The year of the flyweight
Posted on | September 25, 2008 | No Comments
LEMOORE, CA — In the Palace Fighting Championship, 2009 will be the year of the flyweight — the year of Palace Fighting Championship President Christian Printup’s “baby” — the 125 pounders.
“I keep telling everyone how excited I am about this division,” Printup said. “I think by adding this division we’ve raised awareness across the country about how well thee guys can fight and we are able to feature some of the most talented fighters in the world.”
Yes, the PFC has certainly carved out its own “little” niche in the mixed martial arts pie.
“There’s a lot of possibilities out there for us with this division. Right now were are currently spanning the globe looking and signing the very best 125-pound fighters possible,” Printup said.
And on Friday two of the PFC’s best will be in action, as Georgia’s David Mitchell and Hanford, CA’s Luis Gonzalez compete at PFC 10’s “Explosive” at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore.
“We’ve dipped into Japan, Europe and Brazil for fighters,” Printup said. “But some of the best are right here in the states.”
Mitchell (1-0) is slated for a 3-round bout with Sacramento, CA’s David Suarez (1-1) and Gonzales (2-0) takes on Oakland, CA’s Elbert Randle (0-1).
“This has been a void that has needed to be filled for a long time. Most of these guys have either had to fight up a weight or couldn’t fight at all,” Printup said.
Friday’s bouts are a pair of prelims of sorts as matchups have already been announced for a PFC 4-man tournament over two shows. In November, Mitchell and Gonzalez will compete assuming they win their bouts on Friday.
“This division is on a crash course for success. Anyone who doesn’t like to watch the 125 pounders is just a fool,” Mitchell said. “There’s more technique, more striking, hell just more display of MMA. I believe as more people gain comfort with the weight cut to get to 125 and we start having a backup roster, the division will spread like wildfire. I’m happy to be apart of it that’s for sure.”
Mitchell was one of Printup’s initial signings for the division and is schedule to take on Las Vegas’ Ulysses Gomez (2-0) in a November semifinal. The vacant PFC World Flyweight title will be contested in January, according to Printup.
Printup also said the championship winner would have to fight the No. 1 contender, who has already been selected — Thailand’s Rambaa “M16” Somdet, who is a Muay Thai champion and carries a 4-2 MMA record.
“I read about the PFC signing Rambaa, a hell cat at Thai boxing, I think that’d be a fun matchup,” Mitchell said. “I’ve watched a few of his MMA fights and he seems like he’s gaining knowledge of this game. Otherwise, I’m looking forward to seeing a Gomez vs. (Pat) Runez if that should happen.
“I think right now it’s me Gomez and Gonzalez. We seem to be the three pulling ahead. The belt could really go to anyone, we all have the tools to beat each other on any given day.”
The Central Valley has been asking for a showdown between Gonzalez and Gomez — a pair of brilliant grapplers.
“It’s funny because that’s the fight everyone wants to see is Gonzalez and Gomez. It could happen as long as both win these next couple fights,” Printup said. “Both are very well known and world-renowned in the grappling circles, but have taken slightly different paths in MMA. Luis has knocked out his first two opponents and has shown that he has the hands. Meanwhile, Gomez really hasn’t had to even throw a punch yet. He’s really showed how explosive his ground game is. I think that right now, they’re probably the best two candidates, but I think Runez and Mitchell are very good fighters as well.”
Gonzalez will face Arizona’s Runez (4-0) in a November semifinal if he wins Friday.
“I think all the other fighters are pretty tough. They all have a lot of experience in their areas. I think it will be a good title fight at the end whether it be me, Mitchell or Ulysses any of the matches would be a great fight.”
But Gonzalez knows that the fans want to see him fight Gomez.
“I think that would a good fight. He’s got a lot of good people that he trains with. I think we would bring the best out in each other,” Gonzalez said of the possible matchup.
Gomez has spent a total of just 92 seconds in the ring in his two fights, submitting Hector Sandoval in July by armbar in just 51 seconds.
“I fully expect Luis and David to come out on top in their fights on Friday. It’s hard to bet against some one of the caliber of Luis, who is really well-known in the grappling community,” Gomez said. “I’m definitely interested to see what both fighters have and I will be in attendance to watch them fight. I see both of them on the horizon in the near future.”
The PFC is scheduled to make an announcement on some other top 125-pound signings in October.
“It’s going to be a great run of flyweight fights over the next few cards. People will get to see “M16” fight finally and I keep telling people how good this Runez kid from Arizona is going to be,” Printup said. “We’ve signed a few other guys as well. Plus we have those two fights in November with Gomez vs. Mitchell and Gonzalez vs. Runez and we will crown a champion in January.”
Tickets can be purchased at tickets.com or charge by phone 1-800-225-2277, at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino gift shop as well as MMA Elite Apparel shop located at 6640 Blackstone Ave in Fresno.
In the main event, Long Island, NY’s Phil Baroni (12-10) squares off with Enseneda, Mexico’s Olaf Alfonso (7-8).
There will be three title fights, as PFC World Lightweight champ Bakersfield, CA’s Brian Cobb (12-4) takes on Temecula, CA’s David Gardner (14-9); Porterville, CA PFC World Bantamweight champ Shawn Klarcyk (9-2) will fight Tulare, CA’s Brandon Miller (3-2); and Bakersfield, CA’s Bryan Travers (10-1) battles Turlock, CA’s Jeremiah Metcalf (9-4) for the vacant PFC World Welterweight title
In other fights:
—San Luis Obispo, CA bantamweight Antonio Banuelos (14-5) vs. Georgia’s Bryan Goldsby (4-3).
—Lemoore, CA welterweight Chris Botelho (4-3) vs. Sacramento, CA’s Anthony Bivins (2-1).
—Lemoore, CA lightweight Poppies Martinez (15-5) vs. Huron, CA’s Sergio Cortez (4-3).
—Sacramento, CA lightweight Dustin Akbari (2-0) vs. Oakdale, CA’s Bill Theofanopoulos (3-0).
—Porterville, CA featherweight Joe Soto (2-0) vs. Stockton, CA’s Brandon Jinnies (3-9).
—Fresno, CA heavyweight Lavar Johnson (8-3) vs. Arizona’s Vince Lucero (19-14).
—Exeter, CA bantamweight Mike Craddock (2-2) vs. Sacramento, CA’s Omar Sandoval (0-0).
—Lemoore, CA welterweight Joey Cabezas (2-0) vs. Taft, CA’s Billy Terry (3-8).
—Paris, France middleweight Xavier Foupa-Pokam (17-9) vs. Fresno, CA’s Richard Montoya (6-4) .
—Hanford, CA featherweight Chad Mendes (0-0) vs. Chico, CA’s Giovanni Encarnacion (0-1).
For breaking PFC news go to www.palacefightingchampionship.com. You can also find other PFC and Palace information at http://www.tachipalace.com.
Thaxton kicks off exciting new ITV series
Posted on | September 25, 2008 | No Comments
Jon Thaxton is promising to show why he can still become a genuine world title contender when he boxes Juan Carlos Diaz Melero for the vacant European Lightweight Title at Norfolk Showground in Norwich on Saturday, 4th October 2008.
The former British champion last fought in a European Title fight and after a courageous effort the Norwich boxer was stopped by a nasty cut over his right eye that needed 12 stitches against world top ten ranked Yuri Romanov (Russia) at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, London.
Six months on from his last European challenge, promoter Mick Hennessy has presented Thaxton with another chance to win the coveted crown, this time in his home city and live on ITV4.
Melero (36-1, Spain) gave Romanov a scare when he floored the Russian before being stopped himself in the third round two years ago.
Jono is aware of Melero’s danger but is confident he will have an answer to anything his co-challenger brings and get the win to gatecrash the world title scene next year.
“Damn right, I have got a point to prove against Melero,” said Thaxton (33-8), who made two defences of his British Title before relinquishing it earlier this year.
“I hate getting beaten and am determined to put it right this time in front of my home fans in Norwich and in front of a big TV audience on ITV4.
“I got off to a pretty bad start, but by the fourth or fifth rounds I felt like I was coming into my own against Romanov. The corner stopped the fight because of the cut and at the time I was upset about it, but of course it was the right thing to do.
“Now I’ve got a second chance I intend to take it because you don’t get many second chances in life. I’ve left no stone unturned for this fight and that’s why I’ve got the likes of Junior Witter in for sparring.
“I’ve got a point to prove and I will prove it. Forget about last time – I was slow and I had a bad night. But this one will be different.
“Melero had Romanov down before Romanov came back to stop him, but Romanov never put me down. Melero is a very capable boxer and he’s adaptable, but we’ve prepared for every situation.”
The ‘Let’s Be Having You’ show is the first promotion of the new season from Hennessy Sports, whose shows will now be screened by ITV Sport.
*Attached photograph is free to use. Caption: Jon Thaxton salutes the fans at last Saturday’s game between Norwich City and Sheffield United.
“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
Tags: Boxing > british > European Lightweight Title > John Thaxton > Juan Carlos Diaz Melero > Norfolk Showground > Norwich > York Hall
CRISTOBAL CRUZ VS. ORLANDO SALIDO HEADLINES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT CARD
Posted on | September 25, 2008 | No Comments
U.S. OLYMPIAN DEMETRIUS ANDRADE TO MAKE PRO DEBUT
ON OCT. 23 IN AIRWAY HEIGHTS, WASH.;
TELEVISED ON VERSUS NETWORK
Banner Promotions president Arthur Pelullo and Golden Gloves president Rodney Berman will present a sensational world championship fight card on Thursday, October 23, 2008, in the Pend O’reille Pavillion at Northern Quest Casino, located at North 100 Hayford Road in Airway Heights, Washington. The main event and co-featured bouts will be televised live on the Versus network.
In the main event scheduled for 12 rounds, Cristobal Cruz, 36-11-1 with 23 knockouts, of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, will battle Orlando Salido, 31-9-2 with 20 knockouts, of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico, for the vacant International Boxing Federation featherweight world championship. Salido and Cruz are the IBF’s two top-rated contenders.
The 31 year-old Cruz is coming off a sensational performance in his last fight on March 7 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. Fightwriter.com’s Graham Houston reported: “Toughness, tenacity and a CompuBox punch record for a 12-round fight carried Tijuana veteran Cristobal Cruz to a bitterly hard-fought majority decision win over highly regarded South African Thomas Mashaba in an upset….
“This was a terrific fight, almost non-stop action…. With the fight in the balance, it was Cruz who finished the stronger in the last two rounds. A clear underdog, Cruz fought with a winner’s attitude, going right at Mashaba and throwing punch after punch from all directions, body and head, around the sides and up through the middle. Among the 1,580 punches thrown by Cruz was a jarring left that had Mashaba’s legs going in the last round.
“Fights such as this are great for boxing – 12 intense and exciting rounds, the issue in doubt to the very end….”
Salido, 27, is a 12-year professional veteran – he made his debut at 15. He is undefeated – 8-0, 1 ND – in his last nine fights. He is experienced against top opposition, and always gives strong performances. He has fought former world champions Robert Guerrero (ND12), Cesar Soto (W10), Juan Manuel Marquez (L12), Alfred Kotey (W10), Alejandro Gonzalez (L10), and Regilio Tuur (W8), as well as a number of contenders.
2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius Andrade of Providence, Rhode Island, who is co-promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Banner Promotions, will make his pro debut on the card and open the Versus telecast. Only 20 years old, he is a sensational prospect at 154 pounds and a former international amateur standout.
Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com: “Demetrius Andrade, the 2008 U.S. Olympic boxer widely regarded as the No. 1 professional prospect from Team USA, is turning pro. Andrade entered the Olympics as the reigning world amateur welterweight champion. He also was a two-time U.S. National champion and two-time national Golden Gloves champion.
“Although Andrade won a pair of Olympic bouts in Beijing to advance to the quarterfinals, he lost a controversial 11-9 decision to South Korea’s Kim Jung-Joo in one of the most questionable results in a tournament littered with debate over the inconsistent scoring.”
More exciting fights will complete the card. All bouts are subject to change without notice.
Doors open at 4:00 P.M., first fight at 5:00 P.M. (Pacific Time)
Ticket prices: $25, $45, $60, $75.
Tickets are available at Northern Quest Casino Box Office – 509-481-6700, and Ticketswest – 800-325-SEAT, and www.ticketswest.com.
Tags: Arthur Pellulo > Baja California > Boxing > Cristobal Cruz > Cuidad Obregon > Foxwoods > Golden Gloves > IBF > Mexico > Northern Quest Casino > orlando salido > Sonora > Washington
FANTASY DREAM FIGHTS: Bernard Hopkins Vs. Carlos Monzon
Posted on | September 24, 2008 | 3 Comments
[mpinpage]
By: Tony Penecale
STATISTICS
Hopkins: (all stats for bout on 9/29/01)
Age – 36 years old
Height – 6’1”
Weight – 157 lbs
Reach – 75”
Record – 39-2-1 (28)
Monzon: (all stats for bout on 6/30/75)
Age – 32 years old
Height – 5’11”
Weight – 159 lbs
Reach – 76”
Record – 83-3-9 (56)
STYLE
Hopkins:
A consummate professional in the ring, Hopkins can adapt like a chameleon. A combination of a fighter who can box from angles, slug on the inside, with a slick defense, counterpunching prowess, and a penchant to bend the rules. Hopkins likes to test the waters early and then develop his gameplan as he goes along, often switching tactics to keep opponents off balance.
Monzon:
A confident pressure fighter, with an awkward style, who uses his long arms to punish fighters from the outside, and his strength to muscle them on the inside. Is not afraid to get hit and considers his best defense a good offense. At times, he seems slow but his punches are very accurate and will catch opponents off guard. Will get squared-up and off-balance when launching his attack but often has his opponents in a position where they can’t take advantage of his mistakes.
STRENGTHS
Hopkins:
1) Versatility – Hopkins is a skilled boxer, an aggressive slugger, and a precise counter puncher all rolled in to one. Hopkins has show the ability patiently box from the outside and control the tempo, or fight on the inside, backing his adversary up, and landing right hands, hooks, and body punches.
2) Defense – Trying to land a clean punch, much less a combination, on Hopkins is like trying to hold water in your hands. Hopkins blocks, slips, and parries most punches that come his way, but his best defensive maneuver is the “shoulder roll” where he will make his opponent miss by rolling with the punch and then fire back with a right hand or uppercut at his wide-open adversary.
3) Conditioning – A Spartan athlete, Hopkins is one of the finest conditioned fighters. A clean lifestyle coupled with a tremendous work ethic, Hopkins is just as fresh and talkative at the final bell as he is in the beginning.
Monzon:
1) Power – Monzon has considerable thunder in his punches. Whether he is landing strength-sapping hooks and uppercuts to the body, or big right hands to the hand, Monzon has the power to alter a fight in an instant.
2) Durability – Monzon fought some heavy punchers in Nino Benvenuti, Bennie Briscoe, Jean Mateo, & Gratien Mateo, among others. And he often took their best offerings right on the chin. And he would keep coming forward, pressing the attack. Even when stunned, his recovery capabilities are impressive.
3) Confidence – Monzon is often compared with a prime Roberto Duran when it comes to mentality. Self-assured, ruthless, and with intent on destroying whatever was in his path, Monzon in the ring is like a cyborg. He carries a belief that he can conquer any opponent.
WEAKNESSES
Hopkins:
1) Too Patient – Sometime Hopkins has a tendency to wait too long and look for the perfect opening. He will move on angles and continually measure his opponent but not throw enough punches and sometimes gives away rounds doing it.
2) Diminishing Power – Early in his career, “The Executioner” could drop the axe in a swift and chilling manner. Hopkins doesn’t carry that same power and relies more on an accumulation of punishment to wear opponents down for a stoppage or pile up enough points for a decision victory.
Monzon:
1) Easy to Hit – Monzon is primarily concerned about offense and will treat defense as a secondary skill, which allows opponents the chance to land flush shots to his head and body.
2) Lifestyle – Heavy drinking, smoking up to 100 cigarettes a day, and running around with a variety of females is not the making of a supremely-conditioned athlete. Monzon has been able to get away with a party-hardy lifestyle for a long time but it could catch up with him in an instant.
BEST PERFORMANCES
** Indicates the Version of the Fighter Used for this Matchup
Hopkins:
1) ** Felix Trinidad (9/29/01) – Hopkins was the IBF and WBC middleweight champion coming into this unification bout but he was overshadowed by the Puerto Rican superstar and a 3-1 underdog going in. While he promised to match Trinidad in a rough and dirty fight, he shocked everyone, especially Trinidad, by boxing early and building a commanding lead. Trinidad was visibly frustrated going into the latter half of the bout and attacked without abandon. Hopkins took full advantage and punished Trinidad with a variety of powerpunches, wobbling him at the end of the 10th before finishing him in the 12th to become the unified champion and owner of the Sugar Ray Robinson trophy.
2) Glen Johnson (7-20-97) – At the time, it looked like this bout was a masterful win over a boxer with an undefeated albeit padded record. Johnson came into the bout with an impressive punch, solid chin, and rugged determination. But it was all Hopkins from the opening bell as he dished out a frightful beating on the inside. Hopkins continued the assault each round, forcing the referee to visit Johnson’s corner several times, before finally halting the contest in the 11th.
3) Robert Allen (2-6-99) – In their first encounter, six months prior, Allen had greatly troubled Hopkins with his physical southpaw style before an aggressive Mills Lane attempt to break a clinch resulted in Hopkins falling out of the ring and spraining an ankle. Before the rematch, Allen boasted that Hopkins had taken the easy way out and would be dethroned in the rematch. The Hopkins that entered the ring was focused and seething and punished Allen without mercy, knocking him down in the 2nd and 6th rounds. Allen’s only chance was to try and initiate a disqualification by flopping every time Hopkins landed on his waistline. Another brutal volley in the 7th forced the referee to stop the bout, amid protests from Allen’s camp, to which the referee responded “I don’t see him (Allen) complaining.”
Monzon:
1) ** Tony Licata (6-30-75) – In Monzon’s only fight in the United States, he dismantled a very tough Licata, who was sporting a record of 50-1-3 coming in. Monzon wore Licata down with a deliberate body attack and sent him to the canvas with a booming right hand in the 10th round. Licata rose but was met with a blistering series of punches that drove him down to his knees, forcing the referee to halt the contest.
2) Bennie Briscoe (11-11-72) – Five years earlier, Monzon met Briscoe in Argentina, with the bout ending in a 10-round draw. In the rematch, Briscoe was determined and met Monzon, matching wills with him and stunning him in the 9th round. But Monzon kept steady and outworked Briscoe over the course of the bout and walked away with a clear decision victory.
3) Nino Benvenuti (11-7-70) – Going into the bout, Benvenuti was the clear betting favorite as Monzon was relatively unknown. Monzon applied steady pressure to the defending champion, seemingly getting stronger with each progressing round. Benvenuti tried in vain to keep his title, slamming Monzon with a series of hard hooks in the 9th and 10th rounds. Monzon walked right through them and finally crashed a destructive right hand on Benvenuti’s jaw in the 12th and annexed his title with it.
QUESTIONS
Hopkins:
1) How will he deal with Monzon’s freakishly long arms?
2) Can he withstand Monzon’s aggressive power-punching attack?
3) Will he get drawn into a toe-to-toe slugfest?
Monzon:
1) Will the years of hard living catch up to him?
2) Can he crack Hopkins’ slick defense and counter punching?
3) How will he fare against someone who can match him physically?
THE PREDICTION
Most experts are torn going into this fight. Some favor Monzon’s superior power and work rate, figuring he will pressure Hopkins and control the rounds, leading to a decision victory while others see Hopkins taking advantage of Monzon’s wide open attack and blistering him with lead right hands all night. The pre-fight press conferences are lively with the two fighters standing nose to nose, trading insults.
This fight is being held at the famed Madison Square Garden, the location of Monzon’s only fight in America, as well as the site of Hopkins biggest triumph. Monzon enters the ring first wearing burgundy trunks. Hopkins follows wearing a black executioner’s mask, flanked by members of his entourage carrying axes. In the ring, Hopkins looks at Monzon and gives a throat-slash gesture while Monzon sneers back with disdain on his face.
The bout opens with Hopkins boxing from a high guard. He moves and feints, while Monzon moves forward slowly, looking for openings, but respecting the counterpunching ability of Hopkins. Hopkins snaps a few hard jabs late in the round but Monzon is right there in front of him and fires several long right hands that, while they don’t land flush, they are the most impressive punches in the round.
Monzon continues to be the aggressor in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, with Hopkins assuming the role of matador. It is Monzon’s long, albeit slower, jab that is causing Hopkins most problems as he has trouble setting and countering, allowing Monzon to work on the inside, digging in to the body. Hopkins takes the opportunity to target Monzon with an uppercut and hook to the body, before clinching him and spinning him out, landing several rabbit punches before the referee breaks them. Over the first three rounds, Monzon’s superior workrate is carrying the action and winning over the judges.
Hopkins starts to assert himself in the 4th round, realizing that he is behind on the cards. Sensing that Monzon is a straight-up fighter, the right hand will be open and Hopkins takes advantage, whacking Monzon with a handful of crisp rights and pivoting out before the Argentina fighter can counter.
Not wanting to lose the momentum he built, Monzon picks up the pace in the 5th and 6th rounds, coming straight at Hopkins like a runaway locomotive, winging right hands over the top and trying to muscle on the inside. Hopkins is able to slip and roll with most of Monzon’s right hands and counters with short right hands and left hooks to the head. Both rounds are closely contested with the judges having to decide between Monzon’s higher volume or Hopkins’ cleaner punches.
Hopkins takes a bit of a breather in the 7th round and Monzon is controlling most of the round, but not landing a lot of flush punches. Despite not doing much throughout the course of the round, Hopkins explodes late and lands a ripping three-punch combination. With the momentum now on his side, Hopkins fights more aggressively in the 8th round, going toe-to-toe with Monzon. A flush Monzon right hand at the end of the round causes Hopkins knees to dip but he walks back to his corner smiling.
Monzon is out of his corner before the bell rings to start the 9th. He feels like he has his prey wounded. But Hopkins is as tough as they come and he responded in kind. Monzon fires a missile right over the top and Hopkins rolls with it and counters with a flush uppercut that freezes Monzon. Hopkins steps in and clubs him with another right hand and digs a left hook to the body. Monzon is clearly stunned but refuses to fall. He clinches Hopkins who takes the liberty to landing several shots to Monzon’s hip and groin area. Monzon has tremendous recuperative power and by the round’s end, his head is clear and he resumes the attack.
Going into the 10th round, Monzon is sporting a cut on the bridge of his nose and Hopkins is showing some swelling and abrasions around his left eye. Monzon is still free swinging with some wild and impressive-looking punches. Hopkins counters are much shorter and a bit more precise.
The bout is very much wide open going into the final five rounds. It is a matter of who wants it more and who can control the action. Hopkins alternates between boxing and moving, trying to keep Monzon at bay, and then pasting him with combinations when he moves forward. Monzon keeps trying to win a war of attrition, trying to break Hopkins body and will with every body shot he throws.
The shifts in momentum will be often. Monzon will keep chugging forward. He is a winner and does not believe he can lose. Hopkins is just as smart as he is tough and he will use his skills but also won’t be afraid to stand and trade. Monzon will force the action in the 11 h and 12th rounds and Hopkins will roll and counter, landing scorching shots in between Monzon’s thudding attack. Each round will be a case of what the judges prefer.
Hopkins will box more in the 13th and 14th, hoping to force Monzon into making mistakes. It will be razor-close going into the 15th and final round. Hopkins will attack first and try to back Monzon up, shocking the Argentine fighter. Monzon will stand his ground and the exchanges will be exciting. At the final bell, both fighters will raise their arms in triumph. A mutual respect will be earned between them.
The decision is in. Stanley Christodoulou scores it 144-142… Monzon. Judge Joseph Pasquale scores 144-143 … Hopkins. And Judge Tom Kaczmarek scores144-141… for the winner… by split decision… BERNARD “THE EXECUTIONER” HOPKINS!!!
For the next installment of Fantasy Dream Fights, we are going to match two lightweights who were polar-opposites inside the ring. The legendary fire-breathing Roberto Duran against the defensive wizardry of Pernell Whitaker. This upcoming installment will be available on October 8
VOTE FOR YOURSELF:
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Tags: angles > Barry Bonds > Bennie Briscoe > Bernard Hopkins > body > Boxing > Carlos Monzon > carry > chameleon > chance > consummate professional > disdain > doesn > drinking > everyone > Fantasy Dream Fights > Felix Trinidad > fight > fighter > four months > gameplan > Glen Johnson > half > hank aaron > head > height 6 > instant > lead > Lifestyle > Madison Square Garden > Mark Spitz > Michael Phelps > Nino Benvenuti > penchant > POWER > prowess > punches > record setter > rematch > Robert Allen > round > slug > stoppage > time > title defenses > Tony Licata > Tony Penecale > Unification > version > world of sports
ANDREI ARLOVSKI AND ROY NELSON — ADDED TO THE “CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS”
Posted on | September 24, 2008 | No Comments
MARQUEE HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT BETWEEN TWO FORMER MMA CHAMPIONS —
PRIMETIME EVENT ON OCT. 4
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 24 — CBS, EliteXC, and Trump’s Affliction Entertainment jointly announced today that a fifth fight has been added to the lineup for CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS on Saturday, Oct. 4 featuring top-ranked MMA heavyweights Andrei Arlovski against the last reigning IFL heavyweight champion Roy “Big Country” Nelson.
Arlovski, who was originally slated to fight in the main event of the Oct. 11 Affliction card, is the No. 4 ranked heavyweight in the world, according to MMAWEEKLY.com. A native of Belarus, Arlovski was last seen ending Ben Rothwell’s 13-fight winning streak during the inaugural “Affliction Banned” show, which was held on July 19, 2008. Arlovski is a former UFC heavyweight champion and currently has a record of 13-5.
Roy “Big Country” Nelson has made a name for himself with impressive knock outs, a remarkable ground game and stellar submissions. He was the IFL’s last reigning heavyweight champion and currently holds an impressive record of 13-2. Training with Ken Shamrock’s legendary fight camp, the Lion’s Den, Nelson stands at 6’0″ and weighs approximately 250 pounds.
“This is yet another testament to EliteXC’s willingness to work with other MMA promotions to bring the best possible fights to the broadest possible audience,” said Jeremy Lappen, head of the Live Fight Division of EliteXC. “Special thanks to the hard working team at Affliction and of course our partners at CBS and Showtime.”
Michael Cohen, Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization and Chief Operating Officer of Affliction Entertainment, added, “Mr. Trump and the Affliction Entertainment group are honored to be working alongside CBS, Showtime and EliteXC. It is without question that this event will exceed everyone’s expectations and will continue to uphold Affliction’s promise to promote the best fights for the benefit of the fans.”
The third installment of CBS’s primetime MMA event, CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, will be broadcast live from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. on Saturday, Oct. 4 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
EliteXC and Affliction have teamed up to deliver one of the strongest MMA cards, top to bottom, of the year. The following is the confirmed lineup for the Oct. 4 CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS:
* Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock (Heavyweights)
* Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley (for EliteXC Welterweight title)
* Andrei Arlovski vs. Roy “Big Country” Nelson (Heavyweights)
* Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobold (Women’s 140-Pound Weight Class)
* Murilo “Ninja” Rua vs. Benji Radach (Middleweights)
CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS will be produced by SHOWTIME Sports. The executive producer is David Dinkins, Jr.
For more information on CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, visit cbssports.com or www.proelite.com.
Tags: Andrei Arlovski > CBS > EliteXC > Mixed Martial Arts > Roy Nelson > Saturday Night Fights
Mack Attack – Yusaf’s Primed and Ready For the Battle Of Philadelphia.
Posted on | September 24, 2008 | No Comments
NABA Light Heavyweight Champion, Yusaf Mack 25-2-2 (15KOs), returned to his former home gym, The James Shuler Memorial Gym, this week to undertake his final preparations with his former manager/trainer Percy ‘Buster’ Custus for this Friday’s title defense against fellow Philadelphian, Omar ‘Pit Bull’ Pittman 15-4-1 (8KOs), at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia.
Mack, the former USBA/UBA Super Middleweight Champion, stepped up to Light Heavyweight earlier this year and in just his second fight at his new weight beat Brooklyn, New York’s Daniel Judah 22-3-3 (10KOs) in a tough battle, which took place in Judah’s own back yard, to secure the NABA title.
At his previous weight, Mack, always struggled to make the 168lbs required for super middleweight, often he would be left weak and exhausted working off up to 12lbs to make the weight. Not so these days, the higher weight clearly suits his 6’1” muscular frame, he appears fitter, stronger and, more importantly, totally focused on the task ahead.
Mack is clearly fired up, throughout his workout session he was constantly pacing the gym floor like a caged tiger when not pummeling the stuffing out of the heavy bag or seemingly trying to smash Buster’s hands off during very aggressive pads work.
Taking a break from training, Mack, said “I’m here to fight. I’ll do what I have to do. I’ve trained harder than ever before. John (Tandy – his trainer at Combat Gym, Newark, NJ), made sure of that, he works you hard, he makes sure you’re prepared for anything they (opponents) can throw at you. I’m ready and really up for this fight.”
As for the future, should he win on Friday, Mack, who is currently ranked 9th by the World Boxing Association, expects his next fight will be an elimination bout in Germany for the WBA Light Heavyweight World Title.
Date:
Friday 26th September 2008
Location:
Pennsylvania National Guard Armory
2700 Southampton Road
Philadelphia, PA 19154
Tickets:
Joey Eye Boxing
Tel: 1 267-304-9399
– END –
Tags: Daniel Judah > James Shuler Memorial Gym > NABA Light Heavyweight Champion > Omar Pittman > Percy Custus > Yusaf Mack
DE LA HOYA vs. PACQUIAO SOLD OUT
Posted on | September 24, 2008 | No Comments
BOXING’S BIGGEST FIGHT DRAWS MASS APPEAL
LAS VEGAS, NEV. (September 24, 2008) – Tickets to “The Dream Match” — the 12-round welterweight super fight between six-division world champion OSCAR DE LA HOYA and boxing’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter MANNY PACQUIAO – are already gone just hours after going on sale today, making the almost 16,000-seat arena a complete sell out with a gross gate of almost $ 17.0 million, making it the second biggest gate in boxing history.
“This is just a reflection of the overwhelming interest in this mega-event and we are extremely delighted that tickets sales were so swift,” said Richard Schaefer. “The match-up is one of the best in boxing and will be one of the biggest events the sport has ever seen.”
“This is fantastic and shows the magnitude and appeal of this event,” said Bob Arum. “When you have two superstars like Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya fighting each other, the public is going to respond and that is what they just did. No one wants to miss this one.”
The De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.
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Tags: Boxing > Golden Boy Promotions > Las Vegas > Manny Pacquiao > Oscar De La Hoya > Richard Schaefer
“FAST” EDDIE CHAMBERS TO TAKE ON LIVIN CASTILLO ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 3RD AT THE LEGENDARY BLUE HORIZON.
Posted on | September 24, 2008 | No Comments
PHILADELPHIA (SEPTEMBER 23, 2008)—On Friday night October 3rd, one of the best Heavyweights in the world, “Fast” Eddie Chambers will return to the building that helped mold him into the well-respect contender that he has become when he takes on Livin Castillo in the main event of a big night of boxing at The Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia.
This full night of boxing is part of The Legendary Blue Horizon annual Cancer Awareness Night.
Chambers, 31-1 with seventeen knockouts and will be making his first appearance at The Legendary Blue Horizon in two years.
Chambers won seventeen consecutive bouts at The Legendary Blue Horizon from 2002-2006.
“It’s great to be back here.” Said Chambers, “We know Castillo is a good fighter and has fought some top guys but he is in the way of my championship run. I am a much better fighter then the last time I was fighting at The Blue and I plan to display that to both Castillo and the fans who will be watching the fight.”
Chambers, of Philadelphia is ranked number-eight by the IBF and is coming off a sixth round destruction over Raphael Butler on June 20th in The Cayman Islands.
Castillo should provide a test for Chambers as he has been in with former world champions, Jean-Marc Mormeck (Loss-KO 3); Jorge Castro (Loss-KO 4); Oleg Maskaev (Loss-KO 3) & Bruce Seldon (Loss-KO 5)
In the Seldon fight, Castillo opened up a cut on Seldon’s eye and appeared on his way to winning until he got caught in the fifth round.
Castillo, of Atlantic City, New Jersey via Ecuador has a record of 14-5 with nine knockouts and is coming off that setback to Seldon on May 31st in Atlantic City.
Castillo and Chambers have a common opponent as Chambers suffered his only loss to Alexander Povetkin in January where as Castillo was stopped in four by the current IBF mandatory challenger.
The card, promoted Vernoca L. Michael & Blue Horizon Boxing Inc. in association with Goossen-Tutor along with Score America is shaping up to be a full night of excitement as an outstanding undercard has been put together.
In a six round Ladies Jr. Middleweight bout, Ana Ingham of Sweden will make the long trip to Philadelphia to risk her undefeated record of 5-0-1 with one stoppage when she takes on Kimberly Harris of Tampa, Florida.
Ingham is coming off a unanimous decision over the popular Olivia Fonseca on September 5th in Sweden.
Harris, 5-12, will be making her second visit to The Legendary Blue Horizon as she scored a unanimous decision over Fonseca on October 12, 2007.
In a eight round Welterweight bout, Darren Fallen, 10-4-1 with six knockouts of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named.
Fresh off his knockout victory in his pro debut at The Legendary Blue Horizon on September 12th, Welterweight, Darrell Jones comes right back to mix it up with Hakasch Hotaki of Germany who will be making his pro debut.
Also seeing action on the card will be Super Featherweight, Joselito Collado (4-0, 2 KO’s) of Queens, New York.
These fights will be streamed live all over the world on www.gofightlive.tv
Ticket prices for this great night of boxing are $200 for Queen Seating, $125 for Presidential seats, $65 for VIP, $55 for Ringside, and $45 for General Admission and can be purchased by calling The Legendary Blue Horizon at 1-215-763-0500 or by logging on to comcasttix.com. Doors open at 6:30 PM / 1st bout begins at 7:30 PM
The Legendary Blue Horizon is located at 1314 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, PA
For more information, log on to www.legendarybluehorizon.com
Tags: Alexander Povetkin > Ana Ingham > Atlantic City > Boxing > Bruce Seldon > Darrell Jones > Ecuador > Fast Eddie Chambers > Florida > Germany > Goosen-Tutor > Haksch Hotaki > Horizon Boxing > January > Jean Marc Mormeck > Jorge Castro > Joselito Collado > Legendary Blue Horizon > Livin Castillo > New Jersey > New York > Oleg Maskaev > Olivia Fonseca > Philadelphia > Queens > Score America > Tampa > welterweight
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