Cruiserweight World Champion, Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham, to make guest appearance this Saturday

Posted on | October 3, 2008 | No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Philadelphia – October 2nd 2008

IBF cruiserweight champion, Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham will be making a guest appearance at the Pete Suski/Tom Moran promoted event at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia this Saturday.

Steve, who will be there supporting his good friend and fellow gym mate from The James Shuler Memorial Gym, Jamaal ‘Da Truth’ Davis 7-4 (6KOs), when he takes on Chris Hall 3-4-1(2KOs).

Taking a few moments out from preparing for his upcoming title defense against Tomasz ‘Goral’ Adamek, Cunningham said “I’m really please for Jamaal, he has been going through a rough time since his wife, Patrilla, passed away late last year, yet he stuck firmly at achieving his goals.”

“He stays in the gym. He lives in the gym. That’s what all fighters need to do. He’s in there as much as I am. So we should see a real fierce, determined and sharp Jamaal who’s eager to show his skills off come Saturday.”

“Career wise, he has been going through the same type of things as I have for the past three or four years. Fighting just once, or twice a year at most. He’s real hungry and this a good time to get him back on the right path by putting someone like Chris in front of him that’s a decent opponent.”

Headlining the Philadelphia Worldwide promoted event will be former world junior middleweight champion Kassim ‘The Dream’ Ouma, 25-5-1 (15 KOs) against Martinus ‘Magnificent’ Clay 13-18-4 (5KOs) from Wilson, North Carolina.

The co-feature fight will star middleweight Simon ‘Slick Fighting Irish’ O’Donnell, 6-1 (3 KOS), a native of County Galway who fights out of Philadelphia against an opponent yet to be officially announced.

Another Philadelphia resident, Dennis Hassan 4-2 (2KOs) takes on Brooklyn, New Yorker, William Jeter 3-1 (2KOs), in a super middleweight contest. All the way from Dublin, Ireland, Patrick Hyland 14-0 (7KOs), has come to take on Santiago, Dominican Republic native, Elvis Luciano Martinez 11-26-2 (5KOs), in a featherweight battle. Patrick’s twin brother, Paul 12-0 (4KO’s), is also in action, competing in the Super Bantamweight class, against the Colombian born Miami resident, Felix Flores 14-9-1 (11KOs).
Taking part in an all Philadelphia Lightweight match are, former World Heavyweight Champion ‘Terrible’ Tim Witherspoon’s son, Tim Jnr. 0-1 and Kywame Hill 1-3 (1KO).

Date:

Saturday 4th October 2008

Location:

National Guard Armory
2700 Southampton Road
Philadelphia

Tickets:

Tel: 866 777 5077

KIMBO, KEN SHAMROCK, GINA CARANO, JAKE SHIELDS, PLUS FIVE OTHER FIGHTERS ON CBS ELITEXC FIGHT CARD FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Posted on | October 3, 2008 | No Comments

BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise, Florida

“CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS’’

This Saturday, Oct. 4; Broadcast on the CBS Television Network at 9 p.m. ET/PT

Nine of the 10 fighters who will compete on CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS this Saturday, Oct. 4, attended Wednesday’s final press conference at the BankAtlantic Center at Sunrise, Fla.

The third installment of CBS’s primetime mixed martial arts event will be broadcast live from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

The televised lineup for CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS: Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock (heavyweights); EliteXC 170-pound champion Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley; Andrei Arlovski vs. Roy “Big Country” Nelson (heavyweights); Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobold (140 pounds); and Murilo “Ninja” Rua vs. Benji Radach (middleweights).

Tickets start at $30 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at (954) 523-3309 in Broward County, (305) 358-5885 in Dade County and (561) 966-3309 in Palm Beach County, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the BankAtlantic Center box offices (954) 835-7825.

The BankAtlantic Center box offices’ normal business hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The box office will be open the day of the event beginning at 10 a.m. The first live fight begins at 6 p.m. ET.

What the fighters had to say Wednesday:

KIMBO SLICE

“Ken’s fighting in Florida, which is no place for an old man. I’m mentally prepared and ready to do it and represent the crib. It’s going to be ‘305’ (his area code) all day.

“I work all the time on being an all-around fighter. I am very competitive by nature so I train very hard and have the best coaches (Bas Rutten and Randy Khatami).

“I am going to get criticized all the time, but I enjoy MMA and try to represent the sport the best way I can. I have kids. I want to be the best kind of example I can be.

“I do not feel like I am carrying (this promotion, the sport, etc). Gina, all these fighters, we are all in this together.

“I am going to win this fight in any fashion I can. I want to annihilate him and win by knockout, but if I win it on the ground, that is all good, too.

“I come from a bare-knuckle background, so fighting with gloves is like hitting with mittens.”

KEN SHAMROCK

“Kimbo has gained a lot of notoriety, but, in my opinion, he doesn’t deserve it. Snap, crackle pop. I am going to walk across the ring, hit him on his ugly beard and break his leg.

“I love to fight, that’s what I do. I want to thank CBS and EliteXC for putting me on this card. It is going to be a great one. I really appreciate all my fans’ support throughout all the ups and downs.

“What CBS is doing is really giving back to the fans. To just be able to turn on the TV and watch is a great thing.

“Most of the talking has all been said, so I will save the rest of my talking until Saturday.’’

JAKE SHIELDS

“It’s great to be back fighting on CBS and defending my title. I’m in great shape and ready to fight. I’m on a roll and want to keep it going.

“Having CBS involved has obviously been huge for this sport. Now, people of all ages are watching where, before, maybe only the hard-core fans paid attention.

“I know a lot of people watching now that never watched or maybe didn’t pay that much attention. Fans are getting an education and a good look at what MMA is all about, and I am proud to be part of it.’’

PAUL “SEMTEX’’ DALEY

“This is a huge opportunity for me and a huge fight for the fans in the UK. At the moment, I am very relaxed. I try not to focus too much on the magnitude of this fight, or the exposure I am going to get fighting on CBS. I don’t want to get nervous.

“For me, it was always about collecting belts and fighting the best and Jake is most certainly one of the best in the world. I want to make my country proud and want to thank ProElite, EliteXC and CBS for giving me the chance. I am very excited and looking forward to Saturday.’’

GINA CARANO

“It is an honor for me to be at the dais with all these great fighters. I am looking forward to an amazing match. I would like to thank CBS and EliteXC for continuing to give us the platform to show what we can do. Having two women’s fights on this card says a lot.

“Whether you’re in the arena or watching on television, it’s going to be a great night of fights.’’

KELLY KOBOLD

“Thanks to CBS and EliteXC, I do not have to explain to everyone what I do. The exposure women’s MMA is getting has been fantastic and has opened a lot of doors for us. We are legitimate fighters. I am absolutely thrilled to be part of this event. I would be very disappointed and surprised if this wasn’t the best fight of the night.’’

ANDREI ARVLOSKI

“Fighting on CBS is a very big opportunity for me and very exciting. I promise I will show a great fight.

“They are talking like the winner of my fight will face Fedor, but I have heard that kind of talk before. I have learned not to believe anything until it happens. So I will wait and see and continue to only focus on Saturday and on Roy.

“I am happy to be on a show with so many great fighters. Fans new to the sport or fans who know the sport very well are in for a great fight. I want to thank all the fans for their support.’’

MURILO “NINJA’ RUA

“I’ve trained very hard for this fight and will show the fans how much I have prepared. I have a good opponent. This could be the fight of the night.’’

BENJI RADACH

“This is an excellent matchup and style-wise should be a tough and exciting fight. Ninja is strong and big with heavy hands and comes to fight. But I feel I match up with him very well and will control the fight.

“Obviously, I am looking forward to fighting on CBS and getting the exposure that comes from fighting on CBS, and making my EliteXC debut.

“Being on CBS means even the casual fans, or sports fans unfamiliar with us, can watch. It is a tremendous deal for the fighters, fans, everybody.’’

CRIS CYBORG

“I am very happy to be fighting on this card and thank everyone involved for making it happen. I expect a hard fight. I want to win and then fight Gina. That would be a fight the fans would love to see.’’

PHOTO GALLERY: (click on images to see full size)

THE REAL “DEAL” ON XYIENCE

Posted on | October 1, 2008 | No Comments

By: Rich Bergeron

[mpinpage]

Recently A New York City Magazine that shall remain nameless published an article about the Xyience saga I’ve been reporting on since late 2006. The reporter interviewed me for over an hour as part of her research, but her editor cut out every single quote of mine she put into her story.

Whoever decided to make the cuts was also kind enough to leave a nasty quote in the story from one of the opposing attorneys in my case.

Of course I’m used to not being backed up by most media outlets on this huge scandal. Yet, I’m also confident that eventually the media will have no choice but to start following this case. I know that with the right effort and due diligence I’ll be able to carry my case forward to a shocking resolution. David will beat Goliath in this one, and the truth really will shine through.

Judge Mike Nakagawa held a show cause hearing in bankruptcy court on September 10th related to the recording of my May 14th hearings. He probably didn’t expect the whole thing to turn into an indictment of his own actions in the case, but that’s exactly what happened.

Judge Nakagawa continued the scheduling conference in my case on five different occasions prior to the show cause hearing, and he also promised to deliver decisions on at least three different dates without following through, and I decided enough was enough. Xyience is creeping closer and closer to ultimate approval of their reorganization plan. As it is that plan only benefits the players who orchestrated the fraudulent bankruptcy. I took control of the September 10th hearing to really send the message that I’m not playing games anymore. I wanted the judge to know that he was taking things much too lightly and not paying attention to the absolute need for a full and fair investigation of the whole process.

I asked the judge to recuse himself from the case in a prior motion, and he tried to pigeonhole the request into the category of a recusal based on a previous association.

“Have you ever met me, Mr. Bergeron,” he asked.

I told him no but explained that was not the reason I asked him to recuse himself. I laid into him at that moment, outlining all the various issues with his poor management of the entire case. I called him out for all his broken promises and his allegiance to the bankruptcy attorneys. It was the most amazing feeling of my life to be so captured by the emotion of it all and to be fighting for what I believed in with all my heart. Toward the end of the hearing, I could hear the judge’s voice quiver as if my assault on his character and integrity had really rattled him. He seemed pretty eager to get to the next case on the docket.

I have since requested that the case be transferred to U.S. District Court in Boston, Massachusetts. That will be the best venue for this type of case since there’s a First Amendment issue involved and since continuing the case in Nevada leaves my opponents with all the advantage. Bringing the matter to my home state allows me to at least appear in person, and the change in venue will also ensure that the Fertitta influence factor is eliminated. These billionaires have a lot of power in the Vegas area, and it’s just plain stupid to think they haven’t tried to manipulate the proceedings somehow.

The taxpayers of our great nation are going to have to foot the bill for about $700 billion of bad banking and mortgage and securities schemes in the coming months. Who knows if it’s the bottom of the barrel or if we might actually be in for more rocky roads ahead. The Xyience debacle should teach us that greedy billionaires can buy whatever they want, even judicial influence. This is a living example of how our nation is corrupted from within.

Sometimes the little things in life are the most telling. This may seem like a little, insignificant issue to many MMA fans, but you have to think of the ripple effects. How many people have suffered as a result of the 380 or so shareholders who lost a boatload of money on this bad deal? From another perspective, the Fertittas’ role in this fraud is even more disturbing. How many people do these guys do business deals with each year? How much money do these folks control through either their personal business decisions or choices they make on major boards they’re part of? If they’re committing fraud even at the lowest level and actually bankrupting a company to make a quick buck, there’s something fishy going on behind the scenes, and you don’t have to call Colombo to figure it out. This cancer will spread to their UFC operation in due time, and the league will choke on its own ego.

And another thing… where is the SEC on all this stuff? If they can’t wrap up a simple fraudulent caper like this—even when I gave them all the evidence as it was happening—how do we expect our federal government to really clean up the bigger and badder shit going down?

Markets don’t collapse because the big boys just stop pulling their weight all of a sudden. It’s because all the little screw ups combine to make one grand one. Every level of business can contribute to a crash, and no financial giant or mom and pop store is immune. Yet, there is something intrinsically wrong with the idea that billionaires like the Fertittas are pulling scams like the Xyience bankruptcy and getting off without so much as a slap on the wrist. Where is the accountability? Where are the watchdogs and advocates for a closer look at this thing? Where is the big investigation that should ensue? What is wrong with this picture?

The problem is, the fraud always starts small like the crazy dude in some major European bank who lost billions of the company’s money on bad futures trades. Nobody ever stepped in at the right time to stop him, and he never stepped in to stop himself. The Fertitta family financial boom started off with one casino. Now they own an empire of casinos, real estate, and other luxurious property. The old time roots of organized crime run deep in the family Fertitta, and when you have that much wealth, influence, and organizational power you can pretty much do what you want these days. The mantle of “clean money” fits the Fertittas well in the circles of public knowledge, but most people who follow the UFC aren’t actually up on the family’s brutal history. So you have to ask yourself: do Family ties ever become severed just because one or two of the family members starts making more money and gaining more territory? HELL NO! The fraud gets more sophisticated, and the operation moves underground and gets entrenched. Everything has to be more subtle. Instead of the physical removal of actual cash from the casino count room, now the “corrections” to the books are being done through computer programs and failsafe loopholes in the equipment that leave most people down on their luck at the end of the night.

The partnership between Global Cash Access officials and Fertitta Enterprises is very troubling. The individuals who left Global Cash Access to head up Xyience’s bankruptcy dive were all connected to an alleged failure to report and pay out commissions for the venues where their cash machines were installed. The machines allowed casino patrons to make paperless transactions for gaming cards and other casino offerings. Fertitta Enterprises operates multiple casinos in which Global Cash Access machinery is placed. Why would the Fertitta Brothers do business with a bunch of the very same fraudsters who just potentially screwed their company out of millions? Did Kirk Sanford take over as Xyience CEO to repay his debt to Fertitta Enterprises? Was he so good at his GCA bailout that the Fertittas knew he would be a natural at bankrupting Xyience?

I feel my case is on the verge of a major breakthrough, because the time has come. This kind of thing just can’t go unnoticed anymore if we are to survive as a healthy nation. This and every penny ante scam like it should be sniffed out and stopped before it ever gets this bad. And we can’t handcuff the press for trying to warn people about what dangers lie ahead and what’s really going on behind the scenes. We can’t keep fighting for freedom in foreign lands and ignoring the lack of it in some places here. If we keep acting like freedom is something that’s passed down from the richer to the poorer, we’ll never make real progress.

[/mpinpage]

INTERESTING COMBAT SPORTS LINKS

Posted on | October 1, 2008 | No Comments

BELGIAN BUTCHER RELISHES NAPA CLASH

Tarver and Dawson Promise To Give Fight Fans a Night of “MAGIC” with “Bad” Intentions

MMA’s Downfall Will Be Brought About by UFC’s Greed

Giovanni Lorenzo reloads after learning valuable lesson

Posted on | October 1, 2008 | No Comments

NEW YORK CITY (October 1, 2008) – 2000 Dominican Republic Olympian Giovanni “El Chico Malo” Lorenzo (26-1, 18 KOs) soon embarks on a mission to prove that, coming off of his first pro loss in June, he still remains a clear and present danger in the middleweight division.

Lorenzo lost a voluntary IBF title eliminator fight to former world champion Raul “El Diamente” Marquez in a razor-close 12-round decision, separated by a single point on all three judges’ scorecards, but only after one point was controversially deducted for a head butt, live on Showtime Championship Boxing from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

“Losing to Raul Marquez in my first TV fight was very difficult for me,” Giovanni said. “At the same time, I have gained a tremendous amount of experience from this fight. I waited a little too much thinking Marquez would fade. My plan was to come on hard down the stretch. I felt like the bigger and stronger puncher in the fight. I learned that I need to be more aggressive. I am hoping to land another really big fight very soon and I am training very hard to regain my status as the top middleweight contender so I can complete my destiny of becoming middleweight champion of the world.

“Marquez is the kind of fighter that, if Abraham takes him lightly (Abraham defends his IBF title Saturday night against Marquez live from Germany on pay-per-view in the United States and Canada), he is capable of pulling off an upset. Marquez should not be underestimated because he shows you many different angles. He can punch a lot harder than people give him credit for and he is a tough, tough Mexican warrior with a ton of experience and determination.”

Going into the title eliminator, Lorenzo had been criticized in some quarters for having fought relatively light opposition. Team Lorenzo rolled the dice, even though they didn’t have to fight an eliminator for “Gio” to get a title shot, accepting the challenge (and risk) to fight the crafty U.S. Olympian Marquez. The former IBF junior middleweight title-holder had a distinct advantage in professional experience having fought 40 pro fights, 257 rounds and battled world champions Jermain Taylor, Fernando Vargas, and Shane Mosley. “Gio,” on the other hand (or glove), at that time had only 25 pro bouts and 90 rounds of action under his belt.

“Giovanni is going to learn a lot from our fight,” Marquez remarked. “He could afford to lose that fight, I couldn’t. He’s young and has a very bright future. He’s a big middleweight – strong puncher, definitely with power – who is going to make a name for himself.”

Lorenzo learned an invaluable lesson against Marquez as the 12-rounds of hard-earned experience will prepare him very well for the future. Giovanni is still a top 10-rated middleweight challenger, No. 6 by the IBF and No. 9 by the WBC, who doesn’t celebrate his 28th birthday until October 13.

“The Marquez fight was a good experience for ‘Gio’ who is still young,” Giovanni’s co-manager Rich Ryan said. “Raul was too savvy, too experienced for ‘Gio,’ who had never fought a lefty before. He’s a much better fighter than he showed in that fight, but he still won six rounds against the house fighter. After the fight, we went back to the hotel and Marquez went to the hospital. The next day you wouldn’t have thought Marquez had won if you had seen him because he’d obviously been to a plastic surgeon and was all bandaged up. We can’t wait to get ‘Gio’ back in the ring to show everybody how much he’s learned and improved.”

Lorenzo posted a 247-16 amateur record, capturing 15 gold medals in International competition. He is from Jeringa, Dominican Republic but now lives and fights out of the Washington Heights section of New York City.

-GL-

Takedown Wrestling Radio to launch “TDR’s Wrestling Round Table” Weekly Program Oct 15th

Posted on | October 1, 2008 | No Comments

The TDR Wrestling Round Table is a User Content and Peer to Peer Driven Program designed to Create Virtual Community Among Experts, Wrestlers, and Fans

Des Moines, IA- October 1, 2008- TakeDown Wrestling Radio (TDR) announced a new interactive feature and program designed to connect all members of the wrestling community. TDR’s Wrestling Round Table is a weekly Internet radio program with a concurrent chat room feature. The premier two hour TDR Wrestling Round Table event begins Wednesday, October 15 at 7 PM CST. Subsequent programs will alternate between Wednesdays and Thursdays based on wrestling schedules that week and announced through normal channels.

Anyone with a computer can join in discussions with top journalists from the wrestling world at takedownradio.com. Concurrent audio streaming and chat room functions allow instantaneous communication between all participants. Scott Casber, co-founder and host of TDR, serves as moderator and is joined each week by a top flight of wrestling reporters, experts, and statisticians.

“We’ve divided the country into five regions and have selected leading authorities representing each of those regions to participate in the audio portion of the program” Casber described. ” Our listeners can now become participants themselves by providing questions, perspectives, opinions, and advise in the chat room feature at Takedownradio.com. Listeners logged into the program will be able to view on their computer screen all comments being made by everyone participating” Casber concluded.

Inaugural guest hosts will represent specific geographic regions and include:

Jeff Breese- Intermatwrestle.com Chief Pennsylvania Region 1

Pat Costilow- Co-founder of Ohiowrestling.net Mid- East Region 2

Andrew Hipps- Founder RevWrestling.com Southeast and West Region 3

Matt Krumrie – TheWrestlingmall.com Southeast and West Region 4

Britt Milinsky- Well known pundit and statistician Midwest and Northwest Region 5

Earl Smith- Founder of D1collegewrestling.net Mid- Atlantic Region 6

Confirmed future expert contributors include Dan Cosimi from ohiowrestling.net, long time Oklahoma State University voice J. Carl Guyman, Wisconsin wrestling pundit Koy Kosek, W.I.N. Magazines Bryan Van Kley and Mike Finn, TDR’s Steve Foster among others.

“For the past eleven years the Saturday morning TDR program has been primarily interview driven. You could go down a list and basically check off every luminary in the wrestling world that’s been on the show” stated Casber. “TDR’s Wrestling Round Table allows us to maintain the Saturday format, benefit from the relationships we built there, and expand our coverage to include the entire wrestling community. Now, youth wrestlers in small communities who want to connect with their heroes can realize their dream. It’s a brave new world, and this is our way to embrace it” completed Casber on a visionary note.

This is your opportunity to have your voice heard! Each week, Every week of the year! You make the call, ask the questions and participate in your show. Takedown Wrestling Radio’s NEW TDR Wrestling Round Table. Wednesday October 15th, 7 PM CST at Takedownradio.com. Jump in to the chat room and participate.

TDR is currently developing other new technology products along with synergistic partners. Details on those developments will be provided in the near future. Our thanks to our partners who make this program possible.

IBF middleweight fight headlines Saturday’s PPV in U.S. & Canada

Posted on | October 1, 2008 | No Comments

BAMBERG, Germany (October 1, 2008) — IBF middleweight champion “King” Arthur Abraham (27-0, 22 KOs) and mandatory challenger Raul “El Diamente” Marquez (41-3, 29 KOs) voiced their respect for each other at today´s press conference in Bamberg, Germany.

Saturday’s Abraham-Marquez headlined card is promoted by Wilfried Sauerland, presented by Sauerland Event and its Managing Director, Christian Meyer, in association with Seminole Warriors Boxing. The broadcast is being distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports for live viewing at 3 PM/ET – 12 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, TVN, DirecTV, DISH Network, Viewer’s Choice Canada, and Bell ExpressVue, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. A replay will be shown that same night starting at 9 PM/ET. Al Bernstein and Nick Charles will call the action.

“I am happy to be here in Germany to fight Abraham,” the 37-year-old Marquez said. “He is a great champion and I do have a lot of respect for him. But I came here to win. I don´t think there will be a KO.I have prepared myself for 12 rounds. I am ready to exploit Abraham´s weaknesses.”

“King Arthur” will be out to please his home fans – Bamberg is the city where he started boxing – for a second time in 17 months. Back in May 2007, in his first fight after breaking his jaw against Edison Miranda, the 28-year-old knocked out Sebastian Demers in the third round. But “King Arthur” knows that Marquez will be a much tougher opponent. “He is fast, mobile and clever,” Abraham assessed. “In other words: He is a really good boxer. That will be a tough challenge for me. In my last mandatory title defense I stopped Khoren Gevor but Marquez is much stronger than him.”

Abraham’s head trainer, Ulli Wegner, also is full of praise for the former world champion. “I’ve know Marquez for a long, long time,” he remarked. “I saw him at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. During the times of the GDR, he once fought against one of our guys. Ten years ago he was world champion and he has gotten stronger and more experienced since then. Many people were surprised to see him beat Lorenzo in the eliminator, but not me. Arthur will be in for a hard battle but I expect him to succeed.”

In the 12-round co-feature, Enad Licina (14-1, 8 KOs) will clash with former NABO champion Otis “Triple OG” Griffin (19-3, 7 KOs), winner of the “The Next Great Champion” television reality show, for the IBF Intercontinental cruiserweight title.

For more information about the Abraham-Marquez PPV go to www.integratedsportsnet.com or www.warriorsboxing.com

-IS-

Let’s Be Having You

Posted on | October 1, 2008 | No Comments

Jon Thaxton is confident that sparring with former world champion Junior Witter will ensure he is crowned European lightweight champion on Saturday.

Thaxton goes for glory at the Norfolk Showground which will be televised live on ITV4 “Big Fight Live” show as part of a new deal with Hennessy Sports.

Thaxton faces Spaniard Juan Carlos Diaz Melero for the vacant European Lightweight Title after being stopped on a cut by world class Russian Yuri Romanov in April for the same title.

To get ready for Melero, Thaxton has been sparring with Yorkshire man Witter, the former WBC, European and British light-welterweight champion.

“This will be a lot different from the last fight against Romanov and no stone has been left unturned to make sure I am the new European lightweight champion on Saturday,” said Thaxton.

“Forget about my last fight – I know I started slow. My team were right in stopping the Romanov fight when they did in the sixth, but I felt I was coming on towards the end of it.

“Melero had Romanov down before Romanov came back to stop him, but Romanov never put me down. I know Melero is a very capable boxer and he’s adaptable, but we’ve prepared for every situation.

“I’ve been sparring with Junior Witter and if I can handle him, a former world and European champion, I can handle anything. Junior pushes me and we have prepared for anything Melero is going to throw at me.

“There’s going to be a big audience on ITV4 and to be fighting in Norwich is such a big boost for me. Both those factors will give me an edge, but I will block out all the fans and the cameras on the night.”

Thaxton’s fellow Norwich boxer Danny McIntosh is also involved in a big fight on the same show.

Unbeaten McIntosh takes on Ipswich’s Steve Spartacus in an East Anglia derby for the English Light-Heavyweight Title.

“I want to show the Norwich fans and a big TV audience on ITV4 what I can do,” said McIntosh.

“The last Norwich show was a while back and I’ve improved since then, and I want to show the Norwich fans that.”

Stylish London-Irish welterweight John O’Donnell, 22, prepares for an upcoming British Title Eliminator with Young Mutley in an eight-round bout with Frenchman Mihaita Mutu, who extended former British light-welterweight champion Lenny Daws to points in June and also has a win over former British champion Barry Morrison.

“Let’s be having you”

European Lightweight Title

Tickets on sale now

Jon Thaxton vs Juan Carlos Diaz Melero

Hennessy Sports are proud to announce tickets for Norfolk Showground, Norwich Saturday 4th October 2008 now on sale via Ticketmaster box office

TEL:

0870 060 1795

www.ticketmaster.co.uk

24hr hotline

£30 Unreserved seating

£40 Outer Ringside reserved seating

£60 Ringside reserved seating

WWW.HENNESSYSPORTS.COM

About

This is an area on your website where you can add text. This will serve as an informative location on your website, where you can talk about your site.

Subscribe to our feed

Search

Admin

• Register
• Log in
• Wordpress
• XHTML