Cadman banking on London pride at Prizefighter
Posted on | June 5, 2010 | No Comments
Over 1000 votes cast online to pick eighth fighter for June 30
Daniel Cadman has been named in the line-up for the Prizefighter Super Middleweights on June 30 at York Hall, Bethnal Green, and he says that local support can drive him to a dream victory.
The latest event in Barry Hearn’s eight-man, one night tournaments follows hot on the heels of the thrilling super bantamweight night where Irishman Willie “Big Bang” Casey took the title back to the Emerald Isle.
Prizefighter continues to break new ground in boxing entertainment and the latest edition of the show will offer boxing fans to have their say in who takes the eighth and final spot in the show – and over 1,000 votes have been cast at www.prizefighter.co.uk in the first 24 hours.
“The response from Prizefighter fans has been fantastic,” said Matchroom Sport’s managing director Eddie Hearn. “Ultimately Prizefighter is a night for the fans so it is important that we get feedback as we continue to improve on what is already the most exciting event in boxing today.”
Waltham Abbey’s Cadman is the only local fighter in the initial line-up which will be fully revealed later this week, and the former Repton amateur is banking on a strong following on the night to help him claim the £32,000 winner’s cheque live on Sky Sports.
“Having all your fans there behind you is a massive advantage, especially if things are tight in a fight, people screaming and cheering for you can swing things your way,” said the 29 year-old, known as ‘Mr Slick’. “People have already been in touch with me about being in Prizefighter and that they can’t wait to go so I’m banking on a big following to get me through the night.
“I’m absolutely buzzing about Prizefighter – I didn’t believe it at first but now it’s all signed and sealed I’ve been in the gym like a demon and I’m raring to go.”
The former amateur champion had almost three years out of the ring after the birth of his two children and made his comeback against Lee Duncan in November in Brentwood, losing the four-round bout on points. The Essex man says that he shook of the rust of his time out of boxing that night and hopes like previous Prizefighter winners, the 13th edition of the tournament can take his career to new heights.
“It’s a crucial night for my career,” said Harlow-born Cadman. “On my comeback in November I felt rusty and I was a bit nervous to be honest. I wasn’t sure whether I still had it really but at the end for the fight I thought I had nicked it and I knew it was still there for me so Prizefighter is a great chance to get back out there and show that I’ve got lots to offer.
“It will suit me down to the ground to be honest because I am at my most dangerous in the first three rounds but I’ve had a few stamina problems in the later rounds of fights – but that won’t be a problem in this format, I can just go in looking to do early damage, which I’m more than capable of doing.
“I watched the Super Bantamweights night and it was a thriller, and rightly called the best yet but there’s no reason why this one can’t be just as good, I know I’ll be going in there all guns blazing for the title.”
Joining Cadman in the early line-up are Liverpool rivals Tony Dodson and Tony Quigley who fought for the British super middleweight title fight in Liverpool last March and the duo could be drawn together, while Scotsman Stevie McGuire has also fought for the British title – Sheffield’s Peter Federenko and Birmingham’s Eddie McIntosh are also gunning for the title.
Tickets for Prizefighter Super Middleweights are available now at £35 (unreserved), £60 (ringside) and £100 (VIP) – call Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.
Tags: Boxing > Daniel Cadman > London > Prizefighter > Super Middleweight > UK
FLOYD MAYWEATHER “MAKES-A-WISH” COME TRUE
Posted on | June 3, 2010 | No Comments
Floyd Mayweather poses with 17-year-old Armando Carral at the Mayweather Boxing Gym. Photo Credit: Mayweather Promotions
“This is a rewarding experience and I’m grateful to be in the position where I can make a difference in Armando’s life,” said Mayweather. “He is a very nice young man and I would like to congratulate him for staying strong and finishing high school.”
Mayweather and Armando were brought together thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s “Wish to Meet” program. The young man, who arrived at the Mayweather Boxing Gym with his mother, Maria Arias, and older sister Irasema Carral, was ecstatic to meet his long-time idol. Armando has been following boxing for most of his life and is an avid fan of the sport and of Mayweather, his favorite boxing superstar.
“I am so happy to meet Champion Floyd Mayweather,” said Armando. “I am a big fan of such a great boxer and I admire him for his hard work and belief in himself. I am a believer too.”
“I am very happy for this opportunity for my son,” said Maria, Armando’s mother. “He has always wanted to meet Floyd and thank you to Floyd and Make-A-Wish Foundation.”
While together Mayweather chatted with Armando and his family while signing autographs and posing with them for photos. Mayweather was extremely impressed with the fighting spirit of the young man.
“Armando has met challenges that many of us will never see in our lives,” said Mayweather. “He is strong and so is his family.”
Granting Armando’s wish was just another example of Mayweather’s continuing efforts to give back to the Las Vegas community where he generously donates his time and financial resources to those less fortunate. Through his Floyd Mayweather Jr. Foundation, he has counseled troubled youth and feed the homeless to name a few activities.
Tags: Boxing > charity > Floyd Mayweather > Make-A-Wish Foundation > Securities and Exchange Commission
KJ NOONS WILL CLASH WITH CONOR “HURRICANE’’ HEUN AT NOKIA THEATRE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16
Posted on | June 3, 2010 | No Comments
Tickets On Sale; Telecast Begins At 11 P.M. ET/PT On SHOWTIME®
LOS ANGELES (June 3, 2010) – An excellent lightweight (155 pounds) scrap between former world champion KJ Noons (8-2) of San Diego, Calif., and Conor “Hurricane’’ Heun (8-3) of Hollywood, Calif., by way of Boulder, Colo., will round out the televised portion of fights on SHOWTIME® when STRIKEFORCE steamrolls into Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on Wednesday, June 16.
The first-ever STRIKEFORCE event scheduled for mid-week will take place in the midst of the E3 Expo, the premier trade show for computer and video games. During E3 Expo 2010 at the L.A. Convention Center, EA SPORTS™ will exhibit its highly anticipated title, EA SPORTS MMA, in which STRIKEFORCE is featured as a premier league.
Tickets are on sale at STAPLES Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com). Tickets will also be sold at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE box office on days when events take place there.
In other televised matches, hard-hitting “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-5) will collide with ex- STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion Renato “Babalu’’ Sobral, at a catch weight of 195 pounds, DREAM belt-holder Marius “The Whitemare” Zaromskis (13-4) will face Evangelista Cyborg (17-13) in a welterweight (170 pounds) contest and American military hero, Tim Kennedy, will take on the dangerous Trevor Prangley in a middleweight match.
The SHOWTIME broadcast will begin at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
Noons will be making his STRIKEFORCE debut and fifth start on SHOWTIME. He has won four consecutive fights and is 7-1 in his last eight outings. His last defeat came to Charles “Krazy Horse’’ Bennett on Feb. 10, 2007, in the opening bout on the historic first MMA fight card ever broadcast on network premium television (SHOWTIME).
A confident, prolific striker, Noons is the last fighter to defeat current STRIKEFORCE welterweight champion Nick Diaz. In a thrilling, bloody fight on Nov. 10, 2007, Noons won by first-round TKO when a cageside doctor stopped matters after the round due to excessive cuts around Diaz’ eyes.
The 5-foot-11, 27-year-old Noons won his three ensuing fights after the setback to Krazy Horse – all by knockout — over Edson Berto (KO 3, knee) on July 27, 2007, Diaz and Yves Edwards (TKO 1, punches and elbows) on June 14, 2008.
Following a near-two-year respite to continue a boxing career, Noons returned to MMA and won a decision over Andre Armado at DREAM 13 last March 22.
“They’re a lot of good fights out there for me in STRIKEFORCE,’’ said Noons, a former EliteXC 155-pound titleholder. “I’m looking forward to getting a good win and moving on to bigger and better things. Fighting in Los Angeles is very cool. I’m sure I’ll have a lot of friends and fans there rooting for me.’’
The boyishly handsome Noons, who was born and raised in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, has been fighting for more than 20 years.
“My father was a professional kick boxer so I’ve been in martial arts since I was five or six years old and boxing and Muay Thai since I was eight or nine,’’ he said. “I’ve been doing this forever and finally it’s my time to shine again and I’m ready.”
Heun, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt who prefers to kickbox in the cage, is a superb athlete and former IFL and EliteXC fighter who turned pro in 2006.
The 5-foot-10, 30-year-old Eddie Bravo-trained fighter is competing for the first time since losing his STRIKEFORCE debut on a decision in one of the most entertaining brawls of the year to Jorge Gurgel during a STRIKEFORCE: Challengers event on June 19, 2009.
The setback in a fiercely contested, electrifying slugfest between two ground fighters that gave the fans a kickboxing exhibition stole the show. At the conclusion of a grueling, non-stop-action encounter fought at a catch weight of 160 pounds, they got a standing ovation.
Bloodied and battered, the athletes “put on a fight for the ages at 160 pounds,” SHOWTIME announcer Mauro Ranallo commented during the telecast.
“I may go home a couple of bucks shorter and with some scrapes but that was the most fun I’ve ever had. I live for those 15 minutes,’’ said Heun, who was the stronger fighter at the finish despite coming up short by the scores of 29-28 and 30-27 twice.
The loss ended a three-fight winning streak for the aggressive-minded Heun, who entered the bout, his first in nine months, having won seven of eight.
Heun is anxious to put together another winning streak, beginning on June 16. “I’ve been eyeing a fight like this, and have been calling out Noons for a long time,’’ Heun said. “I’m beyond thrilled this fight was made. If Noons thinks this is going to be easy, he is in for the surprise of his life. This is my time’’
Before turning to MMA, Heun was a Division III National Qualifier wrestler at the University of Ithaca where he majored in English. After graduating, Heun did not enter MMA immediately. Instead, he went into the corporate world and even owned his own clothing apparel line. He would later leave Colorado and move to California where he began to work as a dental assistant. A little more than a year ago, Heun beat up a bully MTV’s “Bully Beatdown.”
Doors at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE will open for the event at 6:15 p.m. PT. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 7 p.m. and the first main card fight will begin at 8 p.m.
About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose. In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network. The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.
Tags: Conor Heun > K.J. Noons > Mixed Martial Arts > MMA > Strikeforce
Fireworks on tap for ‘Let Freedom Ring’ Lundy vs. Molina on ESPN FNF CES show July 9 at Twin River Event Center, RI
Posted on | June 3, 2010 | No Comments
PROVIDENCE (June 3, 2010) – Fireworks will be delayed but only for a few days, exploding in the four-cornered ring July 9 when ESPN Friday Night Fights comes to Twin River Event Center for the “Let Freedom Ring” pro boxing card, presented by Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES), in Lincoln, R.I.
The main event features NABO lightweight champion “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy (18-0-1, 10 KOs), rated No. 13 by the World Boxing Association, in his first title defense against challenger John John “The Hammer” Molina (20-1, 16 KOs), ranked No. 9 by the NABO.
“We’re bringing ESPN here to this beautiful casino,” CES president Jimmy Burchfield announced. “We want to thank ESPN. We’ve switched things around a little to have Hank Lundy defend his NABO title against John John Molina. It’s going to be an unbelievable fight. We’re very excited about this fight. Molina comes to fight and this will be the toughest fight of Hank’s career.”
New England and EBA super middleweight champion “Irish” Joey McCreedy (11-4-2, 6 KOs), trained by “Irish” Micky Ward and fighting out of Lowell (MA), makes has first middleweight fight in the 8-round co-feature against an opponent to be determined.
The potential Fight of the Night could turn out to be a special 6-round bout in which Providence’s Vladine Biosse (6-0, 4 KOs), a former University of Rhode Island football player, puts his undefeated record on the line in his stiffest test to date against Quincy (MA) light heavyweight Chris Traietti (8-2, 5 KOs), a college graduate and Iraq War veteran.
“We’re building New England boxing back to where it once was years ago when intense rivalries were developed between fighters from neighboring cities and states,” Burchfield added. “Pride and bragging rights were always at stake and that’s where we’re at now. Some of the best young talent in New England will be featured July 9 on ‘Let Freedom Ring.’ We’ll celebrate the birth of this great nation with another evening of competitive, entertaining fights. Fireworks will be going off all night in the ring.”
Quincy (MA) welterweight Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes (2-1, 1 KO) plans to avenge her only loss against Providence’s Kali Reis (2-0 1 KO), who won a hotly-contested 4-round decision in their first meeting, in a 6-round rematch.
Providence firefighter Eric Estrada makes his long-awaited pro debut as a cruiserweight in a 4-round match versus TBA. Estrada, whose brother is 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada, was perfect as an amateur with a 6-0 record, including victories in the New England Golden Gloves Tournament and Rocky Marciano Tournament.
Roxbury (MA) super middleweight Maceo Crowder (2-0, 1 KO), whose brother is 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius Andrade, takes on Worcester (MA) mixed martial arts fighter Ralph Johnson, making his pro boxing debut.
Also slated to fight in 4-round bouts against opponents soon to be announced are Warwick (RI) super middleweight Keith Kozlin (5-1, 3 KOs), Woonsocket (RI) super middleweight Joe Gardner (4-1-1, 1 KO), Lincoln light welterweight Diego Pereira (4-0, 2 KOs), and Fall River (MA) middleweight Dustin Reinhold (1-1, 1 KO). All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets for “Let Freedom Ring,” priced at $35.00, $50.00, $75.00 and $100.00, are available to purchase by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at Twin River’s Players Club booth at Twin River, or any TicketMaster location.
Contact CES (401.724.2253/2254/www.cesboxing.com) or the Twin River Event Center (877.82.RIVER/ www.twinriver.com) for more information. Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7 PM/ET.
(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Let Freedom Ring.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied at all times by an adult and they must enter through the West entrance.)
Press Conference Quotes
Joey McCreedy: “I’m fighting at 160 and that’s where I’m going to stay for the rest of my l career. My career has been a rollercoaster ride; I let a lot of people down because I didn’t train right sometimes. Come July 9th my career is going to change. I’m young, only 25. I fight like Micky (Ward) and Vinny (Paz). I don’t back up. I will knock out my opponent – I don’t care who it is – and make a statement July 9th on ESPN.”
Vladine Biosse: “I’m always excited to know I’m on a card and putting on a good show. That’s what I enjoy doing – showcasing my talent. I want to be world champion. A lot of people have doubts and don’t think I can do it, but all my life I’ve come out on top. To the top I’m going and nobody can take that away from me.”
Keith Kozlin: “There a lot of talent up here. It’s a good card and I’m proud to be part of it. My last fight didn’t go the way we would have liked. You learn from mistakes and I’m going to get back in the win column.”
Diego Perreira: It’s been awhile since I last fought. I can’t wait to get in the ring. I believe everything happens for a reason. I’ve been out for over a year. I have a new coach and new manager. For those who’ve seen me fight, I’m aggressive and hit hard. Now you’ll see hard jabs, good movement and a better Diego on July 9th.”
Maceo Crowder: “I’m focused on July 9th. It gets better for me every fight. It doesn’t matter who I fight, I’ve always been like that.”
Joe Gardner: “I had been trying to get back into boxing for a few years. I finally did against Vlad – he’s a tough guy – but I’ll be better this time.”
Kali Reiss: “It’s been over a year since I last fought. This is a redemption fight, my first 6-round fight. I’m coming to fight and show my skills. I’m stronger and better.”
Eric Estrada: “I’m excited to be making my pro debut July 9th at Twin River. I’m proud to represent the Providence Fire Department, CES and the Big Six Academy. Training camp has been doing well with my father training me and brother always supporting me.
Dustin Reinhold: “I’m very excited to finally be fighting on one of these cards. I’ve seen so many fighters on these shows and I was supposed to fight a few times. I broke my hand and re-broke my hand, but I’m finally fighting on this card. I’ve always dreamed of fighting professionally. I’m happy to be doing this.”
-CES-
Tags: Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes > Boxing > CES > Chris Traietti > ESPN > Hank Lundy > Jimmy Burchfield > Joey McReedy > John John Molina > lightweight > Micky Ward > NABO > Providence > Rhode Island > Vladine Biosse
UNDEFEATED FARAH ENNIS & COY “PRETTY BOY” EVANS PRIMED AND READY FOR FIGHTS THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE LEGENDARY BLUE HORIZON
Posted on | June 3, 2010 | No Comments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PHILADELPHIA (June 3, 2010)—Two highly regarded fighters will take part in the two co-featured bouts this Friday night at The Legendary Blue Horizon that will headline a seven bout card promoted by SAM Promotions in association with Blue Horizon Boxing LLC.
Farah Ennis (13-0, 7 KO’s) will take on forty-eight fight veteran Steve Walker in one six round co-feature of Super Middleweights while undefeated featherweight, Coy “Pretty Boy” Evans (8-0-1, 2 KO’s) will do battle with thirty-two fight vet Barbaro Zepeda in the second co-feature.
Ennis of Philadelphia has been making a steady climb up the ranks and has prepared for this fight under the watchful eye of his father and renowned trainer, Derrick “Bozy” Ennis.
“I really don’t know his name or know his record”, said Farah.
“I am coming in prepared and looking for a victory. Even though I don’t know much about my opponent, I never sleep on anyone as I know they are always looking for a fight but I am coming to fight too.”
Like Ennis, Evans (8-0-1, 2 KO’s) is trained by “Bozy” Ennis and has looked explosive recently as he has racked up highlight-reel knockouts in two of his last three bouts.
“I don’t know much about Zepeda”, said Evans.
“If I listen to my corner and do what I have to do, I will come out victorious on Friday night.”
“I love to fight at The Legendary Blue Horizon as this is the place where a lot of the greats fought and on Friday I am looking to have a great performance”
Both Evans and Ennis are managed by Moz Gonzalez and Eddie Woods.
The remaining five bouts are as followed:
Van Oscar Penovaroff (5-0, 4 KO’s) vs. Kywame Hill (1-3-1, 1 KO) in a six round Lightweight bout.
Keenan Smith (1-0) vs. Alex Monte (1-0) in a four round Super Featherweight bout
Olivia Fonseca (3-2-2, 2 KO’s) vs. Akima Stocks (3-0, 3 KO’s) in a four round female Jr. Middleweight bout
Ismael Garcia (1-0) vs. Damion Reed(0-1) in a four round Jr. Middleweight bout
Darrell Jones (3-0, 1 KO) vs. Marcus Hall (3-1, 2 KO’s) in a four round Jr. Middleweight bout
Tickets for this great night of boxing are scaled at $45, $55, $65, $125, and $200 and are available at The Legendary Blue Horizon (215) 763 0500 and the Muhammad Ali Boxing Gym (267) 979 2163.
The Legendary Blue Horizon is located at 1314 North Broad Street
Tags: Barbaro Zepeda > Blue Horizon > Boxing > Derrick Ennis > Farah Ennis > Philadelphia
‘USS’ Cunningham Ready For Title Clash Against Ross ‘The Boss’ This Saturday
Posted on | June 3, 2010 | No Comments
STEVE ‘USS’ CUNNINGHAM ‘Champ Again In ’10”
For Immediate Release
Philadelphia, PA – 3rd June 2010
The scene is set for probably one of the most exciting Cruiserweight battles of the year as two of the best cruiserweights in the World today prepare to face each other at the Jahnsportforum, Neubrandenburg in Germany this coming Saturday, the 5th June.
Former champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, finally gets the chance to not only regain the title he controversially lost back in December ‘08 to Poland’s Tomasz “Goral” Adamek, but also live up to his statement “Champ Again In 10” when he faces Canada’s Troy “The Boss” Ross for the vacant IBF Cruiserweight Title.
Cunningham, who had been in camp at the Max Schmeling Gym in Berlin for the past week, made a simple statement. “My sights are set on Saturday, I had a full camp back in February and March and I came to Germany very early to adjust to the time difference and pick up where we left off there.
I expect Ross to bring his A game, I am going to bring mine.
As far as I am concerned, that is my belt, I am not thinking about anything else besides beating Ross and becoming two time world champion.”
The winner of this most important of fights will without doubt cement his standing as the most formidable 200-pounder in the world as Cunningham having already beaten fellow Sauerland Event stable mate, Germany’s Marco “Kapt’n” Huck, the other cruiserweight with a serious number-one claim.
Ross, a former two-time Olympian who has only had the one loss in his nine year professional career, against Willie Herring back in ‘05, is a dangerous southpaw with a knockout reputation, having stopped sixteen of his twenty four opponents. Ross also won the Cruiserweight Contender TV show, but in all honesty has yet to prove himself against world class opposition.
Time after time Cunningham has proved himself on the World stage, having fought and beaten championship fighters such as Huck, Wayne “Big Truck” Braithwaite, Kevin “Koncrete” Davis and Krzystof “Diablo” Wlodaczyk, and as such is clearly the bookies favourite going into this momentous fight.
Ross supporters vigorously argue Cunningham’s favourite status by pointing to his only having fought twice in the past seventeen months, losing to Adamek in December ‘08 and beating Braithwaite in July ‘09, whereas their man has fought no less than six times, in the same period, with four being huge stoppage wins.
A fair point maybe, but his fans need to remember that Cunningham is tall, stylish, and savvy. At 6’3” with an 82” reach, he will have a 9” reach and a 4” height advantage. Whilst not seen as a knockout artist he can hit with power, just ask Huck. They should also remember that he is used to fighting overseas, having achieved much of his championship success in Europe. More importantly he is now prepared for his fights by none other than master tactician and ‘Trainer of the Year’ Naazim Richardson.
Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham versus Troy ‘The Boss’ Ross for the vacant International Boxing Federation Cruiserweight World Title will take place at the Jahnsportforum in Neubrandenburg, Germany on Saturday the 5th June 2010.
The co-featured main event, to Cunningham-Ross, will see IBF Middleweight Champion Sebastian Sylvester defend his title against mandatory challenger Roman Karmazin.
www.usscunningham.com
Tags: cruiserweight > Germany > PA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia > Steve Cunningham > Tomasz Adamek > Troy Ross > USS Cunningham
The Passing of Raymond Munson, long-time assistant to heavyweight champion Sonny Liston
Posted on | June 3, 2010 | No Comments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PHILADELPHIA (May 31,2010)— It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of another boxing legend – Raymond Munson, longtime assistant to heavyweight champion Sonny Liston, who passed away over the weekend at the age of 84. He was an integral part of the HBO Documentary on Liston. Muncie, as he is affectionately called, was a fixture for over 60 years on the Philly fight scene having worked with several fighters including Dorsey Lay, Hughie “Buttons” Kearney and for the past ten years as an assistant along with Frank “The Silk” Montgomery to trainer Charles Ramey and his fighters – Willie “The Gladiator” Gibbs, Hammerin’ Hank Lundy, Philip “The Mongoose” McCants and “Dangerous” Darrell Jones. You could always count on Muncie to be at the gym every day at 5 pm. In late 2008 he suffered a mild stroke that took him away from the gym. Like all great fighters he recovered and had adjusted quite well to the Ivy Hill Nursing Home where he was a celebrity. Everybody knew him. He missed the gym and always joked about me and Charles Ramey “busting him out” every time we visited.
Boxing was his life and everybody loved him. We would tease him that he was so old that he had his first amateur fight back in the late 1800’s with Jack Johnson. Muncie had a great sense of humor and would fire back.
However, if you wanted to raise Muncie’s blood pressure and get him heated you just had to say – “Muhammad Ali would have beaten Joe Louis.” A perplexed look would come over his face, his brows would wrinkle and you had just started something that wasn’t going to end until he had you on the ropes. There is no way you could have convinced him that Ali had a chance against Louis. If you wanted to end the debate all you had to say is “Sugar Ray Robinson was pound for pound the greatest fighter of all-time.” Instantly, the smile would return to his face and you were off the Ali vs Louis debate.
I met Muncie during my amateur days and we became friends. Over the years he has provided invaluable insight on boxing as well as countless stories chronicling his barnstorming days with Liston and a host of celebrities. I can recall numerous stories about Sonny Liston, Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, Billy Conn, Frank Sinatra and several others. In addition, he shared his vast collection of boxing memorabilia. I am the only person he gave a rare picture of Frank Sinatra, Sonny Liston and Sammy Davis Jr. engaged in a conversation. It is one of my most prized possession.
It is difficult to know that he is gone. Muncie was a good friend and mentor and we belonged to the same family that we love so dearly—boxing.
A memorial service is being held:
Date: June 4, 2010
Time: 10 am
Where: Golden Star Baptist Church, 1635-39 N. 27th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19121
Please contact Derrick Simms at 484-410-5805 if you would like to participate by saying a few words in honor of Muncie.
Ali Adams Predicts A Knockout Performance On Saturday Night
Posted on | June 3, 2010 | No Comments
ALI ADAMS
For Immediate Release
London – 3rd June 2010
This coming Saturday Hammersmith’s Heavyweight contender Ali Adams (8-2-1) steps back into the ring, following a five month hiatus, to face Nottinghamshire’s Mark Lewis at the Hellraiser Promotions event at Grundy Park Leisure Centre in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.
Adams, who’s looking to extend his current unbeaten run to nine in a row further on Saturday, is confident that he has the power to stop Lewis early and is totally unfazed that the Notts’ man knocked his last opponent out in just 3 rounds.
Speaking following his daily training session at the Ultrachem TKO Gym in Canning Town, East London, Adams said, “I’ve been training for the last two months, me and Johnny (Johnny Eames) have been doing loads of work, so I’m really 100% ready. I’m going for a knockout. I’m going to start fast. I’m going to knock him out in the first round.
I’m very happy now. At the beginning of my career the managers and promoters didn’t treat me right. Now I’m at TKO with Johnny I’m back on track. It’s been five months since my last fight.
That was a lot of pressure for me, you know, I’d only fought a couple of weeks before but I still had to sell a lot of tickets. Right up to the night before the fight I was still collecting the ticket money. That’s too much pressure and it showed. He was a good fighter, but I know I should have won it easily, but because of the pressure didn’t. But still managed to get a draw.
I’m working really hard for my career. I have the support now and want to start moving forward. I want to get to the top. I want to get a World title. Any opportunity that comes to me I’m going to grab it. I’ll take any fight I can get, I’m ready for anyone. I’m confident, I’m young, healthy and strong. I’ve got everything to take me to the top.”
The heavyweight clash between Ali Adams and Mark Lewis is on Mickey Helliet’s Hellraiser Promotions event at the Grundy Park Leisure Centre, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, on Saturday 5th June 2010
For tickets call: Hellraiser Promotions on 0207 388 5999
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