THE GOLDEN CHILD” OPENS UP FOR “THE GOLDEN BOY” ON DEC.6 PAY-PER-VIEW OPENING BOUT

Posted on | December 5, 2008 | No Comments

LOS ANGELES, December 4 – Before “The Golden Boy”, Oscar de la Hoya, enters the ring for his super fight this Saturday night against Manny Pacquiao, boxing’s brightest young prospect, Daniel “The Golden Child” Jacobs, will put his perfect 12-0 record on the line against Victor Lares in the HBO Pay-Per-View opener at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Also on hand to compete in off-television separate bouts will be rising stars Danny Oscar Garcia, Adrien Broner, Richie Mepranium and Roberto Marroquin.

Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, Inc., presented by Tequila Cazadores and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, DeWalt Tools, Full Throttle Energy Drink and Southwest Airlines. De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao, a 12-round welterweight battle, will take place Saturday, Dec. 6 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. The fight will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per View, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

The finest fighter to come out of Brooklyn, New York in years, 21 year old Daniel Jacobs (12-0, 11 KOs) has the type of speed, power and ring savvy most fighters can only dream about. Fresh off of a third round stoppage of Jimmy Campbell in his first professional fight at Madison Square Garden on November 8th, Jacobs will take to the big stage once again at MGM Grand Garden Arena when he takes on Corpus Christi’s Victor Lares (14-3, 3 KO’s), winner of three of his last four bouts and a veteran who is thinking upset on the sport’s biggest stage.

Competing in his eighth bout of 2008, Philadelphia junior welterweight Danny Oscar Garcia (9-0, 7 KOs) hopes to end his first full year as a pro in style in an eight rounder against an opponent to be announced. Filipino up and comer Richie Mepranium (14-2-1, 3 KOs) locks horns with El Paso’s Cesar Lopez (20-6, 4 KOs) in what should be an exciting eight round flyweight bout. Also featured on the card will be Cincinnati’s Adrien Broner (4-0, 4 KOs) who will look for knockout number five in as many pro bouts in a lightweight six rounder against Pontiac, Michigan’s Scott Furney (3-6-1, 1KO). Talented Dallas junior featherweight Roberto Marroquin (4-0, 3 KOs) opens up the show against Isaac Hidalgo (2-2) of Tucson in a six round matchup.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast are priced at $100 (preferred viewing) and $60, not including handling fees,are now on sale at the MGM Grand ticket office outlets at the Concierge desk and the KÀ Theatre box office. Tickets also are available by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 702-474-4000. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Circus Circus, TI, Monte Carlo, Excalibur, Luxor and New York-New Yorkalsowill host closed circuit viewing and tickets are on sale at each individual property’s box office outlets or by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711.

HBO’s all-access reality series “De La Hoya/Pacquiao 24/7” presents the series finale Thursday, Dec. 4 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. All four episodes of “De La Hoya/Pacquiao 24/7” will be shown in a two-hour block consecutively on Friday, Dec. 5 at 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6 at 10:00 a.m. on HBO. All times are ET/PT.

Brand new official fight merchandise for this week’s “The Dream Match” between Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao is available now for purchase at www.goldenboypromotions.com/store and www.toprank.com.

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“Iceman” John Scully Presents: JOHNNY DUKE MEMORIAL AMATEUR BOXING SHOW

Posted on | December 5, 2008 | No Comments

Former NABF Super Middleweight Champion SCOTT PEMBERTON and former two-time WBA World Champion JOSE ANTONIO “El Gallo” RIVERA will attend and help in handing out trophies. Also slated to attend are 1996 U.S. Olympian LAWRENCE CLAY-BEY, former NABF lightweight champion PITO CARDONA, former IBO super bantamweight champion MIKE OLIVER and HOPEFULLY (I should know on Thursday night or early Friday for sure) two-time former welterweight champion (and 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist) MARK BRELAND.

Former New York City GG Champion and lightweight contender BRIAN ADAMS will also appear as will, possibly, Manchester’s unbeaten featherweight, MATT “SHARPSHOOTER” REMILLARD.

Weigh-in starts at 5 PM…tickets are just $15 for ringside and $10 for general admission. ALL proceeds will go towards the purchase of a plaque commemorating Johnny Duke and his more than forty years of training boxers at the Bellevue Square Boys Club in Hartford, Connecticut. The plaque will be permanently affixed to the brick wall that now lines the site of the former gym. Duke trained many notable Hartford area boxers, most notably future two-time welterweight champion MARLON STARLING.

Bouts will be held at the brand new LION’S DEN GYM (SPECTACULAR FACILITY!) 1385 Newfield St. in Middletown, CT

TENTATIVE BOUT LINEUP:

1… 90 JO: Luis Rosa, Hamden vs. Luis Santiago, Whitley Bros., Holyoke
2… 139 JO: Rikki Soumpholphakdy, Champions of Life, Middletown vs Carlos Perez, Silver City
3… 125 JO: Terin Swanson, Hamden vs. Lirim Lajqi, WESTCHESTER
4… 141 Novice: Donovan Whitley, Whitley Bros. vs. Ryan Paris, Manchester PAL
5… 132 JO: ADRIAN AYALA, HAMDEN VS. Emmanuel Andujar, Holyoke
6… 141 Novice: Nelson Perez, Hudson, Mass. vs Miguel Martinez, Whaling City (New London)
7… 152 Novice: Marco, WHITLEY’S vs Dante Longwa, STAMFORD
8… 141 Novice: Mike Rappa, Rhode Island vs. Carlos Hernandez, Stamford, CT
9… +201 MASTER’S: Stan Tompkins, L.A. Boxing vs. Doug Glazier, Framingham (Mass.) P.A.L.

Intermission

10… 141 OPEN: Jose Vargas, Untouchables, Holyoke vs Edwin Badillo Soto, Hamden
11… 165 OPEN: David Seallis, Bridgeport vs Charles Foster, HAMDEN
12… 185 OPEN: Ron Scott, Malone’s vs. Pedro (Tyson), Holyoke
13… 132 OPEN: Joey “Chip” Perez, Champions of Life, Middletown vs Julio Perez, Hudson, Mass.

RESULTS FROM NEW YORK CITY (Roseland Ballroom)

Posted on | December 5, 2008 | No Comments

December 4, 2008 – “Holiday Hits”

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Marcellus Brown (26-17-1, 21 KOs), Las Vegas, NV WDQ2 (2:40) Nagy Aguilera (10-1, 6 KOs), Newburgh, NY

(referee halted bout when Brown was unable to continue due to an intentional head butt by Aguilera)

Tor Hamer (2-0, 2 KO), New York, NY WTKO1 (2:17) Royal Bryant (1-2-1, 1 KO), North Platte, NE

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Daniel Judah (23-3-3, 10 KOs), Brooklyn, NY WD12 (120-108, 117-111, 116-112) Jaffa Ballogou (46-7, 40 KOs), Manhattan, NY
(Judah won IBF International Light Heavyweight Championship)

Will Rosinsky (3-0, 3 KOs), Queens, NY WTKO1 (2:18) Amador Acevedo (2-4-1, 2 KOs), Moca, Puerto Rico

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

George Walton (19-3, 12 KOs), Harlem, NY WDEC6 (58-54, 58-54, 58-54) Clarence Taylor (13-19-3, 6 KOs), Wilmington, DE

LIGHT MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Lambrose Karaolides (1-0, 1 KO), Island of Cyprus WTKO1 (2:09) James Justice (0-2), Portsmouth, VA

Ken Dunham (5-6, 3KOs), Charlotte, NC WTKO1 (2:30) Luis Ruiz (3-1, 1 KO), Brooklyn, NY

WELTERWEIGHTS

Eluid Torres (1-0-1, 1 KO), Allentown, PA WTKO1 (2:18) Romain Oliveri (0-1, 0 KOs), Brooklyn, NY

LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS

Christian Martinez (1-0, 1 KO), Bronx, NY WTKO1 (2:14) Murray Cunningham (1-1, 0 KOs), Rochester, NY, A

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Aldo Valtierra (25-10, 13 KOs), Mexico City, Mexico WDEC10 (96-94,95-94, 95-95) Jorge Luis Teron (22-1-1, 15 KOs), Bronx, NY

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS

Eddie Hyland (11-1, 3 KOs), Dublin, Ireland WDEC6 (60-54, 59-55, 59-55) Gustavo Dailey (2-4, 0 KOs), Philadelphia, PA

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Robert Semidei (3-0, 0 KOs), Brooklyn, NY WDEC4 (37-37, 38-36, 38-36) Soumana Abdoulaye (0-4), New York, NY

SUPER BANTAMWEIGHTS

Emmanuel Gonzalez (1-0, 1 KO), Bronx, NY WTKO1 (2:14) Jean Ramos (0-3), Rochester, NY

Classic Fights Featuring Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao Replace Cancelled Winky Wright vs. Michi Munoz Bout

Posted on | December 4, 2008 | No Comments

VERSUS TO AIR FIGHT NIGHT SPECIAL PRESENTATION

ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4 AT 8 P.M. ET

NEW YORK, N.Y. (December 4, 2008)—VERSUS, the network that celebrates real competition, will air a special Fight Night presentation on Thursday, December 4 beginning at 8 p.m. ET which will feature two classic fights: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Fernando Vargas and Manny Pacquiao vs. Erik Morales II. The two-hour special presentation replaces the fight between Winky Wright and Michi Munoz that was cancelled due to Wright’s injury of his left hand.

The night will include complete bell-to-bell coverage of the Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas superfight which ended in De La Hoya’s spectacular knockout of Vargas in the eleventh round and complete coverage of the exciting Pacquiao vs. Morales II slugfest which ended in the tenth round with Pacquiao’s knockout of Morales. The night will also include interviews from both De La Hoya and Pacquiao about the classic fights airing on VERSUS and about the highly anticipated December 6, bout in Las Vegas. VERSUS will also feature footage from the press tours and footage of the fighters training leading up to the big fight this weekend.

VERSUS celebrates real competition across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 74 million homes, the network is the national cable home of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Stanley Cup Playoffs as well as best-in-class events such as The Tour de France, Davis Cup Tennis, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), the Indy Racing League and Professional Boxing. The network also offers collegiate sports featuring nationally-ranked teams from top conferences such as the Pac-10, Big 12, Mountain West and Ivy League. VERSUS features the best field sports programming on television and is a destination for sports fans, athletes and sportsmen to find exclusive, competitive events and original programs, such as TapouT, Sports Soup and THE CONTENDER that audiences can’t find elsewhere. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

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TONIGHT!!! WWW.GOFIGHTLIVE.TV TO BROADCAST “HOLIDAY HITS” LIVE FROM NEW YORK CITY AT 6:15 PM EASTERN

Posted on | December 4, 2008 | No Comments

NEW YORK (December 4TH, 2008)—TONIGHT!!!!!

one of the biggest shows of the year will take place in Midtown Manhattan and www.gofightlive.tv will be there to capture it all as Bob Duffy’s Ring Promotions presents an outstanding night of boxing from the Roseland Ballroom.

The card will feature undefeated Heavyweights, championship fights, hot prospects on the cusp and big-time prospects

The action begins at 6:15pm eastern//3:150 pm Pacific.

The main event will feature New York heavyweight, Nagy Aguilera (10-0, 6 KO’s) taking on the experienced Marcellus Brown (25-17-1, 21 KO’s) in a eight round affair.

The co-feature will be a battle for the IBF International Light Heavyweight championship between Jaffa Ballagou (46-6, 40 KO’s) and Daniel Judah (22-3-3, 20 KO’s) of Brooklyn, New York

In a special Lightweight attraction world ranked, Jorge Teron (22-0-1, 15 KO’s) inches closer to a world title shot when he takes on the rugged Aldo Valtierra (24-10, 13 KO’s).

See George Walton (18-3, 6 KO’s) compete in a six round middleweight bout as well as the “Pride of Ireland”, Eddie Hyland (10-1, 3 KO’s) in a super featherweight affair.

Former National Golden Gloves champion, Will Rosinsky (2-0, 2 KO’s) leads a plethora of prospects who are looking to capture the attention of the fans on this twelve bout card.

“To give the fans at home a show of this magnitude for FREE is what www.gofightlive.tv is all about” said Vice-President of www.gofightlive.tv, David Klarman

“To feature prospects and world championships from New York City is a great way to kick off a busy weekend for the fans as we have more boxing on Friday from The Blue Horizon plus a MMA show from Costa Rica so no one has to even click of the website to see some of the best talent in the world.”

TONY PENECALE’S DE LA HOYA VS. PACQUIAO PREVIEW

Posted on | December 4, 2008 | 5 Comments

** In-Depth Preview and Analysis **

PACQUIAO VS. DELAHOYA 24/7 EPISODE 3:

Download FLV

By Tony Penecale

It is the age-old story: The biggest name in boxing versus the #1 boxer in the world. Last year, when Oscar De la Hoya took on Floyd Mayweather, the hype was amazing but the fight didn’t live up to it. With Mayweather’s retirement, the smaller yet more explosive Manny Pacquiao is universally recognized as the best boxer in the world. And now he steps up to tackle De la Hoya, hoping to cement his legacy as an all-time legend while De la Hoya is trying to wind down his Hall-of-Fame career still on top of the mountain. Can Pac-man gobble up De la Hoya? Or will it be Game Over for Manny?

AGE, RECORD, AND STATS

De la Hoya: Age: 35 years old
Record: 39-5 (30 Knockouts)
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 150 ** Weight for last bout (5-3-08)
Reach: 73”

Pacquiao: Age: 29 years old
Record: 47-3-2 (35 Knockouts)
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 134 ** Weight for last bout (6-28-08)
Reach: 67”

RING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

De la Hoya: 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist
WBO Junior Lightweight Champion (’94)
WBC Lightweight Champion (’95)
WBC Super Lightweight Champion (’96-’97)
WBC Welterweight Champion (’97-’99, ’00)
WBC Junior Middleweight Champion (’01-’03, ’06-‘07)
Ring Magazine Junior Middleweight Champion (’02-’03)
WBO Middleweight Champion (’04)
Ring Magazine #1 Rated Pound-4-Pound Boxer (’97-’99)

Pacquiao: WBC Flyweight Champion (’98-‘99)
IBF Super Bantamweight Champion (’01-’03)
WBC Super Featherweight Champion (’08)
WBC Lightweight Champion (‘08)
Ring Magazine #1 Rated Pound-4-Pound Boxer (’07-Prs)

STYLE

De la Hoya: De la Hoya is a natural left-hander who boxes from an orthodox stance. Utilized a long jab and has naturally quick hands. Throws punches to set up his vaunted left hook. Has improved his right hand over the years. Is effective boxing from the outside or can fight inside when necessary.

Pacquiao: Pacquiao boxes from a southpaw stance, moving forward bobbing and feinting his way in. Once in close, he uses his right hand to find the range and then unleashes his powerful left, either straight or looping. Has also developed a decent right hook, either as a lead punch or thrown behind the left.

STRENGTHS

De la Hoya: * Big Fight Experience – De la Hoya has been in this position on a number of occasions. Has been involved in 25 world title bouts and 17 PPV main events including bouts with legends and future Hall-of-Famers such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather, and Bernard Hopkins, among many others

* Left Hook – De la Hoya has a fine arsenal of weapons but nothing is as potent as his left hook. The punch can be delivered as a lead or at the end of a combination. Dropped several quality fighters with a single hook including Rafael Ruelas, Fernando Vargas, Ike Quartey, and Ricardo Mayorga.

* Chin – De la Hoya has only been stopped once in his career, from a body shot, against the naturally-larger Hopkins. His chin has been tested against several quality punchers and has proved durable.

Pacquiao: * Unorthodox Style – Pacquiao is very unorthodox, even for a southpaw. He moves straight in but is hard to time with his bobbing and head feints. Before most opponents can time his onrushes, he is inside throwing punches like a buzzsaw.

* Speed – Pacquiao is quick and agile and his hands are deceptively quick. He throws quick one-two combinations and can back an opponent with them.

* Stamina – Pacquiao fights just as hard in the last round as he does in the beginning. He applies a lot of pressure and is constantly punching, wearing opponents down in the process.

WEAKNESSES

De la Hoya: * Stamina – Ever since the Trinidad fight when De la Hoya danced the last three rounds and the bout away, he has always had a problem with stamina late. His losses to Mosley and Mayweather, along with his lackluster performance against Felix Sturm, saw De la Hoya fade in the later rounds.

* Tactical Errors – De la Hoya often fights the wrong fight. He tried to match hand speed with Mosley, which cost him those bouts. Against Mayweather, he inexplicably abandoned his jab when it was working effectively. Even in his wins over Chavez (rematch), Quartey, and Vargas, he stood right in front of them and allowed them each to land punches against him.

* Frequent Changes – Over the years, De la Hoya has worked with several different trainers. For this bout, he will be working with Nacho Beristain with Angelo Dundee employed as a special advisor. This marks the third straight bout De la Hoya will be employing a different trainer.

Pacquiao: * Size – Pacquiao started his career at 106 lbs and in his last fight only weighed 134, a weight De la Hoya hasn’t been in 12 years. Pacquiao will also be giving up four inches in height and six inches in reach against his naturally larger foe.

* Cuts – Pacquiao has contended with cuts and scar tissue throughout his career. He was cut badly by headbutts in his fight with Agapito Sanchez and also in his first fight with Erik Morales. His fragile skin could be a liability against De la Hoya’s sharp jabs.

* Distractions – Pacquiao is a popular celebrity in his native Philippines, even running for political office there. Keeping him focused and disciplined between bouts has often been a challenge for his team.

PREVIOUS BOUTS

De la Hoya: De la Hoya tuned up for a potential rematch with Floyd Mayweather by outpointing former titlist Steve Forbes over 12 rounds. De la Hoya used his jab and size advantage effectively and controlled the bout. Forbes landed a few significant punches but didn’t have enough power to seriously threaten The Golden Boy.

Pacquiao: Pacquiao moved up to lightweight after his win over Juan Manuel Marquez and collected another title belt by thoroughly outclassing David Diaz, stopping him in nine one-sided rounds. Pacquiao’s advantage in speed was too much for Diaz to cope with.

3 BEST PERFORMANCES

De la Hoya: * Fernando Vargas (9/14/02) – This was pure grudge match with a naturally larger opponent (with no love lost between them). Conventional wisdom said De la Hoya boxes from the outside but instead he slugged with Vargas, enduring some rocky moments before finally breaking through and wobbling Vargas in the 10th. With Vargas in trouble, De la Hoya turned up the heat the 11th round, flooring Vargas and battering him against the ropes before the bout was halted.

* Ricardo Mayorga (5/6/06) – It’s not because he beat the crude Mayorga, which was expected, but how he did it. De la Hoya crushed Mayorga, dropping his iron-jawed opponent in the bout’s opening minute. De la Hoya took the fight to Mayorga, dropping him two more times in the 6th round and forcing a stoppage.

* Rafael Ruelas (5/6/95) – De la Hoya’s shot at the IBF lightweight title came against a tough and experienced Ruelas. Many thought this bout was coming too soon. It wasn’t as De la Hoya bombed Ruelas with a massive left hook in the 2nd round. After Ruelas rose, De la Hoya showed killer instinct and impressively closed the show.

Pacquiao: * Juan Manuel Marquez (3/15/08) – They had fought to a split draw four years earlier and the rematch was long awaited. Marquez had success when he was able to box and out-maneuver Pacquiao. But Pac-man’s power surfaced, flooring Marquez hard in the 3rd round and landing the harder punches throughout. On the strength of the knockdown, it was Pacquiao winning the split decision by a single point.

* Marco Antonio Barrera (11/15/03) – Little was known about Pacquiao when he stepped into face the legendary Barrera. After 11 rounds, much was known about Pacquiao as he marched forward and punished Barrera with scorching left hands, finally overwhelming and stopping him.

* David Diaz (6/28/08) – It was expected that Pacquiao would defeated the tough but limited Diaz. But he was very impressive in doing so, punishing Diaz through nine rounds. With Diaz bruised and bloodied, Pacquiao finished him off, dropping him to the canvas and forcing the stoppage.

QUESTIONS

De la Hoya: * How will he work with Beristain and Dundee in his corner?

* Will he burn himself out trying to match Pacquiao’s pace?

* Can he follow the strategy laid out for him?

Pacquiao: * Can he significantly hurt De la Hoya?

* Is he moving up in weight too quickly?

* Is he just in this fight for the money?

PENECALE PREDICTION

Pacquiao will open the bout moving in and trying to gain De la Hoya’s respect. De la Hoya will try to establish his jab to keep the smaller man on the outside. Pacquiao’s quickness will surprise De la Hoya and he will be able to move inside but De la Hoya’s strength will counter that as he will able to push Pac-man off of him and keep the distance between them.

De la Hoya’s corner will implore him to be more aggressive and to take the fight to Pacquiao and force him into the uncomfortable role of moving backwards. De la Hoya will move in more behind his jab in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Pacquiao will land a few straight lefts to the head and body but it won’t have the same effect on De la Hoya as it did to the featherweights and lightweights that Pacquiao is accustomed to hitting.

In the 4th round, the momentum will clearly be in De la Hoya’s favor. Pacquiao will continue to press and try to disrupt De la Hoya’s timing with awkward movements. But there will be a sense of desperation to his attempts. It will be as he realizes that he has bitten off a bit more than he can chew. Unlike other bouts where a smaller man has moved up with much success, like Roy Jones against John Ruiz or Bernard Hopkins against Antonio Tarver, this will be more a case where a good big man will beat a good small man.

De la Hoya will slow the pace in the 5th and 6th rounds. He will be in command and picking his shots, but also wary that if the bout lasts to the later rounds, the brisk pace from the beginning could leave him fatigued. At the end of the 6th round, Pacquiao will return to his corner, bleeding from a cut over his right eye, courtesy of De la Hoya’s jab and left hook.

The end will come in the 7 th round. Pacquiao’s heart will keep him in it. But by that time, he will be running on fumes. He will come forward and walk right into a De la Hoya right hand, buckling his knees, and leaving himself open for a short left hook which puts him on the canvas. Referee Tony Weeks will let it continue. De la Hoya will seize the opportunity and attack without caution, hammering Pacquiao against the ropes where Weeks will jump in and stop the contest.

The winner by TKO at 1:25 of the 7th round is “The Golden Boy” Oscar De la Hoya!!!

Fertitta Family’s Organized Crime History Offers Clues to Current Station Casinos Crisis

Posted on | December 4, 2008 | 18 Comments

Chapter One: The Maceos and Fertittas establish rackets and roots in Texas:

By: Rich Bergeron

 

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CLICK ON THE THUMBNAILS BELOW TO SEE THE IMAGES AT FULL SIZE

Sam and Rosario (Rose) Maceo blossomed from humble Italian-born barbers to booming businessmen overseeing a vast array of organized crime operations from prohibition bootlegging to the gambling boom. It is well documented that back in his day Sam Maceo reported to Carlos Marcello of New Orleans, and for years New Orleans was the highest grossing entity of all the Italian based crime families––more than NY or Chicago.

There is a great writeup about the Maceos and Fertittas early Texas days in this Texas Ranger Dispatch. If you don’t have time to read the whole thing, here’s some juicy snippets:

 

Ironically, many folks seem to remember mob rule under Maceo-Fertitta control in Galveston as very safe and secure. The same sort of “Mafia nostalgia” exists in Vegas these days since corporate control has taken the “family” out of many local businesses in more ways than one. I’ve heard of safety in numbers and mob rule, but mob safety? Not even other more well-known territorial Mafia Icons like Al Capone could muscle in on Galveston’s rackets with these guys in charge. Apparently, everything was OK in Galveston as long as the Maceos and Fertittas kept their dirty work hidden in the shadows. They peddled influence with politicians and police, and the public didn’t seem to complain much. It was often the patrons themselves at places like the Balinese Room who helped hide the gambling equipment from the Texas Rangers who would eventually bring gambling to a screeching halt in Galveston. While they lasted, though, many remember those old Texas times as a little slice of Heaven while the rest of the country was in shambles:

The Maceo brothers were very well respected and treated their business customers with the utmost courtesy. They were also experts at hiding their income and their illegal activities. When the heat finally came down on the family enterprise only one bean counter, Sam “Books” Serio, would come forward while every other member of the conspiracy remained silent. Serio reported to authorities in 1951 that the enterprising family outfit took in over $3.5 million in fiscal year 1950. Three of the family’s bosses were Fertittas at the time: Frank J. Fertitta Sr., Victor J. Fertitta, and Anthony J. Fertitta. 23 indictments came down against the Maceos, Fertittas and many of their other associates this time. But there were no convictions in the long run. The Fertittas and Maceos maintained an iron grip on their illegal gaming enterprises in Galveston until long after both Sam and Rosario Maceo were in their graves. When Texas Rangers finally broke the back of the Texas mob in Galveston, it was a long abandoned Maceo family property that actually proved to be the scene of one of the biggest breaks in the case. In the summer of 1957, Sam Maceo’s Hollywood Supper Club became a slot machine storage area while Texas Rangers squatted in all the local casinos trying to dissuade customers from sticking around while they snooped around for whatever clues they could find to bring down the operation:

The over-ambitious politicos who wanted to publicize the bust actually did haul a bunch of the slot machines into the Gulf of Mexico and dumped them ceremoniously for a bevy of press to snap some opportunistic photos and write glowing stories about the successful operation. Later on the move proved to be a political disaster as not all of the machines sank. The Army Corps of Engineers fumed about the machines fouling their waters. Still, it was the beginning of the end for gambling in Galveston.

Here’s a concise history of Sam and Rosario Maceo’s reign over Texas rackets:

http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Sam_and_Rosario_Maceo

Eventually Texas gambling was made obsolete by the blossoming desert flower called Las Vegas, and Mob interests began to focus intently on the area with easy access to massive Teamster loans. Yet, that wasn’t the only money going into these shady Vegas Mafia expansion operations. If you want to go deep into the conspiracy theories and enjoy reading a great deal of spastic, disorganized JFK assassination forum posts, go here:

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?act=Print&client=printer&f=126&t=5892

http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/msg113059.html

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/lofiversion/index.php/t6339.html

What Sam and Rosario Maceo were able to do with their sway over the Texas illegal rackets and their shrewd business tactics, the Fertittas have since taken to a whole new level. Old habits never die, especially proven ones. More often than not the old ways simply adapt with the changing times.

It is important to look at the full spectrum of this family and their part in the history of illicit and illegal profiteering in America. When you fully examine the foundation the Fertittas’ business empire is built on, you have to wonder how it could ever be possible to completely shake the Mafia influence on the family and its business strategies. Even at this late stage in the game while the latest Fertitta brothers Lorenzo and Frank III are viewed by much of the the public as smart, upstanding businessmen with no more Mob ties, they operate with the kind of overzealous impunity that only “connected guys” can muster. They rule the roost in Vegas with bullish bravado, and their role in the Xyience bankruptcy being tied to the Global Cash Access Holdings skimming scandal reveals the potential for a whole new conspiracy that hasn’t yet been fully explored.

And that brings us to the next chapter of the family history: The Vegas pioneering of Frank Fertitta, Jr. and his role in skimming the take at the Fremont Hotel. In the next installment, we’ll look at what saved Frank Junior from going to jail with all his buddies when the FBI’s “Strawman” investigations ravaged mob rule in Vegas. We’ll look at what finally broke Frank Junior and led him to give up control of the family business to his son Frank III (Frankie “Three Sticks”). We’ll explore how the Fertitta empire came to pass, built on a one-dollar transaction between friends. We’ll trace Frank Junior’s steps from his 1960 arrival in Vegas to his present day behind the scenes role as a Fertitta Enterprises and Station Casinos consultant and a major republican party influence peddler. We’ll also touch on how the sins of the father wound up setting the stage for the sons becoming ruthless business tycoons. We’ll get into how Missouri gaming authorities put Frank Junior under such a microscope that he was forced to forget about doing business there on his own. He signed the business over to Frank III and may have even made his old friend Carl Thomas disappear to prevent him from telling Missouri gaming officials what he knew about Frank Junior’s skimming at the Fremont. We’ll rehash how Frank Junior’s skimming operation is portrayed in the movie Casino and touch on how the Global Cash Access connection represents the possibility of a worldwide skimming enterprise masterminded by the Fertittas and the GCA castoffs who bankrupted Xyience for them.

We will also assess where the Fertittas are at today with Station Casinos nearing collapse and their Vegas piggy bank shattered. They may just be down to their last pennies, and bankruptcy appears imminent. The way the news is coming out piecemeal and because the Fertittas seem to be scrambling to screw with their financing arrangement leads me to believe that they are determined to prevent a bankruptcy, but it may not be up to them. If it doesn’t come from their own pockets and selling off other major Fertitta Enterprises assets, the rescue package that saves Station Casinos will have to come from someone with even bigger profit margins and deeper pockets.

Unlike the Texas ranger threat that led to the family’s Texas exodus (only Tillman Fertitta stuck it out and prospered there) and the deaths in the family that helped along the collapse of the illegal infrastructure there, in Vegas the Fertittas are going to be vanquished by their own insatiable greed and want for more. Their Vegas luck seems to have run out, even though they followed the same principles that allowed their ancestors Sam and Rosario Maceo to die free, wealthy men. If history proves anything however, the Fertittas will not go down with the ship. They will find a way to avoid incrimination, escape accountability, and resurface elsewhere. They will bounce back, and in doing so they just might become even more ruthless and cut-throat than they already are. Regardless of whether or not the ghosts of the Maceo family are still haunting the Fertittas, the new regime can very well be considered gangsters. They may not carry Thompson Machine Guns or make people kiss their rings, but they live and breathe with gangster blood running through their veins. Their minds are pre-programmed with the old-school way of doing things, conditioned by their father’s well-worn experience dancing the fine line between legal and illegal business activity. The Mafia’s connection like an umbilical cord to the Fertitta family’s history can in many ways never be cut. The brothers Fertitta will never be able to outrun their family’s reputation.

Though up to this point the Fertitta “family” secret hasn’t really burned them much at all, the family’s personal financial burn rate is said to be in excess of a hundred million each year even as their company is leveraged with massive debt. Perhaps being so used to having that kind of expendable cash around is what led to the brothers deciding to pocket much of the $350 million senior secured credit facility they acquired for Zuffa, LLC in the summer of 2007.

And who could forget Dana White? While the guy doesn’t have much of a history at all and his upbringing is a tale of two sides of the country (stints in Maine, Boston, and Vegas), Dana White does seem overly fascinated with the gangster set. In some ways he’s like the wanna be gangster errand boy who never got made. Still, he became fast friends with Lorenzo Fertitta in high school at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, and he never did forget his South Boston roots, either. White just spent some time in his old stomping grounds with a couple of guys who aren’t afraid to admit their thug life resume.

Jimmy Martorano’s brother John Martorano confessed to killing 20 people and was only sentenced to 12 years time for the murders, most of which were carried out at the behest of South Boston Crime Lord-turned FBI Informant James “Whitey” Bulger. Patrick Nee helped Whitey with enforcement as well and played a pivotal role in one potential whistleblower’s disappearance and death. Suffice it to say Nee drove young John McIntyre to his last appointment with Bulger who tortured, strangled, and shot McIntyre with Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi’s help. Since McIntyre confessed to helping Bulger with an IRA gun shipment, his tongue was ripped out with a pair of pliers. And these two guys who assisted efforts like that are considered “gentlemen” by Dana White’s standards.

The whole Whitey Bulger saga has been front page news for decades, and still today there are ongoing cases involving the principal players, and of course Bulger remains a fugitive. My father was on the other side of the law fighting against the influence of organized crime in South Boston during Bulger and Flemmi’s rise to power, and he came face to face with Whitey himself on a few occasions. Dad has a whole chapter about his organized crime investigations in “Black Mass” and a particularly tragic connection to McIntyre.

And so, there are many parallels and contrasts in the situation I now find myself in. The Fertittas seem to be carrying on the traditions of their fathers and grandfathers and great uncles. Even though I never pursued a career in criminal justice myself, I wound up falling back on the same instincts that made my father a good cop. Like the Fertitta family tree is populated with Mafioso, my family is made up of a high percentage of police officers and government agents. We have a face-off here between the direct offspring of a criminal mastermind and the direct offspring of an honest cop done in by the government’s unclean hands. It’s just too classic, but at the same time it represents the principle that led me to writing non-fiction rather than flashy novels: Fact is stranger than fiction. I know in the movies the hero usually wins, but reality is much more cruel in situations like this. I just hope in the end my work isn’t made meaningless by some yet unforeseen hand of fate, and I hope the Fertitta family history of getting away unscathed is drastically altered. It would be fitting justice if the current economic crisis is what finally puts the spotlight on the corruption involved here, as I truly believe it is people like the Fertittas who have created this crash and burn climate. All we can hope for now is that they’ll actually end up paying for the damage they’ve done.

UP NEXT: FROM BELLBOY TO BUSINESS TYCON: HOW FRANK JUNIOR BUILT THE FERTITTA EMPIRE IN LAS VEGAS AND WHAT HIS SONS HAVE DONE TO PUT THE WHOLE OPERATION IN JEOPARDY

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HDNET TO BROADCAST THE LARGEST MMA EVENT IN THE WORLD – FIELDS K-1 WORLD GRAND PRIX 2008

Posted on | December 3, 2008 | No Comments

FEG USA and HDNet to bring North American fans LIVE coverage from the Yokohama Arena in Tokyo, Japan – Saturday, December 6 at 12:00 a.m. PT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WHAT: The largest martial arts event in the world – FiELDS K-1 WGP 2008 Final taking place at the Yokohama Arena in Tokyo Japan – will be broadcast live on HDNet to MMA fans in North America.

Joining the broadcast team of Michael “The Voice” Schiavello, four time K-1 WGP Champion Ernesto Hoost and FEG USA’s Mike Kogan will be none other than Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson. Kimbo was invited by FEG and HDNet to be a guest commentator for K-1’s US début.

FiELDS K-1 WGP 2008 Final, an 8-man knockout tournament for the coveted K-1 Grand Prix crown, features the world’s best heavyweight strikers including Moroccan/Dutch Bad Boy Badr Hari; legendary triple K-1 World Champion Peter Aerts; French monster Jerome LeBanner; Russian wonder Ruslan Karaev; and two-time former champion Remy Bonjasky.

The broadcast also includes super fights featuring New Zealand’s “Sugar” Ray Sefo vs. seven-foot-plus giant Hong Mann Choi; and Australia’s Paul Slowinski vs. Dutch demon Melvin Maenhoff.

For complete card and bout order visit:

http://www.k-1.co.jp/k-1gp/btop.htm

WHEN: HDNet’s coverage kicks off December 6 at 12:00 a.m. PT with an encore presentation later that evening at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

About K-1:
K-1 is a combat sport that combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San shou, Kickboxing, traditional Boxing, and other martial arts to determine the single best stand-up fighter in the world (the “1”).

The K-1 organization’s governing body is Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) headed by CEO, Sadaharu Tanikawa. FEG organizes a variety of fightsport events in Japan and around the world; including K-1’s sister mixed martial arts promotion, DREAM. There are K-1 Regional Elimination Tournaments which qualify fighters for the K-1 World Grand Prix, along with licensed K-1 Fighting Network events designed to develop new talent internationally and there is also a 70.5kg (155lb) Super Middleweight division called K-1 MAX (“Middleweight Artistic Xtreme”). In 2007, K-1 introduced a two new Title belts separate from K-1 World GP Champions, Super Heavyweight World Title for fighters over 100kg/220lbs and Heavyweight World Title for fighters under 100kg/156-220lbs.

About HDNet
HDNet (www.hd.net) provides viewers with the best in original comedy, drama, news, sports and music programming.

HDNet is your exclusive, high definition home for popular, critically acclaimed original programming, including television’s only HD news feature programs “HDNet World Report,” the Emmy Award winning “Dan Rather Reports,” featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather and “NASA on HDNet” (presenting live shuttle launches through 2010). HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring Major League Soccer, the NASCAR Camping World Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup re-broadcasts, and premiere Mixed Martial Arts from “HDNet Fights;” behind-the-scenes sports news with “Inside MMA;” groundbreaking music programming with the HDNet Concert Series featuring leading artists and bands including Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, John Mayer and more; and entertaining and irreverent lifestyle programming including “Deadline!,” “Art Mann Presents,” and “Get Out!” HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning programs such as the Emmy Award winning “Arrested Development,” “The Black Donnellys,” “Dead Like Me,” “Smallville” and the hit series “Torchwood.”

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Bright House Networks, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliate companies. For more information visit www.hd.net.

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