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Showtime and CBS Join Top Rank, Inc. To Promote, Produce And Distribute Marquee Boxing Event

Posted on | January 27, 2011 | No Comments

MANNY PACQUIAO vs. SHANE MOSLEY
Saturday, May 7, 2011
From MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
Live on SHOWTIME PPV®

NEW YORK (Jan. 26, 2011)—Showtime Networks Inc. and CBS have joined forces with Top Rank, Inc. to promote, produce and distribute the biggest boxing event of the year—the May 7th showdown between global superstar and Philippine Congressman Manny Pacquiao and three-division world champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley, it was jointly announced by Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports®, and Bob Arum, Top Rank CEO.

The agreement brings together Pacquiao, the top athlete and personality in the sport, with SHOWTIME, the fastest growing premium television network in the U.S., and its parent company CBS Corporation whose programming and media assets span network and local television, pay and basic cable, radio, outdoor and online.

The campaign will include the SHOWTIME Sports documentary series FIGHT CAMP 360° in preview of Pacquiao vs. Mosley. The top rated CBS Television Network will participate by broadcasting a primetime special of the show in April.

“The arrangement with CBS and Showtime regarding the promotion and distribution of the Pacquiao vs. Mosley championship event represents a new opportunity for the sport of boxing. It enables boxing to reach millions more people in the United States given the reach of CBS, the most watched television network in the country. This development will not only benefit Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley but all of the young men participating in the sport of boxing,” said Arum.

Hershman said, “We look forward to combining Showtime Sports’ production and distribution expertise with Top Rank’s promotional power and the amazing programming and marketing resources available to us across CBS to present the biggest boxing event of 2011.”

On May 7, Pacquiao will fight under the SHOWTIME PPV banner for the first time, bringing it the highest profile and biggest revenue generating athlete in boxing whose fights over the past two years have garnered nearly 4 million pay per view buys and unrivaled box office receipts. The event marks the first SHOWTIME PPV event since 2005’s Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo II.

“Pay per view has been an opportunistic play for SHOWTIME Sports in recent years,” Hershman continued. “In Pacquiao, we have a global celebrity and unquestionably the most popular boxer of this era attempting to continue his dominance in the ring against Shane Mosley, one of the most talented and recognizable fighters of today not named Manny Pacquiao. With this marquee match up, Pacquiao’s proven track record in pay per view and CBS’s participation, this is the perfect opportunity for Showtime to be back in the pay per view business and in a big way.”

Showtime has a long history of success in pay per view dating back to the 1990s. In 1997, the SHOWTIME PPV presentation of Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield II garnered the most pay per view buys for any sport or entertainment event in history. The 1.99 million buys stood as the industry benchmark for nearly 10 years, until being surpassed in May 2007.

Additional details about the May 7th event, including ticket information for the MGM Grand Garden Arena and undercard fights are to be announced.

Pacquiao Biography
Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, is the first Congressman in history to both fight for and defend a world boxing title. Congressman Pacquiao was sworn in on June 28, 2010 and is the lone representative of the Sarangani province. Pacquiao won the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight championship—his record eighth world title in as many weight divisions—last November via dominant unanimous decision over three-time welterweight champion Antonio Margarito. Pacquiao captured the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title, which he will be defending against Mosley, in November 2009 with a brilliant 12th-round knockout of four-time world champion Miguel Cotto. The Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Cotto. His knockout victories over Cotto and Hatton in 2009 and his decisive wins over Joshua Clottey and Margarito in 2010 combined for nearly 4 million buys making Pacquiao the reigning pay per view king. No boxer sold more live tickets than Pacquiao in 2010, making him the pound for pound king in the ring and at the box office.

Mosley Biography
Sugar Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs), from Pomona, Calif., has reigned as world champion four times in three different weight divisions during his remarkable 18-year professional career. The only man to serve up two defeats to Oscar De La Hoya — both in world championship fights — Mosley’s Hall of Fame caliber resume also boasts victories over world champions Fernando Vargas (twice), Ricardo Mayorga, Antonio Margarito, John John Molina, Jesse James Leija, Philip Holiday and Luis Collazo. De la Hoya, Holiday and Collazo were the only Mosley victims to survive the 12-round distance to hear the judges’ decisions.

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Sergio Martinez returns March 12 vs. Sergiy Dzinziruk

Posted on | January 27, 2011 | No Comments

A battle for middleweight supremacy at the MGM Grand Arena at Foxwoods, live on HBO World Championship Boxing

Lee vs. McEwan highlights the undercard; tickets on sale Wednesday

NEW YORK, NY (Jan 25, 2011) – The consensus 2010 Fighter of the Year, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez is gearing up for another banner campaign in 2011. It all starts on March 12 when Martinez, the recognized champion at middleweight squares off with reigning World Boxing Organization (“WBO”) junior middleweight champion, Sergiy “Razor” Dzinziruk at the MGM Grand Arena at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The winner will walk away with the prestigious World Boxing Council (“WBC”) Diamond Championship at middleweight.

In the co-feature attraction, two of Western Europe’s best, and most exciting pugilists, Andy Lee of Ireland and Scotland’s Craig McEwan do battle in a ten round “Celtic War” in the middleweight division.

“Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk” will be presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Gary Shaw Productions and Banner Promotions. Lee vs. McEwan will be presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Golden Boy Promotions. Both bouts will be broadcast live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:30pm ET / 7:30pm PT.

Tickets for “Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk,” are priced at $450, $250, $125, $75, and $50 and will go on sale Wednesday, January 26, at 10:00am ET through the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mgmatfoxwood.com, by calling the MGM Grand at Foxwoods at 1-866-646-0609, or in person at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office.

“March 12 is what world class boxing is all about,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Sergio Martinez is proving that he has no interest in resting on his laurels by taking on an accomplished champion such as Sergiy Dzinziruk. Once again, ‘Maravilla’ will show why he is not only the 2010 FIghter of the Year, but also the people’s champion.

“Those looking for a good ole fashioned knock down, drag out war to ring in St. Patrick’s Day will be fulfilled when Andy Lee and Craig McEwan duke it out. Both are old school sluggers with proud roots. Get your tickets now, because with such great action assured, they will not last.”

Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KOs), 35, is coming off the biggest year of his professional life. Last April, he won the middleweight championship, in just his second bout at the weight class, with a dominating 12-round victory over Kelly Pavlik at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Seven months later on November 20, Martinez, a native of Argentina by way of Oxnard, California, returned to Boardwalk Hall to face Paul Williams in a rematch of his razor thin majority decision loss to Paul Williams, which was widely heralded as one of the best fights of 2009. If their first showdown was Fight of the Year, Martinez left no doubt in 2010 in what was certainly the Knockout of the Year. Just a minute into the second round, Martinez landed a booming overhand left that knocked Williams out cold and sent shockwaves throughout the sports world. To cap off 2010, Martinez was lauded by nearly ever publication and organization – including ESPN, the Boxing Writers Association of America, Yahoo Sports, Sports Illustrated, MaxBoxing.com, BoxingScene.com, AOL Fanhouse, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, El Paso Times, San Antonio Express-News, Secondsout.com, and The Ring Magazine – as Fighter of the Year.

“I believe my next fight could be my best fight of my career because my boxing is getting better, I am physically stronger, and I am stronger mentally,” said Martinez. “My rival is a great fighter and a great champion for several years now but on March 12 he will fight the best Sergio Martinez and the fans will witness a spectacular show and the best fight of my career.”

Dzinziruk (37-0, 34 KOs), 34, has held the WBO 154 lb. title since 2005 when he decisioned Daniel Santos in his adopted home of Germany. Since then, the native of Ukraine has defended his title successfully six times, including his last bout which served as both his American debut and debut under the joint promotional banner of Gary Shaw Productions and Banner Promotions. In that bout, on May 14, 2010, in Santa Ynez, California, Dzinziruk systematically broke down Daniel Dawson en route to a tenth round stoppage.

“First of all, it’s a great opportunity for everyone involved to fight such great champions” said Dzinziruk. “I really appreciate the opportunity to fight Sergio Martinez and show the world how good I am. I am looking forward to the fight and I am very excited. I have not tasted defeated yet and I want to keep it that way. My team and I know how much work was done by Banner Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions to make this fight and it is greatly appreciated. We’re looking forward to a great fight with Sergio Martinez.”

Lee (24-1, 18 KOs), 26, is riding a nine fight winning streak since his lone career setback: a loss to Bryan Vera in 2008. Since then, the Emmanuel Steward-trained Irish slugger has compiled some of the best wins of his career over the likes of experienced veterans James Cook, Willie Gibbs, Michael Walker, and former world title challenger Mamadou Thiam. Lee is ranked #5 by the WBA and #14 by the WBC.

“I’m looking forward to fighting,” said Lee. “This fight gives me the chance to prove how good I am. McEwan is a very good boxer. He will test me, but it’s a test I welcome. I’d like to thank my management and Lou DiBella for making this fight and giving me the chance to showcase my skills on HBO. I plan on showing everyone how good I am on March 12.”

McEwan (19-0, 10 KOs), 28, was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, but now lives in California where he trains with the world renowned Freddie Roach. McEwan is coming off the biggest win of his career on July 23, 2010, when he took a decision from former world title challenger Danny Perez. McEwan also holds a victory over Bryan Vera, the man who handed Lee his lone defeat. McEwan is ranked #12 by the WBO.

“Andy Lee is a good fighter, but I’m at my best when I fight good fighters,” said McEwan. “I’m excited to have the chance to fight on HBO and show everyone what I can do.”

A full undercard will be announced shortly.

For more information about DiBella Entertainment, including a list of all upcoming bouts, please visit www.dbe1.com, or follow Lou DiBella on twitter, @loudibella.

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2004 Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada makes Boxing 360 debut Saturday night at Turning Stone

Posted on | January 27, 2011 | No Comments

NEW YORK (January 25, 2011) – 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada, one of the most decorated amateur boxers of all-time, returns to the ring after nearly a full year’s absence due to foot surgery, Saturday night in his Boxing 360 debut against Franklin “Yah Yah” Lawrence in the 10-round main event for the vacant WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation heavyweight title, at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York.

Estrada, fighting out of Providence, has fought everyone and anybody put in the ring with him, never turning down a fight, and none of his opponents has had a losing record (311-101-15 combined record of his opponents) when they fought “Big Six.” His three losses were all on the road in the backyards of former world champion Tomasz Adamek, 2004 Olympic gold medalist Alexander Povetkin and Travis Walker. During his 6-year pro career, Estrada has never been floored, never mind stopped, and the quick-handed, slick-footed heavyweight has unfinished business to take care of, which was supposed to start January 13 in Oklahoma. But he was snowed in at home, cancelling that fight, but an opportunity eventually opened-up at Turning Stone when another Boxing 360 heavyweight, Mike Mollo, was injured in training camp. His CABOFE title fight Jan. 29 at Turning Stone against Manuel Quezada was scratched and Boxing 360 was able to fill the spot with Estrada-Lawrence.

“We want to thank promoter Dave Escalet for working with us to make this fight happen,” Boxing 360 Founder and CEO Mario Yagobi commented. “We believe that Jason has a big future and we’re going to do everything possible to help make him world champion.”

The 30-year-old Estrada (16-3, 4 KOs) was one of the most highly-decorated American amateur boxers ever, compiling an amazing 261-14 record in U.S. competition, as well as the first boxer to win both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. Challenge three years (2001-2003) in a row. The highlight of his amateur career was representing the United States in the 2004 Olympics, although planter ficitis in his right foot severely hampered his training and performances.

“I was ticked-off because that day was finally here,” Estrada spoke about his disappointment regarding the cancellation of his January 13th fight. “It just didn’t work out but flames were coming out of my nose that day. I was ready to go. I didn’t stop training, other than for that weekend, and went back to work in the gym that following Monday. Boxing 360 said they were working on something for me and, just in case, I stayed in the gym. It worked out better for me.”

Jason’s most impressive performance as a pro arguably was a one-sided,10-round win by decision against former NABO/NABA/WBC Continental Americas heavyweight champion Lance “Mount” Whitaker (32-5-1, 27 KOs) in their April 4, 2008 ESPN2 FNF show headliner.

In his last fight, Lawrence (13-2-2, 8 KOs) knocked out Lance Whitaker last September in the seventh round of their IBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Championship bout. One of Lawrence’s two pro losses was to former world champion Oliver McCall by 10-round decision.

“I don’t know much about him other than he beat Lance Whitaker, a fighter I’ve also beaten,” Estrada noted. “It really doesn’t matter I know what I’ve been doing and he can’t match that. I haven’t fought for a while but my foot feels great. It’s the easier transition I’ve made in a long time. This is a great opportunity to get me back in the heavyweight mix. I’m happy not to be fighting in my opponent’s backyard like I did in my three losses.”

Lennox Allen in action Friday night in Yonkers, NY

Another Boxing 360 fighter, New York State super middleweight champion Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen (13-0-1, 8 KOs), will be in action Friday night against Jesse Orta in a 6-round, non-title fight at the Yonkers Armory.

“Since signing with us,” Boxing 360 Director of Boxing Bob Duffy remarked, “This is Jason’s first step towards getting into the worldwide ratings. He’s only two or three fights away from fighting any heavyweight in the world. He has great talent, ability, knowledge and he’ll fight anybody – all the ingredients to be heavyweight champion of the world. Jason is one of the few fighters to never turn-down an opponent. He has respect, but no fear, and that attitude is a key for being competitive today in the heavyweight division.”

Other members of Boxing 360’s stable include USBA heavyweight champion Maurice “Sugar Moe” Harris, Mike Mollo, world super bantamweight contender Leon “Hurry Up” Moore, Joshua “The Juice” Harris, Emad Ali, former IBF super middleweight champion Alejandro “Naco” Berrio, NY State super middleweight title-holder Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen, KO king Tyrone Brunson, Angel “Toro” Hernandez and “King” David Estrada.

Go to www.Boxing360.com for more information about Estrada, Boxing 360 or any of its other fighters.

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Graham Earl Hints At Early Morby-Cadman Title Rematch

Posted on | January 27, 2011 | No Comments

Former World Champion, turned promoter, Graham Earl today hinted at the possibility of a rematch, between Portsmouth’s Paul Morby and Essex’s Daniel ‘The Slick’ Cadman, after their Southern Area Super Middleweight Title clash on Saturday being declared a draw by referee Jeff Hines.

Jeff Hines really had his work cut out as every round was close, many far too close to call. Whilst his decision was probably the fairest, a large percentage of those ringside disagreed having felt Cadman, who had been the far more aggressive of the pair, had done enough to lift the title.

This opinion wasn’t restricted to Cadman supporters as became clear when Morby’s manager-promoter Graham Earl spoke earlier today “I’d been running around so didn’t get to see the whole fight, but what I saw was that the fight seemed to be going Daniel Cadman’s way

Obviously I manage and promote Paul Morby so having a draw was good for me, as he lives to fight another day really.

It did look like he (Paul Morby) was coming on stronger in the final couple of rounds, maybe that was their tactics. I did see, I think it was the ninth round, and Paul seemed to be landing some heavy shots.

I think that now Paul’s had this wake up call, he’ll work harder so that we can look to move him on, maybe one more defense, which could well be a rematch in the near future with Daniel Cadman, then we’ll move Paul on to bigger and better things.”

The prospect of a rematch between these two closely matched battlers is sure to please the Cadman camp more than Morby’s, after all the draw did enable Morby to retain the title.

Graham Earl is expected to be announcing the details of his next show shortly, which may or may not include Morby- Cadman II for the Southern Area Super Middleweight title.

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FOOTBALL LEGEND & MMA HEAVYWEIGHT HERSCHEL WALKER CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS

Posted on | January 24, 2011 | No Comments


Programming Note: This week’s episode of Inside the NFL on SHOWTIME includes an exclusive feature on Herschel Walker. Cameras went inside Herschel’s training camp and Inside the NFL reporter Susannah Collins sat down for an exclusive interview with the legend. Make sure to watch the episode this Wednesday, Jan. 26, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

NEW YORK (Jan. 24, 2011) — Football legend-turned-Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Herschel Walker and STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker participated in a national media conference call to discuss Walker’s upcoming second professional MMA bout on the televised undercard of a STRIKEFORCE World Championship Doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 29, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Walker (1-0) will return to the cage to face Scott Carson (4-1) in a heavyweight bout. The matchup between Walker and Carson was originally scheduled for Dec. 4, but was postponed after Walker sustained a cut above his eye during a training session.

Walker, 48, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time NFL Pro Bowl competitor, is undefeated at 1-0 in his latest athletic endeavor – MMA. A 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee who was also selected to Sports Illustrated’s NCAA All-Century Team that year, the 6-foot-1, 220 pound Walker, of Atlanta, holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo.

On Jan. 30, 2010, Walker made an impressive professional MMA debut, scoring a third- round TKO (punches) over 26-year-old Greg Nagy. Walker has been training in San Jose, Calif., with Team AKA, one of the most prominent MMA fight camps in the world that is also the home of former STRIKEFORCE world champions Cung Le and Josh Thomson.

STRIKEFORCE World Welterweight Champ Nick Diaz (23-7, 1 NC) will make his second title defense when he faces Brazilian Evangelista Cyborg (18-13) in the main event. STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight Champ “Jacare” Souza (13-2, 1 NC) will put his belt on the line for the first time against KO artist “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (18-6, 1 NC) in the co-feature of a stacked card. Also, the latest prospect from MMA’s first family, undefeated Roger Gracie (3-0), will battle former South African national wrestling champion and MMA star Trevor Prangley (23-6-1) at light heavyweight.

Here’s what Walker and Coker had to say on Monday:

How long have you been involved in martial arts?
“I’ve been doing martial arts for about 33 years now. I started when I was in high school. I started in Tae Kwon Do and in college I really got heavily into it. I’ve always loved martial arts. MMA is something I’ve watched for years, even when it was somewhat of a Toughman competition. And then they started putting all the rules in it and I fell in love with it.”

What are your memories of playing in the NFL in Philadelphia?
“I didn’t know what to expect when I first went to Philadelphia. I knew they had some real, real tough fans. I fell in love with the fans there. They got on your case when you didn’t play well and they cheered you on when you did. To be honest with you, I think Philadelphia really rejuvenated my football career because when I was in Minnesota even though I was playing well I wasn’t playing that much. So Philadelphia gave me the opportunity to come there and play with someone like Reggie White who I consider to be one of the greatest defensive lineman and (quarterback) Randall Cunningham and (linebacker) Seth Joyner and really all those guys. It just rejuvenated my career. I love Philly. I tell everyone Philly is a tough city. They know their sports and they love their sports. But if you come there to play you better come to play and not talk.”

What did you learn from suffering your eye injury?
“I did learn it’s better to wait. I didn’t really have enough experience to know that when you get cut in training that you shouldn’t really jump back in there and try to fight. I think being an athlete we’re sort of naïve and stupid. When I got cut I assumed I could still fight. One of the things I said I would do when I came to this gym at AKA (San Jose) was that I was going to leave everything in the hands of Javier Mendez, Bob Cook and Dave Camarillo and a lot of the fighters. That whatever they say I need to do I’ll do. When I went away to get my eye stitched up and I came back they were all looking at me and shaking their heads and saying you’re not going to fight. I was saying, no, I’m going to fight. But I realized they know a lot more than I do. I talked with those guys and learned how you can get that cut re-opened. They were saying how you can go into a fight and be winning the entire fight and the last 30 seconds you can do something to your eye and the referee stops it. You have to be real smart and have to go into the fight really healthy and that’s what I’ve got to do. I’m not a guy who’s going to be fighting for five, six, seven years. I’m going to be fighting for a little bit. So every fight I go into I better win so I better not have anything that’s going to make me have an opportunity to lose the fight.”

What have you focused on with the extra time?
“A little bit of jiu-jitsu. That’s what I want to say to all those who want to put Scott Carson down. When I came back to AKA in July I didn’t come back to get a fight. I came back to train. In a short amount of time I went from an OK fighter to a much better fighter because there was no pressure. And I was just learning the things that I need to know. That’s what was so different than my first time coming here. I had all the pressure and there was so much input and I didn’t have time to grasp it all. Scott has been training for a long time. He may not have had that many fights but he’s always been training which means he’s putting the time and learning a great deal. So I was able to still put some time in the gym and learn little things that I thought I knew in just a couple of weeks just watching guys like Dan Cormier. So there was no pressure on me during those couple of weeks.”

What has been your most motivating factor to get ready for this?
“My motivating factor was just to always compete. When I left home from little Wrigthsville, Georgia, I said I would always compete to my fullest. I knew that to get ready for this fight I had to be ready and most of all I had to be much better than I was in my first fight. Even though I won my first fight which was great I knew I had to improve. If I wanted to be considered a good MMA fighter I had to improve so my motivation was to get in that cage this coming Saturday and let people see that this guy can really fight.”

How did some of your football training transfer over into MMA?
“There was a lot that’s transferrable. I’ve always tried to tell the players that they should be training in some kind of MMA during the off-season. It would help them a great deal. Because everything you do in MMA training is almost correlated to what you do in football; where they always talk about getting your butt down and keeping your head up. And for a running back that stiff-arm is so important, for a receiver that stiff-arm is so important. For an offensive lineman the hands are so important and the leg strength. So there are just so many things that are correlated between football and MMA and vice versa. With my experience in football my athleticism plays a big part. I try to add a lot of athleticism to my MMA fighting.”

Who do you like in the Super Bowl?
“What was so strange was this last Sunday I finally got it right. I picked Green Bay and Pittsburgh to be in the Super Bowl. Right now I’m going to pick Pittsburgh. I think it’s going to be a great game. Both teams are playing great. I think Aaron Rogers is playing incredible. I think Pittsburgh has a great defense and must stop the run and force Aaron to throw it and really put the pressure on him. Pittsburgh has always been able to do that. I think Ben Roethlisberger is playing great and I’ve been surprised at how well he’s been moving in the pocket. He’s been able to move so well and get loose and throw the ball. I think Green Bay has to throw a lot of blitzes at him to try and keep him in there. I really think Pittsburgh is going to win.”

Talk about the individuality of the sport of MMA?
“That’s why this is an incredible sport. In football if I make a mistake I have a quarterback or a receiver or an offensive lineman to fall back on. But here, once you step into that cage it’s mano y mano and there’s a guy on the other side of the cage and if you make a mistake you’ll get knocked out or he’ll leave you hurt. You’ve got to be on your game. There are no mistakes being made here. Guys work extremely hard and I don’t know if you heard me at my last fight but I told the crowd you should never boo these guys. These guys work extremely hard and when you see a guy against the cage and you think he’s resting that’s not the truth. They are just trying to think of something else. It’s like a human chess match. That’s one reason I wanted to get involved with the sport because it’s just so amazing.”

“In football I don’t think I was as sore as when I’m training in MMA. When I first started doing this training I’ve never been this sore in my whole life. My body had to get adapted to it. Even now that I’ve been training for awhile I’m still really sore. I think I’m a better conditioned athlete right now than I was when I was playing. I’m 48 now and I’m in better shape now than I was in my early 20s playing football.”

How long can you keep it going?
“It’s hard to say. My thing is I want to do be a good ambassador for the sport. But being an ambassador doesn’t mean you have to fight but one thing I had to do was prove that I could fight. I’ve always said I absolutely hate trainers who tell someone to do something when they can’t do it. I want to be able to talk about this MMA stuff but I also want to have the knowledge and be able to say I’ve done it.”

Have you moved to San Jose to train at AKA?
“I did. I left not only my home in Dallas but also my company. I’ve left my company to my top guy and I’ve come out here to train. I moved into a hotel in July to begin training. And then the fight came along and I first asked my trainers and the fighters and they said yes you can do it. And that’s the only reason why I’m back doing it. How long can I do it? Who knows. I tell people I may even try out for football again and show people I can do that one more time. I’d be the George Foreman of football and come back and do that one more time.”

What do you think of other fighters’ have a negative reaction to you fighting?
“That’s the way life is. Life is like that. We were talking about this earlier with Jay Cutler. What’s strange about it is that fighters that are putting me down need to come to AKA and train with me. Then they’ll see that this is not a gimmick for me. This is life. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. It’s what makes America beautiful. But at the same time they have to come and see what I do. I invite anyone to come and see what I do. They have a right to their opinion. Some guys have put in a lot of time and I can understand if they think I’m taking their spot. But I want them to know that I’m not here to hurt. I’m here to help, not hurt. I don’t want people to always agree with me. You shouldn’t. If you think I’m a gimmick you can come to AKA and roll with my anytime. I’m not afraid to roll with anyone. All the guys here at AKA we roll with everyone so I’m not afraid of that.”

Do you feed off the attention good or bad?
“I don’t think about the negative or the positive. I’ve never read an article about myself or looked at any criticism or seen a show about myself because I don’t want to see the negative or the positive because I know who Herschel Walker is. I know what I’ve got to get done and I know what I need to do and the work I have to put in. That’s why I work so hard. The most things I hear now is that Herschel’s got to be on something. How can he look like that at his age? I say they can do anything they want to me or test me anyway they want to. They can see that this is nothing but hard work. I was taught that when I was a little boy from my parents and this is nothing but hard work. I’ve never turned down a challenge and I don’t do it now.”

What was it like playing that one season in New York with the Giants?
“New York has always been like a home for me. I hate to say that with a Southern accent. When I started (in the USFL) with the Generals my ex-wife was from Brooklyn and all her family was from New York so it was like being at home. I’ve always said when I’m in New York it’s like being at home for me.

“I’ve never had to prove anything to anybody. Whatever I’ve had to prove I’ve proved to myself. That first fight I really enjoyed it and I thank STRIKEFORCE for the opportunity. I didn’t know they were going to give me another opportunity but I’m thrilled and happy they are. I’ve never really thought about fighting every three or four months. What I’ve thought about is how to help these guys. Maybe help these guys on how to get insurance. Or help them on how to make a little bit more money. I’ve gotten to where I really like these guys. The guys at AKA have really become like my family. They’re like my brothers. And I know a lot of guys not at AKA who are like my brothers in the sport of MMA. I know what they put into this sport and I know the type of work that they do.”

What have you been working on?
“When I came back in July I wanted to work on my wrestling and my jiu-jitsu. My stand-up game has always been OK and that’s because of my tae kwon do background. But I really wanted to work on my wrestling because the wrestling was really something quite foreign to me. And jiu-jitsu is something so complicated and so difficult. It is a very difficult art to learn and I wanted to work on those things and get better at them.

How many fights do you think you’ll have?
“I really don’t know. I don’t really look that far ahead. I don’t dream. I do reality things. I wanted to continue to train and continue to get better. And if another fight comes up then I’ll ask my trainers and the other fighters in the gym if I should do it. When I first stepped into these doors if I couldn’t compete with these guys then I wouldn’t have even fought that first fight. I’m just taking it one fight at a time. Not that I’m going to be a surfer dude now living out here in California but it’s one day at a time and make the best out of it.

“If I fight again we’re going to step it up (level of competition) a little bit more. You have to realize that’s I’ve only been in this sport a little over a year. Everyone’s already wanting me to fight Randy Couture. I just got started. If you were going to ask me to run the 100 you wouldn’t be asking me to run against Randy you’d be asking me to run against someone else. That’s what people have to realize. You have to step up the talent to make it competitive. How competitive do you make it? I don’t know. I hope the MMA world knows I’m a little bit better than a year-old fighter. I hope they know that. And this coming Saturday you’ll see that.”

How do you rate your stamina? Is it what you expected?
“It is what I expected. Greg (Nagy) was a tough guy and he took some punches and he didn’t quit. My stamina has always been good. I don’t think anyone has ever questioned my stamina. I think if you asked anybody who has ever played with me or coached me I guarantee they would all say that if there’s anybody who they think could do this MMA fighting, it’s Herschel. They know the work I put in and they know that I’m always prepared and that I’ll be ready. My stamina is something I never, ever question.”

What about nerves? Do you feel nervous before your fights?
“I’m always a little bit nervous when I enter the stage if I have my shorts pulled up or if I have everything on right. But when I hear the clank of that gate close it’s time to get it on because that guy on the other end of the corner is coming to hurt me. So it’s time to get it on.”

What do you run the 100 in these days?
“I haven’t run the 100. I ran the 40 back in February after my last fight in like 4.38 or a 4.39. I think if I can get back to my track work I can run it pretty fast. I know I can run it better than a 4.5.”

Can you explain your diet?
“Oh, geez. Every nutritionist in the world is going to tell me that I’m crazy. I eat one meal a day. I don’t eat red meat. I eat a salad or soup. Most every nutritionists say you can’t do this or you can’t do that. My thing is that I’ve been doing this for 20-something years. I’m not just doing it because I’m an MMA fighter. I was doing it when I was playing football. And it works for me. I’m not going to say it works for everyone. The reason why my diet works for me is because I’ve been doing it a long time.

“I eat that one meal around 8 or 9 at night. My body has just adapted to it. I don’t think about food. I don’t want to say that because I want everyone to go out and buy Herschel’s chicken, the best chicken in the world. But I just don’t eat a lot.

“I know I could play football when I’m 50 if I stay in the shape I’m in. Right now people ask me if I think I could play today. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind I could play football and help out a team today. If I could fit it into my schedule I would do it. There is a 100 percent guarantee that today I could help a football team out.”

Which is worse, getting hit in football or MMA?
“The hits in football that hurt are the ones you don’t see. And that’s the same in MMA. And I know how to move so I haven’t gotten my bell rung yet.

“I want to come out and put on a good show for SHOWTIME. I think whenever you get an opportunity to do anything for STRIKEFORCE or SHOWTIME you want to put on a good show. I know I’m planning on putting on a good show on Saturday. I’d like to keep this fight standing. If I’m on defense I’m losing. I have to start out and keep it on offense.”

What football team would you like to play for if you came back to football?
“I’d say either Minnesota or Atlanta. Probably Atlanta the most since it’s home for me. Being a Georgia boy and all. It’s just home for me. I love to compete. If I fight again I would just have to keep stepping up to another level and keep stepping up the competition.

“STRIKEFORCE is a great organization. And they didn’t have to do this. They are not going to have gimmicks or clowns on their shows. That’s why I thank them everyday for having me.”

SCOTT COKER:
“This has been quite a journey for Herschel. When I met Herschel about 18 months ago, I was apprehensive just like everyone else. And he told me about his martial arts background and how important it was for him to compete. So I took him to a tryout with Bob Cook and a couple of other guys and so I put him in there with a Division I wrestler and a jiu-jitsu guy and had him spar with a kick boxer and he did very well with all three of the disciplines. But the amazing thing was that he wasn’t tired after sparring for 15 minutes, five minutes straight with one minute rest in all three of the disciplines. He’s just been working out all his life and has never stopped. I asked Bob if this was real and he said that if I could get Herschel to San Jose for three or for months to train at AKA then he could get him ready for his first fight. And Herschel was there that following Monday. His work ethic is unbelievable. He’s the first guy to get to the gym and the last guy to leave because he wants to learn. The MMA media is a little too harsh on Herschel but it’s because of who he is. I think it’s because he’s a legendary sports figure in the United States and draws a lot of attention. But Herschel has done and said all the right things.”

Category: Blogroll, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, Strikeforce
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TOP PROSPECTS LUIS FRANCO, LATEEF KAYODE & ARCHIE RAY MARQUEZ ALL FACE TOUGH COMPETITION IN FIRST SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION OF 2011

Posted on | January 24, 2011 | No Comments

Friday, Feb. 4 LIVE on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast)

From Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif.

NEW YORK (Jan. 24, 2011) – Undefeated featherweight prospect and former Cuban Olympian Luis Franco will look to take another giant step towards challenging for a world title in 2011 when he takes on veteran Leonilo Miranda in a 10-round bout to kick off an impressive run of boxing on SHOWTIME on Friday, Feb. 4 LIVE on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West coast).

In a co-feature worthy of main event billing, crowd-pleasing and Freddie Roach-trained Lateef Kayode will be looking for his 15th consecutive knockout as he squares off against Tampa native Nicholas Iannuzzi in a 10-round cruiserweight bout.

Undefeated lightweight prospect Archie Ray Marquez and hard-hitting southpaw Marvin Quintero will kickoff the tripleheader with an eight-round scrap.

Promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, the event will originate from Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif.

One of boxing’s fastest rising prospects, Franco (8-0, 5 KOs) is on the inside track to challenge for a world title in 2011. The No. 9 rated World Boxing Organization (WBO) prospect, Franco is aiming to continue to step up his level of opposition in the coming year.

“I’d like to fight all the top guns in my weight class,” Franco, 28, said. “Line them up one by one, I’m waiting for the call. If any of them have what it takes to call out my name and challenge me, I’ll be ready. I want the top guns in this division.”

“I’m looking to get a world title victory in 2011. We’re on the right path right now – we just need to keep on winning.”

Though he only has eight professional fights under his belt compared to Miranda’s 34, Franco had more than 400 amateur fights and was 2-2 against former teammate and current World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champ Yuriorkis Gamboa.

“The experience this guy has is pretty much against Mexican fighters,” Franco said. “I have all kinds of international experience. Even in my eight fights, I’ve seen and learned enough to top what this guy has been doing in 34 fights.

“I heard some comments from Miranda. It stimulates me to hear my opponent say that he’ll knock me out. That gets me fired up. I’ll turn the tables on him.”

Franco, who defected from Cuba in 2009 and lives in Miami, is coming off a disqualification (low blows) win over Eric Hunter on Dec. 3, also at Chumash Casino Resort.

Fighting in the main event of a national telecast after just eight professional fights is a huge accomplishment but Franco believes that he is right on track. “I’m a marquee fighter and this is where I belong,” said Franco.

Franco is managed by Henry Foster, who also manages SHOWTIME Super Six World Boxing Classic semifinalist Glen Johnson.

Miranda (32-2, 30 KOS), who holds an 88 percent KO ratio, will be fighting in the U.S., where he holds a 1-1 record, for just the third time. The hard-hitting southpaw scored a fifth round knockout in his last fight in August 2010 against Carlos Medellin in Sonora, Mexico.

In a division controlled by Europeans, Lateef Kayode is America’s No. 1 cruiserweight prospect and on the USA Today and ESPN.com 2010 top prospects lists. Ranked No. 6 by the World Boxing Classic (WBC) and No. 4 by the WBA, Kayode is coming off a sixth-round knockout of Ed Perry in the Dec. 3 ShoBox main event. Kayode took just one week off following the victory and then returned to the gym to train for his next bout.

The 6-foot-2, 27-year-old Kayode, who lives in Hollywood by way of Lagos, Nigeria, is training at the famed Wild Card Gym under Roach, who will work his corner on Feb. 4.

According to Kayode’s manager, Steven Feder, the biggest difference in this camp has been the length and the frequency of the rounds.

“His stamina has never been an issue, but we’re going much deeper a lot earlier,” Feder said. “He’s training as a 12-round fighter and he’s doing it with ease.”

Kayode admits that he thinks about the knockout streak, but he claims he doesn’t let it affect his game plan or preparation.

“There’s no doubt it’s in the back of my mind,” Kayode said. “I know the fans love it and I know SHOWTIME loves it. But I’m not going to let that affect what I do in the ring.”

Feder agrees, but takes it one step further.

“Anyone who is willing to stay close and engage with Lateef, chances are they won’t be standing at the end of the fight,” Feder said. “They may be standing if they can run around and avoid him. I don’t like to make predictions, but if they’re taking body shots all night long they’ll be on the canvas.”

With his world rankings rising with each win, Kayode’s camp knows 2011 has the chance to be a banner year for the unbeaten prospect.

“We’d like to clean out the cruiserweight division here in the U.S. before we leave the country to fight,” Feder said. “There are some talented unbeaten and once-beaten American cruiserweights out there that’d we’d love to face. We’ll just have to see who steps up to the plate.”

Iannuzzi (16-1, 9 KOs) isn’t concerned with Kayode’s impressive knockout streak or by the fact that he’s trained by arguably boxing’s most respected and successful trainer.

“A lot has been made about the fact that Kayode is trained by Freddie Roach but I don’t get caught up in all that,” Iannuzzi said. “It’s just going to be me and Kayode in there when the bell rings, not Freddie.

“As far as the knockouts go, he’s a solid fighter. I’m not underestimating him. I underestimated an opponent once and lost. I’m not going to make that mistake again.”

Albuquerque’s Marquez, ranked No. 13 by the WBA, is considered the most talented prospect from New Mexico since Johnny Tapia. Marquez is coming off of a third-round TKO of Juan Santiago last Oct. 1 on ShoBox in which the unbeaten prospect suffered a hand injury that kept him sidelined for the past few months.

“In my last fight against Santiago, I hurt my left knuckle,” Marquez said. “It put me in a cast for six weeks, but now it’s all healed and ready to go.”

Marquez, who has dealt with nagging injuries to both his hands that have forced him to have surgery and pull out of fights, said he is slightly frustrated with his lack of activity in the ring due to injuries.

“It is a little frustrating but I’d rather be 110 percent in any fight than have the injury hold me back,” Marquez said. “It’s frustrating that I hurt my hand but it’s a part of the game that I have to deal with.”

The 22-year-old Marquez will be facing his toughest opponent to date in the more experienced Quintero, who owns victories over former prospects Wes Ferguson and Nick Casal.

“I just need to outbox him and do what I do,” Marquez said. “I need to use my power because he’s been dropped a few times. I know he’ll be a tougher opponent, but I look at every guy as being tough. All it takes is one punch. I train for every opponent the same. I never take anyone lightly.”

Marquez and his camp believe a win over Quintero and a few other quality opponents in 2011 can set him up for a shot at a world title by the end of the year.

“There isn’t anyone specific that I’d like to face, but my goal is to get some more fights and get a world title,” Marquez said. “A couple of big wins and hopefully by the end of the year we’ll be fighting for a belt.”

Bernardo Osuna will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and Antonio Tarver serving as expert analysts. Gordon Hall is the executive producer of ShoBox with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

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.

Category: Blogroll, Boxing, SHOWTIME SPORTS
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Carina La Reina Moreno (21-2) vs. Yesica Bopp (13-0) THE WAR!!

Posted on | January 24, 2011 | No Comments

Former four-time world champion, Carina “La Reina” Moreno (21-2, 6 KO’s), talks about her return to the ring when she face’s Argentina’s undefeated light flyweight champion Yesica Yolanda Bopp (13-0, 5 KO’s) on January 29, 2011. Moreno has agreed to travel to Bopp’s native land of Argentina as the bout is set to take place in Monte Hermoso, Buenos Aires. On the line will be Bopp’s WBA and WBO titles. Here what she had to say.

Category: Blogroll, Boxing, women's boxing
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SHOWTIME Sports Video: Nick Diaz Fight Highlights

Posted on | January 24, 2011 | No Comments

Touted as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in MMA, Nick Diaz Returns to the STRIKEFORCE Cage this Saturday!

Category: Blogroll, MMA, Strikeforce
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