The box office for the Manny Pacquiao vs. Jorge Solis WBC International super featherweight championship fight opened Saturday at 10 AM, and by the close of business on Sunday, it stood alone as the second-biggest opening weekend for a boxing event in San Antonio history. Bigger than Oscar De La Hoya-David Kamau and even bigger than Pacquiao's 2003 knockout victory of Marco Antonio Barrera. Only the welterweight title fight between Pernell Whitaker and Julio Cesar Chavez in 1993 had a bigger opening. "Our opening weekend sales nearly grossed $500,000," said promoter Bob Arum, Chairman of Top Rank. "Not only is Manny Pacquiao boxing's pound-for-pound most exciting fighter, he is becoming boxing's pound-for-pound most popular superstar!" Tickets for Pacquiao vs. Solis, priced at $300, $200, $100, $75, $50, $35, can be purchased at the Alamodome Box Office, by calling (210) 207-3663 and at www.Ticketmaster.com.
 

Promoter Dino Duva of Duva Boxing says that after Friday’s strong performance, he and promotional partner Sal Musumeci are dedicated to landing cruiserweight power puncher Darnell “Ding-a-Ling Man” Wilson (21-5-3, 18 KOs) a world title fight as soon as possible. Wilson scored a third-round knockout over former IBF king Kelvin Davis at the Scranton CYC Center and live on ESPN2. “With his impressive performance, Darnell left little doubt in anyone’s mind that he is a legitimate top contender,” said Duva. “What he did to Kelvin Davis, he could do to any other cruiserweight in the world.” The victory over Davis was Wilson’s third consecutive stoppage of a rated contender. He took out Daniel Judah in four rounds last September and crushed Dale Brown in two rounds in January.
 

ROY JONES JR.;
WAS HE THE BEST SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT?
by Jim Amato

The " Super Middleweight '" division with a 168 pound weight limit was conceived by the International Boxing Federation in 1984. On March 28th of that year rugged Murray Sutherland pounded out a fifteen round decision over Ernie Singletary in Atlantic City to become the first champion of this bastard weight classification. . The World Boxing Association began to recognize the weight class in 1987. The World Boxing Council followed suit in 1988. Somewhere along the line the lightly regarded World Boxing Organization also gave this division its blessing. In all fairness the creation of the 168 pound class has some merit. The jump from middleweight ( 160 ) to light heavyweight ( 175 ) is a serious challenge. A few have accomplished the feat but other great middleweights like Carlos Monzon and Marvin Hagler avoided the issue.

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Tickets are priced at $200, $135, $100, $65, and $45, and are available by calling DiBella Entertainment at 212-947-2577. Tickets are also available through StubHub by visiting www.stubhub.com.
 

©2007 by Mary Ann Owen

At today's press conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Floyd Mayweather Jr. dropped a bomb on Oscar De La Hoya when Oscar's former trainer and Floyd Jr's father Floyd Mayweather Sr. sat next to his son on the dais. Floyd then told Oscar that his father would be at the fight but not in a front row seat but "Most Likely" would be in a corner and it would not be Oscar's.

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photo courtesy "Big" Joe Miranda

In a fight fan's dream match-up Saturday at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., Israel Vazquez will defend his WBC/The Ring magazine super bantamweight titles against IBF/IBO bantamweight champion Rafael Marquez.
Tickets, priced at $25, $50, $75, $100, $150 and $200, are on sale at all TicketMaster outlets and on-line at TicketMaster.com. They also may be purchased at The Home Depot Center box office from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and on Fight Day starting at 10 a.m.
In the co-feature, popular, pint-sized powerhouse, undefeated, hard-hitting southpaw IBF/IBO flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan defends against former IBF champion and current top-ranked contender Victor Burgos.
The event is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and Romanza Productions, and Sycuan Ringside Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions.
The live program will begin at 4 p.m. Doors open at 3:30. Darchinyan-Burgos will go at 6 o’clock, followed by Vazquez-Marquez. The world championship fights will be televised on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
 

Read what Vazquez had to say

The Sultan Ibragimov (19-0-1, 16 KO’s) vs. “The Mexican Monster” Javier Mora (21-3-1, 17 KO’s) main event is not the only intriguing match up involving a Russian heavyweight on Saturday, March 10, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
The co-feature will bring the highly-regarded Russian-born Roman Greenberg (24-0, 17 KO’s) to the Big Apple in quest of his 25^th consecutive victory without the taste of defeat.
Greenberg has registered three straight knockout triumphs, and is considered one of the game’s top heavyweight prospects.
In addition, DiBella Entertainment’s red hot Edgar Santana has been added to the bill, giving the card both a distinct Russian and Latin flavor.
“Roman Greenberg and Edgar Santana are future world champions in their respective divisions,” said Leon Margules, Executive Director of Seminole Warriors Boxing. “Both have the skill, style, and heart to become stars, and fight fans will get to see them in action on March 10, if they are fortunate enough to get a ticket.”
To obtain tickets before the fight is sold out, please visit any Ticketmaster Outlet or the Madison Square Garden box office.

In keeping with the media tour's schedule, De La Hoya and Mayweather will be at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas at 3pm. The press conference will be open to the public and will be held in the MGM's hotel lobby.

by Lisa Scott
fightnews.com

After almost two years of inactivity, former heavyweight title challenger Andrew Golota resurfaced last month at Buddy McGirt's gym in Vero Beach. Golota's time with McGirt prompted those to predict that the 39-year-old fighter would make a return to the ring - with McGirt as his trainer. Fightnews spoke to McGirt who confirmed: "Yes. It's official. I have a ‘handshake deal' with Andrew to train him for his next fight. He was supposed to fight sometime in April, but it's been pushed back to May. So I just have to find out from Ziggy (Golota's manager) when the exact date is and who the opponent will be. Once we know that, Andrew will come back to my gym here in Vero and we'll begin training." Golota, who stands 6'4" and packs a sledgehammer punch, last fought in May 2005 for Lamon Brewster's WBO title (L-KO1). Previous to that, Golota fought for two other titles: John Ruiz (WBA) in November 2004 (L-UD) knocking Ruiz down twice, and Chris Byrd (IBF) in April 2004 (Draw). Both matches were controversial decisions where many of the fans and media felt that Golota won. Golota's previous trainers include: Lou Duva, Al Certo and Sam Colona.

By Jason "J-Gon" Gonzalez

fightnews.com

Just last week, former WBA welterweight champion Luis Collazo underwent hand surgery to repair an injury sustained in his lopsided decision loss to "Sugar" Shane Mosley two weeks ago. According to his trainer/manager Nirmal Lorrick, "Surgery was a success." Lorrick explained, "Right now we are looking to start therapy in the following weeks to come. The injury was worse than what we initially thought. His thumb literally had to be sewed back together. When the ligament tore, it separated the bone. The fracture revealed bone fragments in the thumb. We will be looking to come back in five or six months. And nothing has changed; we are still coming for the big dogs. Hopefully Shane will give us a rematch when we have both hands."
 

SOLIMAN  vs.  MUNDINE.
            7TH  MARCH,  2007,  SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.
               WBA  SUPER  MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.
by Gary Todd

When Sam Soliman [ W33 13 ko’s L8 D0. ] walks out from his cold concrete dressing room, making his way through the dry ice and lights, listening to the booming music which is filling his head, as he makes the long walk to ringside, he’ll hear the usual knock him out and he’ll see the crowd pumped up like he’s never seen before. They want Mundine to go, they always do. If it wasn’t Sam, then it would be someone else. To them, anyone will do, as long as Mundine goes.
Its a big fight , there’s a world title on the line, but to
the fans in attendance, it’s another chance to see if Mundine gets put on his ass. To Sam Soliman, this is what he’s been fighting for all his life. When he steps through the ropes, he’ll know he’s made the big time at last.

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PFN (www.prizefightnetwork.com) announced today that it will webcast The Johnny Tapia (56-5-2) Evaristo Primero (14-9-2) fight that took place at the Isleta Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico this past Friday. The fight was promoted by Fresquez Promotions, and  the decision was very close and controversial with Tapia winning by a majority decision.
"We at PFN are honored to web cast what may be Johnny Tapia's last fight. He's a great champion with tremendous heart," said John Daddono, PFN President. The fight will be available beginning February 28th.
For more information log onto prizefightnetwork.com.
 

On March 9th, the son of the legend, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (29-0-1, 22 KOs) returns to the Rio Grande Valley for the third time. This time, Julio Jr. will be the featured main event at the Dodge Arena, in Hidalgo, Texas when he does battle against "Downtown" Louis Brown (14-2-0, 10 KOs). The fight card is promoted by Top Rank in association with Zanfer Promotions. The co-main event features IBA Americas Continental and Texas welterweight champion Robert "La Amenaza" Garcia, (22-2, 17 KOs) of Weslaco, Texas, who takes on Danny McCrary ( 20-5-2,12 KOs) of St. Joseph, MO. Also on the card is super bantamweight contender Fernando "El Wary" Beltran, Jr., (28-2-1, 17 KOs,) of Culiacan, Mexico going against the always dangerous TBA. Doors will open 6:00 pm local time. The first bout is scheduled at 6:20 pm. The Telefutura telecast will begin at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $150, $100, $75, $50, $25 and are available at the Dodge Arena box office at 956-843-6688 or go to www.dodgearena.com
 

Tickets in all price ranges remain for Saturday’s terrific fight card at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Priced at $25, $50, $75, $100, $150 and $200, they are on sale at all TicketMaster outlets and on-line at TicketMaster.com. Tickets also may be purchased at The Home Depot Center box office from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and on Fight Day starting at 10 a.m.
The main event of a seven-bout card is a highly anticipated fight-fans’ dream match-up between streaking Mexico City-born superstars, World Boxing Council (WBC)/The Ring magazine super bantamweight champion Israel Vazquez and International Boxing Federation/International Boxing Organization (IBF/IBO) bantamweight titleholder Rafael Marquez.
The 12-round bout between Vazquez (41-3, 31 KOs), universally recognized as the most talented and exciting in the world at 122 pounds, and the hard-hitting Marquez (36-3, 32 KOs), the planet’s most feared boxer-slugger at 118, will be for Vazquez’s belt.
In the co-main event, GSP’s popular, pint-sized powerhouse, undefeated, hard-hitting southpaw IBF/IBO flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan (26-0, 21 KOs) defends against former IBF champion and current top-ranked contender Victor Burgos (39-14-3, 23 KOs).
The live program will begin at 4 p.m. Doors open at 3:30. Darchinyan-Burgos will go at 6 o’clock, followed by Vazquez-Marquez. The world championship fights will be televised on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
 

UFC 70: Nations Collide set for Apr. 21
The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization today announced to the world it will stage UFC 70: NATIONS COLLIDE - the largest MMA event ever seen in the United Kingdom - at Manchester's MEN Arena Saturday, April 21 . . . Click here for more
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UFC 70: NATIONS COLLIDE is available LIVE on pay-per-view Saturday, Apr. 21 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu and Viewer’s Choice Canada. Check out UK.UFC.com for more info.
 

Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has released a statement on rumors of a comeback:
"Although I'm flattered that the boxing community is eager to have me back in the ring, I have no plans to return. I have no idea how these rumors get started, but I'm a man of my word - I will remain retired. I'm happy with my life and I don't need to chase a big payday. I'm enjoying commentating for HBO and I'm keeping busy with business ventures and fatherhood. I'm proud of what I accomplished as champion and confident that my legacy will remain intact."

Historia Completa

WHY LENNOX SHOULD NOT COME BACK !
by Jim Amato 

AUTHOR'S NOTE ; I originally wrote this article in January of 2005 when rumors of a Lewis comeback surfaced. Now in 2007 reports again have Lewis back in the gym contemplating a return to ring warfare. Some names have been changed to reflect the certain top fighters in the heavyweight division today.

Full Story
 

by Butch Gottlieb

Here we go again. Poor Sam Peter, according to the below report regarding the possible return of Lennox Lewis, will have to sit and wait since the WBC, who made Peter fight James Toney a second time (and of course pay two sanctioning fees) to have the right to face Oleg Maskaev for the heavyweight title will now name Lewis as the mandatory should he decide to return. What the WBC is doing here is giving an escape clause to the champions.

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Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is reportedly considering coming out of retirement for a world championship rematch with Vitali Klitschko. The bout could take place at the newly constructed Wembley Stadium in late September and early November and purses in the $25 million range are being mentioned. Promoter Bob Arum told the Daily Mail, "No matter how often a boxer says he will never come back, the money always talks louder in the end if the offer is big enough. I am told Lennox is back in the gym and this is an enormous fight in the making." For Lewis-Klitschko II to take place, Vitali would have to first defeat WBC champ Oleg Maskaev. WBC president Jose Sulaiman said Lewis would be granted "champion emeritus" status, which according to WBC rules could give Lewis an immediate shot at the title, bypassing hard luck mandatory challenger Sam Peter yet again. Peter has won two WBC eliminators and his handlers are currently mulling over a $2.5 million step-aside offer for Klitschko-Peter to take place. Arbitration on that matter could be next.

Disappointing David Tua slides by with  win!
New Zealand strongman puts in weak effort against Hawkins.
By Mike Indri
Retired Boxers Foundation

The Roseland Ballroom was filled to capacity last night as the latest chapter of promoter Cedric Kushner’s Gotham Boxing, titled "David and the Rising Stars", featured former heavyweight contender David Tua on his comeback trail back into title contention. The mere notion of the heavy fisted Tua, not too long ago consider by many as the most feared man in all of boxing, led the sardine-packed crowd to anticipate a fight that zealous boxing aficionados dream about: savage power shots, crippling knockdowns and, of course, the brutal fight-ending knockout.

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SAY WHAT? JERMAIN TO MEET MORA

by Jim Amato

I'll bet Kelly Pavlik the unbeaten middleweight contender from Youngstown, Ohio is fit to be tied. Kelly who is eager and very much deserving of a title shot is still on the waiting list. Middleweight champion Jermain Taylor will defend his crown against one time Contender show winner Sergio Mora. What is Mora 's claim to fame ? He has two wins over Peter Manfredo Jr. Sergio has never fought let alone beaten a legitimate top ten or even top twenty worthy boxer. He deserves a shot at Taylor about as much as Manfredo deserves a crack at Joe Calzaghe's super middleweight title.
I enjoy the Contender show but the boxers involved except for a select few are not among the elite boxers in the world. Case in point...Last years Contender winner Grady Brewer was stopped in two rounds by Pavlik earlier in his career. The Contender series gave some of the boxers who participated quite a bit of television exposure and because of this there may be a fair amount of fans interested in Calzaghe-Manfredo and Taylor-Mora. To me Calzaghe and Taylor are in for what will probably be a decent payday against a safe foe. The bottom line is that there are several boxers who merit a title shot at 160 and 168 lbs. long before Manfredo and Mora.
I won't go so far as to say these are blatant mismatches but I fully expect both Calzaghe and Taylor to win by a knockout. This is a tremendous jump up in class for both Peter and Sergio and that should become apparent during their matches.
If Calzaghe and Taylor both win will Taylor move up to fight Calzaghe at 168 lbs. ? It's a shame that bona fide contenders like Pavlik, Edison Miranda and Allan Green are on the outside looking in. Miranda and Green will be meeting soon. Will Taylor meet the winner ? One has to wonder...
 

In front of a standing-room-only, packed house at Isleta Casino in Albuquerque, in what will go down as the final fight in the tremendous career of five-time world champion Johnny Tapia (56-5-2, 28 KOs), Albuquerque's greatest champion fought a thrilling, brawling and edgy fight with late sub Evaristo Primero (14-10-1, 7 KOs) for a majority decision win with scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 95-95. In the co-main, super bantam David “Finito” Martinez (17-2-1, 3 KOs), of Albuquerque put on a clinic and, in the later rounds, dealt heavy punishment to Santa Fe's Bryan Garcia (7-17, 2 KOs), winning with scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74. On the undercard: Albuquerque's Willie Villanueva (4-0) won nearly every round almost had Gabe Gonzales (1-2, 1 KO), of Alcalde, in the final round, winning with scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55. In the opening bout of the night, pro debuter Antonio Ortiz (1-0) won a majority decision over El Paso's Oscar Castillo (1-5). Scores were 39-37 twice and 38-38.

Escalando los peñascos a la cuspide.
Por Jaime Estrada

Ramón Montaño alias El Halcón es un muchacho de 24 años oriundo de Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, pero residente del Valle por al menos 3 años.
Desde su inicio se le vio madera de la buena y un corazón de roble en la tarima brava. Del gimnasio Cueva de Leones se mudó al de Top Rank donde esta bajo la supervisión de Rafael García.

Historia Completa
 

By Karl Freitag

fightnews.com

The proposed fight that cost Joel Casamayor his WBC lightweight championship has imploded, leaving the two time champion beltless and fightless. A seemingly attractive bout between Casamayor and WBO lightweight champion Acelino "Popo" Freitas fell apart when no network would pick up the fight and now Freitas has agreed to face WBA champion Juan Diaz on HBO April 28. Casamayor was stripped of his WBC title for accepting the fight with Freitas, rather than to make a mandatory defense against interim champ David Diaz, who now has been promoted by the sanctioning organization to full champion. Meanwhile organizers are hoping to put Diaz in with ring legend Erik Morales in Diaz' hometown of Chicago.
 

Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (20-2-1, 13 KOs) regained the IBF featherweight title with a ninth round TKO of Spend Abazi (35-2, 10 KOs) on Friday night at the Falconer Center in Copenhagen, Denmark. Abazi was floored by Guerrero in rounds three and five and the bout was stopped by the ring doctor at the beginning of round nine due to a cut and bleeding from Abazi's mouth. Scores were 77-73, 79-71, 78-72 at the time of the stoppage.
Guerrero is just one of about 10 fighters that have won world titles that got their start fighting for Jerry Hoffman on the Riot at the Hyatt cards in Monterey, California.

Ilido Julio, final opponent for Johnny Tapia, who is slated to step into the ring for the last time tonight in Albuquerque, NM, has failed his medical exams. In a scramble for a late sub, shopworn Juarez veteran Alberto Cepeda (15-13-1, 11 KOs), inactive since 2004, has stepped in.

SHOWTIME continues to live up to its billing as America’s No. 1 Boxing Network as it delivers yet another incredibly compelling match-up Saturday, March, 3, 2007. In one of the most highly anticipated fights in years, Israel Vazquez will defend his WBC super bantamweight title against IBF/IBO bantamweight champion Rafael Marquez in the main event on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the west coast).
In an excellent co-feature, undefeated hard-hitting IBF/IBO flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan defends against former IBF champion and current top contender Victor Burgos.

Full Story and read what the fighters had to say
 

Former heavyweight title challenger David Tua (47-3, 40 KOs) scored his fifth straight win with a ten round unanimous decision over Robert Hawkins (21-6, 7 KOs) Thursday night at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. The bout was competitive all the way through, as reflected by two of the cards 96-94, 96-94. The third card was an out of line 99-91.

Three Goossen Tutor heavyweights all came out of their fights with "W's"' on Thursday night at the Tachi Palace Hotel/Casino in Lemoore, Calif. Unbeaten Malik Scott (27-0) won a lopsided eight-rounder over Ramon Hayes (15-23-1) by scores were 80-72, 80-72, 80-72; unbeaten Teke Oruh (13-0) edged John Clark (12-8-1) by majority decision 57-57, 58-56, 58-56; and Manuel Quezada (18-4, 13 KOs) knocked out Jeffrey Brownfield (9-6) at 1:37 of round three. The card also featured three female bouts, with lightweight Jessica Rakoczy winning a fifth round technical decision over Kellie Cofer after Cofer was cut from a head clash, strawweight Carina Moreno shut out Suzannah Warner over ten 100-90 on all cards, and strawweight Hollie Dunaway beat all action Stephanie Dobbs via six-round decision. Rounding out the action, local lightweight Saul Lomas TKO'd Odilon Rivera in two and lightweight Lowell Brownfield stopped Mike Dobbs in round one.
 

WBO super featherweight champion Joan Guzman is showing support for his brother, super featherweight Jose Guzman, as well as the promoter's concept to showcase Dominican Republic boxing prospects starting Saturday night in the first of the "Boxing At The Coliseum" series at the Carlos "Teo" Cruz Coliseum in Santo Domingo. The boxing card will be immediately followed by a concert featuring local performers.
Guzman, in association with promoter Joe Guzman (no relation) of Guzman Entertainment, are giving away 1,000 tickets in the Santo Domingo community to support his brother Jose (2-0, 1 KOs), who is in a four-round bout against an opponent to be named, in addition to expanding the Guzman legacy and boxing in their native Dominican Republic.
World-rated super featherweight Guadalupe "Bronco" Rosales (22-1, 13 KOs), reigning Mexican and Mundo Hispano champion, currently rated No. 4 by the World Boxing Council and No. 12 by the World Boxing Organization, fights Dominican native Elvis Martinez in the 10-round main event.

The Manila Iceman cometh! Boxing’s pound-for-pound most exciting fighter MANNY “PAC-MAN” PACQUIAO returns to the international spotlight when he makes his 2007 debut, defending his World Boxing Council International super featherweight title against undefeated Mexican dynamo JORGE “COLORADITO” SOLIS. The 12-round rumble will headline an all-action card, broadcast live on pay-per-view (9 P.M. ET / 6 P.M. PT) from The Alamodome, in San Antonio, TX, Saturday, April 14. Between them, they boast a combined professional record of 75 wins – 3 losses – 4 draws, and 57 KOs – a winning percentage exceeding 91%! This will be Pacquiao's first fight in Texas since knocking out Marco Antonio Barrera at The Alamodome in 2003.
Promoted by Top Rank, this pay-per-view extravaganza will also feature a Mexican civil war between WBC super flyweight champion CRISTIAN MIJARES (30-3-2, 11 KOs), from Gomez Palacio, Mexico, defending his title against two-time world champion and current No. 1 contender JORGE "EL TRAVIESO" ARCE (46-3-1, 35 KOs), from Los Mochis, Mexico; former world champion and current No. 1 contender BRIAN VILORIA (19-1-1, 12 KOs), from Waipahu, Hawaii, taking on No. 2 contender EDGAR SOSA (26-5, 14 KOs), from Mexico City, Mexico, for the vacant WBC light flyweight title; and undefeated contender, JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ, Jr. (29-0-1, 22 KOs), from Culiacan, Mexico in a 10-round welterweight bout.
Tickets for Pacquiao vs. Solis, which go on sale This Saturday! February 24, at 10 AM, are priced at $300, $200, $100, $75, $50, $35 and are available at the Alamodome Box Office (210) 207-3663 and at www.Ticketmaster.com 
 

Santa Barbara Management strongly disagrees with the decision of the WBC to strip Joel Casamayor of his Lightweight Championship.  Joel won his title the way a true champion should, in the ring. He has done nothing to justify this outrageous decision by the WBC and we are considering all of our options, legal or otherwise.  Joel and everyone at Santa Barbara Management would like to thank all of the fans and others within the boxing community who have phoned and emailed us to show their support.

Walter Kane – Attorney for Joel Casamayor & Santa Barbara Management

In a recent press release heavyweight Sultan Ibragimov, who claims he can’t find a suitable opponent to replace the WBO belt holder Shannon Briggs, when he pulled out of their March 10th card due to pneumonia, obviously ignored the offer of Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson to step in as a worthy replacement. Ibragimov claims that he was searching for an opponent and fighters like Ray Mercer, Dominick Guinn, Taurus Sykes, and Lou Savarese turned down the fight. So when offered Johnson as a replacement why didn’t he accept?
“I read with interest the problem Team Ibragimov is having getting an opponent for his March 10th date at MSG” said Johnson. “I’d like to let them know that I’m more than ready to step in for Briggs. I’m currently in training, so all you’ve got to do is call my promoter Joe DeGuardia and we can rumble”
In only his 4th professional bout Johnson received a controversial draw against Timor Ibragimov. “I whipped his brother Timor, and now I’m ready to do the same to Sultan”. Many media members who saw the fight believed Johnson deserved the win. Timor’s team refused to have a rematch. Ever since then Johnson’s wanted “a piece of Sultan”. “We made the call and offered them the fight. So far my phone isn’t ringing” stated Star Boxing CEO Joe DeGuardia.

OSCAR -vs- FLOYD;
WILL THIS BE THE END OF THE GOLDEN ROAD?

by Jim Amato

I really can not remember ever rooting for Oscar De La Hoya to win a fight. He was the Olympic " Golden Boy " who was turning professional and was going to become the next Sugar Ray Leonard. The hype, the ever present smug smile were just too much for me to take. Things just seemed to come too easily for Oscar. Yes he rang up his winning streak and even captured the WBO junior lightweight title in 1994. Four months later he stopped Jorge Paez to win the WBO lightweight title. He beat the stuffing out of Lorain, Ohio's Carl " Stuff " Griffith but by 1995 Oscar had yet to meet a serious challenge.

Full Story

Undefeated Philadelphia heavyweight Malik Scott (26-0, 10 KOs) takes on Ramon Hayes (15-22-1) in the scheduled eight-round main event tonight at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California. For Scott this will mark his second straight appearance at Tachi. Other heavyweight pairings include Teke Oruh (12-0-1, 6 KOs) against John Clark (12-8-1, 7 KOs) and Manuel Quezada (17-4, 12 KOs) taking on Jeffrey Brownfield (9-5, 4 KOs). Former WBA featherweight champion Freddie Norwood (40-1-1, 22 KOs) will also don the gloves in an 8-round lightweight bout. In addition, there will be scheduled 10-round battles for two women's WBC Interim championships featuring popular Tachi Palace fighters, Jessica Rakoczy and Carino Moreno in separate bouts. Rakoczy (25-2, 10 KOs) will battle Kellie Cofer (13-4-4, 3 KOs) for the Interim Lightweight Championship, and Moreno (11-1, 4 KOs) will face Suzannah Warner (7-3, 2 KOs) for the Interim Flyweight Title. Other local favorites in action include middleweight Frank Mondejar (14-3, 13 KOs) and unbeaten junior lightweight Saul Lomas (4-0, 2 KOs).
 

Cotto set for Urkal, then Judah!
By Karl Freitag

fightnews.com

"I've prepared myself very well for this fight," said WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto today in regard to his March 3 mandatory defense against Oktay Urkal. "Every guy who comes into the ring has two arms and two legs and is coming to fight, but I've prepared myself very well and I'm very confident and I will be ready and I'm going to win." In addition to the Urkal fight, Cotto has a showdown with Zab Judah scheduled June 9. Cotto says that fight is not a distraction. "All I'm focusing on is the March 3rd the fight that I have with Urkal. That's all I'm thinking about right now. Once that's settled and we get it done, we'll think about what's up next and what's coming up in June." In regards to Judah's vow to knock him out in five rounds, Cotto commented, "all I can tell you is that throughout his career, Judah has always been a big talker, but seeing the actions in the ring, he has not been able to back up those words. So I'm not worried about anything he has to say."
 

HBO's Jim Lampley was reportedly sentenced to three years probation, 52 weeks of counseling and 40 hours of volunteer service after pleading no contest to violating a restraining order in San Diego, Calif. He was booked in January when despite the restraining order he showed up at the Encinitas apartment of his 29-year-old former fiancée, Miss California USA 2003 Candice Sanders, while authorities were present. Part of Lampley's probation includes staying away from Sanders. Lampley was originally arrested for dissuading a witness and suspicion of domestic violence, in addition to the restraining order violation, but after mulling over it for six weeks, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office decided only to file the misdemeanor charge of violating the temporary restraining order. Sanders claimed the 57-year-old Lampley pushed her to the floor in a New York City restaurant late last year, then pushed her against a wall on New Year's Eve. Lampley steadfastly maintained his innocence on the physical abuse claims.
 

Former WBO heavyweight champion Tommy "The Duke" Morrison (46-3-1, 40 KOs) will have his first fight in just over ten years Thursday night at "The Harv" at Mountaineer Racetrack and Gaming Resort in Chester, PA. Fightnews.com learned that Morrison has been cleared to fight by the state boxing commission and will go against John Castle (4-2) in a non-televised bout. Morrison's career was cut short when he tested HIV Positive in 1996. Morrison, however has recently tested HIV-negative several times and is said to be healthy. Much of Morrison's mainstream popularity is due to his movie role of "Tommy Gunn" in the film Rocky V.

photo ©2007 by Ed Mulholland

Report courtesy of Fightnews.com

Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather hit the Big Apple today in round one of their whirlwind coast-to-cost press tour to hype their May 5 showdown in Las Vegas. "It takes two to make a fight," said Mayweather. "He's a champion and I'm a champion that why we're making this fight." Mayweather removed his shirt, exposing his chiseled torso. Pointing to Oscar, Floyd said, "if you want the fake sh*t." Pointing to himself, Floyd stated, "If you want the real sh*t!" De La Hoya stated he respects Floyd as a fighter, but "...come May 5 I'm going to give you something to cry about." In regard to Floyd's trash talk, Oscar stated "I love it. It gives me more fuel." Oscar pulled up his shirt to show his ripped abs.
 

Careers may be on the line on Friday, March 2, when veteran contenders Ricky Quiles and Nate Campbell battle it out in a 12 round IBF lightweight title elimination bout at the A La Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa, Florida, that will not only determine who will be the mandatory challenger for Julio Diaz, but who will keep his spot among the elite at 135 pounds. “This is a high stakes fight between two fighters who know that everything is on the line on March 2nd,” said Leon Margules, Executive Director of Seminole Warriors Boxing. “I expect both guys to give their all because a win here puts them a step closer to doing what they’ve dreamed of their entire careers – winning a world championship.” Quiles vs Campbell headlines an exciting night of boxing presented by Seminole Warriors Boxing and Star Fight Promotions. The bout will be televised live on ESPN2’s Friday Nights, beginning at 8:00pm ET / 5:00pm PT

photo by Paul Speak

Dennis Hobson and Bob Arum announced yesterday that Ricky Hatton will defend his IBO Light Welterweight title against Jose Luis Castillo at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas on June 23rd.
Hatton and Castillo were on hand at the 235 Casino in Manchester, England when the promoters confirmed the date and location for this greatly anticipated showdown.
Both fighters predicted victory and Hatton admitted that Castillo would be his toughest challenge so far in a 42 bout career.
"The Hitman" will commence a three and a half month training regimen that will end with three weeks in Las Vegas.

WBC lightweight champion Joel Casamayor has been quietly stripped of his world title status. Interim titlist David Diaz now becomes the sole holder of the 135lb green belt. The WBC cancelled a purse offer for a mandatory fight between Joel Casamayor and David Díaz last month due to the fact that Joel Casamayor was slated to fight WBO champion Acelino Freitas. Promoters hoped the WBC would grant an exception to allow Casamayor-Freitas to be a unification bout. There is talk of Diaz facing Erik Morales later this year.

Tickets are priced at $150, $100, $75 and $50, and are available at Gotham Boxing by calling 212-755-1944, and Ticketmaster.

Virgil Hill (L) Henry Maske (R)

“The Revenge,” headlined by WBA cruiserweight champion Virgil “Quicksilver” Hill (50-5, 23 KOs) against challenger Henry “The Gentleman” Maske (30-1, 11 KOs), will be broadcast live March 31 in the United States on cable and satellite pay-per-view from Munich, Germany starting at 4 PM/ET, 1 PM/PT. The event is being distributed for pay-per-view by Integrated Sports and will be available via iN Demand, DirecTV and TVN for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. In addition to the Hill-Maske 12-round main event, other broadcast fights on the card will soon be announced.
 

Dominic Pesoli's 8 Count Productions is proud to announce details of the free, open to the public, Chicago pep rally/press conference for the highly anticipated super fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Thursday, Feb. 22, 10:00am at the UIC Pavilion. The fighters and camps will conduct a public pep rally/press conference and invite fans to be a part of the experience of the most anticipated boxing event in decades.  Kicking off the tour in New York City on Feb 20, the tour will travel across the country making stops in Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Six-division world champion De La Hoya will meet the unbeaten, four-division world champion Mayweather, Saturday, May 5 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, the fight will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST.
When/Thursday, February 22, 2007, 10am/Doors open at 9:30am
Where/UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Avenue, Chicago

Last Saturday night, it was young fighters’ night out. Andre Berto began the show by fighting Norberto Bravo, the Contender graduate from the second season. The last time we saw Bravo, he was getting knocked out by Cornelius Bundrage in the seventh round of the Contender second season final night. Bravo viewed this as another chance at some big money but the reality was shown very quickly. Berto sent Bravo down three times. Berto’s jab made constant contact with Bravo’s face for the first minute and that set up the first left hook that sent Bravo sprawling on the ground. From there it was a matter of time before the fight ended. Bravo could not match Berto’s speed or his power.
 

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Undefeated former IBF lightweight champion Paul Spadafora (39-0-1, 16 KOs) will take on Irish junior welterweight champion Oisin Fagan (17-3, 10 KOs) in a 10-round junior welterweight non-title rumble on March 9 at the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. The undercard will feature world-rated lightweight contender Sugar Ray Narh (20-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout against four-time world title challenger John "The Beast" Brown (23-13-2, 11 KOs), super middleweight Stephan Pryor (10-3, 7 KOs), son of two-time world champion Aaron Pryor and undefeated lightweight contender Vernon "Iceman" Paris (11-0, 8 KOs) in separate bouts. Tickets, priced at $75, $70, $60 and $50, are on sale and can be purchased at the Soaring Eagle Casino box office (1-888-726-9633) or by calling Star Ticket Plus at 1-800-585-3737.
 

Malignaggi & Powell earn decision wins on HBO.
But, Andre Berto steals the show with his devastating 1st round KO!
By Mike Indri
Retired Boxers Foundation
 

Saturday night’s HBO televised fight card, billed as the "Triple Play at the Hammerstein", actually turned out to be a "Homerun" for promoter Lou DiBella.
All three fights, televised on the popular HBO Boxing After Dark series, featured DiBella Entertainment fighters: headliner Paulie Malignaggi, Sechew Powell and Andre Berto; and all three came away with impressive wins.

Full Story
 

One of boxing’s top heavyweight contenders trying to get back into the championship picture, combined with several of New York City’s top prospects will take center stage when Cedric Kushner’s Gotham Boxing presents “David and the Rising Stars,” a fight spectacular on Thursday night, February 22, at the Roseland Ballroom.

In the main event, Samoan heavyweight slugger David Tua goes for his fifth straight victory as he eyes a return to world championship contender status against tough Philadelphian Robert Hawkins (21-6, 7 KO’s).

The phenomenal undercard is stockpiled with New York City talent. Gotham’s newly signed Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (8-0, 7 KO’s), Bronx star Jorge “The Truth” Teron (14-0-1, 9 KO’s) will also be making his second Roseland appearance. Trained by Mark Breland and managed by Steven Heid, Teron is a three-time New York Golden Gloves champion.
Tickets are priced at $150, $100, $75 and $50, and are available at Gotham Boxing by calling 212-755-1944, and Ticketmaster.
 

Stark Outboxes Oliver
But Loses On Official Scorecards

by Frank Gonzalez Jr.

Friday night in Oklahoma, at the Buffalo Run Casino, highly regarded Jr. Featherweight prospect Gary Stark Jr. took his unbeaten 18-0, 8 KO record from ice covered New York to Oklahoma for his best, ‘on paper’ match-up so far against fellow unbeaten, Mike “Machine Gun” Oliver (17-0-7 KO’s), who trekked it down South without incident from equally cold Hartford
Connecticut.

Full Story
 

Paulie Malignaggi gana ante los ojos de su público en la ciudad de los rascacielos.
Por Jaime Estrada

Paulie más conocido en el mundo boxístico como El Mágico retorna a la tarima brava que lo recibe con albricias ante Edner Cherry.
El nuevayorquino nunca ha tenido la reputación de ser un artista del cloroformo, pero si se le da todo el crédito del mundo de ser un escapista tradicional despues de hacer su faena ofensiva a base de sus reflejos relámpago que lo acomodan entre los favoritos del público de La Gran Manzana por su carismática manera de pelear combinado con su buen humor porque le gusta hacer teatro cuando sabe que lo enfocan las camaras de la television.

Historia Completa

by Jason "J'Gon" Gonzalez
fightnews.com
 

Depite losing in three of his last four bouts, heavyweight Audley Harrison has vowed to return. "I'll be back and hopefully I will have a chance to rectify it with Michael Sprott straight away," said Harrison after his devastating knockout loss to Sprott on Saturday. Promoter Frank Warren, however, is not optimistic about the 2000 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist's future as a fighter. "If he decides to fight on, it'll be a long, hard road," said Warren. "He won't be getting big money now, because what's the draw?" Warren also confirmed that Sprott will face Matt Skelton next.
 

"TIGER" THOMPSON TOOTHLESS AGAINST TIMOR
by Jim Amato

I made the mistake of staying up late last night to watch the heavyweight contest between prospects Tony " Tiger " Thompson and Timor Ibragimov ( brother of Sultan ). I expected a decent, competitive battle. Thompson had a good record and had defeated Dominick Guinn. Please don't be too quick to write off Guinn who holds a legit win over Britain's Audley Harrison. Thompson's win over Guinn gave him some stature. Timor's only loss was a disappointing decision to Calvin Brock. Nevertheless Brock's only loss has been to Wladimir Klitschko so Timor's loss couldn't really take away too much credibility.
The Thompson-Ibragimov match was in a word, BORING!!! I understand that Thompson got a late start in boxing at age 27. Now at 35 he needs to make his move. On paper it was a good win. I gave Tony seven of ten rounds but I was far from impressed. He did what he had to do to win. He used his height and reach to get off first and pile up points. Ibragimov was just unable to get inside and work effectively. It was just a dull, uneventful fight, PERIOD.
I can not see Thompson being a major player in a weak heavyweight division. I think a good fight for him would be against fringe contender DaVarryl Williamson. They have similar styles but Thompson is physically bigger. Still Williamson has some pop in his right hand and it would be interesting to see someone test the Tiger's chin.
 

Los Temerarios, Juan Manuel y Marco Antonio cara a cara el Día de San Patricio.
Por Jaime Estrada

Marco Antonio Barrera ya tiene un rival digno para exponer su corona superpluma del Consejo y es nada menos que Juan Manuel Dinamita Marquez.
Marco como todos sabemos ya no se involucra en guerras en lo angosto como lo hacia en antaZo, como la pelea que protagonizó contra Kevin McKelly, pero su método de boxeo no canta mal las rancheras, si no preguntenle al tal Principe Hamed quien llego muy muy y Marcos le quito lo tan tan. Es mas Barrera fue el primero en darle chocolate a Eric Morales en dos de sus tres encuentros.

Historia Completa

New IBF super lightweight world champion Lovemore Ndou (45-8-1, 30 KOs) flew out of Sydney on Friday headed for Las Vegas and talks with promoter Art Pelullo, who co-promotes Ricky Hatton. "Art Pelullo was kind enough to invite me to visit with him and I look forward to hearing what he has to offer me," said Ndou who added that he also has meeting's scheduled with Top Rank and Golden Boy promotions. Ndou, after his meeting with Pelullo plans to be at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York on Saturday night to watch possible future challenger Paul Malignaggi in action. Ndou also has a visit to the New Jersey headquarters of the IBF on the agenda during his week long stay in the USA. "I would like to thank IBF President Marian Muhammad and her staff for giving me the opportunity to compete for and win the IBF world title," said Ndou. "I pledge to carry my IBF world title with great honor and respect. The public will now see how a true boxing world champion conducts himself inside and outside the ring....Ricky Hatton, Junior Witter, Jose Luis Castillo, Souleymane M'Baye, Diego Corrales, Ricardo Torres, line them all up and I will knock them all out!"

Jesus "El Matador Chavez (43-4, 30 KOs) went through knee surgery this past Tuesday in Texas on his right knee which he injured during the third round of his IBF lightweight title bout versus Julio "The Kidd" Diaz (34-3, 25 KOs). He is now recuperating from the successful surgery. It is not known yet what the recovery period time frame will be as Jesus is scheduled to see his physician on the 28th of this month and will have a better understanding of the recovery time.

by Chris Cozzone
fightnews.com

Next weeks' Johnny Tapia "Final Fury" card at Isleta Casino outside of Albuquerque, NM is sold out as of Wednesday afternoon. A few changes to the card include: Espanola's Tony Valdez (6-3-2, 6 KOs) has been forced to pull out of next week's showdown against Juarez's Evaristo Primero (14-9-1, 7 KOs). A suitable replacement for Primero is being sought.. And a special six-round super-flyweight bout has been added, with El Paso's Cesar "El Gallito" Lopez (20-3, 4 KOs) taking on Paulino "El Gato" Villalobos (26-35-2, 16 KOs) of Veracruz, Mexico.
------
Romero announces fight card: Former champ Danny Romero will be back in the ring on March 10—but as a promoter. On that date, Romero will promote a card at Santa Ana Star Casino in Bernalillo, NM headlining light heavyweight Max Heyman (21-9-4, 13 KOs) vs. TBA. The co-main pits jr. middle Elco Garcia (18-6, 8 KOs) of Durango vs. Rudy Lovato (21-37-4, 7 KOs) of Albuquerque. Also slated on the card: the return of Rio Rancho, NM’s Sean McClain (22-8-1, 20 KOs) and bouts with Talmadge Griffis (23-6-3, 15 KOs) and locals Marcos Acosta (1-0) and Matthew Esquibel (5-0).

Five-time world champion Virgil “Quicksilver” Hill defends his World Boxing Association cruiserweight title against the opponent he sent into retirement with his first and only loss more than a decade ago, Henry “The Gentleman” Maske, headlining “The Revenge” pay-per-view event on March 31 from Olympahalle in Munich, Germany.
“The Revenge,” promoted by WHS International, will be broadcast live in the United States on cable and satellite pay-per-view starting at 4 PM/ET, 1 PM/PT. The event is being distributed for pay-per-view by Integrated Sports and will be available via iN Demand, DirecTV and TVN for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. In addition to the Hill-Maske 12-round main event, other broadcast fights on the card will soon be announced.

Full Story

©2007 by Mary Ann Owen

Eddie Sanchez (L) vs Verno Phillips (R)

*****
BILV had an opportunity to chat with former world champions Chris Byrd and Diego Corrales.
Chris Byrd said that he will remain at heavyweight for now and give it one more run for another chance to be the world heavyweight champion. He is scheduled to make his return on April 18th. on ESPN with the fight being held in the Bahama's.
Chico Corrales is back in training and will be moving up to the welterweight ranks and will campaign at 147 pounds. He said that too many years of making the 135 pound limit has taken it's toll and he cannot do it any longer so he will move up to what he feel's will be a very comfortable weight for him. He is now being trained by his former amateur trainer Dickie Woods from Colorado who has been associated with many pro heavyweights like Oleg Maskaev.

Select MGM MIRAGE properties will host a total of more than 20,000 closed circuit viewing seats in conjunction with the upcoming super fight between the ‘Golden Boy’ Oscar De La Hoya and ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd Mayweather. The championship card scheduled for Saturday, May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena will be distributed by HBO-Pay-Per-View and the live telecast will begin at 6 p.m. PST. MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Treasure Island, Luxor, Monte Carlo and Circus Circus will televise the most highly-anticipated boxing event in history and will open their doors for guests at 5 p.m. Tickets for the closed circuit viewing telecast are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and go on sale Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at each individual property’s box office outlets.

Veteran Joe Goossen is Brian Viloria's new trainer and will prepare "The Hawaiian Punch" for his April 14 title clash in San Antonio against Edgar Sosa for the vacant WBC light flyweight belt. Viloria and Goossen signed the deal today. Viloria was previously trained by Freddie Roach, who at the end of the month will be exclusively training Oscar De La Hoya through May 5.

Undefeated Irish middleweight prospect Andy Lee (7-0 with 4KOs) is training alongside Wladimir Klitschko in Majorca, Spain. Lee, 22, will fight next on March 16th at Madison Square Garden in the 'Erin Go Brawl' event that also features fellow Irish star John Duddy. Lee has become a regular training partner for Klitschko, the two have spent a few camps together already as they share Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward. Lee, a 6'2" southpaw, has even sparred with Wladimir in what Steward describes as 'Great sparring, more entertaining than some title fights." Lee's opponent has yet to be secured for March 16th, but sources close to Lee say 'a former WBC champion' is being named as an option although that fighter's name can't be released until a contract is signed

By Karl Freitag
fightnews.com

An assault with a deadly weapon charge will go away against WBC/WBA cruiserweight champion O'Neil Bell, paving the way for Bell to defend his world titles on March 17 against Jean-Marc Mormeck in Paris. "We will not be filing criminal charges," San Bernardino County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Gary Roth told Fightnews.com on Thursday. Roth stated that there was a lack of evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Bell was arrested on February 4 for allegedly throwing a hatchet and large rocks at 37-year-old sparring partner Larry Slayton while doing roadwork near his training camp in Big Bear, Calif. Bell stated he had the hatchet with him for protection in the event he ran into a wild bear.
 

photo courtesy Joe Miranda/Showtime

IBF Bantamweight Champion Rafael Marquez (L) faces off against WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Israel Vazquez (R) during a news conference Wednesday at the Liberty Grill in Los Angeles.  The hard-punching world champions will battle March 3 on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the west coast) from the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
The showdown between two of boxing’s most exceptionally talented and exciting warriors will be promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, Sycuan Ringside Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions.
Both Vazquez and Marquez, who are fixtures on many experts’ pound-for-pound lists, hail from Mexico City and are legitimate, hard-punching world champions who make for crowd-pleasing, exhilarating scraps. Since they burst on to the world scene, each capturing world titles, fans have been clamoring for this match-up. Now, fight fans around the world have the dream match-up they have been waiting for.

Read what the fighters and promoters had to say
 

Four-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield’s quest for a fifth heavyweight title continues on March 17th when he takes on Vinny Maddalone (27-3) at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Holyfield-Maddalone non-title featured bout will be one of seven fights on a Main Events’ promoted card that also includes former heavyweight title challenger Calvin Brock (29-1) and undefeated bantamweight prospect Raul Martinez (17-0). Opponents for Brock and Martinez are to be announced, as is the remainder of the card. Tickets are $250, $150, $100, $75, $50 and $35 and go on sale this Saturday at the American Bank Center box office, all TicketMaster outlets, including online at www.ticketmaster.com  and by phone at 361-881-8499. The bout will be televised on a special edition of FOX Sports' Best Damn Sports Show Period.

The televised undercard for the March 17 Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Juan Manuel Marquez PPV event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas has been announced. Mexican power puncher Daniel Ponce De Leon (30-1, 28 KOs) will put his WBO super bantamweight championship on the line against former world champion Gerry Penalosa (51-5-2, 34 KOs) of the Philippines, and in a junior welterweight showdown with major title implications, Demetrius Hopkins (25-0, 10 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line against former world champion and a season two finalist of 'The Contender' Steve Forbes (32-4, 9 KOs). The HBO-PPV event has a suggested price of $44.95.
Tickets to Barrera vs Marquez are priced at $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50.  Tickets are sold at any Mandalay Bay box office and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Macy’s stores and Ritmo Latino).  To charge by phone with a major credit card, call the Mandalay Bay box office at (702) 632-7580 or Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000.  Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
*****
Last night, Steve Forbes told BILV that they still do not know if this fight will come off because of the Ndou situation. He said that they should have a definite answer in the next few days.
 

WBC 115lb champion Cristian Mijares has officially signed to defend his title against Jorge “Travieso” Arce. The bout will take place April 14th in in San Antonio, Texas in the bout prior to the Manny Pacquiao-Jorge Solis main event. "Money is not what's important in this fight. It's the fact that this fight will be seen on national television and the exposure that I will get from the people in the United States who haven't seen me fight. That makes the fight that much more valuable for my future and on top of that I'm going to defeat Arce," Mijares said.
 

Zab Judah left the Top Rank headquarters in Las Vegas after signing to face Miguel Cotto on HBO June 9. "It's a 5-round fight...That's what I need to get it done," said Judah. "Then, I will take Cotto's WBA belt, go to the Puerto Rican parade, demand to be the Grand Marshall, invite my man Tito Trinidad to sit next to me and I'm going right down the parade route and hold up the title belt real high."

Nearly two weeks into training camp in Vero Beach, Florida, "Ireland's" John Duddy reports that everything is going great in preparation for his March 16 titles defense against The Contender I star Anthony "The Bullet" Bonsante in the 12-round main event, headlining the "Erin Go Brawl" pay-per-view event, live from The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
"Erin Go Brawl," presented by Irish Ropes Promotions, will be broadcast live in North America on cable and satellite pay-per-view starting at 9 PM/ET, 6 PM/PT. The event is being produced and distributed for pay-per-view by Integrated Sports and will be available in more than 50-million homes in North America via iN Demand, TVN, DirecTV and Dish Network in the USA, as well as Viewer's Choice in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95.

Full Story
 

©2007 by Mary Ann Owen

Tonight at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Layla McCarter (23-12-5 5KOs) retained her GBU lightweight title with an eighth round TKO over Melissa Hernandez (6-1-1 2KOs). This was no easy fight for McCarter as Hernandez, the WIBA 122lb. champion came up 3 weight classes to challenge McCarter and showed nothing but heart and grit. McCarter just had too much experience and was simply too big for Hernandez. McCarter stated after the fight that Hernandez was tough as nails and that she will be a champion for a long time.

Duva Responds to Maskaev/Klitschko Camps

Dino Duva, promoter of WBC #1 heavyweight contender Samuel Peter, wishes to issue the following response to recent public comments made by representatives of WBC Champion Oleg Maskaev and former champion Vitali Klitschko.
Currently in informal talks over who will face Maskaev in his next defense, Duva says he’s troubled by the insinuations being made by the other two fighters’ teams.

Read what Duva had to say

Dan Goossen, President of Goossen Tutor Promotions, announced today that the company has filed a lawsuit in Puerto Rico against Top Rank, Inc. for tortuously interfering with Goossen Tutor's promotion of WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito's mandatory title defense against #1 contender Paul "The Punisher" Williams. Goossen Tutor also included the WBO as a defendant. Goossen Tutor earned the right to promote the WBO championship bout by winning the purse bid held in Puerto Rico on January 30. However. despite a signed bout agreement from Margarito, Goossen says the WBO postponed the sanctioning of the bout due to litigation threats by Top Rank. The lawsuit is requesting an injunction to proceed with the Margarito-Williams title bout as soon as Margarito is given medical clearance to return to the ring and is demanding sanctioning consistent with the rules and regulations of the WBO. "We hope to have a swift and definitive decision in our favor so that we may proceed in promoting what shapes up to be one of the most compelling fights in this or any other year," said Goossen.
 

Two-time world lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo (55-7-1, 44 KOs) will travel from his home in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico to Los Angeles tomorrow to join promoters Bob Arum and Fernando Beltran on a flight to Manchester, England, where on Saturday Castillo and three-time champion Ricky Hatton (40-0, 30 KOs) will attend a press conference to officially announce their June 23 clash at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. "The truth is I feel very motivated to face Hatton, a fight that will be spectacular and that undoubtedly I will win," says Castillo.

A senate panel yesterday approved a bill that would set up a federal commission to regulate boxing that was proposed by Senator John McCain.

Among other things, McCain's bill would:
Establish a federal boxing commission of three members appointed by the president and approved by the senate. The commission would employ an executive director to perform administrative functions.

Create uniform standards and regulations.

Require the licensing of all boxers, managers and promoters.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada now supports this bill. Reid stated that "This is good legislation that will help protect the health and safety of boxers because it is molded after Nevada's structure, which has the best commission in the world"
*****

The question now is: Who will head up the commission as previously it was assumed that former Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Marc Ratner would be the logical choice. Marc has since resigned from the NSAC and is now a vice president of the UFC.
 

WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs will not be able to defend his title against Sultan Ibragimov as scheduled. Briggs was forced to delay the fight due to a case of walking pneumonia. Shannon told Fightnews.com that he's disappointed in the cancellation because "it was an easy $1.8 million," but is hopeful the bout can be rescheduled for May or June.
 

Shane Mosley passes pop quiz,
now for the real tests
by Rob Scott

After watching Shane Mosley's second fight with Fernando Vargas, I couldn’t help but sit back and scratch my head. I wondered did Mosley conjure up the fighter of old, or was it Vargas who just looked old? We all knew that both Mosley and Vargas weren’t the same fighters that excited the boxing world in years past, but Mosley definitely looked like one that had a place in boxing’s future.

Full Story

Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing is heading to Foxwoods Casino and Resort in Mashantucket, CT for the March 23 installment of ESPN2 Friday Night Fights. The full night of action, which takes place at the state-of-the-art, fan-friendly Fox Theater, is headlined by the return of red-hot world- rated welterweight Delvin Rodriguez (20,1,1 12KO) who takes on Jesse Feliciano (14-5-3 8KO) for the USBA Welterweight championship in a 12 rd title bout.
“Delvin is an exciting refreshing talent, and we believe he is the near future of the welterweight division,” said DeGuardia. “He has all the tools to become world champion and the punching power to create the highlight-reel knockouts the fans love. He’d better be because Feliciano is one though hombre.”
“He (Delvin) is a TV fighter with skill, a fighter who isn't afraid to take a risk knowing he will return the favor,” states ESPN blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore.

Jesse Feliciano is a no-nonsense TV friendly fighter who gives 100% every time out. His last two appearances on ESPN proved the point. Feliciano defeated Vince Phillips on short notice and shined against Contender Star Alfonso Gomez, which while called a draw, most viewers thought Feliciano deserved to win.

TICKET INFORMATION:

Tickets are $75, $50 and $35 and are on sale now at the Foxwoods box office 1-800-200-2882 (tel.) or click here for tickets: Foxwoods Boxing Tickets

Talks are underway for a possible June 9 Madison Square Garden showdown between WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and former titlist Zab Judah. Judah is slated to return from a one-year suspension on April 27 against Pito Cardona on ESPN2, but Judah's father Yoel Judah told El Nuevo Dia that Zab isn't worried about facing Cotto and "If the money is there, the fight will go." Cotto was originally slated to face WBO champion Antonio Margarito on the date, which revolves around Puerto Rican Day festivities in New York City, however Margarito instead signed to face mandatory challenger Paul Williams.

Demetrius Hopkins (#2) is currently the top rated junior welterweight in the IBF rankings, but he is not the mandatory for newly crowned champion Lovemore Ndou. The IBF plans to hold an elimination bout for the #1 ranking between the division's two highest rated available contenders. If the eliminator can be completed by June 4, the winner of that eliminator will be the leading available contender and the mandatory challenger for Ndou. If no eliminator can be completed by the time Ndou is officially notified to begin negotiations for his mandatory defense, whoever the leading 'available' contender is at that time will be the mandatory challenger. It now remains to be seen what this does for the March 17th scheduled fight between Hopkins and former IBF champ Steve Forbes.

Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. (CES) has released IWBF featherweight champion Missy "The Fury" Fiorentino from her promotional contract, effective immediately, due to detrimental behavior at last Friday night's "Hearts Of Fire" show in Providence, CES president Jimmy Burchfield announced today.
Fiorentino (15-1, 6 KOs) walked Mia St. John to the ring and stood in her corner before and after the St. John's title fight against Missy's CES stablemate Jaime Clampitt, who won a 10-round unanimous decision (100-90, 100-90, 99-91) for the vacant IWBF lightweight championship, which Fiorentino had relinquished.
"CES stands for teamwork, family and togetherness," Burchfield explained his decision to release Fiorentino. "That's what we are all about and anyone who isn't cannot be with us, regardless of the fighter's record and accomplishments. We acknowledged all of our fighters (in the audience) by introducing them in the ring, in between fights, as a sign of respect. Nobody could find Missy because she was in Mia's dressing room, which was the last place anybody from CES would have thought to look. I couldn't believe she was in the corner of her CES teammate's opponent. It was a bush league move that I will not tolerate by her or anybody else on Team CES."

WBC mandatory heavyweight challenger Samuel Peter's promoter, Dino Duva of Duva Promotions has rejected a $2.5 million offer from the Vitali Klitschko camp for Peter to step aside and allow a Klitschko-Maskaev matchup to take place. The offer also included a stipulation that if Peter does step aside that he will fight the winner and get paid $3 million for the fight. Maskaev's next opponent has been the topic of much confusion as both Peter and Klitschko have claims to the next challenge against WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev. Peter earned mandatory challenger status by winning two WBC eliminators, while former champion Klitschko was promised an immediate title shot by the WBC should he decide to make a comeback as he never lost the title in the ring.

It's official. Lovemore Ndou was awarded the IBF's junior welterweight title today, after Ricky Hatton vacated the belt over the weekend. "Had we known on February 4, 2007 that Hatton was not going to defend his title, the Ndou vs Ben Rabah fight would have been for the vacant title," IBF championships Chairman Lindsey Tucker stated. Ndou will be due to make his first mandatory defense in six months against Demetrius Hopkins, who won an IBF eliminator against Rogelio Castaneda in November. It was announced by Bernard Hopkins that his nephew, Demetrius will be fighting former IBF champion, Stevie Forbes on the undercard of Barrera/Marquez on March 17th at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.
 

Former welterweight champion Luis Collazo made a brief appearance at the post-fight press conference last Saturday night where he revealed a hand injury that occurred after he landed a succession of straight lefts in the second and third rounds before losing a unanimous decision to "Sugar" Shane Mosley at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. A post-fight x-ray revealed a fracture to Collazo's left thumb and three torn ligaments. He also received five stitches on his left eyelid caused by an accidental head butt in the fourth round. He will undergo surgery next week.

El nuevo monarca interino superligero:
Vivian "Vicious" Harris.
Por Jaime Estrada

En la foto de cortesía después de la báscula, Juan Lazcano a quema-cara se puso de nariz fria contra Harris pero con el alma hirviendo de ansiedad.
Lazcano nunca ha logrado la racha buena en su esquina, ya que su ansiada pelea contra Floyd Mayweather se le hizo de aguas cuando este salto de categoría, después su derrota contra J.L. Castillo lo mando hasta atras en la fila y contra Harris no le fue tan bien que digamos.

Historia Completa

With a new king atop the light heavyweight throne, former IBF, IBO, and IBA World Champion Glen Johnson is ready to throw his name in the mix to face new WBC Champion Chad Dawson. “Chad Dawson is the future of this division, but I still believe that I am the present, and I want to show the world that I am still the top light heavyweight in the world by beating a young and skilled Champion like Dawson,” said Johnson.

The World Boxing Council is confirming the dates of April 24-29 for the 2nd World Boxing Medical Congress, to be held at the luxurious Le Blanc Spa Resort in Cancun, Mexico.
“The 1st WBC World Boxing Medical Congress was held 10 years ago in May, 1997, in Aruba.
“51 nations from all the continents in the world have confirmed the attendance at the congress of at least one of their chief ringside physicians, as well as an important number from the United States and Mexico. The WBC expects the attendance of doctors representing at least 80 countries.
“The agenda will include presentations by top specialist physicians from different countries and the most advanced medical developments in the different areas of sports medicine, especially the neurological field.

Full Story
 

Undefeated Top Rank welterweight prospect Mike Alvarado (15-0, 10 KOs) will face veteran Carlos Molina (8-3-1, 4 KOs) in the Telefutura-televised opener on Friday night at Cicero Stadium outside Chicago. Molina is best known for two close fights with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., including a nationally televised draw which many media members and fans had him winning. Alvarado is managed by Shelly Finkel. As previously announced, in the main event NABF flyweight champion Giovanni Segura (16-0-1, 12 KOs) continues his road to a world title against Jesus Martinez (17-4, 11 KOs). The card is promoted by 8 Count/Top Rank.
 

A dispute has arisen between Top Rank and the managers of WBO champ Antonio Margarito which may affect the proposed Margarito-Cotto fight on June 9th at Madison Square Garden that Top Tank announced in late January.
Margarito, not wanting to be stripped of his title decided to fight his mandatory against undefeated Paul Williams (32-0 24KOs) who is promoted by Goossen- Tutor who happened to win the purse bid which Top Rank did not participate in.

Top Rank had agreed to pay Margarito $1.8 million plus a percentage of the pay per view. Under the terms of the purse bid, Margarito will be paid $1.2 million.
Top Rank has threatened to sue but they have taken no action as of yet.

"I specialize in strategies, analyzing fighters' strengths and weaknesses," said the five-weight world champion.
"I'll develop a strategy but Peter must implement it."
"This fight will have a mystique to it in the States. People know Peter from my "Contender" TV show and they know he has a magical shot at a world title."
Their world title fight, scheduled to be before a huge crowd at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 7 April (Live on HBO in the U.S.), is easily the biggest of Manfredo's career. The 26-year-old Rhode Islander holds a record of 26-3 (12 KOs), but has yet to face an opponent in Calzaghe's class and a victory would be a far greater shock than Leonard's stunning win over Marvin Hagler in 1987.
"Peter's a lot better fighter than people give him credit for, he's hungry and dangerous," said Newbridge-man Calzaghe, 34, who has reigned for 10 years and whose record stands at 42-0 (31 KOs).
"The fight will be before the biggest audience I've ever been in front of, so it's a great opportunity for me to build my profile in the States.
"It makes it even more exciting having Sugar Ray opposing me, he was one of my favorite fighters when I was growing up.
"It means that Peter will have a better strategy, but the outcome is the same. I'm the champion and it's all about what I do."
 

THE SAGA OF SERGEI AND LAMON

by Jim Amato

In April of 2006 in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio two heavyweights battled in what I felt was by far the heavyweight fight of the year. The World Boxing Organization's version of the title was up for grabs. Lamon Brewster was defending his title against Sergei Liakhovich. Brewster had come from behind to batter Wladimir Klitschko in five rounds to win the title. Among his defenses was a one round blitz of Andrew Golota.
Sergei's claim to fame was an upset decision over then highly regarded Dominick Guinn. Sergei was expected to put up a decent fight but most expected Brewster to win.

Full Story
 

SUGAR SHANE MOSLEY vs LUIS COLLAZO
por Jaime Estrada

Historia Completa

In only the second women's world title fight in Providence history, Jamie "The Hurricane" Clampitt (17-4-1, 7 KOs) captured the vacant IWBF lightweight title with a ten round unanimous decision over, IFBA title holder and former Playboy cover model, Mia St. John (43-8-2, 18 KOs) at the Rhode Island Convention Center in downtown Providence, RI. Scores of the bout were 100-90 twice and 99-91. Clampitt took the fight to St. John consistently landing punishing hooks to her head and body. St. John was hurt several times during the fight; however she maintained her legs, never falling to the canvas. A clash of heads opened up a serious cut on top of the head of Clampitt in the seventh round, however the ringside doctor let the fight continue. Clampitt continued the fight to pound out the unanimous decision and capture the title making her a now three time world champion.
*****
BILV has been informed that Clampitt has been challenged by Jr. Lightweight IBA/WIBA world champion Chevelle Hallback. But in what is becoming a regular occurrence, the reply from Team Clampitt (and many other teams also) was, "Hallback is not under consideration at this time."
Hallback stated that she has been the WBC mandatory at 130lbs for 1½ years and the champions promoter, KO Boxing Promotions of Edmonton Alberta has finally made an offer to Hallback, albeit a ridiculously low offer.

©2007 by Mary Ann Owen

by Butch Gottlieb

35-year-old Shane Mosley (44-4, 37 KOs), in his first title fight as a welterweight since 2002, pounded out a twelve round unanimous decision over 25-year-old Luis Collazo (27-3, 13 KOs) to claim the WBC interim welterweight title tonight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Mosley established the theme of the fight in the first round when he landed not a single jab but landed 12 power shots (Mosley landed 27 jabs over the 12 rounds to Collazo's 20 landed jabs.) Mosley was busier the entire fight landing 173 power shots to Collazo's 67. Collazo landed in single digits in 10 of the 12 rounds. Collazo was cut over the left eye by an unintentional head butt in round four. Mosley became increasingly more dominant as the bout progressed, finally dropping Collazo at the end of round eleven. Scores were 118-109, 119-108, 118-109.

Photo Gallery

UNDERCARD RESULTS

Ricky Hatton’s promoter Dennis Hobson has confirmed the Hitman relinquished his International Boxing Federation light welterweight title Friday night - and will now be moving directly on to his mouth-watering Las Vegas showdown with Jose Luis Castillo this summer. Speaking from his home in Jersey, Hobson said: “We informed the IBF by letter Friday night that we are moving on to the super-fight with Castillo in June without the IBF title. “Ricky is very proud to be a two-time IBF champion, and, speaking as a promoter, the IBF have always been great to work with. This is a decision we’d have preferred not to have had to make, but, having thought long and hard about it, I believe this is the best way forward for Ricky.” The Fight Academy boss added that he remains disappointed that IBF No.1 Lovemore N’dou’s management (promoters Grange Old School Boxing and manager Bill Treacy) made little effort to discuss putting together the IBF mandated fight between the Australian-based journeyman and Hatton.
 

By Matt Richardson
fightnews.com

Unbeaten Eddie Chambers raised his status in the heavyweight division when he scored a violent seventh round technical knockout over previously undefeated Derric Rossy in the main event of ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights at the Suffolk County Community College Gymnasium in Long Island, New York. The fight was a relatively even battle in which both men had their moments. Rossy (15-1, 9 KO’s) bled from his nose early on while a cut over Chambers’ left eye was ruled as the result of a punch. As the fight wore on (it was scheduled for twelve) Rossy appeared the worse for wear. After being on the wrong end of a Chambers rally in the seventh Rossy’s right eye immediately swelled to grotesque proportions prompting referee Arthur Mercante Jr. to stop the fight at 2:42 of the round. Up until the stoppage it had been a competitive and entertaining fight between two rising heavyweights.
*****
Another undefeated heavyweight maintained his unblemished record when Chris Arreola stopped Zakeem Graham in the third round of a scheduled ten

Championship professional boxing returns to Boise on March 2 with a pair of title matches headlining "Qwest For Greatness," co-promoted by Silverhawk Championship Boxing and Knockout Promotions at Qwest Arena.
Idaho boxing icon Cleveland Corder faces James Butler (18-2, 7 KOs) in the 12-round main event for the vacant IBC middleweight championship. Corder (35-3, 20 KOs), whose victims include Brent Cooper and Jonathan Corn, has announced this will be his retirement fight
"I want to go out with a bang," Corder said. "This is my lat professional fight and I want to take as many memories with me as I can. I have to give something back to all of my fans. They have supported me so much over the years. It seems like I get hassled all of the time about a retirement fight. Sometimes people tell me that I have to fight at least once more so the can watch me fight again. So, I have decided to give it one lat hurrah. This fight is for my fans.
In the co-feature, IBA super cruiserweight champion "Punchin'" Pat Nwamu makes his first title defense in a 12-round bout against unbeaten B.J. Flores, rated No. 26 by the WBC.

Ortiz has a loyal fan base from his televised fights and from having appeared on Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter” series.

Super featherweight Rocky Juarez (26-3, 19 KOs) got back into the win column with an impressive five round beatdown of Emmanuel Lucero (23-4-1, 14 KOs) on Friday night at the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona. Juarez dropped Lucero in rounds one and two, then finished him off in round five. A hard left uppercut floored Lucero for the third time in the fight and Juarez's follow up attack prompted a stoppage by referee Bobby Ferrara at 1:05 of the fifth.

 by Butch Gottlieb
 

All photos are ©2007 by Mary Ann Owen

For the WBC interim welterweight title
Shane Mosley 147 vs Luis Collazo 147
 

Juan Lazcano 140 vs Vivian Harris 140
(WBC super lightweight eliminator)

Billy Dib 129 vs Carlos Contreras 129
Jose Rodriguez 154 vs Cesar Valentin 154
Craig McEwan 164 vs Isidro Arreola 161
Leon Green 148 vs Bryan Mullis 146

Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas
Saturday, February 10
Promoter: Golden Boy, Don King and Gary Shaw 

photo courtesy Tom Casino/Showtime

All 20 fighters who will compete in the spectacular 10-bout EliteXC mixed martial arts event Saturday at DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss., made weight at Friday's weigh-in at Sam's Town in Tunica, Miss.
The first five bouts of the live card will be streamed live on the Internet beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) at ProElite.com -- a growing destination for the MMA community.
The final five bouts, headlined by the highly anticipated, history-making Frank Shamrock-Renzo Gracie showdown, will be televised on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). It will be the first time an MMA event airs live on premium television.
Tickets, starting at $25, are available in all price ranges at the DeSoto Civic Center Box Office and at Ticketmaster outlets.
Weights: (SHOWTIME Fights)
Shamrock (185 pounds), Gracie (180)
Antonio Silva (298), Wesley "Cabbage" Correira (275)
Joey Villasenor (186), David Loiseau (184)
Krazy Horse "Charles" Bennett 154 1/2, KJ Noons 155
Gina Carano (141 1/4), Julie Kedzie (137)
 

Learning that living legend Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield is searching for an opponent for his next fight, projected in April or May, representatives for Cedric “The Bos” Boswell offered their Sonny Liston look-alike to the future Hall of Famer.
 

Full Story

"ShoBox: The New Generation" will present yet another 'real fight' when Mike "Machine Gun'' Oliver (17-0, seven KOs) defends his United States Boxing Association (USBA) junior featherweight title against Gary "Kid" Stark Jr. (18-0, eight KOs) in the main event Friday, Feb. 16, on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). The co-feature will pit unbeaten Derek "Pooh'' Ennis (10-0-1, seven KOs) against Allen "The Dream Shatterer'' Conyers (10-2, eight KOs) in an eight-round junior middleweight scrap. The excellent DiBella Entertainment doubleheader will originate from the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla.

Promoter Art Pelullo/Banner Promotions will present a sensational fight card on February 16, 2007, at Wynn Las Vegas. The event will be a private party, by invitation only, part of the NBA All-Star Weekend Extravaganza.
The main event and co-featured fight will be televised live on ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights.”
In the 10-round main event, former WBO and IBF jr. middleweight world champion Verno Phillips, 40-11-1 with 21 knockouts, of Denver, Colorado, will fight Eddie Sanchez, 15-5-2 with 9 knockouts, of Santa Ana, California.
In the co-featured bout scheduled for 10 rounds, hard-hitting undefeated heavyweight prospect Alonzo Butler, 24-0-1 with 18 knockouts, of Knoxville, Tennessee, will fight James “Hurricane” Walton, 21-8-2 with 11 knockouts, of Phoenix, Arizona.
 

Women’s Boxing:
It's not too Late ...It' too Early!
By Jill Diamond

My name is Jill Diamond. I’m on the WBC Female Championship Committee. I’m Chair of the NABF Women’s Division and World Boxing Cares. I’m the ring finger in the fist of a large sanctioning body, one which is trying to make a place in the arena for women boxers. I’ve been with them since the beginning of this journey. The WBC was the first. We’re moving ahead, but slowly.

Full Story

©2007 by Mary Ann Owen

by Butch Gottlieb

The final press conference was held today for Saturday's "Battle at the Bay" between Sugar Shane Mosley and Luis Collazo which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas and will be for the WBC interim welterweight title. The reason that it will be an interim title is that the present champion, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is moving up in weight to challenge Oscar De La Hoya for the super welterweight title on May 5th.

Bernard Hopkins hosted the conference and did a great impersonation of Don King, talking on and on, introducing the fighters and their camps.

Read what the fighters and trainers had to say

by Chris Cozzone

fightnews.com

Fresquez Productions and Isleta Casino & Resort of Albuquerque, NM have officially announced the March 22 "Destiny" card--a triple-headlining, triple-female-world-title fight card to be televised on FOX Sports. In the main event, Albuquerque's Holly Holm (16-1-2, 5 KOs) and Ann Marie Saccurato (12-1-2, 5 KOs) will make history by being the first two females to fight for six titles in a welterweight unification bout. The four major belts (IFBA, WBA, WBC, WIBA) and two minor belts (IBA, GBU) are on the line. In the first of two supporting title fights, Albuquerque's Jackie Chavez (9-2, 3 KOs) puts her IFBA jr. featherweight title on the line in a rematch with Canada's Lisa Brown (12-3-3, 4 KOs). In the third, Gilroy, CA's Kelsey Jeffries (36-9-1, 3 KOs) will defend her IFBA featherweight belt against undefeated Rhonda Luna (11-0-1, 1 KO) of Irving, Cal. Three local bouts will round off the card: Albuquerque's "Hurricane" Hector Munoz (11-1, 11 KOs) will go eight vs. TBA; Bloomfield's Joe Gomez (9-1-1, 3 KOs) will go eight at jr. middle in a rematch with El Paso's Bobby Joe Valdez (9-3-2, 4 KOs); and Santa Fe bantamweight Anthony Vialpando will make his debut in a four-rounder

photo courtesy of Tom Casino/Showtime

Sixteen of the 20 fighters who will compete on the outstanding 10-bout EliteXC mixed martial arts event Saturday at DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss., attended Thursday's final press conference at Sam's Town in Tunica, Miss.

The first five bouts of the live card will be streamed live on the Internet beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) at www.ProElite.com -- a growing destination for the MMA community. The final five bouts, headlined by the eagerly awaited, history-making Shamrock-Gracie showdown, will be televised on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). It will be the first time an MMA event airs live on premium television. Tickets, starting at $25, are available in all price ranges at the DeSoto Civic Center Box Office and at Ticketmaster outlets. For more information, please visit www.EliteXC.com 

When your closest friend can turn into you bitterest rival in the time it takes to sign a contract, boxing is a solitary sport.
Just a few months ago, Sugar Ray Leonard was guest of honor at a post-fight press conference to celebrate Joe Calzaghe's win over Sakio Bika and the success of his HBO debut.
There appeared to be an immediate bond between the two, as they swapped stories in that way only those who have stepped between the ropes can.
As well as being mutual, their genuine respect was obvious.
Calzaghe was probably hoping to renew that relationship today at the Millennium Stadium Cardiff, when Leonard visited the Welsh capital to promote the Welshman's 20th title defense against Peter Manfredo Jr.
But hopes of a cozy chat were dashed when Leonard announced that instead of just championing Manfredo's cause, he would be training him as well!
Reigning WBO/The Ring magazine super middleweight champion Calzaghe looked shocked, before dismissing the impact Leonard would have on Manfredo as negligible.
However it remains something of a coup for the American challenger, who had suffered a major blow in the build up to the fight when it was announced that Freddie Roach would abandon him for Oscar De La Hoya.
"I'm not a trainer, but my skill is in tactics and strategy," said Leonard, whose only previous cornering experience was for his brother.
Yet he has already worked closely with Manfredo on the hit reality TV series Contender, and believes he has what it takes to beat Calzaghe.
Following the announcement, Calzaghe was able to reign his surprise, and once again played down Manfredo's chances.
"I don't care who he has in his corner, he isn't going to beat me, it's as simple as that," said the undefeated 34-year-old.
There are those who would suggest that even with a combination of Eddie Futch, Angelo Dundee and Manny Steward, Manfredo doesn't stand a chance.

Strategic Alliance to Take Effect after Shamrock Faces Gracie in EliteXC
Debut Telecast on Showtime February 10, 2007 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

Full Story

By Rusty Rubin
editor-in-chief of the Ringsports.com

Circle the date of June 9^th when Miguel Cotto takes on Antonio Margarito in Madison Square Garden. It doesn’t get much better than that.***
The 18^th Annual Hall of Fame Weekend is scheduled for June 7-10^th in Canastota NY. If you require more information or wish to attend call the Hall at (315) 697-7095 of visit the ibhof.com.***
Happy 80^th birthday to outstanding Hall of Fame promoter Don Fraser.*** 
Jesus Chavez is one hard luck fighter. In his young career he has undergone serious surgeries to both his arms, and now it’s his leg that becomes a problem, giving way in round three and causing his fight with Juan Diaz to be stopped.***
Mandalay Bay hosts an important bout this weekend between former champ Luis Collazo and another former champ Sugar Shane Mosley. This is a hard fight to figure, and a draw wouldn’t shock me. Collazo is looking for revenge after being given the short end of a decision and losing his title in his last fight.
Mosley, a ring veteran, no longer possesses that fantastic hand and foot speed he had in his youth, but he can still fight. Word is that he will continue his ring career for a couple of more years.
Since I have to go out on a limb here, I’ll take Collazo via a very close decision.
Agree or disagree, I would like to hear from you:
Rusty@ringsports.com

Surprisingly there are still 500 tickets remaining to DiBella Entertainment's "Triple Play" fight card February 17 at the cozy 1,600-seat Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Promoter Lou DiBella, however, is confident of a sellout. "Don’t wait until the week of the fight to buy your tickets, or you’ll be in a deep freeze," he said. "If you’re in hibernation like the Bears, you’d better wake up and make your ticket buy." The HBO "Boxing After Dark" tripleheader will feature Paulie Malignaggi (21-1, 5 KOs) vs. Edner "Cherry Bomb" Cherry (21-4-2, 10 KOs); Sechew Powell (20-1, 12 KOs) vs Ishe Smith (18-1, 8 KOs) unbeaten Andre Berto (16-0, 14 KOs) against late sub Norberto Bravo (23-12-3, 12 KOs) of "Contender" fame. Buddy McGirt Jr. is also on the card. Tickets are priced at $300, $200, $125, $75, and $40. Call 212-947-2577.
 

Unbeaten Mexican Jorge Solis will likely be tapped to battle Filipino lefty Manny Pacquiao on April 21 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Team Pacquiao insiders revealed yesterday. Solis was one of three Mexicans who were on that short list that Top Rank studied and it was agreed that Solis fit the description of a tough Mexican puncher, according to Pacquiao's Canadian adviser Mike Koncz. "He is undefeated and ranked highly by the WBC," said Koncz from General Santos City as he was watching Pacquiao play a friendly game of hoops. Solis is 32-0-2 with 23 KOs and is fresh from a fifth-round knockout win over Fernando Lizarraga last month in Las Vegas. Koncz also added that Bobby Pacquiao, the younger brother of Manny, will fight a week after the April 21 slugfest in Houston against a foe yet to be named. Pacquiao said he will travel to the States late this month to start training at the Wild Card in Hollywood. Meanwhile, Pacquiao said that he is indeed running for public office in the May 14 polls. Pacquiao said he will go after the mayoralty of his hometown of General Santos City. "There's no turning back for me," said Pacquiao.
 

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE

The official announcement—and the start of an 11-city media tour—for the highly anticipated super fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather will be Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The fighters and camps will then travel across the country making stops in Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles and will conduct public press conferences and invite fans to be a part of the experience of the most anticipated boxing event in decades. The sold-out May 5 fight has already set a live-gate record of $19 million and is expected to be among the biggest pay-per-view events of all time. More details to come. Here is the lineup:
Tuesday, Feb 20 — New York
Wednesday, Feb 21 — Philadelphia/Washington, DC
Thursday, Feb 22 — Chicago/Detroit
Friday, Feb 23 — Miami
Monday, Feb 26 — Houston/Dallas
Tuesday, Feb 27 — San Francisco/Las Vegas
Wednesday, Feb 28 — Los Angeles

La Batalla en el Mandalay Bay el 10 de Febrero.
Por Jaime Estrada

Luis Collazo se merece el puesto de ir en busca de la misma corona welter FIB que había capturado al ganarle a José Antonio Rivera, pero como que no quiere la cosa, fue despojado por intereses políticos. El título quedo vacante después que Carlos Baldomir no pago la sanción correspondiente de la Federacion.

Historia Completa

Fighters from the popular "Contender" reality series will invade the UK on March 30 in Newcastle to face a team of British opponents. The US team, captained by Sugar Ray Leonard, is made up of Alfonso Gomez (15-3-2), Walter "Two Guns" Wright (13-2), Grady Brewer (22-11), Jerson Ravelo (17-2), Freddy Curiel (16-6), Cornelius "K9" Bunderage (25-2) and Miguel Espino (13-2-1). Barry McGuigan will captain the British squad, which is comprised of former British and European light-middleweight champion Wayne Alexander (24-3), Ross Minter (16-1-1), Paul Smith (18-0), Anthony Small (15-0), Paul Buchanan (8-0-1), Martin Concepcion (11-3) and Nigel Wright (17-2). The fights will not be shown on live TV, but will be shown over a six week period on ESPN in the US. and on ITV in the UK. Of course, as a live event before 10,000+ spectators, the results cannot be suppressed as has been done in the first two Contender seasons. All bouts will be eight rounders and matchups are being negotiated. The winning team will claim the "Sugar Ray Leonard Cup." This is expected to be the first of many Contender events with international teams.
 

HEAVYWEIGHT CONTENDER DAVID TUA HEADLINES GOTHAM BOXING’S “DAVID AND THE RISING STARS” CARD ON THURSDAY NIGHT, FEBRUARY 22, AT ROSELAND BALLROOM IN NEW YORK CITY.

One of boxing’s top heavyweight contenders trying to get back into the championship picture, combined with several of New York City’s top prospects will take center stage when Cedric Kushner’s Gotham Boxing presents “David and the Rising Stars,” a fight spectacular on Thursday night, February 22, at the Roseland Ballroom.

In the main event, Samoan heavyweight slugger David Tua goes for his fifth straight victory as he eyes a return to world championship contender status against tough Philadelphian Robert Hawkins (21-6, 7 KO’s).

The phenomenal undercard is stockpiled with New York City talent. Gotham’s newly signed Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (8-0, 7 KO’s) of New York City, Bronx star Jorge “The Truth” Teron (14-0-1, 9 KO’s) will also be making his second Roseland appearance.
Tickets are priced at $150, $100, $75 and $50, and are available at Gotham Boxing by calling 212-755-1944, and Ticketmaster.

By Lisa Scott

fightnews.com

One month after Mike Tyson's arrest for DWI and felony drug possession in Arizona, the former champ has checked himself into the Wonderland Center, an exclusive Los Angeles treatment facility in West Hollywood. According to TMZ.com, Tyson has been one of the "humblest, sweetest, and most genuinely considerate celebrities" they ever met and that, "Iron Mike is just one big ol' sentimental softie." The 40 year old Tyson checked himself into the rehab center during the last weekend in January, where actress Lindsay Lohan is also currently receiving treatment. Tyson revealed to a TMZ source that he was afraid the other residents would hate him for all the wrong that he's done. The report also added that Tyson "is just another person trying to get his life together." In April of 2006, Tyson checked himself into the luxurious Meadows rehab clinic in Arizona after supposedly being inspired by a trip to Chairman Mao's tomb in China. But that stint lasted only a couple of days, which ignited reports that the fighter "stormed out" of rehab. However, a Fightnews source indicated that Tyson was assured he would receive private counseling, rather than group therapy. When that promise did not come to fruition, Tyson checked himself out. Here's hoping Mike makes it through this time around.

WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito will accept his mandatory defense against Paul Williams according to co-manager Francisco Espinoza. Espinoza told Primera Hora that Margarito does not want to give up the WBO title and was pressured into accepting a $1.2 million offer from Goossen Tutor, who won the right to promote the bout at a purse bid last week. Top Rank had planned to match Margarito against WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and in a big Madison Square Garden pay-per-view clash in June, but Team Margarito is now aiming at an October date for that bout.

"If the Pacman is coming to Texas April 21, I believe we have the perfect opponent for him in one Juan Diaz, WBA lightweight champion," writes Diaz' manager Willie Savannah in an email. "I noticed that Pacquaio weighed 142 lbs. on the night he fought Morales. Juan would be willing to consider putting his belt on the line against the great Pacman. "Pacman" vs "The Baby Bull" would be a great attraction in Texas. We are not the type of people to call boxers out, but this is a bout that would be one for the sake of boxing with two young guys putting it on the line."

Former Contender star Joey Gilbert (13-1-10KO) looks to get back into the ring on March 2nd, and it appears that he will face Super Middleweight brawler, Rob Dula (15-2-1, 8 KOs). This fight will take place at The MontBleu Resort & Casino, in Stateline, Nevada. Gilbert not only looks to shine inside of the ring, but he is also looking to shine up the business side of the sport as well. This fight will be promoted by Gilbert's newly launched Joey Gilbert Promotions, his first effort at the promotions side of the business, “We have a really exciting fight planned on March 2nd, it's another defense of my NABO title belt, and it's my first promotion under Joey Gilbert Promotions. This has been a real challenge, and a lot of fun, I have been out here in St Pete with Winky, and Dan Birmingham, and we are really focused on this fight.”

Committed to promoting an aggressive schedule of exciting, competitive events in 2007, Silverhawk Championship Boxing continues to sign veteran fighters and prospects to promotional contracts, the latest a trio of boxers from South Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Silverhawk has announced the signings of 23-year-old light heavyweight Thomas Brown (8-1-1, 5 KOs) and super middleweight Joe Park (7-3, 5 KOs), both fighting out of South Carolina, as well as 26-year-old Pennsylvania middleweight Chris Archer (7-1, 5 KOs).
 

The bash for the legendary Johnny Bos is coming up a week from Thursday. Bos, who has been around boxing for over 40 years, and is considered by Michael Katz to be one the most honorable and the most knowledgeable matchmaker in the business, is in poor health with congestive heart failure. And he has also been stiffed by almost every fighter he has brought to the top since the illness came on several years ago. He has not match-made a show in the New York area since having the courage to speak out against the New York State Athletic Commission after the controversial Arturo Gatti-Joey Gamache weigh-in in Febuary 2000. Medical bills, taxes, and old credit card bills are now weighing him down, making it almost impossible for him to survive.
Mike Marley came up with the idea of doing a benefit roast to help him hold off the pressure attack of the bill collectors .The event is also being co-sponsored by Lou DiBella and Alan and Jay Wartski. A few tickets are still left at $250 per seat for what will be an unforgettable held at Hurley’s Steakhouse (48th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues – 7:00 PM). A number of big name personalities and boxing greats will be there to roast the beloved Wizard of Bos, who put the “B” in Bad and the “E” in Eccentric.
If you can’t make the event but want to contribute, donations of $100 or more will get you a DVD of the event. And if you are unable to contribute this amount, please send whatever you can to Mike Marley (250 W. 100th St., Suite 1102, New York, NY 10025). It promises to be a night you will be able to tell your grandchildren about. Mike can be reached by phone at 1-917-853-4484.

"Tell Tarver, Jones, Hopkins, Woods, and any of the other title holders that they can have it their way," said Dawson.  "I'm not standing on ceremony.  I love to travel and my calendar is clear.  Name the day and the place and if the money is there, then my belt and I will be too.  I have a trainer with a lot of poetry to recite about me and I'm not about to waste one verse!"

Undefeated "BAD" CHAD DAWSON, the newly crowned WBC light heavyweight champion, and his trainer Floyd Mayweather, Sr., established themselves as the ticket to beat for "Fighter of the Year" and "Trainer of the Year," respectively, and we are just four weeks into 2007. Dawson (23-0, 15 KOs), from New Haven, CT, put a cold blooded beatdown on Tomasz Adamek (31-1, 21 KOs), last Saturday, ending the previously undefeated champion's 21-month reign. The world title fight was broadcast live last Saturday on SHOWTIME Championship Boxing from the Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Park in Kissimmee, Fla. (see below for replay schedule)
"It was a Conn job!" exclaimed trainer Mayweather. "A Billy Conn job. I have polished the roughest diamond in boxing and transformed, "Bad" Chad Dawson into the crown jewel of the light heavyweight division. He's Conn, Archie Moore and Bobby Foster all rolled up in one. All he needed was the right jeweler to bring out his brilliance and that jeweler was ME! If I had him a year sooner, he would have been world champion a year sooner."
Dawson's promoter, Gary Shaw, agreed, "He went from 'Bad' Chad to 'Awesome' Dawson. He is the Ruler at 175 pounds and is willing to give Tarver the opportunity to get the most prized WBC belt, the crown he once wore for a minute or two, unless he wants one of those paper Burger King Crowns. Let's hope Tarver learned one thing from being in 'Rocky Balboa' -- how to act like a fighter."
Replays of the fight can be seen this week on the following days:
Mon 8 P.M. ET/PT SHOWTIME EXTREME
Tues 10 P.M. ET/PT SHOWTIME TOO
Wed 11 P.M. ET/PT SHOWTIME

For the third straight year two-time world champion Miguel Cotto is the 'Fighter of the Year' in Puerto Rico.
Cotto, 28-0 and the WBA World Welterweight Champion, was announced as Puerto Rico's best boxer in the annual awards given by the Puerto Rico Boxing Commission.
Evangelista Cotto was named 'Manager of the Year' and young bantamweight prospect Jesus Rojas was selected Puerto Rico's 'Prospect of the Year.'
The awards will be presented on Feb. 20, at the Embassy Suites in San Juan.
Cotto is training in Puerto Rico to get set for a world title defense against Otkay Urkal, the WBA mandatory challenger from Berlin, Germany. Cotto vs. Urkal is scheduled on Top Rank's big March 3 championship fight card at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan.

With the March 10th WBO Heavyweight Championship bout between champion Shannon Briggs and challenger Sultan Ibragimov rapidly approaching, anticipation for this clash of Heavyweight titans is reaching a fever pitch for the 12 rounder, which will be held in the Theater at Madison Square Garden’s Theater. Tickets are selling at a brisk clip, with very few of the $1005 seats remaining. “Fight fans have truly responded to this fight, and I’m not surprised,” said Leon Margules, Executive Director of Seminole Warriors Boxing. “Not only are these fighters the two best Heavyweights in the world, but fans are eager to see Briggs returning to his hometown as a World Champion, and also eager to see the crowning of boxing’s next great Heavyweight in Ibragimov. March 10th is going to be a great night for boxing.”
 

WBC/WBA/IBF cruiserweight champion O'Neil Bell has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a sparring partner while doing roadwork near his training camp in Big Bear, Calif. The unnamed sparring partner claims Bell attacked him with a hatchet and threw large rocks at him. He told investigators that he was in fear for his life and sustained minor injuries from running through the vegetation as he fled through the woods. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Bell has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon based on both the alleged victim's claims and evidence at the scene. Bell is currently training in Big Bear for a March 17 title defense against Jean-Marc Mormeck in Paris.

The problems of former WBO featherweight champion Scott Harrison continue to make headlines almost daily. Today he reportedly strolled in an hour late for a court appearance in Glasgow, Scotland in relation to an alleged incident at a pub that involved assaulting a police officer. He was shown leniency when no arrest warrant was issued. After being arrested last Tuesday on drug charges, Harrison appeared in court Thursday to plead not guilty. On Friday he was supposed to return to Spain where he is accused of police assault and car theft, but that case has been pushed back to March 15. On January 25, Harrison was suspended from boxing indefinitely by the BBBC for failing to appear at a hearing to explain why he withdrew from a title defense in December. On January 11, Harrison managed to stave off bankruptcy proceedings by promising the court he would sell come property in order to meet a £83,000 tax bill

When Israel "Pito" Cardona came out of his 3 1/2-year retirement last year, he dreamed of getting an opportunity for a high-profile fight like the one he just signed against former 5-time world champion Zab Judah on April 27 in Southaven, Mississippi. Cardona, frustrated by boxing politics, retired in mid-2002 at the age of 27 with a 34-6 record. He returned to the ring last year.
"I'm very excited," Cardona said. "I know I'm taking a big chance. I'm fighting a former world champion; he's Zab Judah! I could have continued doing what I've been doing, waiting around for fights and hoping for a break, or jump right into a fight like this where a win will get me right back into the top 10. Hey, I only have a few years left and we decided to make the most out of this fight. I've got the right team behind me now and I have three months to get ready."
 

Julio Kid Diaz le arrebata la plaza ligero
FIB a Jesús Chávez.
Por Jaime Estrada

Al boxeo se le conoce como La Noble Ciencia pero a veces los puZos causan desgracias inreparables que perturban para siempre la consiencia, porque el subconsiente nos puede jugar malas pasadas y se requiere de mucho nervio, o en su defecto cambiar la pantalla de la informacion al cerebro para no recordar las tragedias a consecuencia de la profesion elegida.

Historia Completa

Junior welterweight Lovemore Ndou scored a TKO victory against Naoufel Ben Rabah when Ben Rabah did not come out for the twelfth round in an IBF eliminator on Sunday in Sydney, Australia. Ndou had badly rocked Ben Rabah in the previous round. The win made Ndou the mandatory challenger for IBF titleholder Ricky Hatton, should Hatton elect to fight him. A June 2nd. fight between "The Hitman" and Jose Luis Castillo has already been announced although there are strong rumors that the Hatton camp has committed to the IBF that he'll face Ndou in June and Castillo in November.
 

Las altas y bajas de Juan El Hispano
Causando Pánico Lazcano.
Por Jaime Estrada

Lazcano retornó a los rótulos de importancia en el mundo de los guamazos al enfrentarse a Vivian Harris en una pelea eliminatoria superligero del Consejo.
Antes de dar los pormenores sobre este pleito, recordemos el cúrriculo del residente de Sacramento pero oriundo del Chuco Texas.

Historia Completa

Undefeated Chicago fan favorite Donovan "DA BOMB" George has been added to FEBRUARY FURY.
George, 11-0-1 (9KO’s) will face Milwaukee veteran Kendall Gould in a six round super middleweight bout. He is coming off a spectacular fourth round knockout of William Johnson on December 22nd at Cicero Stadium.
Said Pesoli, “Donovan made his pro debut on one of our cards two and half years ago and he’s built up a huge following in Chicago. He’s always in great shape and puts on a dynamite show for the fans. He’s done very well since turning pro and there’s a national buzz about him now. We’re very happy to work with him and his team again.”
The fight will be held at Cicero Stadium on Friday, February 16th, it was announced by Dominic Pesoli, President of 8 Count Productions. Tickets starting at $30, are on sale in advance by calling 312-226-5800.
The seven bout FEBRUARY FURY card is presented by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING and Bob Arum’s Top Rank Incorporated, along with TCF Bank and TECATE Beer.
Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie, just minutes from the Eisenhower and Stevenson Expressways. Doors for this event will open at 5:30pm with the first bell at 6:30pm.
 

Frank Warren has played down rumours of a possible July showdown between Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins - and says the Welshman must focus on his April 7 clash with Peter Manfredo Jr first. Calzaghe (42-0) is targeting a fight in America this summer with the backing of HBO. But Warren says the only way it will happen is with an impressive display against Contender runnerup Manfredo Jr. Calzaghe defends his WBO super middleweight title for the 20th time against the American at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on Easter weekend. "Joe needs to look good and box well that night, and it won't be a walk in the park," said Warren. "It's all very well talking about the summer, but as far as I'm concerned Joe can't get too far ahead of himself because in boxing there's always a danger you can take your eye off the ball. Manfredo Jr is a very credible and very dangerous opponent, and I know he feels that he will pull off an upset."
 

BEAU JACK ; A TRUE ALL TIME GREAT
by Jim Amato

The name Sidney Walker would not be very familiar to most fight fans. Mention the name Beau Jack and you would get a much different reaction.
They are one and the same. Beau Jack was one of the most exciting fighters of the 1940's and early 50's.

Full Story

©2007 by Mary Ann Owen
 

By Chris Morris,
RockyMountainBoxing.com

Dickie Wood, who trains a stable of heavyweights for Steve Munisteri in Colorado Springs, is taking over the lead training duties for Diego “Chico” Corrales. Woods also trains prospects Rafael Butler and Travis Walker.
According to Woods the call came late Wednesday night. “Dickie, I need a trainer.”
“Good luck, hope you find a good one”
“C’mon Dickie, I need YOU.”
Wood has a history with Corrales going back to his days in the amateur ranks.
Wood has been quite the ‘globe trotter’ as of late having been the assistant to Victor Valle with heavyweight champ Oleg Maskaev in Colorado Springs and Russia and then taking prospect Joey Abell to Sweden.
So the next stop on the Dickie Wood express is Las Vegas where he will begin setting up camp for Corrales.
 

UFC 67: ALL OR NOTHING is available LIVE on pay-per-view from the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas Saturday, Feb. 3 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu and Viewer’s Choice Canada. Check out 67.UFC.com for more info.

Main Event for the UFC Middleweight title (185lbs)

Travis Lutter 187* vs Anderson Silva 185
Lutter has 2 hours to lose 2 pounds
UPDATE:
Lutter did not make weight. The fighters have agreed to fight so it will be a 3 round non title fight.

Eddie Sanchez 229 vs Mirko Cro Cop 223

Marvin Eastman 203 vs Quinton "Rampage" Jackson 205

Photos and weights

PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL PREDICTS
CLEAR SKIES FOR JOE CALZAGHE

At 7:28 AM ET today, Punxsutawney Phil -- seer of all seers, predictor of all predictors -- emerged from his burrow at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, PA., and proclaimed, in his native tongue of Groundhogese, that Joe Calzaghe's reign as super middleweight champion would last for six more title defenses!
"It's going to be an early night for Peter Manfredo, Jr.," stated Phil as he shadowboxed during his annual news conference. "Manfredo will not be able to weather the hail storm of punches, becoming the 20th world title defense victim of Joe C Wales on April 7."
The world's most famous prognosticator, wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with "Calzaghe - Boxing's Minister of Defense" on the front, went on to predict that Calzaghe would have even greater success when he makes his U.S. debut later this year.
"I predict Joe Calzaghe will get his 21st title defense this summer and move past Larry Holmes and Bernard Hopkins into sole possession of fourth place on boxing's all-time list of title defenses," continued Phil.
Could Hopkins be title defense victim No. 21?
"Oh, I think Hopkins will talk a good game, but at the end of the day, he will demand Joe fight him at light heavyweight to prevent Joe from passing him on the all-time list, win or lose. It's obvious when it comes to boxing history, Hopkins doesn't want to walk in Joe's shadow," said Phil.
When asked again for a definitive prediction on whether Hopkins would challenge Calzaghe for his third world title in as many weight classes and to protect his place on the all-time title defense list, Phil astounded the media by answering in English.
Quoth the groundhog, "Nevermore."
Promoted by Frank Warren's Sports Network, in association with Mark Burnett's The Tournament of Contenders, Calzaghe vs. Manfredo will be broadcast live from Millennium Stadium in Cardiff Wales, on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 5 P.M. ET / 2 P.M. PT with a replay later that evening. With over 20,000 tickets already sold, and nine weeks still remaining, Calzaghe-Manfredo is almost certain to be fought in front of the biggest live boxing audience in United Kingdom history. Calzaghe (42-0, 31 KOs), boxing's current longest-reigning champion (1997-present), will be defending his WBO /The Ring magazine titles against former NABO champion Manfredo (26-3, 12 KOs), currently world-rated No. 7. Manfredo was a finalist in season one of The Contender, where he fought for a purse of $1 million.
 

By Rusty Rubin,
editor-in-chief of the Ringsports.com publication

Circle the date of June 9^th when Miguel Cotto takes on Antonio Margarito in Madison Square Garden. It doesn’t get much better than that.
*****
The 18^th Annual Hall of Fame Weekend is scheduled for June 7-10^th in Canastota NY. If you require more information or wish to attend call the Hall at (315) 697-7095 of visit the ibhof.com.
*****
Speaking of the Hall of Fame, the Los Angeles based World Boxing Hall of Fame has a new President as Adolpho Perez takes over the duties. It’s hard work and a lot of responsibility, so let’s wish him the best.

 Full Story

Undefeated southpaw James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland (17-0, 15 KOs) and unbeaten Timothy “Desert Storm’’ Bradley (17-0, 10 KOs) meet Billy Lyell (14-3, 2 KOs) and Manuel Garnica (22-6, 12 KOs), respectively, in the co-featured bouts Friday, Feb. 2, on “ShoBox: The New Generation.” SHOWTIME will televise the action at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).
The well-regarded Kirkland and the upset-minded Lyell will collide in a 10-round junior middleweight match. The promising, world-ranked Bradley will box Garnica in an eight-round junior welterweight fight in the opening half of a doubleheader promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, at Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif.

Read what the fighters had to say
 

photo courtesy Tom Casino/Showtime

One night before the Super Bowl on Saturday, Feb. 3, Tomasz Adamek (2L) (31-0, 21 KOs) will defend his WBC light heavyweight crown against Chad Dawson (2R) (22-0, 1 NC, 15 KOs), while IBF lightweight titleholder Jesus Chavez (L) will defend against Interim IBF 135-pound champion Julio Diaz (R) on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
Fans attending the fight card at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Fla., will get a third world title fight: IBF Junior Middleweight Champion Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks against IBF No. 1 contender “Smooth” Rodney Jones. Tickets, priced at $27, $52, $102, and $202, with a limited number of $502 Golden Ringside seats, are on sale and can be purchased at the Silver Spurs Arena box office weekdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; by calling (407) 839-3900; by logging on to www.ticketmaster.com, or at any TicketMaster outlet. The event is being promoted by Don King Productions, with the main event presented in association with Gary Shaw Productions, LLC.

Comebacking former two-time world heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko will be in Miami for Sunday’s Super Bowl game between the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears.
“I am very excited about the game and looking forward to seeing it live,” the ex-World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight titleholder said. “This will be my second Super Bowl. I also went to the big game in Houston in 2004.’’
The talented Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs) formally announced earlier this week that he was returning to the ring. Injuries forced the popular, 6-foot-7 native Ukrainian to retire in November 2005.
“I’ve been back in the gym and I feel great,” Klitschko said in an official statement. “My injuries have healed. With the approval of the doctors, I am cleared to continue my boxing career.’’
The older of the world famous Klitschko brothers – younger sibling, Wladimir is the current International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) Heavyweight Champion – has his immediate sites on regaining the WBC belt.
“I’m back and I have requested that the WBC sanction a bout between me and (reigning WBC champ) Oleg Maskaev,” said Klitschko, who demolished challenger Danny Williams in his last start in December 2004. “I retired without having lost the WBC belt in the ring. ‘’
Vitali hedged on making a Super Bowl prediction. “The team that hits the hardest will win,” said Klitschko, who knows a thing or two about hard hitting. All but one of Klitschko’s victories has ended by knockout. His last seven triumphs ended inside the distance.’
Klitschko arrived in Miami on Thursday and was accompanied by his personal manager, Bernd Boente.
______________________
Both Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. will be at the game also to hype up their May 5th mega fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela offered his support
Tuesday to Laila Ali, four days before she becomes the first female fighter
to headline a boxing card in the country.

©2007 by Mary Ann Owen
 

UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva (L):

Travis Lutter (R):

©2007 by Mary Ann Owen
 

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (L):

KELLY PAVLIK IS NO PRETENDER

by Jim Amato

When Kelly Pavlik of Youngstown, Ohio recently halted rugged Jose Luis Zertuche he sent a clear message to the middleweight division. He's for real. Don't doubt it for a minute. The trouble is, where does he go from here ? There was talk of him meeting the brutal punching Edison Miranda. That will have to be put off since Miranda is fighting undefeated Allan Green on March 3rd. Of course Kelly could take on the winner of that bout. Champion Jermain Taylor has not shown a major interest in a match with Kelly. To the best of my knowledge Winky Wright has shown no inclination to meet Pavlik either. Of course there is the remote possibility of a match with the game Arthur Abraham for the IBF title belt.

Full Story

Historia Completa

Top world contender Humberto Soto of Los Mochis, Mexico returns to the ring Thursday, Feb. 22 on the VERSUS Network.
Bob Arum of Top Rank made the announcement today. Soto, rated WBC #2, will take on WBC #7-rated super featherweight Humberto Toledo of Quito, Ecuador in a 12-round bout at the Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort in Chester, West Virginia.
In the opening VERSUS televised bout, heavyweight Joe Mesi of Buffalo, N.Y. will take on George Linberger of Cleveland. That fight is scheduled for 10 rounds.
Soto, 40-5-2 with 24 KOs, is unbeaten in his last 18 bouts (17-0-1). "I feel more comfortable at 130 pounds," Soto said. "I feel very strong and I hit harder. One of my strongest points is counterpunching, although I am always learning new things in the gym."
Toledo has a record of 26-2-2 with 15 knockouts. He is unbeaten in his last 24 bouts including a TKO 6 over Davinson Guerra to win the WBC Latin America Championship on August 11 in Maracaibo, Venzuela.
Tickets are $150 (Platinum Ring), $100 (Gold Ring), $50, $25 and are available at Ticket Master outlets in West Virginia or on www.ticketmaster.com. Doors will open 6:30 pm and the first bout will be 7:30 pm local time.

Former 3 time world champion, Zab “Super” Judah (34-4, 25 KOs) makes his long awaited return to the ring on April 27th at the Desoto Civic Center in Southaven, MS. Fightnews has been informed that Judah will will make his return against former IBO Super Featherweight champ, Israel “Pito” Cardona (36-6, 28 KOs). Judah looks to jump right back into the the thick of things in 2007. Prizefight Promotions and Super Promotions have a busy 2007 in store, and look to get Judah his title shot as soon as possible. A star studded undercard will be announced shortly, and Fightnews will be sure get the update as soon as possible. Tickets for the event are ringside $100, remaining floor seats $60, lower bowl center $40, lower bowl rounds $20. Tickets will be available on February 12th, through all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com,  or in person at The Desoto Civic Center Box Office.
 

The New York State Athletic Commission overruled Raul Frank’s 7th round TKO win over Terrance “Heat” Cauthen today by declaring the fight a no-decision. The bout took place last Thursday January 25th, at the Paradise Theater in the Bronx.
After a meeting with representatives of Team Cauthen, Team Frank and Star Boxing CEO Joe DeGuardia regarding the bout, the NYSAC ruled that the bout ended as a result of an unintentional headbutt, and not a punch.
 

"Sounds like Cap'n Freddie Roach
was smart enough to jump ship before the
U.S.S. Manfredo sinks in Wales on April 7!"

- Joe Calzaghe, world super middleweight champion, commenting on Freddie Roach exclusively training Oscar De La Hoya for his fight against Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Undefeated super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (42-0, 31 KOs), boxing's current longest-reigning champion (1997-present), defends his WBO /The Ring magazine titles against Peter Manfredo, Jr. (26-3, 12 KOs), Saturday, April 7, at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. HBO World Championship Boxing will televise the fight live in the U.S. at 5 P.M. ET / 2 P.M. PT with a replay later that evening. With over 20,000 tickets sold already, and nine weeks still remaining, Calzaghe-Manfredo is almost certain to be fought in front of the biggest live boxing audience in United Kingdom history. Manfredo, the former NABO champion, currently world-rated No. 7 by the WBO, will be Calzaghe's landmark 20th title defense. If successful, Calzaghe would be tied with Larry Holmes and Bernard Hopkins for fourth-place on boxing's all-time title defense list.

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