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HERSCHEL WALKER INJURED, OFF DEC. 4 STRIKEFORCE CARD IN ST. LOUIS

Posted on | November 24, 2010 | No Comments

NEW YORK (Nov. 24, 2010) – Herschel Walker sustained a deep cut under his left eye that required multiple stitches while training Monday at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., and will not be able to fight on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

“I feel terrible about this,’’ said Walker, who was cut from a knee strike while training with AKA teammate and two-time United States Olympic wrestling team member Daniel Cormier. “I know things like this happen in all sports, but I had trained very hard and was excited to be returning to the cage again. I hope to fight again as soon as the cut heals.’’

The four televised fights on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast): MMA superstar Dan Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., faces former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8) of Brazil; Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva (14-2), of Coconut Creek, Fla., meets Valentijn “The Python’’ Overeem (28-23), of The Netherlands in a heavyweight encounter, Paul “Semtex’’ Daley (25-9-2) of England battles Scott “Hands Of Steel” Smith (17-7, 1 NC), of Elk Grove, Calif., at welterweight and ex-world champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6, 1 NC), of Granite City, Ill., goes up against 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (22-7), of Oregon City, Ore., in a middleweight (185 pounds) scrap.

An announcement about a possible replacement fight for the telecast will be made in the coming days, STRIKEFORCE said.

Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com or by phone (800) 745-3000. Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m.

ARTHUR ABRAHAM & CARL FROCH SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Posted on | November 24, 2010 | No Comments

HELSINKI, Finland (Nov. 24, 2010) – Former world champions Arthur Abraham of Germany and Carl Froch of England were confident, yet respectful, during Wednesday’s Super Six World Boxing Classic jam-packed final press conference at Hartwall Areena in the Power Play Restaurant here on Wednesday.

While there was no trash-talking — Froch (26-1, 20 KOs) was very quiet and didn’t want to get into anything beyond answering his questions simply and Abraham (31-1, 25 KOs) was in a more jovial mood but also kept his responses short — the fight itself this Saturday, Nov. 27, on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, same-day-delay) from Hartwall Areena also for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight title — has the potential to be a classic slugfest from start to finish.

In the second bout of the split-site doubleheader on SHOWTIME, unbeaten Andre Ward (22-0, 13 KOs) will defend his WBA 168-pound crown against Sakio Bika (28-4-2, 19 KOs) live from the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.

What the fighters and their promoters said before the Group Stage 3/WBC title fight on Wednesday:

ARTHUR ABRAHAM
“The first couple of days here have been nice. I’m in a good mood, a comfortable mood. This is a bit cold for me since my coach has had me training in 110 degree temperatures. It is good for the body. I’m well prepared for Saturday night.’’

In response to a question about the size difference and Froch’s comments that he was much bigger, Arthur said: “Inside the ring all that matters is to be mentally stable. It doesn’t matter (about being) bigger or stronger, just clever. The clever fighter always wins.’’

KALLE SAUERLAND (Abraham’s promoter)
“Right now this is the calm before the storm. Coverage in Finland has been tremendous. Arthur and all of us are touched by the Finnish fans who are rooting for him. Arthur’s training camp has been the camp of his life. This is the fight of his life. He will reclaim the title in his second division.’’

WILFRIED SAUERLAND (Abraham’s promoter)
“I’ve been promoting boxing for more than 30 years and I can’t remember the last time I was this excited. I don’t like to make predictions but I’m very confident Arthur will win the belt Saturday night. From what I heard from his trainers he is in the shape of his life and may even have a few surprises that will test how versatile Froch is.’’

CARL FROCH (who greeted the media in Finnish and then repeated it in English)
“It’s great to be here in Finland. I go into every fight to win. If that means throwing bombs and breaking ribs then, yeah, I’ll do everything I can to win my belt back. I come into the fight with self belief and confidence. I plan to come into the ring and win this belt back. I don’t think it should have ever been taken away in the first place. I predict I’m going to win by any means necessary on Saturday night’’

MICK HENNESSEY (Froch’s promoter)
“This is a sensational fight between two fantastic warriors with big punching power. Froch is here to claim what is rightfully his, the prestigious WBC belt. I’ve said it before and I truly believe it, he is the best super middleweight in the world.”

STRIKEFORCE TEAMS WITH TOYS FOR TOTS TO BRIGHTEN HOLIDAY SEASON FOR ST. LOUIS YOUNGSTERS

Posted on | November 24, 2010 | No Comments

MMA Fans Encouraged to Bring Unwrapped Gifts To Scottrade Center on Saturday, Dec. 4

ST. LOUIS (Nov. 24, 2010) – In an effort to make the holiday season a happy time for as many St Louis residents as possible, world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion STRIKEFORCE has joined forces with Toys For Tots, the Marine Corps-managed, non-profit organization, to collect new, unwrapped toys for local underprivileged youth during the star-studded Henderson vs. Babalu MMA event, at Scottrade Center on Saturday, Dec. 4.

During the 10-bout event, several stations staffed by volunteers from the local Marine Corps will be set up inside Scottrade Center to collect toys from fans attending the event. Monetary donations are accepted as well.

“Everything we collect stays in St. Louis,” said Marine Corps Sergeant Gavin Lewis, who manages the Toys For Tots program in the Gateway City area. “It’s about local people helping local children, which is a phenomenal thing. When a company like STRIKEFORCE pitches in, it really helps spread our reach in the community and makes it a successful drive.’

“When considering what to bring, fans should think about what would make their own child, niece or nephew happy.”

“Any time we can use one of our events as a vehicle to help with the needs of others, we’re more than happy to do it,” said STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker. “St. Louis is a city that STRIKEFORCE has become attached to since last year and being able to give back to the community is a very rewarding feeling.”

In the main event of a stacked card on STRIKEFORCE’s return to Scottrade Center, MMA superstar Dan Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., faces former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8) of Brazil in a rematch between world-class 205-pounders.

Other televised fights on SHOWTIME®: Former world heavyweight champion Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva (14-2), of Coconut Creek, Fla., by way of Brazil, confronts the older brother of STRIKEFORCE heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, Valentijn “The Python’’ Overeem (28-23), of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Paul “Semtex’’ Daley (25-9-2) of Nottingham, England, battles Scott “Hands Of Steel” Smith (17-7, 1 NC), of Elk Grove, Calif., in a matchup of explosive welterweights (170 pounds), former world champion and exciting local favorite “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6, 1 NC), of Granite City, Ill., goes up against 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (22-7) of Oregon City, Ore., in a middleweight (185 pounds) scrap.

The fight card will include five undercard bouts, including a light heavyweight (205 pounds) match between Lee Brousseau (7-2), of River Wood, Mo., and Mike Glenn (6-4) of Springfield, Mo.

Ben Brown (1-0), of St. Louis, will take on J.W. Wright (pro debut) of St. Louis by way of Steelville, Mo., in a 130 pound catchweight bout.

Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com or by phone (800) 745-3000. Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m.

IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY: Abraham and Froch Land Their Final Verbal Punches

Posted on | November 24, 2010 | No Comments

This Week on Takedown Radio 11/24/10

Posted on | November 24, 2010 | No Comments

Frank Romano, Tom Borrelli, Mike Denny, Ken Kraft and Jeff Murphy’s Top Twenty on November 27th’s Takedown Radio

Des Moines, Iowa

Hello Wrestling Fans! Scott Casber will be LIVE in TDR’s home based Brute Adidas studios for another 2 hour show this week for this weeks show brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

This weeks show airs LIVE, 9 AM to 11 AM. Listen on radio or on the computer or your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeartRadio App.

Our Guests Include: (All times Central)

9:01 Frank Romano- Head Coach Notre Dame of Ohio
9:20 Tom Borrelli- Head Coach Central Michigan
9:40 Mike Denny- Head Coach U of Nebraska Omaha
10:01 Ken Kraft- Northwestern with The Midlands Report
10:20 Jeff Murphy- Kemin’s Big 10 and Big 12 report
10:50 Amy Ruble- Wildrose Resort

ARTHUR ABRAHAM & CARL FROCH SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC MEDIA PREDICTIONS AND COMMENTS

Posted on | November 24, 2010 | 1 Comment

National and International Boxing Writers are 50/50 on Abraham-Froch Picks for this Saturday on SHOWTIME®

NEW YORK (Nov. 24, 2010) – The experts both in the States and abroad may not all agree on who is going to win, but there is a general consensus that the Super Six World Boxing Classic matchup between Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham has Fight of the Year potential.

As the close Las Vegas odds indicate with Abraham listed as a slight 7-5 favorite (-165), people are having a tough time picking a winner in this clash of European heavy hitters. In a recent poll, national and international boxing writers were evenly split between Abraham and Froch with nine writers picking Abraham and nine predicting a win for Froch.

In quintessential Showtime Championship Boxing fashion, Abraham-Froch is considered by many as too-close-to-call and a can’t-miss war. “This is a great fight. It has Fight of the Year written all over it,” says one U.S. boxing writer. “These are two extremely tough, durable guys who love to fight and whose skills are probably a little better than they get credit for.”

Added another international scribe, “I think it could be a classic because Abraham likes to stand in the middle of the ring, dominate and trade, and so does Froch. It has all the potential for a memorable fight.”

And another, “Froch and Abraham has every ingredient to make it the best fight so far in the Super Six. The main ingredient is desire; a desire to get back on top.”

Not only is getting back on top at stake, but so is crucial seeding for the semifinals of the World Boxing Classic and the vacant WBC Super Middleweight title belt when Froch (26-1, 20 KOs) and Abraham (31-1, 25 KOs) climb into the ring on Saturday, Nov. 27, on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT) on same-day-delay from Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland. In the second bout of the split-site doubleheader, unbeaten Andre Ward (22-0, 13 KOs) will defend his WBA 168-pound crown against Sakio Bika (28-4-2, 19 KOs) from the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.

A couple of SHOWTIME boxing analysts are split as well. Antonio Tarver believes Froch will win by unanimous decision. “I feel this fight has a great chance to be Fight of the Year. These two fighters have serious disdain for each other,” said the former light heavyweight champion turned heavyweight contender. “If this fight is going to end with a KO, I see Abraham having that type of power and not Froch. But if this fight comes down to a knock down, drag out where both fighters are having there moments and need to adapt and make changes along the way, I see Froch having the ability to out box and out fox Abraham for a decision win – which I feel is more probable.”

Longtime SHOWTIME ringside reporter Jim Gray sees it differently. Said Gray, “I think that Abraham will win. His performance against Dirrell will be a motivating factor. Froch does not have a good enough defense for Abraham. Also, Froch has been taunting Abraham and I believe that he has gotten underneath Abraham’s skin, and he will pay a price for that.”

Calling the fight for SHOWTIME, analyst Steve Farhood remains neutral but expects fireworks. “It’s difficult to envision anything but an action bout,” said Farhood. “The taller Froch might try to box more than usual, but Abraham doesn’t figure to wait as long as he did against Dirrell, so no matter the strategies, there are going to be several exchanges between championship-caliber fighters with big punches and solid chins. That’s a pretty good formula for any fight.

“When you add the fact that they’re both coming off their initial losses, the motivation is deep. And a vacant title is at stake as well. I won’t offer a prediction since I’m calling the fight, but I see a Super Six war–and probably a distance fight as well.”

Here’s what just a few national and international boxing experts think will happen during the mega-matchup Saturday:

Marcus Henry, Newsday, (Froch): “Arthur Abraham was exposed during his bout with Andre Dirrell. That said, he still has the power to end any fight quickly. But he won’t be able to end it with Carl Froch early. Froch has proven to be one of the most resilient fighters of this era. His chin and his jab will enable him to outlast Abraham. Froch prevails on points, 115-113.

Lem Satterfield, AOL FanHouse.com, (Froch): Carl Froch W 12 Arthur Abraham is my pick. If Froch can resist the urge to get into a slug-fest, I believe that he can and will be the busier fighter over the course of a 12-round decision over Abraham. Froch is capable of displaying his boxing skills against Abraham, who failed to adjust while being outboxed in his most recent loss to Andre Dirrell. Froch fared much better opposite Dirrell in a disputed split decision win, and he still is working with the confidence of believing that he is an undefeated fighter coming off of his disputed loss to Abraham’s promotional stablemate, Mikkel Kessler. So my pick here is Froch by decision.

Rick Reeno, Boxingscene.com, (Abraham): “Both of these guys are very strong punchers for the weight, but I believe Abraham has a much tighter defense and displays a much better ability to pick his spots. Froch is often reckless with his style and easily lured into brawls. Based on the styles of Abraham’s past two opponents in the Super Six, Froch should be easier for Abraham to deal with. I’m picking Abraham by knockout in the late rounds.”

Michael Rosenthal, RingTV.com, (Abraham): “First, this is a great fight. It has Fight of the Year written all over it. These are two extremely tough, durable guys who love to fight and whose skills are probably a little better than they get credit for. That said, Andre Dirrell demonstrated that Abraham has problems with quick, slick boxers who are reluctant to engage him. Froch is slower and a lot more aggressive than Dirrell, which will work to the hard-punching Armenian’s advantage. I believe Abraham, a little tougher and a little better, will score a late knockout.

Steve Kim, MaxBoxing.com, (Abraham): “I like Abraham in this fight. I think he and Froch will make for a good match-up of styles, but Froch can’t or won’t move like an Andre Dirrell and I think that plays into his favor. I like Abraham by decision.”

Damian Calhoun, Orange County Register, (Abraham): “This has the potential to be one of the best fights of the year. I’m picking Abraham to win by decision or perhaps late stoppage. Froch will dictate the early rounds, but at some point Abraham’s punching power will eventually wear Froch down.”

Michael Woods, The Sweet Science, (Froch): “To me, Abraham comes off as the ‘older’ guy, less fresh, even though at age 30, he’s two and a half years younger than Froch. Cocky Frochy is coming off a loss against a fighter – Mikkel Kessler – not so dissimilar from Abraham, while Abraham is coming off a loss to a boxer quite unlike Froch, Andre Dirrell. Abe will have to make a much more severe adjustment to style. Both will have an extra element of desire coursing through them after the defeats – but I see Froch taking it to Abraham, and Abe not being able to counter as well as Kessler did. The action will be persistent, and back and forth. But Froch is a bit fresher, more active, more mobile … and will get the UD, by a margin of two points or so.”

Franklin McNeil, ESPN.com, (Abraham): “While each of these fighters have an enormous amount of talent and the ability to bounce back after losing to high-caliber opposition, it is difficult to envision Arthur Abraham dropping two fights in a row. His will to win is unmatched. Froch is sure to bring his A-game, but it won’t be enough to deny Abraham — who wins by unanimous decision.”

Kevin Mitchell, The Guardian, (Froch): “If Carl is injury free, he should be too big for Arthur — but Abraham is so tough. It could be a re-run of the Kessler fight. Froch on points, maybe getting off the canvas.

Niall Hickman, The Express, (Froch): “It is a great fight, brilliant match-up and I regard both Froch and Abraham as world class operators. I think it could be a classic because Abraham likes to stand in the middle of the ring, dominate and trade, and so does Froch. It has all the potential for a memorable fight. As for predictions, I take Froch to win, either with a late stoppage or on points. Froch has, I think, got the edge. His defense allows opponents to land, but Froch has got a fantastic chin.”

Steve Bunce, BBC News and author of ‘The Fixer’, (Froch): Froch and Abraham has every ingredient to make it the best fight so far in the Super Six. The main ingredient is desire; a desire to get back on top. Froch hates not being champion. I think that it will go long and that Froch will win a tight one. Can they stop each other? Yep, they can. But, I see some brain behind the power. Froch on points.”

Phil Barnett, Press Association, (Froch): “If Froch has studied the tapes from the Kessler fight – and, crucially, of Abraham against Dirrell – he can frustrate Abraham and either stop him late or get the decision.”

Matthias Brzezinski, Welt, (Abraham): “I believe Arthur Abraham will win, because Carl Froch underestimates him. Furthermore, a loss would be a debacle for Arthur. He is extremely motivated to prevent a defeat.”

Haruka Gruber, Spox, (Abraham): “Abraham has the heart, the punch and the toughness. His biggest weakness throughout his career was that he was a slow starter in almost every fight, but he worked on it after his loss to Dirrell. If Abraham wins two of the first four rounds, he will win the fight. I don’t know exactly what to expect from Froch, but he was a disappointment against Kessler and Dirrell.“

Jörg Lubrich, Bild, (Abraham): “This can be the fight of the year. Abraham has learned his lesson from the fight against Dirrell and will win by KO in the later rounds.”

Björn Jensen, Hamburger Abendblatt, (Froch): “Froch on points because I think he will wear Abraham down and not allow him to get through.”

Torsten Püschel, ARD, (Abraham): “Abraham wins a close points decision. Froch will dictate with his jab but his combinations will land on Abraham´s guard. Abraham will be successful with counter-attacks to body and head. Both have a strong chin, that´s why a KO is unlikely.”

Corey Erdman, SIRIUS 98, (Froch): “Carl Froch may be the most underrated boxer in the world. For some reason, the consensus seems to be that he’s nothing more than the plodding, rugged type of fighter Arthur Abraham can prey upon. In reality, he certainly is rugged, but he has an excellent, well-timed jab and solid footwork. If he wants to keep Abraham at the end of it, he can. And after getting suckered into a brawl against Kessler, I can’t imagine he’ll do it twice in a row. Froch UD-12.”

LOS ANGELES MATADORS LOSE TO MIAMI GALLOS 3-1 AMID CONTROVERSY

Posted on | November 24, 2010 | No Comments

Home-Opener is Sunday, Nov. 28 at the Nokia Theatre

MIAMI, Fla. (Nov. 23, 2010) – – In an evening ending in controversy, the Los Angeles Matadors lost to the Miami Gallos 3-1 in their inaugural match in the World Series of Boxing on Tuesday at Miami’s American Airlines Arena.

The Matadors took the first two bouts of the evening in the bantamweight and lightweight divisions, but The Gallos evened the series taking the middleweight and light heavyweight bouts.

The L.A. Matadors return to Los Angeles for their home-opener Sunday, Nov. 28, at the Nokia Theatre against the undefeated, inherent rival Mexico City Guerreros and hope to build momentum for the winter-long World Series of Boxing season. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are still available at www.ticketmaster.com.

On Tuesday, the Gallos clinched the match win in the final bout of the evening as Long Beach native and Matador David Imoesiri and Gallos Trent Rawlins fought to a draw. One judge had Imoesiri as the victor at 48-46 while the other two judges scored the draw, 47-47, 47-47.

The fight was ruled a draw by The Florida Boxing Commission but the World Series of Boxing rules state that a draw decision goes to the World Series of Boxing Supervisor; with Osvaldo Bisbal, of Argentina, scoring the bout in favor of Rawlins.

“I was not happy with the decision” Imoesiri said. “I think that I still pulled it off. I think they were looking at his arms. Nobody won so I’m happy with that, but I think the Matadors won it.”

Head Coach Manny Robles added, “I’m disappointed in the tie-breaker. I feel the win should go to us as a team because one judge gave it to David and the other two judges gave it a draw. It should be our fight but what are you going to do?”

LA Matadors General Manager Jeff Benz agreed.

“We’re disappointed at the official results but our athletes fought exceptionally well,” Benz said. “We’re looking forward to the next time we challenge the Miami Gallos in Los Angeles and hope the rule will be cleared up by then.”

Ken Egan, a 2008 Olympic Silver Medalist, defeated Long Beach native Matador Dorian Anthony in a unanimous decision, 49-46, 49-47, 48-47.

In the closing seconds of the fifth round Egan landed a right hook stunning Anthony. Egan made quick work of the dazed Anthony landing a series of combos before the round ended.

“I went in there with my game plan and gave it my all,” Anthony said. “I didn’t think about his Silver Medal. I felt it was a pretty fair decision for me. The momentum kept shifting both ways throughout the bout. In the last round I kind of gave it away to some big shots.”

Bantamweight Matador Fernando Martinez started Los Angeles off with a win defeating Jose Luis Ochoa Mesa by decision, 47-47, 48-46, 48-46, despite knocking down Mesa in the third round.

“I had to get this win and do this for the team,” Martinez said. This is a good start and something we can build on. The feeling is incredible and I’m very proud to get the first win for the Matadors.”

Lightweight Matador Eric Fowler continued Los Angeles’ success notching a fourth round technical knockout against Adrian Martinez in the second bout of the evening. With 1:34 left in the fourth round, Fowler threw a right rendering Martinez defenseless against the ropes prompting referee Frank Gentile to stop the fight.

“I have the best coaches in Manny (Robles) and Jose (Navarro),” Fowler said. “Manny told me keep throwing punches at his body, put pressure on him. What made the difference was my coaching in my strength and conditioning.”

HDNET’S “INSIDE MMA” NOMINATED FOR BEST NEWS SOURCE BY THE 2010 WORLD MIXED MARTIAL ARTS AWARDS

Posted on | November 23, 2010 | No Comments

The network’s announcer Michael “The Voice” Schiavello also gets nod for Leading Man of the Year

DALLAS (November 23, 2010) – HDNet is proud to announce that the network’s own weekly Mixed Martial Arts news program, “Inside MMA” has been nominated in the category of “Best News Source” by the 2010 World MMA Awards.

“Inside MMA” shares the nomination with “MMA Weekly,” “MMA Junkie,” “MMAfighting.com” and “Sherdog.”

Also nominated this year is Michael “The Voice” Schiavello who gets the nod in the “Leading Man of the Year” category along with Bjorn Rebney, Dana White, Joe Silva and Scott Coker.

“These nominations are a great honor for HDNet,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “To be recognized by the World MMA Awards is very exciting. We’ll be pulling for a couple of big wins on December 1!”

Simon will be in attendance at the Awards ceremony in addition to Bas Rutten, Kenny Rice and Ron Kruck of “Inside MMA,” Michael “The Voice” Schiavello and Mike Straka from the HDNet original program “Fighting Words with Mike Straka.”

The winners will be announced on Wednesday, December 1 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Additional information and voting opportunities can be found on the World MMA Awards website at the following link:

www.worldmmaawards.com

“Inside MMA” airs every Friday night at 9:00 ET on HDNet. Michael Schiavello is the lead announcer for all live “HDNet Fights” events.

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