Rodriguez graduates Saturday night in Biloxi
Posted on | January 11, 2009 | No Comments
WORCESTER, Mass. (January 11, 2009) – Unbeaten middleweight sensation Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez, former 2-time national amateur champion, fights Saturday night (January 17) in his first scheduled 8-round bout against Brad Austin on the off-televised HBO undercard, headlined by Andre Berto-Luis Collazo WBC welterweight title fight, at the Beau Rivage Resort Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.
“I’m excited,” Rodriguez said between training sessions about his upcoming match. “I can’t wait to show everyone my talents. It’s another stepping stone towards becoming world champion. The HBO people and a lot of other influential people in boxing will be there and I’m going to showcase my talents.”
The Dominican Republic-born Rodriguez (8-0, 5 KOs) hasn’t fought since August 22, when he won all six rounds versus Marcus Upshaw (8-2), but during that inactive period he often sparred with world title challengers Peter Manfredo, Jr. and Elvin Ayala, as well as Jessie Brinkley. Mississippi will be the fifth different state Edwin’s already fought in as a pro.
“My inactivity won’t be an issue,” Edwin promised. “I was very busy with eight fights in my first year as a pro. I took off a few months but I was constantly in and out of the gym. I’d only been with my trainer, Peter Manfredo, Sr., for about eight months and we needed more time to know each other. I’ve learned a lot from him. I’ll be working inside a lot more. I was getting caught with rights pulling away with my chin up. That was a bad amateur habit we had to clean up.
“We’re fighting at 168 pounds but, I’m 6-0 feet tall and can fight at 168 or 160. I’m capable of winning at either weight, but my first goal is to be middleweight champ of the world. Eventually, I’ll probably fight as a super middleweight, but right now I’m fighting this one at 168 and then coming back down to 160.”
Austin (8-5, 2 KOs), fighting out of Tennessee, figures to be a solid test for Rodriguez, largely due to his experience fighting top prospects such as Carlos DeLeon, Jr., James McGirt, Jr. and Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillon.
“Last year was great for Edwin,” Rodriguez’ manager Larry Army noted. “We decided as a team for Edwin to take off four months to review his fights and hone his skills. We’re thrilled that Edwin is starting 2009 on such a high profile card, his first on an HBO or world title fight undercard. He’s going to learn a lot from this experience, which will help him develop even more. We’re confident that 2009 will start as 2008 ended with him undefeated and one more step closer to his goal of becoming world champion.”
For more information about the 23-year-old Rodriguez go online to www.edwinrodriguezboxing.com.
-ER-
Tags: amateur boxing > Andre Berto > Beau Rivage Resort Casino > Biolxi > Brad Austin > Edwin Rodriguez > Luis Collazo > Mississippi > WBC
CAGE FIGHTING XTREME INAUGURAL EVENT SET FOR THIS SATURDAY IN WORCESTER, MA
Posted on | January 11, 2009 | No Comments
Contact Mike at mike@mikevarner.tv if you are a 205 pound amateur fighter interested in getting on the card.
Tags: Cage Fighting Xtreme > CFX > Massachusetts > Mixed Martial Arts > Palladium > Worcester
AUTHOR OF “Blood in the Cage” TO APPEAR ON FNU COMBAT SPORTS SHOW THIS COMING THURSDAY NIGHT
Posted on | January 11, 2009 | No Comments
Here’s a link to a YouTube video of an interview with Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim, author of ‘Blood in the Cage,’ a new book which comes out this week in bookstores nationwide. It’s a look at the story of Pat Miletich and the rise of the UFC and MMA.
Here’s the Amazon link to the book
Tags: Blood in the Cage > Jon Wertheim > Mixed Martial Arts > MMA > Pat Miletich
BERNARD HOPKINS HIRED BY ESPN AS BOXING ANALYST FOR FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS
Posted on | January 9, 2009 | 1 Comment
For Immediate Release
Bristol, CT (January 9). Future Hall of Fame middleweight and light heavyweight great Bernard Hopkins has been hired by ESPN as a “boxing analyst” for the 2009 season of ESPN2 Friday Night Fights. Hopkins, who will make a series of regular appearances on the show, will handle his first assignment tonight alongside ESPN longtime host Brian Kenny for the FNF season debut featuring Cuban rising stars Yuriorkis Gamboa, Odlanier Solis and Erislandy Lara from Terrible’s Primm Valley Casino Resorts in Primm, Nevada.
Hopkins will make regular appearances on the show and is excited to work with Kenny to hone his broadcasting skills.
“We anticipate that Bernard will add an entertaining and knowledgeable element to our Friday Night Fights coverage,” said Matt Sandulli, ESPN senior coordinating producer for Friday Night Fights.
“This is an area I have wanted to get in to for some time as everyone knows I like to talk, and definitely have an opinion,” Hopkins said shyly. “I will train as hard for this job as I do for my fights and hope to deliver the same championship results that have been part of my career. I appreciate ESPN giving me the opportunity and look forward to working with Brian Kenny, who is one of the best broadcasters in the business, to hone my skills and develop my broadcasting talent.”
Awesome Fight News Links
Posted on | January 9, 2009 | No Comments
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS GOOGLE ALERT LINKS
More Wrestling Google Alert Links
More Boxing Google Alert Links
Tags: Boxing > fight news > fighting > grappling > Mixed Martial Arts > MMA > wrestling
Integrated Sports Distributing Chagaev-Drumond Title Fight Feb. 7 PPV card live from Germany
Posted on | January 8, 2009 | No Comments
HOBOKEN, N.J. (January 8, 2009) – Integrated Sports will distribute “The Champion Returns” show, featuring WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan “White Tyson” Chagaev against unbeaten challenger Carl Davis Drumond, February 7th on pay-per-view in the United States live from Rostock, Germany.
“The Champion Returns” card, presented by Universum Boxing-Promotion, will also feature on PPV the WBA light welterweight title fight between title holder Andreas Kotelnik and undefeated No. 1 contender Marcos Rene “El Chino” Maidana, as well as hot Russian prospect Denis Boytsov against a challenger to be determined for the vacant WBA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship. . The broadcast of the three 12-round title bouts is being distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports for live viewing at 2 PM/ET – 11 AM/PT on cable pay-per-view via iN Demand and TVN for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. A same day replay will be shown at 9 PM/ET – 6 PM/ET.
“We thrilled to bring such an exciting PPV card to the United States, featuring the only undefeated world heavyweight champion, Ruslan Chagaev, who if he wins will fight the ‘Russian Giant,’ Nicolai Valuev, in a rematch for the outright WBA championship,” Integrated Sports president Doug Jacobs said. “American fight fans are intrigued by Chagaev and he’s in tough against a very dangerous puncher in Drumond, even though he may not be a household name, yet. The co-feature is a classic match-up between a pure boxer, defending champ Kotelnik, and a feared knockout artist, Maidana. And Boytsov looks like he may be the next great Russian heavyweight. It’s going to be a helluva PPV card for fans to watch in America.”
Injuries have been the only thing to beat Chagaev (24-0-1, 17 KOs), the 2000 Uzbekistan Olympian and The Ring’s No. 3 rated heavyweight, who captured the WBA crown on April 14, 2007 via a 12-round decision against Valuev (46-0). However, due to injuries, Ruslan has fought only once since then, winning a 12-round decision against Matt Skelton (21-1) a year ago. An Achilles tendon injury prevented Chagaev from defending his title last year against Valuev and the WBA has stipulated that WBA Interim champion Valuev and WBA champion (in recess) Chagaev must fight no later than June 26 for the outright WBA championship.
“My injury was a big mishap for me and very lucky for Valuev,” Ruslan said. “But now I’m fit again and I’m looking forward to the fight against Drumond. This is a good test. I will prove to Valuev and all of the ‘experts’ that I am the true champion. My dream remains to be world champion of all associations and to unify all the belts. For this dream, I will also propose a fight with the Klitschko brothers.”
Drumond (26-0, 20 KOs), promoted by Warriors Seminole Boxing, fights out of Costa Rica and presently is rated No. 10 by the WBA. His most notable win was in 2007, when he won a 10-round decision against former world champion Kelvin Davis. Drumond is the former IBF and WBO Latino champion, as well as the ex-WBC FECARBOX title holder.
Ukrainian-born Kotelnik, rated No. 3 by The Ring magazine, won the WBA light welterweight title last March with a 12th round TKO of previously unbeaten Gavin Rees (27-0). Kotelnik, now living in Hamburg (Germany), had previously fought Souleymane M’baye to a draw in their 2007 WBA light welterweight title fight.
WBA No. 1 contender Maidana (25-0, 24 KOs) is a little know yet punishing puncher who has stopped 24 of his 25 pro victims. The Argentinean, rated No. 9 by The Ring, is a former WBA Fedelatin light welterweight champion.
The undefeated 22-year-old Boytsov (23-0, 18 KOs), a native of Russia now living in Germany, is rated No. 11 by the WBA. He was a decorated amateur whose many titles included the 2004 Junior World Championships in the super heavyweight division.
For more information about the “The Champion Returns” PPV show, go on line to www.integratedsportsnet.com.
-IS-
Tags: Andreas Kotelnik > Boxing > Carl Davis Drumond > Denis Boytsov > Germany > heavyweight > Integrated Sports > light welterweight > Rene Maidana > Rostock > Ruslan Chagaev > Universum Boxing-Promotion > WBA
Accolades Galore For Cunningham-Adamek In The 2008 Year End Boxing Awards
Posted on | January 8, 2009 | No Comments
The results of the various on-line 2008 Year End Boxing Awards have now been announced, whilst most, as expected, had conclusively chosen Manny Pacquiao as “Fighter Of The Year”, the choice for “Fight of the Year”, which seemed to be a forgone conclusion for Vasquez-Marquez III to many earlier in the year, became a little harder for the judges thanks to the exceptional performances put in by Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham and Tomasz ‘Goral’ Adamek when they locked horns in Newark, New Jersey on December 11th 2008.
Within hours of the epic battle for the IBF cruiserweight crown taking place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, Cunningham-Adamek was being praised by boxing pundits and the fans alike. Nearly every report and review claimed it to be a late candidate for “Fight Of The Year” and called for a rematch.
Cunningham-Adamek received it’s first major accolades by being named as “Fight Of The Month” by badlefthook.com and also by Brent Brookhouse at the MMA on-line magazine, bloodyelbow.com. Just a day or so later followed the news that boxingscene.com had awarded it “Cruiserweight Fight Of The Year” status.
Then as the Christmas Holidays loomed large the various year end reviews and awards started to appear. Any notion of a clean sweep by Vasquez vs Marquez III for “Fight Of The Year” honours was quickly dispelled when The Herald News published it’s 2008 Boxing Awards announcing that Cunningham vs Adamek was their “Fight Of The Year” with Vasquez vs Marquez III
runner-up.
Shortly after Chris Richards of boxinggeek.blogspot.com followed suit by awarding “Fight Of The Year” honours to Cunningham vs Adamek and stating his reasons for doing so. “This was not the most hyped fight of the year, the most watched fight of the year, the biggest money fight of the year, or even the fight whose resolution made me happiest. I admit, I thought
Cunningham won by two points. Yet this was an amazing fight, for a legitimate world championship, broadcast on free cable. Both men fought to win from beginning to end, with Cunningham skilled and busy and Adamek patient and powerful. I’d honestly rather see these guys fight a second time than any other pair I saw fight this year. Even more than Vazquez-Marquez IV!”
It wasn’t just the American press that had noticed just how good the Cunningham vs Adamek battle was. Tim Smith from frankwarren.tv wrote on the British promoters website. “FIGHT OF THE YEAR: You think I’m going to say Pacquiao-De La Hoya, but you need both guys throwing punches to constitute a fight. My pick is Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham for the IBF
cruiserweight title that very few people saw. I saw it live at the Prudential Center in Newark, a place typically reserved for pro hockey. It was a sparse crowd of just over 5,000 and they were treated to a rousing display of courage and guts. Adamek had Cunningham on the canvas three times in the fight, and twice he had him down and hurt. But Cunningham kept bouncing back up and firing at Adamek, who has a granite chin. It was a back and forth fight that saw Adamek squeeze out a 12-round split
decision. How either man stayed upright for 12 rounds is beyond me.”
It wasn’t just Cunningham vs Adamek that took the odd accolade away from the awesome Vasquez vs Marquez III as sportinglife.com gave their “Fight Of The Year” award to Margarito vs Cotto, with Vasquez-Marquez III as runner-up and Cunningham-Adamek in third place, as did Brian Wilbur of ringsidereport.com
Cunningham vs Adamek was placed as runner-up to Vasquez vs Marquez III by Joon Lee, 15rounds.com, Chris Iorfida from Canadian broadcaster CBCSports.ca, Luke Kohler at lukekohler.com and boxingscene.com, whose Cliff Rold wrote “Fans tuned in December 11th to see what they assumed would be an interesting fight. Few expected one of the best fights in the
history of the Cruiserweight division.”
Eastsideboxing.com called it the third best fight of the 2008 and the lowest position given to this magnificent fight in the year end reviews was that by Scott Christ, badlefthook.com, who placed Cunningham-Adamek 4th in his Top 20 fights of 2008.
The fight received honourable mentions in the year end reviews from Peter Czymbor of 8countnews.com, Paul Upham – secondsout.com, Ryan Kaye – 411mania.com and George Willis of the New York Post who also added “the slugfest between Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham in Newark demands a rematch”. Boxingtalk.com gave both the fight and round 4 honorable mentions in their year end awards.
ESPN’s Dan Rafael, who also gave the fight an honourable mention, wrote in his year end review “The cruiserweight title bout featuring Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham rates among the division’s best-ever fights.
On paper, the cruiserweight world championship fight figured to be an excellent one given the boxers’ contrasting styles. But who could have expected a late-year epic, the greatest fight in the brief history of Versus-televised boxing and a title bout that ranked not far behind the first Evander Holyfield-Dwight Muhammad Qawi battle as the division’s most exciting fight?”
In January 2009 the accolades still kept coming as boxingscene.com declared Cunningham vs Adamek “Fight Of The Month” to add to the “Cruiserweight Fight Of The Year” they had awarded it in December.
It looks like Cunningham vs Adamek is also a front runner alongside Vasquez vs Marquez III for the prestigious “Fight Of The Year Award” from the Boxing Writers Association of America as on the 4th January 2009, one of boxing’s most respected scribes, George Kimball, wrote in the Boston Herald “Pacquiao-De La Hoya turned out to be such a mismatch that it won’t
get much support for Fight of the Year. Rather, the balloting will come down the March war between Israel Vasquez and Rafael Marquez and the Dec. 11 Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham fight in Newark, N.J. The latter battle saw Cunningham lose on a narrow split decision despite going down three times. Our choice would be the latter, but the fact that it was waged in
relative obscurity (on Versus) and before a relatively small segment of the electorate may hurt its chances.”
It’s particularly refreshing that a fight in the ‘underrated’ cruiserweight division has received so much attention and accolades as
this class has suffered from lack of interest from the media for so long. Then again, there are rarely fights of this calibre in any weight class. It was special, it was without doubt one of the most exciting fights and not just of this year, but for a long while.
Should you feel that Adamek vs Cunningham II should take place in 2009 visit the campaign website www.wewantarematch.com and sign the on-line petition.
GUS JOHNSON JOINS SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING AS HOST AND PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER
Posted on | January 7, 2009 | 1 Comment
For Immediate Release
Longtime Host Steve Albert Will Have a Continuing Role on the Series
NEW YORK (Jan. 7, 2009)—Dynamic play-by-play broadcast veteran Gus Johnson of CBS Sports signed with Showtime Networks Inc. to host and call the action on the premium network’s flagship sports series SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, it was announced today by Ken Hershman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Showtime Sports & Event Programming.
Johnson replaces Steve Albert, who has served as the play-by-play voice of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING since 1987. Johnson will work alongside color analyst Al Bernstein on the monthly series.
“SHOWTIME has been on fire for several years—televising some of the most important and evenly matched world title fights in boxing, breaking ground by televising mixed martial arts and adding INSIDE THE NFL to the line up,” said Johnson, who has called boxing for CBS Sports and Madison Square Garden Network. “I am thrilled to join the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING team. And as a division of CBS, my work with SHOWTIME will be complementary to that of CBS Sports.”
Johnson will make his SHOWTIME debut on the first SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast of 2009 – live on Feb. 7 (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) – when the hard-hitting and outspoken Super Flyweight World Champion Vic Darchinyan faces dangerous Mexican champion Jorge Arce, in what is expected to be a thrilling, all-action title fight.
“Gus brings incredible energy and a fresh approach to every broadcast,” said Hershman. “He has the ability to match the intensity of the moment and there are few moments in sports more intense than a hard-fought boxing match. Gus and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING are the perfect match.”
Albert, who will remain with SHOWTIME Sports and fill in for Johnson when his CBS Sports schedule conflicts, said: “I never imagined that when I called my first fight on SHOWTIME back in 1987 that I‘d still be announcing boxing today. But after 21 years at SHOWTIME, 25 years all told in the sport, I thought it was finally time to pull back. I am happy to remain a part of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and also excited to be in the process of pursuing other interests.”
Johnson has served CBS Sports as play-by-play announcer for its coverage of the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Championship since 1995, the National Football League since 1998 and CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS in 2008, among others. He will continue as an active member of the CBS Sports broadcast team.
Johnson is a practicing mixed martial artist who studies Shing Yi Kung Fu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boxing.
“Having worked with the likes of Gil Clancy, Tony Paige and Steve Farhood, calling the New York City Golden Gloves and the Broadway Boxing series has prepared me for this tremendous opportunity with SHOWTIME,” said Johnson. “And to work alongside Al Bernstein will be a tremendous honor. I have admired Al’s work for so many years dating back to his time at ESPN. He is a boxing historian, a boxing purist and a true fan. Above all, he is a great broadcaster. I think I will learn a lot working with Al.”
“We welcome Gus to the SHOWTIME family,” said David Dinkins Jr., executive producer, SHOWTIME Sports. “When I first worked with him at the 1998 Olympics Games, I was immediately impressed with his talent and unabashed enthusiasm. He brings those same skills to every event he broadcasts. Gus is a longtime fan of combat sports which adds to his presentation of boxing and MMA.”
GUS JOHNSON
Johnson’s credits at CBS Sports also include play-by-play for college football, track and field, the Hambletonian, and bobsled and luge at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games. He serves as host of AT THE HALF®, CBS Sports’ college basketball halftime studio show, and SPORTSDESK, CBS Sports’ wraparound studio show.
Johnson also is the radio voice of the NBA’s New York Knicks and has provided play-by-play for the Madison Square Garden Network’s coverage of the WNBA’s New York Liberty. He has provided commentary for MSGN’s coverage of the New York City Golden Gloves Tournament.
Johnson also calls college basketball games on the Big 10 Network and has called play-by-play for the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, Big East Basketball on the Big East Network, college basketball on ESPN and the Canadian Football League on ESPN2. Prior to joining MSGN, he hosted “Black College Sports Today” on ESPN and was the weekend anchor for WTTG-TV Washington, D.C. (1991-92).
Johnson has a degree in political science from Howard University where he played four years of Division I baseball as a catcher and outfielder. He lives in New York and has one son.
ABOUT SHOWTIME NETWORKS
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
Tags: Boxing > Gus Johnson > Ken Hershman > SHOWTIME > Showtime Sports & Event Programming > Shwotime Championship Boxing > Steve Albert
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