London Fight Report: Williams Topples Norton, Walsh Dominates Richards and Skeete impresses

Posted on | October 23, 2011 | No Comments

Report By: Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro

On Friday night, at the excellent Francis and George Warren’s Queensberry Promotions event at York Hall in Bethnal Green, the pack house were treated to a great night of pugilistic action. The slickly produced show had it all, world class boxing, a knockout, oodles of drama and the dethroning of the Cruiserweight King, as Leon ‘Solid’ Williams  achieved what many thought would be impossible, when he snatched the Lonsdale belt from long time holder Rob Norton’s iron grip.

Williams-Norton wasn’t a classic fight by a long way, Norton’s awkward southpaw counter punching style ensured that, but it was an intriguing, and at times highly exciting, bout.

Right from the off it was clear that Williams plan was to to play the long game, out of the window had gone the ‘devil may care’ I’m gonna knock him out or get knocked out mindset, instead the 27 year old from Streatham took a much calmer, slow approach.

The early rounds were edgy, to put it mildly, it was like a poker game with neither man willing to show his hand too early. There was some good action but each time it looked like a proper battle was set to erupt Norton’s ring savvy would come into play, at times he’d just paw away at fresh air to keep Williams at bay, but should the youngster get through the wily old fox from Stourbridge would just grab hold until referee Terry O’Connor pulled them apart.

Both Williams’ co-trainers, Johnny Eames and Barry Smith, were clearly getting exasperated, as were the crowd and the referee, as each time their young charge instigated  an exchange he was thwarted by Norton’s persistent clinching.

Just prior to the start of the fourth Johnny Eames could be heard instructing Williams to up the pace and keep the pressure on Norton.  With the instructions fresh in his mind Williams shot from the corner the instant the bell rang, closed down his target and let rip, landing a cracking right hand. The crowd jumped to their feet screaming ‘Solid, Solid, Solid, in unison.

Williams responded, in kind, but the action was short lived as Norton just tied him up again to slow the fight back to his pace.

Throughout the middle rounds each time Williams tried to lift the pace the same would happen, Norton would either use his superior reach advantage, pawing, to keep Williams at bay or just grab hold and walk Williams back onto the ropes.

Williams again kicked up the pace in the sixth and seventh, receiving intermittent success letting off some neat combinations before Norton would resort to spoiling tactics again.

My thoughts at the time was that this was the real turning point, it seemed Norton’s age was coming into play and Williams, some twelve years younger, was seemingly in the ascension.

More of the same in rounds eight and nine and Norton was beginning to look uncomfortable as each ‘Solid’ attack started to take it’s toll. I couldn’t help but think that this was the beginning of the end of Norton’s title reign.

Then again maybe not, as in round ten Norton changed tactics, allowing Williams to back him on the ropes and let rip with powerful flurries of shots, most of which Norton would just dip and dive to avoid. Each time Williams would step back Norton showboated by either calling him back in or leaning back in the corner with his arms spread across the ropes.

Now into the Championship rounds. Round eleven was quite a lively affair at times, but yet again anytime Williams tried to instigate any meaningful attacks Norton would stifle him. This lead to Williams trying to pick his shots before moving out of range, but each time he came forward their was a big glove waving in front of him.

Williams’ corner, and promoter Francis Warren, told Leon to throw caution to the wind for the final round, it was close and a good final round was likely to clinch the bout in his favour.  Not needing to be told a second time Williams went for it, but so did Norton. The final three minutes were probably the best of the whole fight, it definitely had the most action.

When the final bell rang both protagonists threw their arms in the air before turning to hug each other. The wait for the judges scorecards to be read seemed endless but eventually MC Mike Goodall spoke, declaring the match a split decision in favour of Williams by 116-114 (Richie Davies), 114-115 (John Keane) and 116-113 (Ian John-Lewis).

Prior to Williams-Norton the vacant English Super Bantamweight title was contested by Cromer’s Ryan Walsh and Melksham’s Liam Richards.

In total contrast to the headliner Walsh-Richards was nonstop scintillating back and forth action for the full 30 minutes. I’m not joking every single round was a cracker as these two warriors came prepared for war.

At the end of the ten hard fought rounds Walsh was declared the new English Champion, by a huge margin 100-90 (Richie Davies) 99-91 (Ian John-Lewis) and 100-90 (Terry O’Connor) but that  doesn’t give a one hundred percent accurate picture of the fight by a long shot, I’m not arguing the judges score, as yes Walsh won every round, as he boxed superbly, in my book too, but it was far from one way traffic.

They say it takes two to Tango well it also takes two to make a great fight and as such Richards deserves to be praised for his part in this sensational battle. On Friday night we see there’s the heart of a Lion beating inside that tiny frame.

Preceding the excellent Walsh-Richardson see Ireland’s Dean ‘Irish Lightning’ Byrne, in his first outing on British soil, against Edmonton’s Michael Frontin.

Byrne has an excellent pedigree, unbeaten in fourteen and became the New South Wales State Light Welterweight Champion on only his fourth fight. So when I see this match up I have to admit I thought the fight wouldn’t go past three rounds – well I was wrong.

It was a bit of an edgy start but it didn’t take Byrne long to show his class and easily took the early rounds, although he didn’t have it all his way. Frontin showed heart and often took the fight to Byrne.

Byrne boxed beautifully throughout but never really seemed to get a handle on the tough London based Mauritian. Frontin grew in stature as the bout progressed and was holding his own whenever the battle intensified, in fact not just holding his own, as at times he rattled the Irishman with big looping rights at least once each round.

No surprise that at the end of the eight hard fought rounds referee Ian John-Lewis declared Byrne the winner, or that it was by a 78-74 points margin.

On the off-TV section Penge’s ‘Super’ Bradley Skeete got to strut his stuff against Scunthorpe’s Steve Spence in a four rounder.

What a cracking fight, right from the off Spence went for centre ground but novice Skeete, in only his fourth pro bout, wasn’t willing to concede a single millimeter to the more experienced man.

Skeete boxed beautifully throughout and just plain outclassed Spence to earn a much deserved 40-36 points decision.

A rematch, between Liam Shinkwin and ‘Rockin’ Robin Deakin preceded the cracking Skeete-Spence battle.

Last time out Shinkwin won by a shutout 40-36 margin, so really no one was surprised that again Shinkwin dominated proceedings a second time. Saying that Deakin was seeking redemption, by whatever means possible, but no matter how wily the Crawley man is he was still no match for the youngster from Bushey Heath. After four highly entertaining rounds referee Ian John-Lewis raised Shinkwin’s hand and declared him victor by a 40-36 points margin yet again.

The opening bout of the night featured Croydon novice Danny Davis against Tottenham’s Mark McKray.

A rather edgy start, but it didn’t take that long to liven up as McKray tried to rough up the youngster from Surrey. Davis used his jab to good effect to keep the ever forward coming McKray at bay.

More of the same in the second, but in the third McKray was starting to get some real success and around midway of the round clearly hurt Davis with a wicked body shot.

It was close going into the fourth so there was no surprise that Davis stepped things up a bit and around the one minute mark let rip with a massive right cross to send McKray crashing to the canvas.

The celebrating Davis support quickly fell silent as Initial concerns see the paramedics enter the ring to administer oxygen to the prone McKray. After a few tense minutes McKray sat up and after a round of applause Davis and his fans restarted their celebrations.

Following the main event were two floater bouts, which I have to admit I didn’t get to see. – the first see Cranham’s Lee Markham beat Westury’s Aaron Fox by a 40-36 margin. The second see Peckham’s Johnny Garton get his maiden victory over Tooting’s Danny Dontchev also by a 40-36 points margin.

Francis and George Warren did it again it was a truly superb, slick event, OK their dad is the King of British Boxing Frank Warren so they have had a great teacher, but you can’t take it away from these two it was their show and they did it their way and it was brilliant, and I for one can’t wait for the next Queensberry Promotions show.

Boxing Links (10-22-11)

Posted on | October 22, 2011 | No Comments

Eminem to star in boxing flick Detroit Free Press LENNY GILMORE/RedEye Detroit is in the movie spotlight with the locally filmed “Real Steel” and its boxing robots. Now it looks like one of Detroit’s biggest stars will be moving ahead with his own boxing movie. The drama “Southpaw,” starring Eminem, … See all stories on this topic »

San Leandro’s Nonito Donaire bids for boxing stardom in NY title bout San Jose Mercury News Donaire, the WBO and WBC bantamweight champion (26-1, 18 knockouts) who is fighting for the first time in New York City, will be looking to elevate his status further as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world when he defends his titles … See all stories on this topic »

Tragically Boxing Legend Roy Jones Jr. Returns to the Ring Against Max Alexander Bleacher Report As if boxing needed further reasons for casual fans to give up entirely on the sport, former pound-for-pound great Roy Jones Jr. returns to the ring after a savage knockout loss to Denis Lebedev. Jones Jr., 42, is coming off three straight losses. … See all stories on this topic »

Bernard Hopkins Gets Title Back ESPN The commission then forwards the official results to Fight Fax, which is the official record keeper of boxing results. “I said all along that Bernard Hopkins did not lose that fight, there is no question about it,” said Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer, … See all stories on this topic »

Wonjongkam Retains WBC Crown Over Sosa In Thailand SaddoBoxing.com By Danny Wilson October 22nd, 2011 All Boxing Results Earlier today at the outdoor 11th Infantry Regiment Arena in Bangkok, WBC flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam posted a hard fought 12 round unanimous decision over seasoned Mexican visitor … See all stories on this topic »

Exonerated Boxer Fights His First And Last Bout NPR Host Scott Simon takes note of the boxer, who made his professional debut at age 52 after spending a quarter-century in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. A pair of boxing brothers talks to Scott Simon about fighting and growing up together. … See all stories on this topic »

Disgraceful Scores Mar Excellent Rodriguez-Rosinsky BoxingScene.com At the end of ten thrilling rounds, a trio of judges turned in scores that didn’t compute with the action witnessed, boxing’s latest incident of stomach turning officiating in a 2011 full of it. In a fight that appeared up for grabs heading into the … See all stories on this topic »

Real Steel The Sun Daily SET in the near future where the sport of boxing is no longer between humans but robots, Real Steel revolves around former boxer Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) who is now a small-time promoter of boxing matches. But the robots he represents always end … See all stories on this topic »    The Sun Daily

Boxing Fan Favorites Colon-Garcia, Castro End Night With Wins At Friday Night … SB Nation Arizona Emilio Colon-Garcia did what he and his many fans expected him to do Friday night, using an array of jabs and hooks to keep opponent Miguel Armendarez off of him while inflicting plenty of damage on his way to a unanimous decision win at the Madison … See all stories on this topic »

 

Blogs

Zorianna Kit: Klitschko Boxing Documentary Packs a Punch By Zorianna Kit As far as boxing stories go, the fascinating documentary feature Klitschko is anything but the typicalboxing story. The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com

Eminem’s Boxing Film Greenlit Again After Being Put On Hold … Eminem’s boxing movie Southpaw is back in the Hollywood ring two months after DreamWorks film bosses put the project on hold. MGM executives have reportedly picked up the Antoine Fuqua film, which… Starpulse Entertainment News

Eminem Boxing Film Back in the Works | XXLMAG.COM By mlelinwalla After being shelved, Eminem’s boxing flick Southpaw is back in production… XXLMAG.COM

Thompson Boxing Promotions closes the year with “New Blood … By GFL ESQUIVIAS SET FOR MAIN EVENT! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. Orange, CA (October 21, 2011) – The new installment of the popular boxing series “New Blood” … GoFightLive

Wrestling Links (10-22-11)

Posted on | October 22, 2011 | No Comments

TNA Impact Wrestling Oct 20th – James Storm New World Champion WhatCulture! Hot off the heels of disappointing/predictable/weird Bound For Glory, we are back in Florida for ImpactWrestling this week. First we get a video to remind us that Hogan turned face and joined Sting, then in the arena Sting himself is on the way to the … See all stories on this topic »

The Top 5 Hulk Hogan Fan Favorite Moments: A Fan’s Take Yahoo! Sports Contributor Network 12 hours, 24 minutes ago TNA Impact Wrestling on Thursday night, Oct. 20, was a special night for old school fans of Hulk Hogan. At the Bound for Glory PPV on Sunday, Oct. 16, Hogan fought Sting and turned good after the match, … See all stories on this topic »

Scott Hall — Tragic Twist After Documentary’s Happy Ending TMZ.com The documentary ended on a promising note (below) — with the father-son duo working together to launch Cody’s wrestling career. But Scott’s ex-wife Dana tells TMZ, the reunion in May barely lasted a month — and once again, the two are no longer on … See all stories on this topic »    TMZ.com

Former Masco coach inducted into state chapter of U.S. Wrestling Hall of Fame Wicked Local By Joshua Boyd/Wicked Local Boxford The last two years have seen a cascade of honors for a Masconomet wrestling coach who roamed the halls of the school from 1973 through 2003. Last year, in March of 2010, Puleo was inducted into the New England … See all stories on this topic »

Smackdown: Bizarro-Land, South CANOE Wrestling Mexico, Elvis said, has got mucha, mucha-chas amigos. The two claimants to the Sin Cara handle, of course, are decided enemigos, and have Smackdown’s first Mask vs. Mask Match. Both World Champions are also in action as we march towards … See all stories on this topic »

TNA Impact Wrestling Rating Hits Highest Rating Of The Year Wrestle Heat Last night’s TNA Impact Wrestling broadcast on Spike TV (10/20/11) drew 2.02 million viewers following Sunday’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view with a 0.8 rating amongst adults 18-49. In total viewers, that was a significant increase of 29% in total … See all stories on this topic »

Jim Ross comments on his WWE Raw match, the Scott Hall piece on ESPN, and … ProWrestling.net -Ross on wrestling in Mexico City on WWE Raw: “The Mexico City Raw was a unique experience and it is always nice being a part of WWE history as it was the first Raw TV from Mexico. Our segment featuring the tag match between Cole/ADR vs. … See all stories on this topic »

TNA Wrestling/WWE Landscape: Trading Samoa Joe for John Morrison Would Work Bleacher Report Let’s not mince words and spend useless time beating around the bush: The WWE should trade John Morrison for TNA wrestling’s Samoa Joe. I find it appalling that John Morrison’s name is coupled with the term “buried” more often than Samoa Joe these days … See all stories on this topic »    Bleacher Report

Fresno’s Hendricks one step away from arm-wrestling glory ABC30.com What may seem like a hobby or social entertainment to most, arm-wrestling has become a passion for Hendricks and his training partners. “There’s a lot of technique to it,” said Hendricks. “It’s not just a power game. It’s not about how big you are. … See all stories on this topic »    ABC30.com

Registration in Progress for Junior Patriots Wrestling Club Patch.com By Cristel Mohrman The Junior Patriots Wrestling Club, a feeder program for Stevenson High School, will begin its season in November. The club is open to children in grades 1-8, and does not have a tryout process. This program teaches wrestling … See all stories on this topic »

 

Blogs

Wrestling club at UMBC raises nearly … – TheMat.com – USA Wrestling The Retriever Open grew to over 300 wrestlers and all the proceeds went directly to the wrestling club at Maryland-Baltimore County. TheMat.com News

Wrestling Grumman Greenhouse into place – a photo post By libby and roberta We got some photos of Jordan Griska’s airplane being installed in Lenfest Plaza from Heike Rass at the Academy. We are herewith sharing them with you! All the photos were taken yesterday by Sean Tucker. Griska is the one wearing the … theartblog

TNA ratings for Oct. 20 episode: Impact Wrestling draws average of … By Geno Mrosko TNA ratings for Oct. 20 episode: Impact Wrestling draws average of two million viewers on Spike TV. Cageside Seats

Browser Crasher: Ring of Combat, Fight For Wrestling, Cage … By Grappo RING OF COMBAT 37Chris Liguori vs. John SalgadoLiguori via KO, 4:12 of Round 3 Tom DeBlass vs. Mike StewartDeblass via TKO, 3:07 of Round 1 Al Iaquinta vs. Gabriel MiglioliIaquinta via TKO, 0:26 of Round 1 ~tons more action after the … Fightlinker – UFC, Strikeforce,…

 

Web

411mania.com: Wrestling – Impact Wrestling Ratings Last night’s episode of Impact Wrestling did a 1.35 rating with 2019000 viewers. The ratings are the promotion’s best for the year and are especially good … www.411mania.com/wrestling/news/207072

RODRIGUEZ DECISIONS ROSINKY IN BATTLE OF UNBEATENS

Posted on | October 22, 2011 | No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:     BRACERO WINS NABF JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT TITLE RESULTS FROM MGM GRAND AT FOXWOODS   Mashantucket, CT – (Oct. 22, 2011) – Undefeated super middleweight Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguezwon a 10-round decision last night (Friday), sweeping every round on all three judges’ scorecard, against previously unbeaten Will “Power” Rosinsky in the main event on ShoBox: The New Generation LIVE on SHOWTIME® from MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Connecticut.   Rodriguez improved his pro record to 20-0 (14 KOs), while the rugged Rosinsky, of Queens (NY), dropped to 14-1 (8 KOs). The exciting card, presented by DiBella Entertainment, drew 1640 fans.   “I know Will so well,” Edwin said. “He’s a very tough fighter. I knew I had to be on the top of my game and listen to Ronnie (Shields), who has a lot of experience and has worked with so many good fighters. I knew that I had to listen to him through the whole fight. We’re still friends, probably closer friends now. 2012 is going to be a great year.”   “I knew he had range because he’s taller,” Rosinsky noted. “I wasn’t busy enough. Whether it was 100-90 or 96-94, I still lost. I’m happy it was on Showtime for people to see because, on paper, it looks like crap (100-90 X 3). It was a tough fight. I’m a work in progress and he’s a star in the making.”   Rodriguez, fighting out of Worcester (MA), effectively used his reach advantage, firing combinations off of a stiff jab, from the opening bell to the end. The 26-year-old Rodriguez, a native of the Dominican Republic, is rated IBF #5, WBC #6, WBA #8 and WBO #12.   “I believe Edwin will be world champion,” show and Rodriguez’ promoter Lou DiBella commented, “but not in his next fight or the one after that. He needs more work with Ronnie. The right guy won, but I had it, 7-3. If Edwin is No. 5, Will has to be in the top 10. This was a great, entertaining fight. Will can fight with anybody in the world. Edwin’s not ready for Bute or those guys but he will be in late 2012, early 2013. There’s no reason to rush him. The real winners tonight were all of the fans who watched this fight.”   In the co-feature, also shown live on SHOWTIME®, undefeated Gabriel Bracero (18-0) captured the vacant NABF junior welterweight title, taking a one-sided 10-round unanimous decision from Daniel “The Hudson Valley Kid” Sostre (11-5-1). Bracero dominated from start to finish in a spirited fight in which the Brooklyn boxer outworked and consistently beat Sostre to the punch.   Crowd-pleasing junior lightweight Ryan “Polish Prince” Kielczewski (12-0) put on another dazzling display for his followers, winning all six rounds for a unanimous decision for Willie Villanueva (10-4). In his toughest test to date, Ryan K passed with flying colors, proving to be too quick and too slick for his over-matched opponent.   WBC #10 rated Dyah Davis (20-2-1) won a hard-fought six-round decision from always tough super middleweight Darnell Boone.   Unbeaten New Haven bantamweight Luis “KO King” Rosa, Jr. (9-0) had his way with Harvey Murray, cruising to a six-round unanimous decision in the walk-out fight of the evening.   Popular light welterweight Danny O’Connor (16-1, 4 KOs), a 2008 U.S. Olympic Team alternate, turned in a workmanlike effort for a six-round unanimous decision victory versus a game Bryan “The Brick” Abraham in an entertaining match.   Unbeaten Swedish junior middleweight Badou “The Ripper” Jack stopped Eddie Caminero in the fifth round.   Brooklyn junior middleweights Delen Parsley (7-0, 2 KOs) and Frank Galarza (4-0) kept their unbeaten records intact. Parsley won a six-round shutout decision against Jevon Boisseau, while Galarza won a four-round decision over Daniel Lugo.   Complete Results:   LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS Edwin Rodriguez (20-0, 14 KOs), Worcester, MA WDEC10 (100-90, 100-90, 100-90) Will Rosinsky (14-1, 8 KOs), Queens, NY   SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS Dyah Davis (20-2-1, 9 KOs), Coconut Creek, FL WDEC6 (59-56, 59-55, 58-56)   Darnell Boone (19-18-3, 8 KOs), Atlanta, GA Badou Jack (8-0, 7 KOs), Las Vegas, NV                  WTKO5 (1:47)                   Eddie Caminero (7-6, 7 KOs), Lawrence, MA   JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS Frank Galarza (4-0, 1 KO), Brooklyn, NY         WDEC4 (39-37, 39-37, 39-37)      Daniel Lugo (1-2), Harrisburg, PA Delen Parsley (7-0, 2 KOs), Brooklyn, NY        WDEC6 (60-54, 60-54, 60-54)     Jevon Boisseau (3-6-1), New Orleans, LA   JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS Gabriel Bracero (18-0, 3 KOs), Brooklyn, NY   WDEC10 (100-90,100-90, 99-91)   Daniel Sostre (11-5-1, 4 KOs), Highland, NY (Bracero won NABF title) Danny O’Connor (16-1, 4 KOs), Framingham, MA WDEC6 (60-54, 59-54, 58-54) Bryan Abraham (5-8-2, 5 KOs), Schenectady, NY   JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS Ryan Kielczewski (12-0, 2 KOs), Quincy, MA     WDEC6 (60-54, 60-54, 60-54)       Willie Villanueva (10-4, 2 KOs), Albuquerque, NM   BANTAMWEIGHTS Luis Rosa, Jr. (9-0, 5 KOs), New Haven, CT   WDEC6 (60-54, 60-54, 60-54)         Harvey Murray (4-3-2, 1 KO), Rochester, NY   DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT    DiBella Entertainment builds upon the unique insights Lou DiBella developed as a television executive and matchmaker to combat the contractual exploitation of professional boxers. DiBella Entertainment creates a business model that shifts the balance of power from promoters to boxers; and establishes a legacy of matchmaking excellence, both in an effort to improve the health of the boxing industry. DiBella Entertainment represent its athletes with honesty and integrity all while making the best and fairest financial deals for its clients.     For more information visit us at www.dbe1.com, follow us at twitter/loudibella or check us out at facebook/lou.dibella

CHUCK LIDDELL GUEST STARS ON CBS’ HAWAII FIVE-0, MONDAY, OCT 24 AT 10PM, ET/PT

Posted on | October 21, 2011 | No Comments

 

 

Yuma’s Carlos Flores vs. Richard Hale in a Light Heavyweight Battle at Bellator 55 from Cocopah this Saturday

Posted on | October 21, 2011 | No Comments

Also featuring Yuma’s Edgar Garcia vs. Jacob Ortiz – both fights LIVE on Spike.com

CHICAGO, Ill.  (10/21/11) — As Bellator’s fifth season marches on, the promotion is preparing for a night of stars at Bellator 55 from Cocopah Resort and Casino on October 22 LIVE on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX2 starting at 9 p.m. ET. The night will host the semifinals of Bellator’s stacked bantamweight tournament, as well as host of feature fights full of Arizona’s finest MMA talent, which will stream LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com. The best fighters Yuma has to offer will be featured on the Spike.com stream, including former UFC fighter and Yuma product Edgar Garcia taking on Scottdale’s Jacob Ortiz and Yuma’s Carlos Flores taking on Submission of the Year award recipient and Tempe fighter Richard Hale in a light heavyweight battle.

Tickets for Saturday’s nationally-televised event start as low as $15 for General Admission and are $10 with a military I.D. To purchase tickets, visit the Cocopah box office or call (928) 726-8066.

“It’s going to be an honor to be the ‘it’ fighter in the ‘it’ city,” Flores proudly said. “This is a chance of a lifetime and I plan on putting on a great show for my people.”

Former Bellator Tournament Finalist Richard Hale will be looking to put on a show as well. While the Tempe native is fully focused on the task at hand, fighting in front of friends and family will certainly play a role for the heavy-handed Hale.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to fight back in Arizona, and to be doing it with Bellator, this is like a dream come true,” said Hale. “The last tournament didn’t end the way I wanted it to, so this next fight will hopefully start my journey on getting another title shot, and ultimately capturing the belt. I’m going to have a ton of support in my corner, so I couldn’t think of a better place to start than right in my backyard.”

With a wealth of local talent on the Spike.com portion of the card, Yuma fighter Edgar Garcia makes his Bellator debut in front of his home crowd. A 2002 high school state wrestling champion, Garcia is a seasoned veteran with UFC experience. The 27-year-old fighter looks to ignite the Arizona crowd and earn his first Bellator win when he takes on Scottdale’s Jacob Ortiz.

As longtime UFC veteran Efrain Escudero prepares for his lightweight battle with Cesar Avila, the Yuma native knows Bellator 55 won’t be just another fight.

“It’s always a great pleasure to fight in front of my hometown,” Escudero said. “I was raised about two miles away from Cocopah Casino, so it’s a great pleasure to be able to do what I love in my hometown. I just want to give back, and give the local fans that have supported me for so long a great show.”

With a stacked preliminary card, the night’s bantamweight tournament features even more Arizona talent as bantamweight semifinalist Ed West will be fighting for a spot in the tournament finals a few hours away from his hometown of Tucson.

“I get to compete in my back yard for the best promotion in the world, and I’m living my dream,” proclaimed West. “Being one of the top ranked fighters in Arizona for a while, I’ve developed a strong following, and I can’t wait to show my skills on such a big stage this Saturday.”

West will face rising prospect Eduardo Dantas, who punched his ticket to the semifinals with a highlight reel flying knee earlier this season. (Watch Here: http://bit.ly/qnC2Oo). Even with the excitement surrounding Dantas, West knows he will be ready to impress the Arizona faithful.

“I know there is a lot of hype behind Dantas, and a lot of people are picking him to win, but I have developed a great habit of leaving people disappointed, and that’s what I’m planning on doing with Dantas,” West said.

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator

About Bellator Fighting Championships

Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company headquartered in Chicago.  Bellator’s founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes.  Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.

Justification for Nick Casal

Posted on | October 21, 2011 | No Comments

NEW YORK (October 21, 2011) – Buffalo welterweight Nick “Hands of Gold” Casal felt completely justified last Saturday night after he thoroughly destroyed previously undefeated prospect Michael “Slick” Anderson on the non-televised portion of the Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson pay-per-view event at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.   “I said it would take me a few rounds to figure him out,” Casal said, “but it only took 30 seconds. I hurt him with a right, only 30-seconds into the fight. His knees buckled and I knew that it was only a matter of time.”   Casal (22-4-1, 16 KOs) was a highly-decorated amateur who captured gold medals at the 2002 U.S. National Junior Championships and the Sweden Box-Cup for Under-19 boxers. In 2003, he reached the quarterfinals of the National Golden Gloves Tournament, defeating Anthony Dirrell in the process, before losing to current world champion, Andre Berto. Casal also won a bronze medal at the 2004 U.S. Championships but he had to drop out of the competition with a hand injury.   In 2004, Casal turned pro and was unbeaten in his first 17 pro bouts, including a pair of draws. Nick extended current WBC champion Antonio “Tony” DeMarco the full 10 rounds in 2002, albeit in a losing effort (94-96, 93-93, 97-93) that, nerver-the-less, demonstrated his vast potential. The 25-year-old, however, went through a rough stretch between 2007 and 2009.   Last Saturday night, Casal became a relevant welterweight again, stopping Anderson (11-1-1, 9 KOs) in the third round to extend his win streak to four. “I dropped him twice in the third, the last with an uppercut,” Nick explained the end of the fight. “I didn’t want to hurt him and looked at the ref to stop it because he (Anderson) was out on his feet.   “I feel justified. I had a lot of growing up to do and I’m maturing at the right time. I’m ready to take the next step. This fight wasn’t on TV but I did fight in front of the right people and that meant the world to me. I’m back working and hoping to get in the ring again in December of January. I don’t have a girlfriend or kids, so I’ll be training through the holidays.”   Casal’s promoter, Boxing 360 founder and CEO Mario Yagobi, never stopped believing in Nick, who fought under the Boxing 360 banner for the second time. “Nick stepped-up big-time and not only did he pass the test, he aced it. Now, he’s off to much bigger and better things. Nick has all of the talent and heart to take him to the top. Making a commitment to train in Las Vegas, away from his home in Buffalo, was an example of his commitment to be the best he can be. He worked hard and deserves that very impressive win against and unbeaten opponent. I couldn’t be happier for him.”   Other members of Boxing 360’s stable include IBF World Light Junior Lightweight Champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano, USBA heavyweight champion Maurice Sugar Moe” Harris, WBC #4 super bantamweight Leon “Hurry Up” Moore, former IBF super middleweight champion Alejandro “Naco” Berrio, unbeaten welterweight prospect Vitaliy “Demyan” Demyanenko, WBC Caribbean & NY State super middleweight champion Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen, Dominican lightweight champion Eudy “AK47” Bernardo, KO king Tyrone Brunson, DonYil Livingston, Mike Mollo, Joel Diaz Jr., and “King” David Estrada.   Go to www.Boxing360.com for more information about Casal, Boxing 360 or any of its other fighters as well as scheduled events.

BRANDON GONZALES AND JAVIER MOLINA READY TO MAKE THEIR MARK ON SHOBOX DEBUT OCT. 28 AT BALLY’S ATLANTIC CITY

Posted on | October 21, 2011 | No Comments

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 21, 2011) – Unbeaten through his first 15 bouts, highly touted middleweight prospect Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales is expecting next Friday’sShoBox: The New Generation telecast to be nothing short of exciting and eye-opening.  Gonzales, who goes toe-to-toe with the very tough Ossie Duran next Friday, Oct. 28 at Bally’s Atlantic City (live on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) last made headlines when he opened a cut above the right eye of sparring partner and WBA Super Middleweight Champion Andre Wardearlier this month. The accidental cut resulted in the postponement of the SHOWTIME Super Six World Boxing Classic Final between Ward and his WBC counterpart Carl Froch. This time Gonzales wants to make headlines by stopping the durable Duran.   “I told Andre he prepared me for this opportunity,” Gonzales said, “and it’s my chance to make the best of it on SHOWTIME.”   The ShoBox telecast will feature Gonzales vs. Duran in the main event and an opening televised match between former 2008 Olympian, Javier Molina (9-0, 4 KO’s) and knockout artist Artemio “King” Reyes (13-1, 11 KO’s).  The unbeaten 21-year old Molina will be making his fifth start in 2011 and first in a match slated for eight rounds. Seemingly recovered from a hand injury that sidelined him between November 2009 and October 2010, the impressive Olympian will face his most formidable and experienced challenger to date in Reyes.   The personable, soft-spoken Molina went 153-13 during an extensive, outstanding amateur career. At age 18, he was the youngest member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team that competed in Beijing. He turned pro with a second-round knockout over Jamie Cabrera on March 27, 2009.   Both Goossen Tutor Promotions prospects are in a position to go to that next level with victories next week. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about Duran, but these are the fights that will show fans what type of fighter I am,” Gonzales reiterated.   Molina said, “It’s showtime with this fight.” The Norwalk, Calif., resident went on to say, “I know Reyes well and it’ll be a fight, but that’s nothing new.  That’s what fans want to see and I’m ready to put on a show.”   The Molina-Reyes super welterweight bout is scheduled for 8 rounds.   Tickets, priced at $75 and $50, can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail outlets, Ticketmaster Call Center 800-745-3000 or Bally’s Atlantic City (day of the event). The first undercard non-televised fight will begin at 9 p.m. ET.

« go back — keep looking »

SEARCH OUR BLOGS

Search for:

SEARCH THE WEB

Subscribe in a reader



US Money Reserve

Bodybuilding fitness software: Gain weight & build muscle fast.

Photographers - Boston, MA



PRO-SEBLOG.COM: EMPOWERING ORDINARY PEOPLE TO PRACTICE LAW ON THEIR OWN BEHALF

CLICK HERE TO ORDER AN AWESOME SELF-HELP LEGAL COURSE

MARKETINGBOSS.INFO: MARKETING TIPS FOR YOUR SITE & BUSINESS

Boxing Live

RING GIRLS

OUR SPONSORS

Categories

Categories Select Category A.J. Vittone  (4) Affliction MMA  (60) amateur boxing  (12) Amateur MMA  (3) BAMMA  (4) Bareknuckle Boxing  (10) Bellator  (64) BJJ  (37) Blogroll  (9,763) Boxing  (5,785) Cage Fighting Xtreme  (39) Cage Rage  (2) Capiello Promotions  (2) CBS  (17) Charlie Schmidt  (7) CHARLIE WARD  (7) Clay Smith  (3) COMPANY PROFILES  (10) Darren McElligott  (5) Dissipline  (3) Dominic Lavin  (6) EliteXC  (172) Fight Previews  (178) fight videos  (7) Fighter Interviews  (80) Fightzone TV  (16) Full Force Productions  (7) Gina Carano  (8) gofightlive  (32) grappling  (91) Groupon  (1) HDNet FIGHTS  (130) Holli Yargo  (29) IFL  (38) IFO  (16) Investigative Reports  (44) Jack Bratcher  (46) Jerky.Com  (1) jiu jitsu  (17) Joe Ball  (8) John Martinez  (9) Judo  (6) K-1  (3) karate  (10) Keisha Morrisey  (2) kickboxing  (25) King of The Cage  (5) KNOCKOUT NATION  (4) Kristie L. Groves  (2) Kristin Van Zee  (2) M-1  (37) Mark McCoy  (3) martial arts  (80) Matt Yanofsky  (83) Matthew Brothers  (4) MaxFights  (13) Melissa Hatch  (2) MFC  (89) MFL  (3) Michael Fountain  (4) Midwest MMA  (41) MIKE INDRI  (21) Mixed Martial Arts  (3,406) MMA  (3,405) mma agents  (4) MMA RECRUITER  (59) Moosin: God of Martial Arts  (1) movies  (16) Muay Thai  (60) NAGA  (3) other interviews  (16) PALACE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS  (54) PATRICK MCELLIGOTT  (46) Politics  (1) Post fight reports  (109) Predictions  (11) press conferences  (28) press releases  (298) Prizefighter  (86) ProElite  (136) Pure Combat  (9) Rage in the Cage  (48) Reality Fighting  (5) Rich Bergeron  (157) ring girls  (22) Ring of Fire  (43) Rocky Marciano  (2) Round 5  (9) Ryan Christensen  (6) seperated at birth  (4) Shaun McCoy  (5) SHOWTIME SPORTS  (177) SportFight  (6) Steele Cage  (16) Strikeforce  (395) Striking Technique  (14) submission fighting  (3) sun sports  (7) Tachi Palace Fights  (11) Takedown Radio  (413) The Ultimate Fighter Series  (21) Tony Penecale  (117) Tri-State Cage Fighting  (9) Tristan Yunker  (5) UFC  (478) Uncategorized  (75) Untamed  (12) USFL  (2) War  (7) WEC  (10) White Chocolate Management  (3) White Collar Brawler  (1) women’s boxing  (115) Women’s MMA  (16) World Championship Fighting  (23) wrestling  (1,117) WWE  (7) Xtreme Arm Wrestling  (1) Xyience  (75) Yamma  (3)

JOIN FIGHT SPACE ONLINE

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