s for third place. It’s just another great fight for the audience. This is what the boxing fans deserve. We fight anyone at anytime and that’s what we want: to make the people happy.

“Joseph King Kong Agbeko has never seen a more complete fighter like me. I know we’re both coming. I saw his last fight against Yonnhy and he came in with a good game plan and he beat Yonnhy.

“I expect a great fight against Agbeko, who is just a great guy outside the ring. He’s always happy and smiling. I know inside the ring he calls himself King Kong and he believes he actually becomes King Kong inside the ring.

“My family and friends weren’t able to make it to Tacoma but now they will get the opportunity to see me fight in my hometown. I’m excited to fight in front of my friends and family because it gives me extra motivation to win.”

VIC DARCHINYAN:

“I took a lot of low blows in my last fight. I was upset and very disturbed about what happened. But sometimes that’s boxing. I want a clean fight this time.

“This time I’m going to show that once I knock a fighter down I am coming to finish him. In my last fight I had (Mares) knocked down in the second round but I didn’t finish him. The same thing will not happen again. I gave him too much time to recover and it didn’t happen for me. He threw some low blows and won the fight. So there’s no more playing around. This time it’s just go for the knockout.

“It doesn’t matter what has happened in the past. I am totally focused on my next fight.
YONNHY PEREZ:

“Agbeko was the better fighter that night (on Dec. 11) and there’s nothing more to it. The only thing that really worries me about Vic Darchinyan is that he’s a southpaw. His power does not bother me. You can say that he hits hard but we are fighters and we all hit hard. He dropped Mares down within the first few rounds, but why didn’t he finish him? If I have a guy down I’m going to try and finish. I just have to be weary of what he does in the first few rounds.

“What happened in my last fight will never happen again and we are making the necessary adjustments to make sure of that over the next few weeks.

“Whoever can make the most adjustments will win the fight on April 23. I would tell my fans that everyone should show up on that night. It’s a grand finale and both fights will be great. I hope all the networks learn from the example SHOWTIME is setting by giving all the fans these great fights over and over again.”

ALAN HOPPER (For Don King Productions)
“Joseph had some unfinished business after his first fight with Perez and he redeemed himself in the rematch in the semifinals. Now he’s in the final and ready to make his claim as the best bantamweight in the world.

“These fighters were wonderful in December and they’re going to be great in April.

“Abner, I wouldn’t want to be you right now. You’re going in the ring with one of the great champions of Ghana and he’s on a mission to become the best bantamweight in the world.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA:
“This goes to show you how boxing can come together and put together these wonderful fights. The fans are the winners. Ken Hershman has had these brilliant ideas of putting these tournaments together and making sure there is excitement in boxing for the fans.

“Whoever wins this tournament is the man; the best bantamweight in the world.

“Abner is not only a great champion inside the ring he’s also a great human outside the ring. He’s a true champion not only to the Mexican people but to his in Los Angeles.”

GARY SHAW:
“These are four of the best at 118 pounds because they are willing to fight one another.

“I give credit to Abner for beating Vic. I hope Oscar and Abner give us another chance down the road because that’s what we would do for them.

“Perez wasn’t there mentally or physically in the first fight. I think you’ll see a different Yonnhy Perez in this fight, unfortunately it’s against my other fighter, Vic Darchinyan.

“This is what makes boxing great – the best willing to fight the best.

“People don’t think Vic can bring his power up to 118 pounds – I disagree.”

KEN THOMPSON:
“You’re going to see the future of these fighters at stake on April 23.

“The best four fighters in the world at 118 pounds will fight on April 23. You’ll see Yonnhy Perez, who we think is the best bantamweight in the world, walk away with a win and a belt at Nokia Theatre.”

For more information, visit www.donking.com, www.garyshawproductions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.thompsonboxing.com, become a friend on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/GaryShawBoxing, www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.twitter.com/abnermares00.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

AGBEKO TO FACE MARES FOR 118-POUND SUPREMACY

Posted on | February 8, 2011 | No Comments

IN THE BANTAMWEIGHT TOURNAMENT FINAL –
Winner Takes All SATURDAY, APRIL 23, LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
FROM NOKIA THEATRE L.A. LIVE

Darchinyan and Perez to Meet in Consolation Bout
Tickets for the Doubleheader Go On Sale Tuesday, Feb. 8

NEW YORK (Feb. 8, 2011) – Joseph King Kong Agbeko will defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight world championship against undefeated rising star Abner Mares, who defends his WBC Silver bantamweight championship in the eagerly awaited finals of The Bantamweight Tournament: Winner Takes All on Saturday, April 23 LIVE on SHOWTIME® (10:30 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles.

In what will be a hotly contested co-feature, former two-division world champion Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan and former IBF bantamweight world champion Yonnhy “El Colombiano” Perez will clash in the tournament consolation bout.

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, go on sale Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m. PT and will be available online at Ticketmaster.com, and via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available at STAPLES Center Box Office.

Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs), of Accra, Ghana, earned a berth in the finals by dealing Perez his first career loss via a unanimous 12-round decision in the tournament semifinals last Dec. 11 in Tacoma, Wash., on SHOWTIME. Agbeko avenged a points loss to Perez which took place in a Halloween night slugfest in 2009 on SHOWTIME by impressively taking the rematch by the scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113.

The thrilling encounter was punctuated by one of the year’s most memorable and exciting rounds – the sixth – a give-and-take slugfest that saw each fighter neglect defense and go for broke. In the end, it was Agbeko, who despite fighting for the first time in 13 months, controlled the fight with his excellent defense and effective strategy.

Earlier in the night, Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. by way of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, came from behind in dramatic fashion to reach the tournament finals by winning a 12-round split decision over former two-division world champ Darchinyan in a bloody, knockdown laden affair.

The charismatic and crowd-pleasing Mares recovered from a deep cut along his hairline in the opening round, the first knockdown of his career in the second and a points-deduction for low blows in the fourth with a rally that saw him deck Darchinyan in the seventh en route to registering the most-noteworthy triumph of his career by the scores of 115-111, 113-112 and 111-115.

The 5-foot 5 ½-inch, 30-year-old Agbeko will have the advantage in world championship fight experience as he has appeared in five world title fights while the 5-foot 5-inch, 25-year-old Mares has fought in just one – a disputed 12-round majority draw against Perez on May 22, 2010.

Both Darchinyan (35-3-1, 27 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, by way of Vanadzok, Armenia, and Perez (20-1-1, 14 KOs), of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., by way of Cartagena, Colombia, will be looking to bounce back from bitter setbacks in the semifinals. The winner of their bout remains in contention for a possible title shot against the winner of the Agbeko-Mares fight.

The hard-hitting, 5-foot 5½-inch Darchinyan displayed improved boxing skills against Mares, but after manufacturing a seemingly comfortable lead, faded in the late rounds. A former 115-pound kingpin, Darchinyan has participated in 15 world title fights.

As was evident against Mares, the 35-year-old Darchinyan would be better served to stick to his improved boxing game plan rather than his old style of brawling against the determined, durable, well-conditioned, younger and taller 32-year-old Perez, a natural bantamweight who, at 5-foot 7-inches, is very tall for the division.

The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All is promoted by Don King Productions, Gary Shaw Productions, Golden Boy Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions. An exciting undercard will be announced shortly.

For more information, visit www.donking.com, www.garyshawproductions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.thompsonboxing.com, become a friend on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/GaryShawBoxing, www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.twitter.com/abnermares00.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

FEB. 11 IS FIGHT NIGHT IN EL PASO

Posted on | February 8, 2011 | No Comments

El Paso’s undefeated David Rodriguez continues his assault on the heavyweight division on FRIDAY, FEB. 11, 2011, when the powerful assassin returns to face Matt Hicks at the Don Haskins Center.

For Rodriguez, 33-0 (31 knockouts), training is winding down as the focus and intensity revs up. The Coronado High School graduate has incrementally removed all of the possible distractions from his life as Friday Fight Night approaches.

D-Rod has even shut down his social networking capabilities.

“I’m signing off of Facebook until after the fight,” Rodriguez wrote on his status bar early this week. “Thank you for all of the support. I will see everybody on Friday, Feb. 11.”

Rodriguez will meet Las Vegas’ Hicks, 13-5 (12 KO’s) after original foe Ty Cobb withdrew from the fight this week.

It will be his first fight since a third-round knockout of Daniel Bispo in March.

The fight is being promoted by Zeferino Productions and Nino Bravo Promotions.

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