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Hammond And Lowe Headline Newark Fight Night On Nov. 20th

Posted on | October 26, 2010 | No Comments

Former WBF Super Featherweight World Champion Carl Greaves will be featuring local fighters at his upcoming ‘The Boyz Are Back In Town’ event at the Grove Leisure Centre in Newark, Notts on Saturday 20th November.

Headlining the show will be former International Masters Light Middleweight Champion Kevin Hammond, who will be looking to turn round a three fight loss run, against Luke Osman

Hammond, who following his winning the International Masters title had two tough fights with recent British title challenger Martin ‘Immaculate’ Concepcion for the Midlands Area title,

Hammond came close to winning both, even sent Concepcion to the canvas on their second meeting, as in each case only one point was the difference between the two.

In his most recent bout, against Kurt Bromberg for the British Masters Middleweight title, again Hammond fought hard and was unlucky not to get the decision. Again the points difference was just a single point.

There will be five exciting match-ups supporting the Hammond versus Osman bout. Co-feature fight sees Newark’s Andrew (A.A.) Lowe take on tough Bristol based Turk Rocky Chakir in a six round Welterweight contest.

Next up, and probably deserving of headline status, is the highly popular Bulwell, Notts Cruiserweight/Heavyweight Shane McPhilbin will face a stern test against the highly experienced Brummy bruiser Hastings Rasani in a four round Cruiserweight clash.

McPhilbin recently stole the limelight from his more experienced competition at the Sky televised Prizefighter – Heavyweights 4 tournament, after stopping the previously unbeaten Declan Timlin after just fifty seconds of the second round. McPhilbin then went on to face eventual tournament winner Michael Sprott in one of the most exciting action packed bouts of the evening.

Rounding out the show will be two debut bouts, the first at Light Heavyweight, featuring Newark’s Jamie Norkett against new boy Ian Jenkins and Danny Gerrard gets his maiden outing against the highly experienced Ryan Clark. The final listed bout features Sneinton, Notts Terry Maughan in a Middleweight contest against a yet to be named opponent.

The Carl Greaves Promoted ‘The Boyz Are Back In Town’ event will be at the Grove Leisure Centre, Balderton, Newark. NG24 3AL on Saturday 20th November 2010.

Doors open 7pm – First bell 8pm

Tickets: priced £15 (Under 15’s), £30 (unreserved) and £40 (ringside) are available now on-line at www.tkoboxoffice.com or call 07960 850645.

“FIGHT CAMP 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic”

Posted on | October 26, 2010 | No Comments

EPISODE 8 PREMIERES SATURDAY, OCT. 30
At 10:45 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME®

Exclusive Sit Down With Andre Dirrell and His Team Discussing
The American’s Withdrawal From The Tournament;
Plus, Preview Glen Johnson vs. Allan Green
And Arthur Abraham-Carl Froch Turn Up The Heat In Helsinki

NEW YORK (Oct. 26, 2010)—The latest installment of the acclaimed documentary series from SHOWTIME Sports® — FIGHT CAMP 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic — returns to SHOWTIME® with Episode 8 premiering Saturday, Oct. 30, at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Episode 8 features an exclusive sit-down interview with American Andre Dirrell and his team in Flint, Mich., discussing the fighter’s exit from the tournament.

Also in this episode, FIGHT CAMP 360° documents Glen Johnson’s entry into the tournament and, as Group Stage 3 approaches, the fight camps of Johnson and Allan Green in preparation for their must-win fight on Saturday, Nov. 6. Finally, things are heating up in Helsinki as Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch engage in a war of words at the kickoff press conference.

The multi-part series FIGHT CAMP 360° continues to provide an intimate and comprehensive look into the business of boxing and the lives of the captivating fighters and promoters as they compete in boxing’s most innovative tournament, the Super Six World Boxing Classic. From training camp to fight week promotions to ringside seats at the thrilling fights, FIGHT CAMP 360° reveals the spectacle of world-class prizefighting like no other show on television.

Episode 8 will air as follows:

Date Time (Channel)
Saturday, Oct. 30 10:45p (SHO, premiere)
Monday, Nov. 1 10:00PM (SHO2)
Tuesday, Nov. 2 10:00PM (SHO2)
Monday, Nov. 22 10:00PM (SHO2)
Tuesday, Nov. 23 10:00PM (SHO2)
Wednesday, Nov. 24 12:00AM (SHO2)
Thursday, Nov. 25 11:00PM (SHO2)
Friday, Nov. 26 12:30AM (SHO2)

Kajan spicing up game plan: Johnson ready to prove his talents at MFC 27 against Brazilian striker

Posted on | October 26, 2010 | No Comments

By MFC Staff

Opportunity has knocked. Kajan Johnson has answered. Now it’s just a matter of whether the House of “Ragin” is the right address.

Eyeing greater heights in his career, Johnson (17-11-1) faces a must-win situation at MFC 27: Breaking Point as he takes on highly regarded Brazilian Orestes Betran (13-4). The encounter is one of the featured matchups on the HDNet Fights-televised main card emanating from the River Cree Resort and Casino on Friday, Nov. 12. With doors opening in the MFC’s lightweight division, Johnson has a deep desire to step up and solidify himself as a real player and resident in the 155-pound ranks, and not as a mere gatekeeper.

“I see this as a huge opportunity and I have to thank the MFC for giving it to me despite the fact that I am coming off a loss,” said Johnson. “The chance to fight on TV means more people will know about me and realize what I am trying to become – MFC world lightweight champion.”

In order to start his quest towards the goal of wearing championship gold, Johnson threw out his old game plan and created a new one. The first chapter in the new book was taking his training camp on the road to Las Vegas and training at the Extreme Couture camp – a gym that Johnson eventually hopes to call his home though that will all depend on his performance at MFC 27.

“It was amazing training at Extreme Couture. I felt I had to do so because I feel like I have outgrown Vancouver,” explained the Burns Lake, B.C., product. “Most of the good guys around here have either retired, moved away or are just not motivated to train all the time. I am planning to move to Las Vegas to become part of Extreme Couture early next year.”

And as Johnson fine tunes the final preparations to face Betran, he has come to figure out that despite a solid record with a reputable list of opponents, he is now expecting more out of himself at a critical point in his career.

“This is definitely the best that I have been,” Johnson added. “What’s scary is that I haven’t even come close to reaching my full potential. I believe that I am at the top of the division. I don’t see anyone in it that will pose a great threat to me.

“Sorry if that offends anyone but if it does I am willing to back up everything that I say.”

Johnson has backed up bold claims for much of his career, scoring 10 of his 17 career wins via submission, and winning five of his last six fights heading into the matchup with Betran. The Brazilian is not the typical mixed martial artist from his home country, however, as his sharp stand-up skills have earned him nine of his 13 career wins by way of knockout. Betran will ride a three-fight winning streak into his MFC debut and he has won six of his last seven outings.

Johnson has the added incentive of not only trying to win to get on pace towards a title shot but also to erase the memories of his last MFC performance – a below-expectations loss in the first round to Ryan Machan. Johnson would much prefer to follow-up on his last effort under the Heat XC banner which generated an impressive second-round TKO of jiu-jitsu standout Josh Russell.

“I have had an intense 13-week camp and I’m fully prepared for battle,” noted Johnson. “In this fight, I will prove to the viewers of the MFC that I am the top lightweight in the division and no one will stop me.

“I know that Betran is a good fighter. I have seen his record and tapes. He is very aggressive and likes to come forward. That’s perfect. I love fighting this style of opponent … it is my absolute favorite. I know it will be a lot of fun and exciting for the crowd to watch.”

Tickets for MFC 27: Breaking Point are going fast. Tickets are available by calling the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024 or via Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.ca and charge-by-phone (780) 451-8000.

JUAN MANUEL LOPEZ & RAFAEL MARQUEZ CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS

Posted on | October 25, 2010 | No Comments

“As long as it lasts it’s going to be a war.” – Juan Manuel Lopez

NEW YORK (Oct. 25, 2010) — Puerto Rican superstar and WBO featherweight world champ Juan Manuel Lopez and Mexican legend and future Hall of Famer Rafael Marquez participated in an international media conference call on Monday to discuss their upcoming rivalry fight on Saturday, Nov. 6, LIVE on SHOWTIME® from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

One of boxing’s fastest rising stars, Lopez (29-0, 26 KOs), of Caguas, Puerto Rico, will attempt to make the third defense of his WBO crown. The 27-year-old champion has registered an astounding 26 knockouts in 29 professional fights. The power-punching southpaw will now face the toughest and most important test of his career in Marquez, a battle-tested great with a relentless desire to win at all costs.

Marquez (39-5, 35 KOs), of México City, a former IBF bantamweight (118) champion, cemented himself in boxing lore when he moved up to 122 pounds to take on Israel Vazquez in what became an unforgettable four-fight series that saw each warrior win a pair of battles. The 35-year-old is coming off a third-round knockout of Vazquez in the final installment of the series in only his second fight at featherweight (126). Now, he’ll take on the younger Lopez at 126 pounds in a quest for a world title in his third division.

In the co-feature, world-ranked contender Allan Green will face veteran contender and former world champ Glen Johnson in a must-win Super Six World Boxing Classic bout. The winner of the 12-rounder will earn a spot in the tournament Semifinals.

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Monday.

JUAN MANUEL LOPEZ:

“I’m really looking forward to the fight. It’s going to be a great fight for the fans and I’m looking forward to getting in the ring.

“On paper this looks like my toughest fight. The (Rogers) Mtagwa didn’t look like it was the toughest fight but it turned out to be my toughest fight I had. So you can’t really speculate on that. All you can do is prepare yourself very well. You have to be in the best condition to fight this type of fighter.

“I’m very humbled when people compare me to Felix Trinidad. You know he’s my idol and now my good friend. Any comparison you give me to him inside the ring or outside I will take. I’m happy to take comparisons with me and Felix.”

On Rafael Marquez:
“Without a doubt I know he’s coming to prove himself that he’s still at the same level as he’s always been. I’m out to prove that I’m at the same level that’s he’s at. I think the fans are going to be real excited about this fight and I can’t see how it will not be a good fight. We both have a lot to prove and we’re willing to give up everything in the ring.”

On the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico matchup?
“I don’t want to put extra pressure on me but I understand the tradition of Puerto Rico fighters fighting against boxers from Mexico. I think Puerto Ricans expect a lot from me and I hope to give them the best fight that I can. And I know he’s going to give all he can and it’s going to be another great fight for the rivalry.”

You have only fought just nine rounds in the last 13 months. How will that affect your preparation?
“I don’t put too much stock in that. I know I prepare myself well for 12 rounds every time out. So the preparation is always the same. I try to be in the best shape possible.”

What concerns you most about Marquez?
“We are very aware of what he can do. He’s a tremendous fighter and he has a lot of skills. And I know he wants to win just as bad as I do. I know just how dangerous he is.

“I expect the fight to end in a knockout but I don’t expect it to end early. I think it will be a long fight and I will end it with a knockout but late. I think we both have the power to knock each other out. As long as it lasts it’s going to be a war.

“I just have to box intelligent. I just have to box smart when I get in there. If I need to box, I’ll box. If I need to fight, I’ll fight. But you’re definitely going to see a war. We’re both going to exchange a lot of punches.

“These are the kinds of fights I need to prove myself.

“I think he’s going to be very aggressive. He’ll come at me. I also feel like they want to get me to the late rounds. They think I’m going to get tired and I’m not going to be able to fight 12 rounds at the same pace like he will. We’ll just have to see what type of guy they get: If they get that real aggressive guy or if they get the guy who is going to counter.

“My expectations are that it will be a fight of the year candidate. I know we’re both going to go for it and try to win it. I hope no one misses this fight because it’s going to be one of the best ones of the year.”

RAFAEL MARQUEZ:
“My injury is fine. It was tough to have to suspend the fight but my preparation never stopped. I’ve been running and doing other things just not hitting anything. I’m very well prepared. This fight is important and I think it will be a great fight.

“I wouldn’t compare (Lopez) to anyone really. If I had to pick a level of fighter I would probably put him at the level of a Tim Austin or a Mark Johnson, two very good lefthanders that I have fought in the past. He probably has a little bit more power than those two but they were both great fighters when I fought them. That’s who I would compare him to since they’re both lefthanded and have quick hands.

“It’s going to be a real tough fight. I’m going to give the fans the best fight that I can and, of course, all the fans watching on SHOWTIME.”

“It’s very important being Puerto Rico versus Mexico. It’s probably the most important fight of my career. I haven’t fought too many Puerto Ricans at the level that I’m fighting this fight. This guy is very intelligent and he knows what he’s doing in the ring. It’s so important I don’t leave any stones unturned because I know how important this fight is.”

What do you say to people who say you might not have much left at age 35?
“I tell them that they’re wrong. As long as you take care of yourself and as long as you prepare well for a fight that shouldn’t be any problem. I think my brother proved it against Juan Diaz, who was 10 years younger than him. I’ve always taken care of myself and I think I have a lot left to give. I think that age doesn’t matter. I don’t see that as a problem. I really don’t.”

Do you expect a long fight?
“It could actually go either way. We’re both so powerful that it could end earlier than late because of our power.

“This is one of the biggest fights you will ever see in the lower weight divisions. We both have a lot to prove and the fans are going to enjoy it. I’m looking forward to giving the fans another great fight.

“I don’t see him being a lefthander as that much of a problem. Obviously you don’t fight that many lefthanders at the championship level. But I’ve never had any problems with it. I don’t see it as a big problem. You have to be at your best to fight any guys at this level.

“I’m ready for whatever he decides to bring. If he wants to exchange, I’ll exchange. If he wants to box, I’ll box. I just think when you fight a fighter who is a really great fighter it’s a huge motivator to get better and fight the best fight that I can.

“I’ve seen some of the videotape on him. I see how strong and powerful he is, but I also see his weaknesses. I see that he has a weak chin. So we have to take advantage of that and put our punches together and use a lot of combinations. I have to use all of my experience and all of my power and all my intelligence in the ring to get to him. It’s a winnable fight, no question. I can win this fight. I just have to be smart enough to know what to do in there. I can’t be reckless.

“This is a very important fight. If you can’t make it to Vegas then be sure to tune in on SHOWTIME because it’s going to be a war.”

The Bearcats Prepping for Season, Coach Popolizio Talks to TDRTV

Posted on | October 25, 2010 | No Comments

Wrestling prepping for Season

The wrestling team has just finished their 2010/2011 preseason! Guys worked hard, gutting out morning and afternoon practices. For their hard-work, the team got four days off! They will be back to practice on Tuesday October, 26th to begin the season.

The preseason consisted of morning runs and lifts, with Monday and Friday sprints, and Wednesday jogs. The afternoon was more focused on guys drilling on their own, making their weaknesses their strength. For the end of the session, the team would wrestle live goes.

The season will be much more structured, with varying morning workouts, consisting of drilling and lifting; with the afternoon practices focusing more on team drilling. We will then break down drill sessions to focus on each individual and improve on what they do best. From there, the team will begin live wrestling. This wrestling will vary from long grind matches, to short 30 second bursts. Our goal is to peak in March for Nationals, so workouts will vary depending on the team looks and feels!

What’s New?

· We are really starting to accomplish many of our goals for the year, including recruiting. Check out the latest article from Lighthouse Wrestling discussing some of the pieces that are coming together.

http://lighthousewrestling.com/2010/10/23/beary-beary-good-day-for-binghamton-top-recruit-in-nys-verbals-to-bearcats/

· We would like to send special congratulatory thanks to Matt Hamill, after his win over Tito Ortiz in UFC 121. Matt trained with some of the Binghamton Wrestlers to get ready for this fight, and gave a big shout-out to Binghamton Wrestling after the fight.

· Binghamton Wrestling has reserved 50 tickets for this year’s Nationals in Philadelphia. The tickets will be ordered by a first-come first-serve basis. Reserve yours before it’s too late! Attached is the form to reserve your tickets.

· Mark November 14th on your calendars! This is the Bearcats first match of the season, wrestling at home, in the World Wide Sports/Binghamton Open. If anyone would like to volunteer their time, we could use some help running the tournament.

· On November 21st, Binghamton will host the Sprawl and Brawl. The Bearcats will wrestle Michigan State and Eastern Michigan. Come watch the team wrestle at home, in their first dual-meet action of the year! If you are interested in volunteering your time, please let us know! Attached is the flyer containing more information.

· Please join us on Facebook. Join “Friends of Binghamton Wrestling” in order to get up-to-date information on training, behind-the-scenes video, and much more!

· A special thanks to the alumni who have already given their annual donations. This is a huge help financially. Your continued support is paying dividends to our success. For those who have not received information regarding giving to our program, you can click on the following link in-order to make a donation. https://www.giving.binghamton.edu/Giving/index.asp?School=08 Make sure you mark wresting in the “if other” category and all your proceeds with come to Bearcats Wrestling.

Thanks for everybody’s support, and we hope to see a lot of you this year!
Pat Popolizio
Head Wrestling Coach
Binghamton University
West Gym
PO Box 6000
Binghamton, NY 13902
607-777-5860 Office
607-777-2495 Fax
www.bubearcats.com

Wyoming Cowboys Head Man Mark Branch Readies for War In the West, Talks to TDR

Posted on | October 25, 2010 | 1 Comment

LARAMIE, Wyo. –

A fair amount of success and national recognition during the past few years have resulted in preseason team rankings for the 2010-11 University of Wyoming Cowboy Wrestling program. Three national, wrestling-specific media organizations have recently released their preseason lists of the top-25 teams at the NCAA DI level, and the `Pokes were included in each of those rankings.

Amateur Wrestling News ranked Wyoming at No. 22, WIN Magazine placed the Cowboys in a three-way tie for 21st, while The Open Mat web site has UW at No. 22.

“That is about where I thought we would be to begin this year,” shared UW head coach Mark Branch. “We have a lot of unknown variables on our team this year, but I feel really good about our potential.

“Rankings are for the fans at this point, so from a fan standpoint it’s good to see Wyoming in the Top-25,” continued Branch. “We have had to work long and hard to get noticed the last couple years, and it’s nice to be on the radar from the beginning. I think that will help us out.

UW’s head man concluded by saying, “We’ve got to go out and earn our place this season, and we certainly don’t want it to be around 20th. That is not what we are shooting for. We are aiming higher. We’ve got to take those unknown variables that we have and continue to surprise people. The fact that we’ve earned some respect is good, but now we need to go out and earn a different kind of respect at a higher level. We are not just wanting to be in the rankings, we want to be right up there with the big boys. With our schedule this season, we have the opportunity to go head-to-head with some of the best schools in the country. That will show us where we stand and we’ll see if some of the new faces in our lineup are up to the challenge.”

All three of the afore-mentioned media outlets also released individual rankings and the Cowboys were consistently mentioned at several weights.

UW’s two-time All-American Joe LeBlanc, a junior at 184 pounds, was ranked No. 2 in the nation by each of the three news organizations. The unanimous favorite in that weight class is 2010 NCAA finalist Kirk Smith from Boise State.

Fellow Cowboy juniors Michael Martinez and Shane Onufer were also included in all three rankings, however both wrestlers will be making weight class changes this season, so they were listed at different weights in different rankings. Martinez will start the year by moving up a weight class from 125 to 133 pounds and was ranked as high as 11th by The Open Mat at 133. Onufer will go in the opposite direction and will move down from 165 to 157 pounds. He was listed as high as No. 9 by Amateur Wrestling News at 157.

Both Martinez and Onufer are two-time West Regional champions and two-time NCAA qualifiers. Martinez wrestled his first two seasons at 125, while Onufer has dropped down from 174 as a freshman and 165 as a sophomore.

UW Wrestling concluded last season by winning its first-ever NCAA West Regional Team Championship, defending its regular-season dual title in the Western Wrestling Conference and earning a No. 25 national ranking in the National Wrestling Coaches Association/USA Today poll. Wyoming had an overall season record of 12-3, 6-0 in the WWC.

For the 2010-11 season, Mark Branch returns as head coach for his third year at the helm, and he has added depth to the program, with 16 newcomers on the squad, as well as four team members who redshirted last season. Including LeBlanc, Martinez and Onufer, UW also returns nine starters from last year.

The `Pokes open the 2010-11 season by hosting the 38th Annual Cowboy Open, presented by UniWyo Federal Credit Union, Nov. 13, all day in War Memorial Fieldhouse.

Boise’s Andrew Hochstrasser Looks to NWCA All Star Classic, Talks to TDRTV

Posted on | October 25, 2010 | No Comments

Hochstrasser Announced to Line-Up at NWCA All-Star Classic
BOISE, Idaho – On Friday (Oct. 22) the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced that its 45th annual All-Star Classic will feature at least one Boise State wrestler, as Andrew Hochstrasser is set to square off against Oklahoma State’s Jordan Oliver at the prestigious fund raising event.

The NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Marines annually pits the nation’s top collegiate wrestlers at each weight class head-to-head in a one-day wrestling event. This year’s All-Star Classic, which will be held at Selland Arena in Fresno, Calif., is scheduled for Nov. 21. Proceeds from the event go toward helping to save collegiate wrestling programs.

Starting on Thursday (Oct. 21) the NWCA began announcing its’ 10 matchups for the 2010 All-Star Classic. Friday it was released that No. 2 nationally ranked Hochstrasser will meet No. 1 Oliver in the 133-pound match. The rankings are based on the Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine preseason polls.

Hochstrasser, a senior from Tooele, Utah (Tooele HS), returns for his final season at Boise State after wrestling sparingly in 2009-10. He started his junior season 9-0 before being sidelined due to personal reasons. Hochstrasser was a NCAA All-American as a sophomore after wrestling to a third-place finish at the 2009 national championships. He is only the sixth Boise State wrestler to compete in the All-Star Classic and the first since 2002 when Ben VomBaur wrestled at 125 pounds.

The showdown with Oliver will mark the first meeting between the two wrestlers. Oliver, a redshirt-sophomore from Easton, Pa., enters the 2010-11 season as the nation’s top ranked 133-pound wrestler after placing fourth at the NCAA Championships last spring.

Boise State will now await news of whether or not any other Bronco wrestlers will be joining Hochstrasser at the All-Star Classic. The NWCA will continue to announce one matchup each day through Nov. 3. For more information about the tournament, purchasing tickets and NWCA fundraising events visit www.nwcaonline.com’s event page. To donate to the effort to save collegiate wrestling programs, visit http://nwca.ticketleap.net.

Check out the official teaser trailer for ONG BAK 3

Posted on | October 25, 2010 | No Comments

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