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Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez graduates from Froch & Pascal training camps; Next up Jan. 14 vs. Pryor Jr. on ESPN FNF

Posted on | December 22, 2010 | No Comments

WORCESTER, Mass. (Dec. 22, 2010) – As he prepares to go from promising prospect to legitimate contender, undefeated Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez’ recent magical mystery tour as a sparring partner in major training camps Australia, England and Miami provided him with invaluable post graduate boxing courses.

Dominican Republic-native Rodriguez (17-0, 13 KOs), arguably the world’s premier super middleweight prospect, is coming off of a sensational performance November 5 in the main event on ShoBox: The New Generation, stopping James McGirt in the ninth round for the vacant WBC USNBC super middleweight title.

Rodriguez tuned-up for his fight against McGirt as a sparring partner for Daniel Geale (24-1, 15 KOs) during a 10-day working stretch in Australia. Geale later knocked out Roman Karmazin in the 12th round of their IBF middleweight title eliminator.

Rodriguez parlayed the Geale training camp lessons into even more career-enhancing experiences for 10 days in England with Carl “The Cobra” Froch (27-1, 20 KOs), who went on to defeat Arthur Abraham by way of a dominant 12-round unanimous decision for the WBA super middleweight crown in the Super Six Tournament. Edwin followed that by working two weeks in Miami with WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal, who fought a 12-round draw with Bernard Hopkins this past weekend.

“It’s been a great experience,” Rodriguez spoke about his sparring ‘journey’ that’s brought him around the world. “I’m at the point now where I want to get where they are. I’ve learned from working with all of them but the most important lesson is that elite athletes do not put on more than 10 pounds walking around weight between fights.

“All of these training camps haven’t been too much different – they were all intense. Geale is hungry to get there (world title) and he really worked hard. All three are very good athletes. I wasn’t surprised that Carl won so convincingly because I know how powerful Carl Froch is with his style, Abraham wasn’t able to run through Carl like he had against most opponents. His training was about using his long jab to keep Abraham outside. Everything worked off the jab and Carl perfectly executed his game plan. Every time we sparred, he worked on that plan but a few times we ended-up banging. He just caught himself and went back to using his jab, not letting me – acting like Abraham – walk through like Abraham likes to do.”

Froch, after defeating Abraham, publicly acknowledged Rodriguez’ work, saying, “Sparring with Edwin was brilliant. He is very fast, can punch with both hands, and stays in there. I feel he has far more natural ability and speed than Abraham; big respect for Edwin Rodriguez because he got me ready for this.”

Next stop for “La Bomba” was Miami at Pascal’s (26-1-1, 16 KOs) training camp with Edwin playing the role of Jean’s opponent last Saturday night, living legend Bernard Hopkins, in preparation for their Showtime showdown in Quebec City.

“Training with Pascal was different than for Froch,” Rodriguez remarked. “They didn’t do nearly as much sparring, it was more tactical. Froch may have had more tactical days at his training camp but I wasn’t there until 10 days at the end. Pascal has a good trainer from Cuba, Pedro Diaz, who has had 20 Olympic gold medalists. I spent Thanksgiving with him and his family. To an extent I did what they expected Hopkins to bring to the table. What they were really looking for was competitiveness from me to help him.

“They had everything there: cooks, strength coaches, nutritionists, sports physiologists…you name it. And I got to take advantages of all these people. I can tell you that everybody there worked like animals. It was a very good training camp; well organized with everybody working hard.”

Rodriguez’ next fight is set for January 14 in Key West, Florida on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights in the 10-round co-feature against Aaron Pryor, Jr., son of former world champion Aaron Pryor.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Edwin started boxing in 2001 and he developed into one of the top amateurs in the United States, compiling a solid 84-9 record, including gold-medal performances in the 2005 USA Boxing National Championships and 2006 U.S. National Golden Gloves Tournament. Rodriguez, who has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Dominican Republic, became the first Massachusetts boxer to win the middleweight title at The Nationals since “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler in 1973.

Rodriquez is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, managed by Larry Army, and trained by Peter Manfredo, Sr.

Go online to www.edwinrodriguezboxing.com or www.dbe1.com for more information about Rodriguez

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER HIGHLIGHTS STRIKEFORCE EVENT IN SAN JOSE, CALIF., ON JAN. 29

Posted on | December 22, 2010 | No Comments

NICK DIAZ TO DEFEND WELTERWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST EVANGELISTA CYBORG, JACARE SOUZA TO RISK MIDDLEWEIGHT BELT AGAINST ROBBIE LAWLER LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

Herschel Walker Returns To Face Scott Carson; Roger Gracie To Square Off With Trevor Prangley

Tickets On Sale Monday, Dec. 27

NEW YORK (Dec. 22, 2010) – STRIKEFORCE World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Nick Diaz (23-7, 1 NC) will make his second title defense when he faces Brazilian powerhouse Evangelista Cyborg (18-13) in main event action and STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight (185 pounds) Champion “Jacare” Souza (13-2, 1 NC) will put his belt on the line for the first time when he squares off with power-punching knockout artist “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (18-6, 1 NC) in the co-main event of a stacked Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

In other featured televised fights on SHOWTIME, football legend and MMA upstart, the incredible Herschel Walker (1-0) will return to the cage to face Scott Carson (4-1) in a heavyweight bout. 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 (205 pounds).

Tickets go on sale Monday, Dec.27, at 10 a.m. PT at the HP Pavilion ticket office, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com, and Ticketmaster by phone at (800) 745-3000.

The 27-year-old Diaz, of Stockton, Calif. has been unstoppable of late, winning his last eight fights. In his last effort, the 6-foot-1 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and potent striker settled a three-year old score with arch-nemesis KJ Noons, out-striking Noons en route to a five-round unanimous decision at HP Pavilion last Oct. 9.

Five months prior to the victory over Noons, the no-nonsense Diaz, one of MMA’s most intriguing figures, ventured to Saitama, Japan, to face top-ranked rival Hayato “Mach” Sakurai in a DREAM promoted affair. To the surprise of many, the southpaw Diaz made quick work of Sakurai, submitting the Japanese fighter with an armbar at the 3:54 mark of the first round.

Like Diaz, Cyborg, the husband of STRIKEFORCE Women’s Middleweight (145 pounds) Champion Cris Cyborg, possesses tremendous striking abilities, having KO’d 11 of his 18 victims. In his last outing, the 5-foot-10 Cyborg, who hails from Rondonopolis, Brazil, scored a first round TKO (punches) over highly-touted Marius “The Whitemare” Zaromskis at STRIKEFORCE: Live at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles last June 16.

Prior to defeating Zaromskis, Cyborg scored a first round-TKO on Daniel Zarate with a head kick and flurry of punches in Curitiba, Brazil on Dec. 12, 2009.

Souza, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, captured the vacant STRIKEFORCE middleweight crown last Aug. 21 when he earned a hard-fought unanimous decision over American military hero Tim Kennedy at Toyota Center in Houston, Tex. A slick submission specialist who has tapped out 10 of his 13 victims, the 6-foot Souza surprisingly opted to stand and exchange punches and kicks with his opponent for five rounds rather than take the fight to the mat.

A resident of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Souza, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Dec. 7, earned a crack at the middleweight title by winning his first two STRIKEFORCE starts. In his STRIKEFORCE debut on Dec. 19, 2009, he submitted 1996 Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt Lindland with an arm triangle choke at the 4:18 mark of the first round. Last May 15, Souza earned a unanimous decision over Joey Villasenor at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Souza’s only defeats came in his first career match in 2003 and to former STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi at the DREAM 6: Middleweight Grand-Prix Final in Saitama, Japan, in 2008. The showdown with Mousasi came shortly after Souza had claimed victory earlier on the same night over Zelg Galesic with an armbar submission in the first round of a quarterfinal round tournament bout.

Over the course of the 2008 DREAM tournament series, Souza also triumphed over Ian Murphy with a first-round (3:38) rear naked choke and over superstar Jason “Mayhem” Miller via unanimous decision.

The 28-year-old Lawler’s title shot will take place less than two months after the former Pat Miletich protégé decimated Lindland with a single punch just 50 seconds into their matchup at Scottrade Center on Dec. 4.

One of the hardest punchers in his weight class, the 5-foot-11 Lawler is a two-time 185-pound world champion who has earned 15 of his 18 career victories via knockout or TKO.

Last Jan. 30, Lawler produced a dramatic, come-from-behind, first-round (3:33) knockout over highly regarded, fellow striking machine Melvin Manhoef at Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla.

After turning pro at age 19 in April 2001, Lawler, who was born in San Diego, Calif., relocated at an early age with his family to Bettendorf, Iowa. He fought for years out of the Miletich Fighting Systems headquarters in nearby Davenport and eventually relocated to Granite City, Ill. His UFC bout with Aaron Riley on May 10, 2002, became the first MMA bout to air on network television (FOX Sports Network).

Lawler took on Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith during the first-ever, live primetime network telecast of MMA on May 31, 2008, on The CBS Television Network. After the bout was ruled a no contest due to an accidental thumb to Smith’s eye, Lawler dominated Smith in their live CBS primetime-televised rematch on July 26, 2009, scoring an impressive second-round TKO.

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.

Healthy, eager and ready to go, the 48-year-old Walker, 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 already 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, Walker made an impressive professional MMA debut, scoring a third round TKO (punches) over 26-year-old Greg Nagy at Sunrise, Fla.’s BankAtlantic Center. 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.

The 6-foot-2-inch Carson, a resident of Gardena, Calif., turned pro in September 1999 and won his initial four starts through June 2001. He is a WEC veteran who scored a first-round submission victory over Bryson Haubrick at the inaugural WEC event on June 30, 2001.

After being sidelined with a back injury and due to several scheduled fights falling out, Carson, a former longtime training partner of MMA legend Chuck Liddell, was finally able to fill his desire to get back in the cage last June 12 in Los Angeles. A member of Reign Training Center in Lake Forest, he got knocked out in the first round by undefeated Lorenz Martin (3-0 going in, 5-0 now).

The 29-year-old, 6-foot-4 Gracie, the winner of the coveted ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, holds a second degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie, Jr. He made history by submitting all eight of his opponents during the tournament, a feat that had never previously been achieved.

Not surprisingly, Gracie’s highly advanced submission skills have been his key to success in all three of his MMA starts. Last May 15, he made his STRIKEFORCE debut, submitting former UFC Heavyweight Champion and former NCAA National Wresting Champion Kevin “The Monster” Randleman with a rear naked choke in the second round (4:10) at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

A native of Brazil, Gracie resides in West London, England, where he owns and operates The Roger Gracie Academy.
One of the most feared and dangerous fighters in the light heavyweight division, Prangley has proven he is capable of defeating anyone on any given night. Since his pro debut in January 2001, the 6-foot Prangley has fought some of the world’s toughest opponents, including former STRIKEFORCE World Light Heavyweight Champion “Babalu” Sobral, Jorge Santiago (his last loss) and Chael Sonnen. Prangley’s most significant victory may have come against Sonnen.

Prangley has competed in five STRIKEFORCE events, including Four Men Enter, One Man Survives, the first sanctioned MMA tournament in the state of California on November 16, 2007. During the second STRIKEFORCE event at the world-famous Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sept. 20, 2008, Prangley was victorious over Anthony “A Train” Ruiz by way of unanimous decision.

After winning a national wrestling championship in his native South Africa, Prangley left his homeland for The United States in search of the highest caliber wrestling training, and later established himself as a force in the sport of MMA. He is a member of Team AKA in San Jose.

Boxing 360 signs world super bantamweight contender Leon Moore

Posted on | December 22, 2010 | No Comments

NEW YORK (December 22, 2010) – Boxing 360 has announced the signing of WBC No. 3 rated super bantamweight Leon “Hurry Up” Moore to an exclusive promotional contract.

The 31-year-old southpaw Moore (27-2, 22 KOs), from Guyana, is the reigning PABA and WBC CABOFE super bantamweight champion, as well as the former NABA, Guyanese and CABOFE bantamweight titlist.

Another Boxing 360 fighter is Guyana super middleweight champion Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen (12-0-1, 7 KOs) who recently defeated Nick Brinson for the vacant New York State title.

“We’re excited to sign a talented fighter like Moore,” Boxing 360 Director of Boxing Bob Duffy said. “He’s a world-class contender at super bantamweight and bantamweight. We can’t wait to bring him to fight in the United States and position him for a world title fight next year against (WBC super bantamweight champion Toshiaki) Nishioka or any of the world champions at 122 or 118 pounds.”

Moore captured the WBC CABOFE and NABA bantamweight belts in September 2009, when he won a unanimous 12-round decision against former 2-time world champion Maurico Pastrana. Last January, Leon won a unanimous 12-round decision versus Indonesia Boxing Association champion Marangin Marbun for the vacant PABA crown. In his last fight (Nov. 16), Moore won a 10-round decision against Breilor Teran in Guyana.

Other Boxing 360 fighters include USBA heavyweight champion and IBF #15 rated Maurice “Sugar Moe” Harris, 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada, Mike Mollo, Joshua “Juice” Harris, Emad Ali, former world champion Alejandro “Naco” Berrio, Angel “Toro” Hernandez, and “King” David Estrada.

Go on line to www.boxing360.com for more information about Moore, Allen, or any of the Boxing 360 fighters.

Cool Links

Posted on | December 21, 2010 | No Comments

MMA Question: Is UFC Pay and Bonus System Fair?

A MILITARY MOM’S HOLIDAY MISSION

ONG BAK INSPIRATIONAL TO MMA FIGHTER

Posted on | December 20, 2010 | No Comments

http://mmajunkie.com/news/21803/trainer-roufus-says-pettis-wec-53-kick-inspired-by-ong-bak-cult-movie.mma

Check Tony Jaa kicking ass from Ong Bak 3:

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810181236/video/23305486
More awesome Tony Jaa action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSMjAZvUGFM

The amazing Pettis kick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U75rQ4OE0os

Synopsis: Martial arts legend Tony Jaa writes, directs, produces and stars in ONG BAK 3, the third and final installment in one of the most beloved action series of all time. Picking up at the cliffhanger ending where Ong Bak 2 leaves off, Jaa ramps up the epic supernatural elements of the previous film, while still maintaining the trademark bone-crunching action that the series is known for. This time he must face his ultimate enemy: a fierce supernatural warrior named “Demon Crow,” played by fellow martial arts sensation Dan Chupong (Dynamite Warrior). Eagerly anticipated by martial arts aficionados for some time, the matchup of Jaa and Chupong is explosive.

ONG BAK 3 is available now through Video On Demand, Xbox Live, Playstation, Amazon.com and Vudu ; in theaters January 14th!

For more information please visit: http://ongbak3film.com
Become a fan: http://www.facebook.com/ongbak3movie

****

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By joining the Magnolia Pictures mailing list and social network, you will receive advance screening notices, alerts to giveaways, advance play dates and other exclusive insider information.

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HOPKINS ROBBERY IN QUEBEC ALMOST 16 YEARS TO DATE OF FIRST CAREER ROBBERY IN QUITO, EQUADOR

Posted on | December 20, 2010 | No Comments

SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHT STATS, MEDIA REPORTS AND FAN OUTCRY GIVE HOPKINS’ REASONS TO DEMAND IMMEDIATE
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH WITH PASCAL

Quebec City, CAN (December 20)…Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins knew going to Quebec, Canada could prove fatal for a history-making victory over Jean Pascal if the fight was close. In fact he knew this from his own experience when, almost 16 years to the date of Saturday night’s robbery, he received a similar verdict in Quito, Ecuador on December 17, 1994 when he battled Segundo Mercado to a similar draw decision for his first-ever title challenge.

The outcry from that fight led to an immediate rematch between Hopkins and Mercado, which took place April 29, 1995, less than five months from the original fight. With fight stats from Saturday night clearly in his favor, as well as the majority of media reports and fan outcry backing Hopkins’ assessment of the outcome, a rematch between Hopkins and Pascal should be scheduled immediately.

“I knew if they could they take it from me they would and now that I have had the chance to review the fight on tape, I clearly know I won that fight,” said Hopkins. “Jean Pascal, his corner and all of the Canadians in the arena and on television know I won the fight too. The crowd was loud in the beginning but the silence was deafening as I dominated Pascal from the middle rounds all the way to the end of the fight. After the last round Pascal went back to his corner with his head and hands down. I am sure he is still hanging his head today to think he let a 45-year old man beat him up the way I did. If I were him, I would want to redeem myself and my reputation immediately after what happened Saturday night.”

For Hopkins it was a brillant performance in front of a sold out crowd at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada as well as for the millions watching on SHOWTIME® in the United States, on pay-per-view in Canada and around the world. Complementing his argument for an immediate rematch are the statistics behind the bout which reflect the pure genius of Hopkins’ intense execution of his own game plan and his destruction of Pascal’s. Hopkins threw a total of 445 punches, of which he landed 141 power shots, more than 50% of the 270 he threw. Pascal threw 100 less punches than Hopkins with 353 total shots, but landing only 85 of the 196 power shots he threw.

“Again it is crazy to think that a 45-year-old fighter like myself threw and landed more punches than this so-called young gun, the current champion and still I am not given the win,” said Hopkins. “Watch the tape. The poor guy was running scared, winded and backing up from round six and on. He seemed to just be holding on for dear life. But he knows what happen in there and he has to live with it too. The film doesn’t lie but I bet he doesn’t even watch the tape so he, and all his people around him, can tell him something other than the truth. He lost the fight.”

Hopkins continued. “The whole thing is bad for boxing, bad for Pascal and especially bad for Canada. Pascal knows he should do the right thing and fight me as soon as tomorrow.”

16 years earlier Hopkins got his rematch and convincingly defeated the Ecuadorian to capture his first middleweight world champion.

“Pascal is a hard punching, a young gun you gave it his all Saturday night,” said Hopkins. “But he is 18 years younger than me and that speaks for itself. It showed Saturday night too by just getting a draw, which everyone knows is really a loss, against a 45 year old man. If this guy has a backbone and wants to walk around with his any kind of dignity and self-worth, the only thing he can do is fight me again. If that was me I know that is the only way I could really live with myself.”

24th annual Ring 8 Holiday & Awards Ceremony a Knockout Success

Posted on | December 20, 2010 | 1 Comment

NEW YORK, NY (Dec. 20, 2010) – The 24th annual RING 8 Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony attracted more than 400 people last Sunday afternoon at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

Famed boxing color analyst and writer Steve Farhood accepted RING 8’s special award to legendary blow-by-blow announcer Nick Charles, who has been the voice of boxing on Showtime and Versus, for his inspiration to everybody involved in boxing, as well as for his outstanding contributions to the sport.

Leon ‘Solid’ Williams Teams Up With Johnny Eames

Posted on | December 20, 2010 | No Comments

Ahead of his upcoming title defense BBBofC Southern Area Cruiserweight Champion Leon ‘Solid’ Williams has switched his training base to the Ultrachem TKO Gym in Canning Town following his recent signing with Johnny Eames to head up his new training team.

The highly popular 27 year old from Streatham, who secured the Southern Area title after convincingly out pointing Walthamstow’s JJ Ojuederie back in October, first came to national prominence following his magnificent performance on the highly popular Sky sports televised Prizefighter series.

In his quarter final match-up ‘Solid’ went to war with John Lewis Dickinson in what was undoubtedly the fight of the night. However after three close hard fought rounds the judges unanimously declared Dickinson the winner by just a single point, much to the dismay of the crowd who jeered and booed when the result was announced. Dickinson then went on to win the tournament.

Following one of his training sessions, under the watchful eyes of Johnny Eames, Leon explained why he decided to switch to the Ultrachem TKO team. “A good friend mentioned the gym to me. It’s well established and John’s a good trainer, so I thought I’d take it on board and come down.

I’m here now. I’ve only been here for a little while but what I have been doing is fantastic, I’m feeling it in my body. I’m learning, which is the most important thing. There’s structure, that’s what I have been lacking the past few years, structure and I feel I can get that here so it’s all good.

I’m not fussed who I’ll have to defend my title against as I have a good team behind me right now so it’s onwards and upwards.”

Johnny then added, “Leon came along with a guy I met from the charity run we did for Kevin Mitchell’s nephew. I didn’t really know the guy but he knew of me through boxing.

Obviously I’d seen Leon fight and I looked at him as just raw aggression, which is what he came to us with and we’re gonna just polish up the finer arts.

He’s a good trainer, he listens to what he’s told. I think he’s enjoying, no disrespect to anybody else but, being in what I’d term a proper boxing gym, we’ve good fighters in here and a good team around him.

Although he’s self managed I will be working with him to select fights, although the final decision will be down to Leon obviously, but hopefully he’ll take my advice as within the year we could be knocking on the door of maybe the British title. The Cruiserweight division is pretty wide open. I certainly think he could win the English title right now and possibly the British, one step at a time though as we’ve got the Southern Area title to defend first.

I’ve got to get to know him first with fights, so we’ll do one or two small fights first and get to know each other in the corner, so I know how he ticks and he knows how I swear and we’ll go from there. It’s good to have him on board.”

Leon ‘Solid’ Williams will be defending his BBBofC Southern Area Cruiserweight title early in 2011 and should he be successful it’s clear that his eyes will be set firmly on the English or British crown. Watch this space…

www.ultrachemtkogym.co.uk

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