Fight NeWS 

Mexico City vs. Beijing PPV Preview Show

Here is a link to the Feb. 3 World Series of Boxing Pay-Per-View preview show to watch, pass along and/or post:

www.ustream.tv/recorded/20009455

Integrated Sports Media, the pound-for-pound king of sports distribution in North America, will broadcast a World Series of Boxing ("WSB") event, live from the Foro Polanco in Mexico City, Friday, February 3 featuring the talent rich Mexico City Guerreros against the dangerous Bejing Dragons in what most likely will be a sneak peek at possible 2012 Olympic match-ups.

The WSB show will being distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 10:00 PM/ET - 7:00 PM/PT on satellite pay-per-view via DirecTV, DISH Network, iN DEMAND and Avail-TVN, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. Mexico City vs. Beijing will also be available via on-line PPV on Ustream.tv at http://www.ustream.tv/integratedsportsppv.

For more information about the World Series of Boxing PPV events go to www.integratedsportsnet.com. Follow Integrated Sports Media on Twitter @IntegratedPPV.

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Aquí le presentamos un enlace a un vídeo promocional de la Serie Mundial de Boxeo del 03 de febrero que se pasará por Pay-Per-View. Mire y paselo

www.ustream.tv/recorded/20009455 - en Ingles

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/20026200 - en español

 
Integrated Sports Media es el Rey de la distribución de deportes libra-por-libra. Estará presentando la Serie de Boxeo Mundial (WSB) en vivo desde El Foro Polanco en la Ciudad de Mexico, Viernes 3 de Febrero con el gran talento "Los Guerreros de Mexico City" enfrentandose a los peligrosos "Dragones de Beijing". Esto serán los adelantos a lasOlimpiadas 2012.

El espectaculo WSB se distribuirá en los Estados Unidos por Integrated Sports Media. Este evento lo podrá ver en vivo a las 10:00PM /ET - 7:00PM PT, en pago por satelite a través de DirecTV, Dishnetwork, iN DEMAND y Avail-TVN, por un precio sugerido de sólo $24.95. Ambos programas también estarán disponibles en linea a través de PPV en Ustream.tv. http://www.ustream.tv/integratedsportsppv

Para más información sobre la Serie Mundial de Boxeo eventos PPV ir awww.integratedsportsnet.com. Siga Integrated Sports en Twitter @IntegratedPPV.

Shaw Signs Jundy "Pretty Boy" Maraon

Gary Shaw Productions and undefeated WBO Asian Pacific bantamweight champion, Jundy “Pretty Boy” Maraon (14-0-1, 11 KOs) have come terms with an exclusive promotional agreement. Jundy hails from Sominot, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines and looks to someday fight in the United States. “What we have here in Jundy Maraon is a fighter that loves to go see his opponent hit the canvas,” said Shaw. “He’s a tremendous talent and I see him fighting at the elite level someday. Right now I want to keep him busy while he learns his craft and bring him to the USA after a few more fights. I’m excited that he’s joined our stable of great young fighters. Our company is building its foundation on a global scale.”

Brahmer-Guerrero Weights

Former WBO light heavyweight champion Jürgen Brähmer (36-2, 29 KOs) and José Maria Guerrero (29-2-1, 11 KOs) both weighed in at 176.1 for their Universum “Fight Night” showdown on Saturday at the elegantt Grand Elysée Hotel in Hamburg, Germany. Contracted weight was 177.5.

Other weights were as follows:

Rakhim Chakhkiev 199.7 vs. Alexander Kotlobay 197.5
Denis Boytsov 213.8 vs. Darnell Wilson 226
Ruslan Chagaev 242.5 vs. Kertson Manswell 252.6
Firat Arslan 196 vs. Orlando Antonio Farias 189.4
Ina Menzer 126.8 vs. Milena Koleva 128.3
Rafael Bejaran 159.4 vs. Daniel Urbanski 159.8
Vitali Tajbert 132.9 vs. Jose Luis Graterol 132.3
Marcel Meyerdiercks 127.9 vs. Roberto de Jesus Santos 127.9
Vladimir Tereshkin 246.9 vs. Evgeny Orlov 329.4

James DeGale Still Under Contract With Frank Warren

From Frank Warren Promotions Limited: We have seen the press reports today in which James DeGale states that he is to split from his manager Frank Warren. This is not true; James DeGale is in fact under contract until 14 April 2013. Accordingly, you should be careful as to how you report Mr DeGale’s statement, if in fact you do.

Minto-Grano Weighin Results

The NABF Heavyweight Title Eliminator between Brian "The Beast" Minto (35-4) vs. Tony "TNT" Grano (18-2) of will be televised live starting at 9:30pm on Saturday January 28th on Go Fight Live Pay Per View (www.gfl.tv) from the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. Price to order the live pay per view event will be $9.99.
Weighin results from Verona, NY:
NABF Heavyweight Title Eliminator

Brian Minto 218 1/2
Tony Grano 222
Eric Fields 202 – Derrick Brown 201
Ryan McKenzie 174 – Richard Starnino 176 ½
Jackie Trivilino 126 ½ - Ela Nunez 176
Travis Peterkin 174 – Steven Tyner 171
Brian Clookey 187 – Ariel Espinal 188
Derrick Evans 170 – Bakari 175

Venue: Turning Stone Resort & Casino
1st Bell: 7:30 pm eastern

Broadcast: www.gfl.tv

Brook: I'm Going To Bash Up Hatton

Sheffield star returns from training camp with warning for Hatton

Kell Brook is back in Sheffield after a training camp in Spain, and has told Matthew Hatton that he will in prime shape when they meet at the Sheffield Motorpoint Arena on March 17, live on Sky Sports.

Brook spent a week in Fuerteventura with members of the Ingle Gym in Sheffield as he begins his preparation for the massive ‘War of the Roses’ Welterweight clash.

The unbeaten 25 year-old headlines the biggest show of his career so far against the former undefeated European champion and he believes that time in the sun has given him the perfect start to his preparations.

“Spain was great, we trained three times a day, running on the beach was tough but great for the fitness,” said Brook. “It was nice to get a change of scenery. There was about nine of us from the gym and a few Spanish boxers there too - we had a good laugh but got down to some good work too.

“I'm back in the Wincobank now but I was training over Christmas anyway as Eddie Hearn told me there was something big coming in March so I didn't want to switch off at all. I'm stepping it up now and we're going to be really hitting it hard in the next week or so but I already feel great so there are no worries there.”

Hatton recently warned Brook that his training could suffer as he becomes a father for the first time when his partner Lindsey gives birth to their daughter mid-February. Brook has denied that it will be a distraction and warned Hatton that he is in for a hard night in Sheffield.

“Everyone is different – we've got things worked out and it's really not going to be interrupting our training. We've got our heads around how it's going to work and we've got a lot of people around us to help too so it's not a worry - I'm just really excited about it. He can't get into my head with that sort of stuff and on March 17 I'm going to be all over him. Dominic Ingle has already got me working on plans for Matt and I know my game plan on the night will be spot on to beat him and bash him up.”

Tickets priced £30 (tiered), £40 (tiered), £60 (tiered/floor) and £100 (ringside) are available from the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield Box Office on 0114 256 5656 or online at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk

VIP tickets have now sold-out.

Quigg Still Hoping To Face Munroe

SCOTT QUIGG has been boosted by the possibility of a mouth-watering domestic clash against Rendall Munroe later this year.

British super-bantamweight Quigg had hoped to meet the former Commonwealth and European champion in his first defence next week.

But southpaw Munroe said he was dropping down to bantamweight leaving unbeaten Quigg to risk his crown against Welshman Jamie Arthur at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton on Saturday February 4.

Their promoter Ricky Hatton revealed last week that the world’s best bantamweights were running scared of Munroe and he would remain at the 122lb division.

That has increased Quigg’s chance of facing Munroe, who ironically boxes Argentinian Jose Saez on next week’s bumper Bolton card.

Bury’s Quigg said: “This fight was offered to Rendall and I am willing to fight him after my defence against Jamie, who I am not overlooking.

“Rendall has nowhere else to go at the minute. I am ranked higher than him in the IBF and WBA and I’m British champion so he has something to gain from fighting me.

“It is down to him to come back to the table and ask for the fight. I am willing to fight him in my next defence.”

On the same bill Joe Murray meets a selected opponent, hopefully for the vacant English featherweight crown.

The card will also include Stephen Foster Jr v Yauheni Kruhlik. Matty Askin v Attila Palko, Craig Lyon v Yuri Voronin, Jazza Dickens v Michael Ramabaletsa, Feargal McCrory v Jason Nesbitt and Tasif Khan v Selected Opponent.

Boxing starts at 6.15pm and tickets priced at £35, £55 and £75 VIP ringside. You can buy by calling 01925 755 222, Ticketmaster 0844 847 2500, Ticketline 0844 888 9991 or online www.hattonboxing.com

Ryan Burnett Signs With Hatton Promotions

IRISH amateur sensation Ryan Burnett has signed a long-term promotional deal with Hatton Promotions.

The Belfast teenager is one of Ireland’s most decorated amateurs of recent times and already moved to Manchester where he is being trained by Ricky Hatton.

Burnett, 19, who will box at either flyweight or bantamweight and makes his debut in late-April or May said: “Everything is going well and I am in Manchester to learn under Ricky.”

As an amateur he compiled a record of 94 wins and four defeats. Burnett’s international honours include an Olympic Youth Gold Medal, seven All-Ireland titles, numerous multi-nations medals, Six Antrim titles and four Ulster titles.

Burnett represented Ireland 40 times at international level, and Hatton said: “I am very excited to be working with Ryan, but it is baby steps at the moment.

“From the short time we have spent together he is obviously one helluva talent, but we really have to take our time because he is so young.

“In the next few weeks we will continue building our relationship and then see how his weight is before deciding what division he should start in.

“It will be a bit of a wait for his debut, because although it is the same sport the amateur code is so different from the professionals.”

Arreola To Face Molina Feb. 18 On Williams-Ishida Undercard

Heavyweight Cris Arreola (34-2 29KOs) will face Eric Molina (18-1 14KOs) on the undercard to the upcoming featured bout between Paul Williams and Nobuhiro Ishida, which will be televised live on Showtime. The card will take place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX.

Mayweather Jr. To Attend Licensing Hearing

The Nevada State Athletic Commission is scheduled to meet February 1 to discuss numerous items on its agenda. Among the items is the decision to issue Floyd Mayweather Jr. a boxing license in the state of Nevada. Mayweather is scheduled to fight May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena against an opponent TBA.

Although it is highly likely Mayweather will be issued a license, the commission has requested the presence of Mayweather, as they want to question him regarding his criminal case. As part of a plea deal, Mayweather is required to serve jail time. Earlier this month, the judge in the case extended Mayweather's report date from January 6 to June 1 in order to allow Mayweather to follow through on his commitment to fight May 5.

ESPN's "Friday Night Fights" Coming To UTA's New College Park Center Feb. 17



Arlington, TX - College Park Center, the new home court for UT Arlington basketball and volleyball, also will be center ring for ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS come Feb. 17.

There will be plenty of hook shots when top-five world contenders John Molina (23-1, 19 KO’s…Covina, California) and Marvin Quintero (24-3, 20 KO’s, Tijuana, MX) battle in the main event at the new College Park Center, on the campus of The University of Texas at Arlington. The Feb. 17 event is being promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with DFW’s -- Showcase Promotions. ESPN Friday Night Fights are sponsored by Corona Beer.

The No. 3 world-ranked Molina and No. 5 rated Quintero are set for 12 rounds in an IBF World Title Elimination bout, with the winner getting a shot at world champion, Miguel Vazquez. The Molina vs. Quintero clash is one of seven bouts scheduled on the nationally televised event, which begins at 7 p.m.

Also slated for action on the undercard are 2008 United States Olympians Shawn Estrada (13-0, Los Angeles) and Luis Yanez (4-0-1, Dallas). Ray Ximenez, a former multi-national amateur champion from Dallas is also set on the card.

Opponents for Estrada, Yanez and Ximenez are to be announced.

Tickets are priced at $25, $35, $50 and $100 (VIP Ringside), plus ticket/facility charges. VIP Ringside buyers receive-- seating in first 5 rows, Valet Parking and admission to VIP Ringsiders Club. Tickets are ON SALE NOW at the College Park Center box office as well as online at utatickets.com or by phone at (817) 272-9595.

Hopkins-Dawson Rematch Set For April 28 In Atlantic City

Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson are headed for a rematch at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. The bout is scheduled for April 28, with HBO the favorite to televise the bout.

"On Freddie Roach" Episode #2 Premieres Friday

ON FREDDIE ROACH, the all-new cinéma-vérité series from renowned filmmaker and Emmy® nominee Peter Berg, debuts an all-new episode FRIDAY, JAN. 27 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), followed by other episodes on subsequent Fridays at the same time, exclusively on HBO. Executive produced by Berg (“Friday Night Lights”), the HBO Original Programming presentation is a co-production of Film 44 and Atticus Entertainment.

The unscripted show focuses on Freddie Roach, who owns and operates the famed Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, where he has produced a host of world champions. This intensely personal look at the world-famous boxing trainer chronicles his life and career against the backdrop of Parkinson’s disease, an ailment very likely linked to his own boxing past.

Episode #2: “The Wild Card”

Debut: FRIDAY, JAN. 27 (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: Jan 28 (11:30 a.m., 12:30 a.m.), 29 (11:30 a.m.) and 30 (7:30 p.m., 11:50 p.m.), and Feb. 1 (7:30 p.m.) and 2 (9:30 a.m., 8:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Jan. 29 (11:00 p.m.) and 31 (9:30 p.m.)

A routine day at the Wild Card Gym is suddenly thrown into chaos.

Episode #1 is available on HBO ON DEMAND and HBO GO.

On Freddie Roach is a Film 44 and Atticus Entertainment production; executive produced by Peter Berg, Sarah Aubrey, Jim Lampley and Michael Price; co-executive produced by Brendan Malloy and Emmett Malloy; produced by Matthew Goldberg, Christopher G. Cowen and Freddie Roach; editors, Brian Johnson and Stephen Strout; director of photography, Niles Harrison; camera operator, Brandon Carroll; music by The Antlers; original music by Rogue Wave.

WBO Names Ricky Burns Full Champion

Ricky Burns has been declared the full World Boxing Organization (WBO) World Lightweight Champion after Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez has moved up to the light welterweight division.

Scottish star Burns won the Interim title when he beat Michael Katsidis last November in his first fight at lightweight, with Marquez holding the full title while he decided his next move.

This means that Burns will go into his title fight against former world champion Paulus Moses on March 10th at the Braehead Arena as the full champion.

"When I beat Katsidis I felt like a world champion anyway, but this makes it all real and I'm thrilled with the news that I'm now the official full world champion," said Burns.

"It's a great feeling, but now it's now back to reality and training hard for what will be a tough title defence against Moses in my Scottish homecoming on March 10,"

"For the last ten years I've been grafting away in my career, but in the last couple of years it has really taken off with me beating Martinez and then beating a great warrior like Katsidis to put me up with the best in the world,"

The 28-year-old joins WBO World Light-Heavyweight Champion Nathan Cleverly as Britain's only two world champions, with Cleverly defending his title against American Tommy Karpency on February 25th at Cardiff's Motropoint Arena - both fights can be seen live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 456/Virgin Ch. 546).

"Nathan's a great fighter and Britain has now got two world champions to be proud of who can fly the flag on the world stage." added Burns.

Berto-Ortiz Conference Call Highlights

Former world champions Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto participated in a media conference call to discuss the upcoming rematch of the 2011 Fight of the Year on Saturday, Feb. 11, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast), from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Ten months after their classic slugfest that was named 2011 "Fight of the Year" (USA Today, Ring Magazine), Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO's), of Ventura, Calif., and Berto (28-1, 22 KO's), of Winter Haven, Fla., will square off again. The eagerly awaited 12-round fight is a rematch of a fiercely contested, multiple-knockdown affair on April 16, 2011, that Ortiz won by a unanimous decision (114-112, 114-111 and 115-110) while capturing Berto's World Boxing Council (WBC) 147-pound title. Both fighters were knocked down twice in the fight, with Berto being dropped in the first, Ortiz going down a round later and each of them hitting the deck in a wild sixth round that many called the "Round of the Year" for 2011.

Here's what the participants had to say on Wednesday's call:

ANDRE BERTO: "We've already had a tremendous camp and right now we're going through the motions every day. We're excited about Feb. 11 and getting to Vegas for a fight of this magnitude. It's going to be go time"."

How important was it for you to get back in the ring and beat Jan Zaveck the way that you did?

ANDRE BERTO: "I think it was tremendously important after you go through the situations that I went through not to dwell on it for too long but to just jump back in action. And that's what I did. I just wanted to take a little time off and put this fight together for me and I jumped right back into action."

Did you get a lot of confidence from that?

ANDRE BERTO: "It definitely helped, but at the end of the day I know I can fight. If I had a bad night or if you have a bad day at the gym, at the end of the day you know you're going to be able to know how to fight."

What's the most important thing Tony Morgan has done for your career since you started working with him?

ANDRE BERTO: "Me and Tony are pretty much like family. We started in this game together when I was like 10, 11 years old. It's just been our dream to win a world title and to be at any type level of this fight game. He taught me a lot about loyalty, he taught me a lot about family. We had a lot of big dreams, but then again we never really thought that we'd get to this point coming from such a small town that we came from."

How did losing the first fight of your career affect your psyche? Did it have a major affect on you?

ANDRE BERTO: "Of course. It played with my mind a bit. You get to a point where I think any fighter would be affected by that. But you just brush it off, get back on your feet and get back in there. And that's what I did."

Did it take another fight to build up that confidence?

ANDRE BERTO: "No. In my last fight I went in there like nothing happened. I went in there and went straight to work like nothing happened at all. At the end of the day, you like to be realistic. That loss put a lot of different things in perspective. It made me get back and work hard and made me understand what kind of team and what type of family I have around me. They were very supportive. If I'm in this boxing thing or not, I still have that love from my family and my friends. Like I said, I have that support so I'm good."

You seemed a little bit tired in that first fight. Is that true and is that something you've been working on since then?

ANDRE BERTO: "Of course. I believe when we trained for that fight I don't think we trained like we were supposed to. I believe that's something that fighters go through. You get in a situation where you have a lot of success and you stay in your own little circle, your own little box instead of trying to look out and find the best situations for you. I think I suffer from that because after that fight I found out I was anemic and I had to really reach out to find some help with that because it got to be pretty serious. I learned I needed to take a lot better care of my body."

Do you feel that you're past that and you'll be in a lot better condition for this fight?

ANDRE BERTO: "Of course. We're working hard and having our doctors checking on me to make sure my levels are up and making sure I'm getting all my vitamins that I need to continue to push to have the best training sessions. Before, we were so old school in everything. We didn't take vitamins or protein shakes or none of that, it was just hard work. But anybody knows that if you're a world-class athlete you have to train and you have to take care of your body like you are a world-class athlete. And that's something that we're really getting into, and we're trying to take all the right precautions now."

You had estimated after the fight that maybe Ortiz was on some illegal substance and then you backed off. Is that something you still believe?

ANDRE BERTO: "No. Ortiz was just better that night."

LOU DIBELLA: "That's also not going to be an issue in this fight as both fighters agreed to drug testing and there will be drug testing on this fight and it's not going to be an issue for anybody. Both sides have to go out there and do the right thing and both agreed to testing. I think that's a big step to take away some of the innuendo and the problems that do exist in our sport. But all you can ask the fighters to do is say 'Ok, I'll be tested.' And that's what these two fighters have done."

When will the drug testing start?

ANDRE BERTO: "I believe they've already tested me twice for this fight -- urine tests and blood tests."

How was that for you?

ANDRE BERTO: "It was different, but I went through that as an amateur so it wasn't something completely different."

Andre, you know that Victor had to go in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission for his actions against Floyd Mayweather. Do you see it as an issue or advantage for you?

ANDRE BERTO: "I'm not sure. I'm a clean guy when I'm in there. We just want to make sure our team watches out for any type of incidental situations."

Are you bummed out that there is no fight at stake in this bout?

ANDRE BERTO: "Probably a little bit, but like I said, right now I'm just trying to make good fights. I've won two titles now and I'm just resorting back to why I fell in love with this sport, (and getting) back to the basics. This fight right here is a fight that I wanted, a fight that the people wanted. It's going to be an exciting one and that's the only thing that I'm worried about"

What does it say about you that you'll take a fight of this magnitude?

ANDRE BERTO: "It says a lot about both of us. You see a kid go through a lot of success, but then again go through a lot of criticism and a lot of hate. On both sides I believe. To lose your first fight and come back and win another world title and give it up to hopefully make another exciting fight. And the same thing for Ortiz - he came off a loss against Floyd, he ended up getting knocked out, but he overcame that and came back to fight another exciting fight. It shows where we come from. It's in my heart, it's in my passion to just put on exciting fights. When we're done with our careers I don't believe we'll have any regrets."

Is this a better chance for you or Ortiz?

ANDRE BERTO: "I think it's a good fight for both of us. I lost the fight and came back and won a world title. I could have gone a different route but I wanted to take this one. Ortiz lost to Mayweather. Either way you look at it, you're putting together two young guys that love to fight and put on an exciting show."

How have things changed since the first fight against Ortiz?

ANDRE BERTO: "A lot of things. We're definitely a lot smarter, we definitely matured a lot more. We had a chance to put a lot of different things in perspective, not just in my boxing career but in life in general. So I think it definitely helped me for the better."

VICTOR ORTIZ: "I've been working hard and keeping it positive. There are no worries in the world right about now, and Berto is certainly not one of them. At the same time I know I have to be tremendously tough for this guy, both in and out of the ring. I'm not a guy who has to sit there and run his mouth. The thing is, at the end of the day, the boxing gloves will do the talking. Apparently Berto has a chip on his shoulder. Well I have a few chips on my shoulder due to the first Berto fight - it didn't end the way I wanted it to end - and my last fight wasn't the greatest. So my roller coaster is re-launching right now. I want to climax. I'm nowhere near ready to pull back, not now or in the near future. It's going to be a great fight, I will be victorious once again and I will not take no for an answer."

When you fought Andre could you sense that he was wearing down physically in the end of the fight?

VICTOR ORTIZ: "No, not at all. It was the same Berto I trained for, actually better. The only difference - there was a beast in there with him."

What do you need to do to match his improved strength in the ring?

VICTOR ORTIZ: "Once again it comes back that I'm the underdog. That's the story of my life. I don't really mind it one bit. At the same time, let's not forget this much - I was a 140-pounder in the first fight. Now, I'm a natural 147."

Victor, you say you're always an underdog. Is the scrutiny fair?

VICTOR ORTIZ: "It's the game. I'm just here. I'm just here to live another day and become one of the greatest boxers of all time. Obviously people go through their ups and downs, but I'm having fun and I'm enjoying every moment of going through my ups and downs. At the end of the day I'm just trying to be one of the greats."

Do you like being the underdog?

"No way, man. Not one bit. That's good though. I enjoy being that person that's always counted out."

Why do you think people count you out after you won the first fight?

VICTOR ORTIZ: "I don't know. That's my only question. At the end of the day I don't really care what anybody believes but me. I'm ready for this guy once again."

What is your point of view of having a fight of this caliber that isn't a title fight?

VICTOR ORTIZ: "I don't mind it. Given the circumstances that this guy wants to fight me, I am more than willing to give him a shot. Why not? He gave me a shot."

What do you expect different in the ring from Berto?

VICTOR ORTIZ: "I don't really know, but I'm preparing for the best Berto there is possible, along with my corner. If he's gotten any better than, hey, that's awesome. That's what we're expecting. We're expecting the best Berto to be present and I'm ready."

How's your mental state of mind coming off a loss to Mayweather.

VICTOR ORTIZ: "I don't think I lost. (I still) believe in myself. I still see myself as a world champion. I will never bow down to not being a world champion because it wasn't right how it happened in my eyes. Once again, I'm counted out by Berto's team. To me it's perfectly fine. I don't care. I'm going to show him why I beat him the first time.

"It's Berto's second chance, not mine. What do I lose? Nothing. At the end of the day it's going to be a great fight.

SM Promotions Presents "International Rumble In Cicero" Feb. 17

On Friday, February 17, 2012, boxing returns to the Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, when SM Promotions presents "International Rumble in Cicero". Former super-middleweight slugger, Sammy Merza (16-1, 12 KOs), now full time boxing promoter, created SM Promotions with the goal of bringing boxing back to the" Windy City" in spectacular fashion.

"This is the night of undefeated fighters" said Merza. "I'm looking to showcase a plethora of young talent, fighters that want to remain undefeated. I want to kick off 2012 with a bang and this card has all the ingredients for a great show. Chicago's boxing community is in for a treat."

The 10 round main-event will showcase, undefeated IBF female super featherweight champion, Amanda Serrano (13-0, 9 KOs) vs. TBA. In the co-feature, lightweight sensation, Joel Diaz Jr. (7-0, 6 KO's), fresh off his spectacular performance on ShoBox, returns to action. Polish native and heavyweight amateur standout, Joey Dawejko (6-0, 2 KOs), looks to extend his winning streak. Local talent stepping into the ring are Chicago's hometown fighters, middleweight Ramon Valenzuela (6-0, 1 KO), middleweight Ninos Abraham (6-0-1, 2 KOs), and Ricardo Chavez (Pro Debut). Washington's super middleweight Mike Gavronski (5-0, 4 KOs), New York's lightweight Bryan Akaba (2-0, 1 KO) and Mexico's Sergio Montes de Oca (5-1) round out the card. Bouts subject to change.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (773) 716-9111.

Lara vs Hearns, Russell vs Nguyen Highlight Ortiz-Berto Undercard

To round out the SHOWTIME Championship Boxing tripleheader headlined by the highly-anticipated rematch between Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto, Golden Boy Promotions and DiBella Entertainment have announced two more high-impact fights from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. on Saturday, Feb. 11.

In a 10-round junior middleweight showdown before the main event, Cuban star Erislandy Lara returns for the first time since his controversial fight against Paul Williams to battle fellow contender Ronald Hearns. Opening the SHOWTIME Championship Boxing broadcast will be a 10-round featherweight matchup which will see unbeaten Gary Russell Jr., the consensus 2011 "Prospect of the Year" award winner, look to continue his meteoric rise against Dat Nguyen.

"Repeat or Revenge: Ortiz vs. Berto II" is the highly anticipated 12-round welterweight rematch of USA Today and Ring Magazine's 2011 Fight of the Year between former World Champions "Vicious" Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto which will take place Saturday, Feb. 11 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The co-featured fights will see top contenders Erislandy Lara and Ronald Hearns square off and 2011 "Prospect of the Year" Gary Russell Jr. take on Dat Nguyen. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and DiBella Entertainment and will air live on SHOWTIME at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast). A special three-fight undercard telecast will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

Tickets, priced at $300, $150, $100 and $50, are on sale and are available at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase atwww.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Vicente Escobedo Returns Home To Face Lonnie Smith On March 3 "Solo Boxeo Tecate"

LOS ANGELES, January 25 - Vicente Escobedo has fought all over the world, represented his country in the Olympics and fought some of the best fighters in the sport throughout his career, but the one thing the top junior lightweight contender has never done is compete in his hometown as a professional. That changes on Saturday, March 3 as Escobedo steps into the ring at the Woodland Community Center in Woodland, Calif. against Lonnie Smith in a 10 round fight for the vacant NABO Junior Lightweight Title which will be televised on TeleFutura's "Sólo Boxeo Tecate."

Joining Escobedo on this exciting homecoming card will be Fairfield's unbeaten featherweight star on the rise, Manuel "Tino" Avila, who faces an opponent to be named in the six round co-main event.

Escobedo vs. Smith headlines a night of world-class professional boxing presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Don Chargin Productions in association with Paco Presents and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate. Doors open at 6:00pm, the first bell rings at 7:00pm and the TeleFutura broadcast begins at 11:00 pm ET/PT.

Tickets, priced at $40, $50 and $70, are on sale now and available for purchase at Paco's Restaurant by calling (530) 669-7946, F&F Multiprint by calling (530) 666-3102 or online at PacoPresentsBoxing.com.

A 2004 United States Olympian who got his start in the sport at the Woodland Boxing Club, Vicente "Chente" Escobedo (24-3, 14 KO's) has come a long way since those early days, and at 30 years old, he is approaching his physical prime as a boxer. The owner of wins over former World Champions Kevin Kelley and Carlos Hernandez, Escobedo lost in his lone world title shot at lightweight via a razor-thin split decision to Michael Katsidis in 2009. Now fighting at 130 pounds, Escobedo has been better than ever, defeating Walter Estrada and Rocky Juarez in his most recent fights and he's ready to make a move on the junior lightweight elite in 2012.

A professional since 2006, 24-year-old Las Vegan Lonnie Smith (14-2-2, 10 KO's) appears to be reaching his prime and is ready to prove it against a tough contender in Escobedo. In 2009 Smith returned from a two-year layoff and came back as a more mature and polished fighter and has been unstoppable since, winning nine in a row, with six coming by knockout, including victories over David Rodela and Eduardo Arcos. Now he takes a big step up in facing Escobedo, a fight he's been waiting for, in Escobedo's hometown.

A talented amateur who turned heads every time he stepped between the ropes, Manuel "Tino" Avila (6-0, 2 KO's) continues to impress as a professional, winning all six of his fights thus far. A professional since late 2010, the 19-year-old stepped on the gas last year, fighting five times and ending 2011 on a with a big win over then-unbeaten David Reyes in October.

Tecate, cerveza con carácter, is the largest beer brand to sponsor boxing matches in the U.S. Part of its commitment to make boxing accessible to consumers is the title sponsorship of "Sólo Boxeo Tecate," which creates an opportunity for local fans to witness some of the most exhilarating fights by today's up-and-coming prospects. Additionally, Tecate has been a primary supporter of Golden Boy Promotions' marquee events since 2007, and has launched a variety of initiatives to ensure consumers are part of the boxing experience, including boxer autograph signing sessions, commemorative cans, PPV mail-in rebate offers, and most recently the launch of a mobile museum "Tecate Museo de Boxeo," which showcases decades of the most memorable moments in the sport.

For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/ChenteEscobedo, www.twitter.com/130lbBEAST or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing.

Atlas Cops & Kids Boxing Program Making Difference In NYC

NEW YORK CITY (January 25, 2012) - When government funding ceased three years ago for the New York City Police Athletic League ("PAL") Cops & Kids Boxing program, The Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation absorbed operational costs, expanded its reach into education, and today it is making life-changing differences for hundreds of inner-city youths between the ages of 10 and 21.

Certified by USA Boxing, the Atlas Cops & Kids Boxing Program has been a knockout of a success, providing a safe place for city kids to go after school. Members not only learn how to box, some developing into team members for competitive tournaments like the famed Daily News Golden Gloves, but also build camaraderie, discipline, self-esteem and character.

The program now has gyms at Park Hill in Staten Island, where 2012 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team member Marcus Browne developed his skills, and Flatbush Gardens in Brooklyn with more gyms soon opening in Brownsville and Berry Houses in Staten Island, as well as future plans to open gyms in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens.

The Dr. Atlas Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by renowned boxing trainer and television analyst Teddy Atlas in his father's memory, currently leases gym space for $1.00 a year for its Brooklyn and Staten Island locations. Operational costs, however, are approximately $50,000 for each gym, including equipment, computers, teachers, coaches, etc.

Unlike other charitable organizations that may keep up to 80-percent of funds for expenses and administrative fees, nearly 100-percent of all monies raised by the Dr. Atlas Foundation go directly to needy families and individuals. Fundraising, however, especially during today's strained economic times, simply isn't enough anymore. Sponsorships, corporate and individual, and public donations are desperately needed to continue The Foundation's invaluable community work.

"During the past 15 years," Teddy said, "the Dr. Atlas Foundation has given millions of dollars directly to people in need. The money may go towards cancer treatment, medical expenses not covered by insurance, medical equipment, Christmas presents for kids, and many other ways to help sick children and families. Other organizations claim that monies raised go toward research, but the future is now for people in need. We get calls every day from people in need, many of whom were directed to us from these other organizations. Our programs are getting real results."

The Atlas Cops & Kids Boxing Program offers much more than learning the sweet science and demands strict membership requirements. Each gym has an academic learning center and all gym members are subject to a review of their report cards and adherence to a set of rules established for proper behavior and appearance.

"The boxing program is needed for wayward kids with little or no direction," Atlas continued. "Our gyms give them a place to go for hope; building confidence and making them feel better about themselves. They get the tools there that they need to grow-up and become productive people. It is an important, valuable alternative to violence, crime and drugs. That's what boxing does like no other sport. It helps kids find themselves. Not only do they discover things that they didn't know were available to them, they gain pride and confidence in themselves. Our program is a platform for them to have dignity.

The Dr. Atlas Foundation has been helping needy people with medical expenses, relocation assistance, and for other areas like that. But violence is a sickness and we're helping to prevent that with our gyms. I agreed to absorb the boxing program with a twist - education components had to be part of it. We established behavioral rules and conduct with disciplinary consequences. The kids have to keep their grades up if they want to train. Pat Russo did a great job as the PAL boxing program director and he's continuing to do a great job as the director of our program."

Russo proudly and happily remains in charge today. "I couldn't walk away from these kids after 20 years as the PAL gyms director," Russo explained. "I'd known Teddy for years and called him saying we had seven gyms and 1000 kids who were going to be turned out in the streets. Teddy saw this as preventative in terms of sickness, crime activity and drugs. We always taught the value of education and becoming a productive person, so this program fit into the Dr. Atlas Foundation organization.

"Kids want to be a part of something and we're providing a positive alternative to gangs and drug activity. People in power have a bias for some reason against boxing, but it costs about $100,000 to incarcerate a teenager. It costs us $50,000 a year to run one of these gyms, where we can guide 200 or more kids and keep them out of jail. There are a lot of one-parent kids here who don't really know what's out there for them. We had one kid who just entered the Police Academy. It's tough. They can't pay money to be here but there's no cost to help making a good kid into something for themselves. We're mentors. They really want discipline and it's really working.

Donations and sponsorships are needed to help fund the Atlas Cops & Kids Boxing Program.

For more information go online to http://www.dratlasfoundation.com/boxingclubs.html

Here is a link to short video presentation about the Atlas Cops & Kids Boxing Program through the eyes of some of its members: atlas video.nfl. Also find this link featuring Olympic boxing hopeful Christina Cruz on The CBS Morning Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qb8BxWO5r4.

http://www.facebook.com/#%21/DrAtlasFoundation

https://twitter.com/#%21/AtlasFoundation

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDrAtlasFoundation?feature=mhee

The 'King' Returns For "New Blood" On Feb 24



Orange, CA (January 25) - With the New Year comes the return of Thompson Boxing Promotions "New Blood" as it re-emerges with the best prospects in the Inland Empire area including welterweight contender Artemio "King" Reyes who makes his way back to Ontario after a spectacular win on national television. The "King" along with a court of pugilists like Aron Martinez, Richard Contreras and Sindy Amador are ready to perform in 2012.

The exciting night will take place on Friday, February 24, at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario as Thompson Boxing returns with its first blockbuster fight card of the year.

Artemio Reyes (14-1, 11 KOs), from Colton, CA, returns to the squared circle after tumbling 2008 U.S. Olympian Javier Molina from the ranks of the undefeated with a unanimous decision in Atlantic City last October. The lanky welterweight, Reyes, will face Mexico City's Victor Hugo Correa (12-4, 8 KOs) on his way to retaining the WBC Latino title and sliding toward the upper tier of the division. It's a hurdle that Reyes needs to jump before meeting the top contenders in the world.

Correa is coming off a four-fight winning streak and is hungry for a victory to once again be included in the talented and bountiful 147-pound division. The 10-round main event will showcase an all out power versus power welterweight war.

As the co-main event of the evening East L.A.'s Aron "Asesino" Martinez (15-1-1, 3 KOs) will rage against Escondido's Dashon "Fly Boy" Johnson (13-4-3, 4 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight bout. Martinez is enjoying a 3-year, 7-fight winning streak and he recently out-pointed Joseph Elegele on a nationally televised event last summer. Johnson has a two-fight winning streak and targets a victory over the talented Martinez to prove he has plenty of staying power.

Tickets for "NEW BLOOD" are priced at $75, $45, and $30. They are available now and may be purchased by calling 714-935-0900.

In undercard action...

In a six-round super bantamweight match Riverside's undefeated Richard "El Terminador" Contreras (9-0, 8 KOs) faces Mexico's Daniel "El Cuate" Quevedo (13-12-1, 8 KOs). In his last bout, the 21-year-old Contreras, stopped the extremely tough Juan Sandoval by technical knockout in a true slugfest. Quevedo, who hails out of Sinaloa, Mexico, recently fought former flyweight world champion Eric Morel. Although not a veteran, he has got plenty of experience to make it a rough night for the Riverside youngster.

In the preceding bout, female junior flyweights Sindy Amador (6-0, 1 KO) of Riverside and Gloria Salas (3-6-1, 1 KO) of Palm Springs battle in a four-round affair. Amador has a fast-paced pressure style and Salas seldom takes a step backward. Both women have shown to be above average fighters in their division. It is sure to be an exciting, action packed event.

Also fighting on the same fight card: Rigoberto Flores (2-1, 2 KOs) meeting Alonso Loeza (1-3-1) in a four round junior welterweight bout; San Bernardino's Joshua Conley (1-0, 1 KO) faces Eduardo Herrera (0-4) in another four round welterweight bout; and San Bernardino's Louis Rose (1-0) greets Erick Prado of Oxnard in a four round middleweight clash. Prado will make his professional debut.

Bouts subject to change. Doors open at 6:30 pm, and the first bell rings at 7:45 pm. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 North Vineyard Avenue in Ontario. The hotel phone number is 909-937-0900.

Showtime Sports To Offer Secondary Audio Program (SAP) In Spanish For Ortiz-Berto II On Feb. 11



NEW YORK (Jan. 25, 2012)-SHOWTIME^® Sports will offer secondary audio programming (SAP) in Spanish for the upcoming Victor Ortiz-Andre Berto II blockbuster on Saturday, Feb. 11, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast), from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Alejando Luna will call the play-by-play action and Raul Marquez will serve as color commentator for the SAP telecast.

Luna is well known in the Spanish-language sports community as the on-air host for Fox Sports en Espanol's coverage of Mexican Soccer, Copa Santander Libertadores and Copa Nissan Sudamericana. Luna also serves as Fox Sports en Espanol's play-by-play announcer for the Italian Serie A and UEFA Champions League.

Marquez was a representative for the 1992 U.S. Olympic boxing team in Barcelona, Spain and is a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior middleweight champion. He is currently a commentator for various Spanish boxing broadcasts and helps train his son, Arturo Marquez, an amateur boxer and Golden Gloves champion.

Ten months after their classic slugfest that was named 2011 "Fight of the Year" (USA Today, Ring Magazine), former World Champions Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO's), of Ventura, Calif., and Berto (28-1, 22 KO's), of Winter Haven, Fla., will square off again. The eagerly awaited 12-round fight is a rematch of a fiercely contested, multiple-knockdown affair on April 16, 2011, that Ortiz won by a unanimous decision (114-112, 114-111 and 115-110) while capturing Berto's World Boxing Council (WBC) 147-pound title. Both fighters were knocked down twice in the fight, with Berto being dropped in the first, Ortiz going down a round later and each of them hitting the deck in a wild sixth round that many called the "Round of the Year" for 2011.

"Repeat or Revenge: Ortiz vs. Berto II" is the highly anticipated 12-round welterweight rematch of USA Today and Ring Magazine's 2011 Fight of the Year between former World Champions "Vicious" Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto which will take place Saturday, Feb. 11 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and DiBella Entertainment. It will air live on SHOWTIME Championship Boxing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast). A special three-fight undercard will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

Tickets, priced at $300, $150, $100 and $50, are on sale and are available at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

 

 

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.dbe1.com, www.mgmgrand.com, http://Sports.SHO.com, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @VICIOUSOrtiz, @AndreBerto, @OscarDeLaHoya, @loudibella, @SHOsports, @mgmgrand; or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/lou.dibella or www.facebook.com/ShoBoxing.
The Hyland Brothers Highlight The Debut Of Team Snooki Boxing This Saturday Night At Resort In AC

New York, NY – January 25, 2012 – This Saturday night history will be made at Resorts in Atlantic City as the debut of Team Snooki Boxing will feature a trio of Irish brothers. The Hyland Brothers comprised of Patrick "Pajo" Hyland (Featherweight, 24-0, 11 KOs, Irish Featherweight Champion, Former I.B.F Intercontinental Featherweight Champion, Intercontinental Super-Featherweight Champion, and WBF World Featherweight Champion), Eddie Hyland (Super-Featherweight, 16-1, 6 KOs, Former Irish Super-Featherweight Champion),and Paul Hyland (Super-Bantamweight, 20-2, 6 KOs, Irish Super-Bantamweight Champion, and former EU Super-Bantamweight Champion).

The Hyland Brothers will headline a night of boxing at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Saturday, January 28, 2012. Patrick will put his undefeated record on the line against tough super featherweight Manny Lucaro (26-8 (14 KOs), Paul will face an opponent to be named and Eddie will be up against Franklin Gonzalez (14-0, 10 KOs). While in the United States, they are trained by two- time World Champion, Tracy Patterson and their father, Paddy who has trained them since birth. The event, to be titled "The Irish Invasion," will mark the first time that three brothers, who are all Irish champions have fought on the same card in America.

 

It will be a great test for Paul Hyland as Lucero has faced the cream of the crop in the boxing world.

He has faced he pound for pound best in Manny Pacquiao as well as world champion Daniel Ponce DeLeon and undefeated prospects Valdimer Periera, Jorge Diaz and Diego Magdaleno

“We are incredibly excited to introduce The Hyland Brothers and Team Snooki Boxing. We’ve seen what these boys can do, and expect nothing less than continued success and ‘living up to the hype’ for each of them here in the States,” said Mike Pascale, Vice President of Final Round Promotions. “The Irish Invasion” will be presented by Final Round Promotions on Saturday, January 28^th, 2012.

A packed undercard has been assembled that features one of the top Heavyweights in the United States plus a bevy of undefeated prospects.

Derric Rossy of Medford, New York has a record of 25-5 with fourteen knockouts was just one fight away from fighting for the Heavyweight championship of the world and will look to get on track when he takes on veteran Livin Castillo (16-10, 10 KOs) of Atlantic City.

This will be a good test for Rossy as Castillo has fought just about every top Heavyweight such as Jean-Marc Mormeck, Oleg Maskaev, Alexander Povetkin, Bruce Seldon, Eddie Chambers and Chazz Witherspoon to name a few.

Three undefeated prospects will look to keep their perfect marks intact as Jr. Lightweight Chazz McDowell (4-0,1KO) of Yonkers NY battles Phil Nazario (0-1) in a four round bout.

Former world amateur Heavyweight champion, Joey Dawejko (6-0, 2KO’s) battles Alvaro Morales (6-10-6) of Las Vegas.
Newark, NJ based Middleweight John Thompson (4-0, 1KO) will take on Andre Espeut (2-3, 1 KO) of Morristown, NJ in a four round bout.

Anthony Gangemi of Mine Hill, NJ will make his pro debut against Esau Tatum (0-1) out of Pine Bluff, Arkansas in a four round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Rounding out the card will be pro debuting Moses Molina of nearby Bridgeton, NJ battling Desi Williams (0-3) of Wilson, NC in a four round Jr. Lightweight bout.

Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi appeared on WFAN and MSG Network’s "The Boomer and Carton Show” on Wednesday, December 14 to announce the latest venture in her growing empire which is the formation of Team Snooki Boxing.

Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster and Resorts Hotel Casino.. For additional information please visit www.thehylandbrothers.com, www.resortsac.com or www.ticketmaster.com

Boxing fans can save $25 on any ticket over $100 by using a special promotion code “TSB”

Sergio Martinez's Team Hire Fitness Guru And Reality Tv Start Marcelo Crudele

Fitness guru and reality television star Marcelo Crudele has been named new camp coordinator for World Boxing Council (WBC) Diamond Middleweight Champion Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez.

Caracas, Venezuela-born Crudele, 40, is a cast member of the Univision reality show "Dale con Ganas", a licensed USA Boxing coach and Founder and Executive Trainer of Train Me Right Boxing & Fitness in Venice, California.

Martinez is currently in training for a March 17 title defense against England's Matthew Macklin at Madison Square Garden in New York.

"I welcome a professional like Marcelo, who will bring his expertise both as a camp coordinator and a top-notch fitness expert," said Martinez's advisor, Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing. "Not only is he one of the top people in his field, but he is also a former boxer, so he knows exactly what is needed."

Darren Barker's Team Turns Down Offer From Martin Murray

DARREN BARKER’S team have turned down a big offer for him to meet British and Commonwealth middleweight champion Martin Murray.

Hatton Promotions, who want to stage the double title showdown in the spring were shocked when Barker’s promoter Eddie Hearn turned down the high purse.

It shows Ricky Hatton’s commitment to making fights that work for British boxing and willingness to work with rival promoters.

Hatton Promotions CEO, Ricky said: “I am not privy to what Darren earned when he fought Sergio Martinez last year, but I think our offer may have topped it or at worse been very close.

“Put it this way, it was a huge amount for somebody challenging for British and Commonwealth championship crowns.

“Eddie Hearn initially made an offer for Matchroom Boxing to stage the fight, which we bettered by a considerable amount.

“Eddie responded and only matched what we put on the table which was strange and added it was his final offer, but we again countered and bettered it by a fair amount.

“Eddie got back to my Director of Boxing, Richard Poxon on Tuesday night refusing and said he ‘thinks’ that he has got Darren a world title fight in May.

“If Darren has got a world title fight for the sort of money Hatton Promotions are offering fair play to him, but this is a concrete offer and not a contest his promoter can ‘think’ will happen.

“I am sure Darren isn’t running scared and would be tempted by our offer, but I cannot say the same about others in his team, although I hope Eddie proves me wrong on that.

“I will work with any promoter for the good of my fighters and I am sure Sky Sports would love their viewers to watch a fight between Martin and Darren.”

Hatton is still hoping that Barker and his team come back to the table, but is now beginning to explore other avenues.

Murray would also accept against World Boxing Association (WBA) Super world middleweight champion Felix Sturm who controversially outpointed him last month.

Hatton added: “One thing for sure, is that Martin will be involved in big fights in 2012 whether Barker wants to know or not.”

Tapia To Return To Canastota, NY

CANASTOTA, NY - JANUARY 25, 2012 - The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced today five-time world champion Johnny “Mi Vida Loca” Tapia will attend festivities planned for the 23rd Annual Hall of Fame Induction Weekend set for June 7-10th.

“During his championship career, Johnny Tapia always thrilled fans with his exciting style,” said Hall of Fame director Edward Brophy. “We’re looking forward to welcoming him back to the Hall of Fame and we know fans will be happy to see him in Canastota.”

Fighting out of Albuquerque, NM, Tapia compiled an impressive 150-12 amateur record. As a professional, he captured five world titles in three separate weight divisions. He reigned as WBO junior bantamweight champion (1994-1998), IBF junior bantamweight champion (1997-1998), WBA bantamweight champion (1998-1999), WBO bantamweight champion (2000) and IBF featherweight king (2002). Known for his passionate fighting style, the fan-friendly Tapia posted a pro record of 59-5-2 (30 KOs) that includes wins over Danny Romero, Arthur Johnson, Nana Konadu, Jorge Julio, Cesar Soto, Manuel Medina and Mauricio Pastrana.

Events planned for the weekend include a banquet, a heavyweight bash, parade, golf tournament, boxing autograph card show, cocktail party and the Official Induction Ceremony honoring the Class of 2012. Living inductees to be honored at the Official Induction Ceremony on Sunday, June 10th are multi-division champion Thomas “Hitman” Hearns, two-division champion Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson, “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble” ring announcer Michael Buffer, trainer Freddie Roach, broadcaster Al Bernstein and journalist Michael Katz. Posthumous inductees will also be honored.

An impressive list of over 40 boxing greats from the United States and abroad are scheduled to participate in weekend festivities.

For more information on the Hall of Fame’s 23rd Annual Induction Weekend please call (315) 697-7095, visit online at www.ibhof.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InternationalBoxingHallofFame and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BoxingHall.

Chisora: Vitali Won't Make It Past 8th Round!

Dereck Chisora says he will stop Vitali Klitschko in the eighth round of their world heavyweight title fight next month. Former British and Commonwealth Champion Chisora takes on World Boxing Council (WBC) World Champion Klitschko at the Olympiahalle Munich, Germany, on Saturday 18th February.

Chisora opened up his Finchley gym to the media today and showed off the great shape he is in for the big showdown that can be seen live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 456/Virgin Ch. 546)

The Finchley puncher said, "I'm in tip-top shape, the best I've been in for my entire career and I'm going to smash Mr. Vitali Klitschko to bits,"

"People are saying that Klitschko is the hardest fight of my career, but this is going to be the hardest fight of his career,"

"I'm going to war with him, he won't get to use that big height and reach against me with the way I'm going to fight him and I've got the eighth round in my head that I'm going to stop him in,"

"Everyone that has fought the Klitschko brothers have been scared, this is one cat that isn't scared of him or anyone and I'll thrown him off of that throne he's been sitting on for the last few years."

Trainer Don Charles added, "This is the best shape he's been in since we started working together seven years ago,"

"He's physically and mentally right for the fight and is going out there to beat Klitschko and become the world champion,"

"15,000 fans didn't faze him in Finland against Robert Helenius and even though he was robbed of the title, his confidence is sky high and he knows what he can achieve,"

"The height won't be an advantage to Klitschko if he can't use it and Dereck is not going to let him use it just like he did against Helenius,"

"Dereck is going to give Klitschko an absolute nightmare."

BoxNation is the first dedicated subscription boxing TV channel in the UK to bring together the biggest names in amateur, domestic and international boxing with an unbeatable schedule of matches from across the globe.

For just £10 per month, BoxNation offers unbeatable value for money for all fight fans. To subscribe to BoxNation simply go to www.boxnation.tv and hit the "Subscribe Now" button and choose your subscription package. Simple!

Unbeatens McJoe Arroyo And Luis Joel Gonzalez In The First 2012 "A Puno Limpo" On Feb 3rd

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO- Unbeaten super flyweight McJoe Arroyo and lightweight Luis Joel Gonzalez will headline the first show of the successful series “A Puño Limpio” in 2012, next Friday, February 3 at the Coliseo Luis Aymat Cardona in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, in a PR Best Boxing Promotions (PRBBP) presentation, in association with Top Rank, to be televised on WAPA America.

While, Gonzalez (9-0-1, 5 KOs) will fight in the lightweights against Pedro Salcedo (3-5, 2 KOs) in an 8 round fight.

Another seven fights will complete the card.

“A Puño Limpio” will seen live on WAPA America from 9:00 p.m. a 11:00 p.m. ET.

Tickets for the show available on Ticketcenter (www.tcpr.com or 1 (787) 792-5000). Prices are $15 and $40.

***

UNDEFEATED: Barthelemy Defends UBO Title vs. Williams Jr.

Universal Boxing Organization™ International Lightweight Champion Rances Barthelemy (14-0, 11 KOs) will not be in for an easy ride when he makes his first title-defense on February 3. “Kid Blast” will be taking on fellow undefeated Hylon Williams Jr. (15-0, 3 KOs) at the Texas Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The fight will be promoted by Warriors Boxing and Sampson Boxing LLC, and televised live throughout the United States on ESPN2.

Rances Barthelemy won the UBO title last July when he beat Gerardo Robles on points at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and is coming off a knockout victory over Mexican Alejandro Barrera on the Lucian Bute-Glenn Johnson undercard in Quebec City, Canada in November.

Managed by Henry Foster and promoted by Leon Margules/Warriors Boxing, the 25-year-old Cuban has proved to be one of the most exiting up-and-comers in the game, and in Hylon Williams Jr. he will face his biggest test since turning professional in August 2009.

21-year-old Hylon Williams Jr. will be challenging for his first professional title, and it’s safe to say that on February 3 he will also be in with his best opponent so far. Originally from Houston, Williams has fought all over the US, even once in Puerto Rico, but just like Barthelemy he is now residing in Las Vegas, adding extra spice to an already mouthwatering match-up.

On the same card, appropriately billed SUPER BRAWLS, former world-title-challenger Edison Miranda (35-6, 30 KOs) will take on Isaac Chilemba (18-1-1, 9 KOs) at Light Heavyweight, and Russian Heavyweight sensation Magomed Abdusalamov (12-0, 12 KOs) clash with Cuban Pedro Rodriguez (8-0, 6 KOs).

More info on: www.uboboxing.com

The UBO is also on Twitter: www.twitter.com/UBOboxing
And Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Universal-Boxing-Organization-UBO/129022037171860

Carl Frampton Takes On Kris Hughes This Saturday

Belfast star denies dreaming of Quigg showdown

Carl Frampton is not taking anything for granted in his opening fight of a massive year as he looks to extend his unbeaten record when he defends his title against Kris Hughes at York Hall on Saturday night live on Sky Sports 1 and HD1.

The Commonwealth champion is forever linked with huge title fights, but he insists that he is totally focused on the job in hand tonight, and it seems that the challenger has inadvertently helped ‘The Jackal’ sharpen his concentration ahead of the bout.

“He's a tall, awkward southpaw, he may be hard to get to for a while,” said Frampton. “But he's been saying a few things to reporters and online that I'm not worth the hype and so on, that's the sort of thing that motivates me so he's probably made his first mistake there as that will give me extra drive tonight.

“I had a look at his record and there's nothing much to shout about there. He's a big lad and he's boxed at Featherweight and Super Featherweight and above that as well. I don't know where that comment came from but there you go.”

Possible clashes with British champion Scott Quigg and European titlist Kiko Martinez have been put to the 24 year-old as fans and pundits lick their lips at the prospect of the super-bantamweight division exploding into life.

Again though, Frampton is keen to point out his focus is on tonight’s task and he knows that as a title holder there is added pressure in the fight.

“I approach every fight the same as the desired end result to every fight is always the same – victory,” said Frampton. “So I train really hard for every fight anyway, but I guess now I'm the champion that this guy is coming to take something from me so I'm know there's a target on my head. But my body is adapting all the time with every fight and I'm getting fitter and stronger all the time, it's much easier to do the rounds now.

“Training has been perfect – Barry is meticulous with everything we do in training and wrote down the other week that we had done over 150 rounds of sparring, so it's been great.

“This is a really big year and there are other fights out there besides Quigg and Martinez. But I'm totally focused on tonight – I've read things where he's said that he thinks we have overlooked him and are looking at fights beyond tonight, but that is not the case. Everything around the camp has been geared for him and I couldn’t be in better shape.”

Frampton claimed the vacant Commonwealth strap with a commanding performance against Australian Mark Quon in September in front of a massive hometown crowd at the Odyssey Arena. Tonight is his second outing at the York Hall and he’s

“It would have been great to have fought in Belfast but I've boxed here before and it's a great venue,” said Frampton. “There's a lot of boxing fans in the area and they know their stuff so you are always guaranteed a good crowd. John Ryder is on the bill too and he's a big ticket seller and I'll have a lot here too, so I hope tonight is a sell-out and that there's a great atmosphere as it always gives you that extra push and we can put on a great show.

“It's great to be topping the bill, a massive opportunity to showcase my talents and it's a tough task. It is important that you gain experience away from home as hopefully one day I'll be boxing for a World title and that might be away from home, so nights like this are very important.”

Frampton’s next fight could well be away from home – in New York City on St. Patrick’s Day. Matthew Macklin challenges Sergio Martinez at Madison Square Garden.

“Eddie Hearn and Barry have discussed about the New York fight and if I get through tonight injury-free it’s a real possibility,” said Frampton. “You dream about boxing in venues like Madison Square Garden when you are a kid and if I can get another win there then a fight with Kiko or Scott in the summer would surely be sealed.”

Stephen Foster-Yauheni Kruhlik On 2/4

STEPHEN FOSTER JR has been handed a crack at the British super-featherweight championship – provided he triumphs next week.

The Salford ace, 31, was on the brink of a world title fight 11 months ago but lost his European title when he was shocked on points by Ermano Fegatilli.

Foster is out to prove he still has plenty to offer in a six rounder against Yauheni Kruhlik (10-13-3)at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium on Saturday 4th February – his first contest since that setback.

And if Stephen impresses against the durable Belarusian he can expect to face the winner of March’s British title showdown between Gary Buckland and Paul Truscott.

Back in October 2010, Foster (28-3-1) caused the upset of the year knocking out Levan Kirakosyan and promoter Ricky Hatton is backing him to bounce back.

The Hatton Promotions CEO said: “This is a very important fight for Foster Jr.

“He was on the crest of a wave winning the European title when he beat Kirakosyan but after being in such great form lost against Fegatilli.

“There were rumours of illness surrounding the loss but if he bounces back with a win in Bolton I expect to match him against the winner of Buckland-Truscott, giving him a chance to win the British title.”

In the bill topper unbeaten Bury star Scott Quigg makes the first defence of his British super-bantamweight title against Jamie Arthur on the card being televised live on Sky Sports.

On the same bill Joe Murray meets a selected opponent, hopefully for the vacant English featherweight crown.

Rendall Munroe features in a non-title eight rounder when he tackles Argentinian Jose Saez.

The card will also include Stephen Foster Jr v Yauheni Kruhlik. Matty Askin v Attila Palko, Craig Lyon v Yuri Voronin, Jazza Dickens v Michael Ramabaletsa, Feargal McCrory v Jason Nesbitt and Tasif Khan v Selected Opponent.

Boxing starts at 6.15pm and tickets priced at £35, £55 and £75 VIP ringside. You can buy by calling 01925 755 222, Ticketmaster 0844 847 2500, Ticketline 0844 888 9991 or online www.hattonboxing.com

Star Boxing Signs Cletus Seldin, Hebrew Hammer To Fight On This Saturday Night In Huntington, Long Island

RONX, NEW YORK, (January 25, 2012) Former amateur standout and current hot welterweight prospect Cletus "The Hebrew Hammer" Seldin has signed an exclusive promotional contract with Star Boxing, it was announced today by Joe DeGuardia, founder and CEO of Star Boxing.

Fighting out of Dix Hills in Long Island, New York, the hard hitting 25 year old will be featured on Star Boxing's undercard at ROCKIN' FIGHTS this Saturday night, January 28th at the Paramount Theater in Huntington, Long Island.

"We're very proud to bring Cletus aboard to the Star Boxing team. I've watched his exciting, fan pleasing style as an amateur and pro. Most recently he electrified the crowds at Madison Square Garden in October and on our last show at the Paramount Theatre in November" said DeGuardia.

"His aggressive, all-action style has made Cletus among the most popular fighters in the New York City area and we plan on keeping him very busy this year."

In his last outing, the undefeated Seldin, 5-0 with three knockouts, brutally stopped Rashad Bogar from a barrage of power shots in the third round on November 19th at the Paramount Theatre.

On October 22nd at Madison Square Garden, Seldin drilled Jose Torres to the canvas three times enroute to a second round stoppage in front of a packed house of New York City boxing fans.

This Saturday night Seldin will face off against Colorado Springs native, Tyler Pogline, 5-9 (4KO's) in a six round scheduled bout.

As an amateur, Seldin was a finalist in the New York City Golden Gloves and a Long Island Amateur Boxing Champion. He is also a Certified Fitness Trainer through the International Sports Science Association.

ROCKIN' FIGHTS is headlined by a junior welterweight showdown between Huntington, Long Island fan favorite Chris Algieri and Curtis Smith of Atlanta, Georgia.

Advance tickets, priced at $35, $50 and $100 can be purchased by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000, or by visiting the Star Boxing website, www.StarBoxing.com. Tickets may also be purchased through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com, Phone 1-800-745-3000) and The Paramount Theater Box Office by calling (631) 673-7300.

Doors will open on the night of the event at 7pm with the first bell scheduled for 7:30pm.

The Paramount Theater is located at 370 New York Avenue, Huntington, New York, 11743. For directions and more information, please visit their website at www.paramountny.com

ESPN's FNFs: Provodnikov vs. Torres, Kim vs. Amidu On Jan. 27

Atlas Predicts Provodnikov to Win by Knockout

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature two top contenders -- junior-welterweight Ruslan Provodnikov (20-1, 13 KOs) and former lightweight world-title-challenger Ji-Hoon “Volcano” Kim (22-7,18 KOs) -- in co-main events on January 27 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN3 from Airway Heights, Wash.

On ESPN2, Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Northern Quest Casino describing the action, while studio host Bernardo Osuna will present all the latest boxing news and highlights. ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights) will present Friday’s card with Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodriguez calling the fights and Leopoldo Gonzalez and Lindsay Casinelli anchoring the studio. The card is presented by Banner Promotions.

Description: Description: C:\Users\mcdonas1\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\MA28FIWD\FNF Remote Preview (2).jpgRussia’s Provodnikov, who is coming off a 12-round decision over former WBO junior-welterweight champion Demarcus Corley, will face hometown favorite David “El Torito” Torres (21-2-2,13 KOs).

Atlas: “Provodnikov is a good body puncher, strong guy, pleasing to the eye and makes good fights. I like him to win this fight by knockout.”

Friday’s co-feature will pit South Korea’s Kim against Yakubu “The Black Mamba” Amidu (17-2-1,15 KOs). Kim is coming off a 10-round decision over Dong-Hyuk Kim, while Los Angeles’ Amidu is coming off a third-round TKO over Martin Tucker.

Atlas: “Ji-Hoon Kim will probably have to come back in this fight. He gets caught early, but has a huge heart. When he does win, he finds a way to come back. He puts himself in difficult positions, but puts us in a good position because we are watching some interesting fights.”

Follow ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like on Facebook.

Decision With Regards To The Los Angeles Matadors vs. Moscow Match

Lausanne, Switzerland, 25 January 2012 - The World Series of Boxing Appeal Panel has decided to overturn the result of two bouts in December's L.A. Matadors vs. Dynamo Moscow match. Consequently, the overall result of the match is a 3:2 win for Dynamo Moscow.

WSB received a first protest from Astana Arlans, the visiting team to Los Angeles, regarding two bouts (Bantamweight and Heavyweight) in a match between L.A. Matadors vs. Astana Arlans (Week 1 on 13 November 2011). The WSB Appeal Panel met on 28 November 2011 to review the video recordings of the challenged bouts and decided not to take any action because no technical foul was ascertained, although the appeal panel did have reservations about the quality of the refereeing and judging in the match.

In December WSB received another protest from the visiting team to L.A. Dynamo Moscow, regarding three bouts (Bantamweight, Lightweight and Heavyweight) of the L.A. Matadors vs. Dynamo Moscow match (Week 3 on 4 December 2011). The WSB Appeal Panel met on 19 December 2011 to review the video recordings of the challenged bouts.

The Appeal Panel upheld two of the three appeals against the challenged bouts (Bantamweight and Lightweight) and thus, as a result of the decision of the WSB Appeal Panel, the overall result of the match should be a 3:2 win for Dynamo Moscow.

WSB took note of this decision and sent, on 20 December 2011, a letter to the California State Athletic Commission, the body that sanctions the WSB matches hosted in Los Angeles, to inform it of these protests and ask for its help in reviewing these matches. In addition, WSB asked the State Athletic Commission not to assign any of the Referees & Judges involved in the appealed matches to WSB matches in the future.

On learning that some Referees & Judges who had officiated in the challenged bouts were still appointed for the most recent match against the Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder (Week 7 on 22 January 2012), the result of which WSB has also been appealed against by the Milano Thunder Team, WSB decided today to apply the Appeal Panel's decision on the LA Matadors vs. Dynamo Moscow match.

The Team Ranking Table for Group A and the Individual Rankings have been adjusted accordingly.

World Series of Boxing wishes to make it clear that a decision to overturn the result of a bout due to incorrect scoring on the part of the judges is only taken in exceptional circumstances where there is irrefutable evidence of errors in the scoring and where such a decision is necessary to uphold the integrity of the competition.

Hitz Boxing Returns To Horseshoe Feb 18-Mollo Headline

The next installment of Hitz Boxing's wildly popular "Fight Night at the Horseshoe" series will be held on Saturday, February 18, 2012, at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, featuring heavyweight contender "Merciless" Mike Mollo (20-3-1, 12 KOs) of Oak Lawn, Illinois; NABA-US Champion Yakubu "Black Mamba" Amidu (20-2-1, 18 KOs) of Los Angeles via Ghana; Vladikavkaz, Russia's undefeated welterweight prospect Alanbek Kozaev (19-0, 6 KOs); the unveiling of newly signed Cleveland-based junior welterweight prospect Prenice "Greatness" Brewer (16-1-1, 6 KOs); and a host of local favorites and warriors who have earned their spots through previous strong performances.

While the main and co-main and many of the opponents are yet to be determined, also scheduled to appear are unbeaten heavyweight slugger Dave Latoria (9-0, 5 KOs); popular local super middleweight Mike "Hollywood" Jimenez (5-0, 3 KOs) who will face Bruce "The Rage" Rumbolz (22-23-2, 15 KOs) of Sterling, Illinois; Lafayette, Louisiana, lightweight Chris Singleton (3-0, 2 KOs); the second four-round professional bout of Chesterton, Indiana, heavyweight Philip Triantafillo (1-0, 1 KO); Chicago junior welterweight Genaro Mendez (3-1-1, 2 KOs) will face Omaha's debuting Eric Corrona; and the debut of Omaha, Nebraska-based former amateur heavyweight star (and newest member of the Hitz Boxing stable) Brian Houston in a surprisingly stern first test for his first time out against Chicago's Felix Abner (3-2, 2 KOs).

"I've been doing shows here for quite some time," said promoter Bobby Hitz, "and I am honored to continue providing the boxing to this beautiful casino. To maintain quality standards at our shows, what we're going to do from now on is feature only fighters who want to fight. We're not going to focus on getting wins for local kids like some other promotions do. In fact, I don't care if you're from the same gym as another guy. If you fight at the Horseshoe, you have to be willing to be in tough, maybe even against another local kid. Let's call it a tournament of sorts to see who the best fighters in the area really are by fighting one another."

The high-class atmosphere and luxurious  surroundings the Horseshoe has to offer make their boxing shows a Las Vegas-style night of boxing that Chicago-area fans don't have to get on a plane to enjoy.
The Horseshoe Casino has an intimate, comfortable venue with luxurious seats, a spectacular gaming area, free parking, exquisite food and all the amenities -- and is just 20 minutes from Downtown Chicago.

Tickets for "Fight Night at the Horseshoe" are on sale now, starting at a fan appreciation price of $10, and are available atthe "Venue" box office, ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster outlets, as well as at

Photos: Andre Berto Media Day Workout

Photos: Gene Blevins/HoganPhotos


Former World Champion Andre Berto (Center) speaks to members of the media on January 24, 2012 in Van Nuys, California during a media workout in preparation for his February 11, 2012 rematch against former World Champion Victor Ortiz at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Neveada which will be televised live on SHOWTIME Championship Boxing.











Video: Andre Berto: ShoSports Interview





Video: Victor Ortiz: ShoSports Interview





Demetrius Andrade Following Plan

BRONX, NY (January 24, 2012) - Undefeated 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius "Boo Boo" Andrade believes his February 10 main-event fight against former USBA junior middleweight champion Derek "Pooh" Ennis, for the vacant North American Boxing Organization ("NABO") junior middleweight title, is a continuation of a well designed plan, eventually landing him a world title fight later this year or in early 2013.

With world title belt implications for the winner, Andrade-Ennis headlines the Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing show on ESPN Friday Night Fights at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.


Photo: Star Boxing

Andrade (15-0, 10 Os), fighting out of nearby Providence, was a much decorated amateur who in 2007 became the first American since 1999 to capture a gold medal at the World Amateur Championships. The talented 23-year-old from Providence is ranked in the top 15 of all four major governing bodies: No. 9 by the World Boxing Organization ("WBO"), No. 13 by the International Boxing Federation ("IBF") and World Boxing Council ("WBC") and No. 15 by the World Boxing Association ("WBA"). He is co-promoted by Star Boxing and Banner Promotions.

"This fight will put me in a good position and let people know that I'm coming hard," Andrade said. "I will be there soon (world champion) but I'm in no rush. I've been handled the right way. We're following the game plan and picking the right fights. Once I get up to 20-0 or so, I'll be ready to call out the big guys like (Canelo) Alvarez.

"I've improved a lot since I turned pro, mentally and physically. I've kept my head on straight, remained focused and have had no distractions at all - in or out of the ring. Physically, I'm in tip-top shape, able to handle whatever comes my way."

IBF No. 9-rated Ennis (23-3-1, 13 KOs) is carrying on the rich tradition of other tough Philadelphia fighters before him such as Joey Giardello, Jeff Chandler, Bernie Briscoe and so many others from the City of Brotherly Love.

"I don't know too much about Ennis other than his record and that he has a good style," Demetrius remarked. "We're looking to step-up and fight guys like him. We're going to make this show rock. I'm going for a big win."

Like Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Roy Jones, Jr. before him, Andrade is an exceptionally gifted boxer who has been unfairly tabbed a "safety-first fighter" because he makes fights look so easy and effortless. Boxing, though, is about hitting your opponent without getting hit. Andrade has done just that and much more during his perfect pro career to this point. The slick southpaw has been thoroughly dominant in his 15 pro fights, knocking out 10 opponents, and winning all but four of 59 rounds on the judges' scorecards.

"Sometimes, it's funny to me that, when I win by a decision, some people get mad because I didn't knockout my opponent," Andrade explained. "But they still get mad when I win by knockout. Whenever I fight, I bring a different look and nobody can say I don't. I beat (Grady) Brewer with my jab and I went to (Saul) Duran's body with power punches until he quit.

"Each and every fight, I'm better, stronger - stepping-up against better competition - and I'm still winning."

Tickets are $75.00, $40.00 and $30.00 (plus $5.00 facility fee for all tickets) and are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster's national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office, subject to availability, or by calling Star Boxing at 1.718.823.2000 and online via www.StarBoxing.com.

For more information go online to www.starboxing.com or www.mohegansun.com.

ABOUT STAR BOXING: Star Boxing, Inc. has been in operation since 1992. Star Boxing has worked to produce some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star has continued to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world-rated contenders and young prospects. Star has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit the official website at www.starboxing.com.

WBC President Sulaiman Says Chavez Jr. Is In No Way Scared Of  Sergio Martinez

WBC President Jose Sulaiman says WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez is getting a bad rap. “Yesterday I spent several hours on Twitter and I sensed the negative effects on the Mexican fans produced by press releases of promoters saying that Chavez Jr. will fight against several boxers if he beats Marco Antonio Rubio, which is already a very tough fight. As President of the WBC and close friend of Julio Cesar Chavez Sr and his sons, I wish to emphasize that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is in no way scared of Sergio Martinez. I know Chavez. I know he has the same brave heart just like his father. He’s a great boxer with power in his fists and he’s a Mexican idol, so let’s stop these attacks in regards that he doesn’t want to face his mandatory bout. The bout next February 4th between Julio Cesar and Marco Antonio Rubio will be a great bout full of courage and honor. With all respect to the Mexican fans, I inform you that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has never said that he won’t face Martinez. He has even said that he’s willing to face any boxer because he is a WBC world champion and he will prove it against anybody.”

Ahmet Oner Wins IBF Purse Bid For i/c Middleweight Championship Britsch vs. Simon

Promoter Ahmet Oner has shocked Sauerland Event by winning today’s purse bid for the intercontinental middleweight championship between Sauerland’s prospect Dominik Britsch and former i/c champion Benjamin Simon at the International Boxing Federation (IBF) office in New Jersey.

Oner’s winning bid was 183,000.- US-Dollars while Sauerland was hoping to get the nod with 131,400.- US-Dollars.

"We had told Sauerland before that we have investors in Turkey who are interested in this bout", says Oner. "We made them a very good offer but they refused because they said that they don’t want to fight in Turkey. I guess now they have to... Our date is set for March 9th in my hometown Tekirdag."

Benjamin Simon and his trainer and manager Robert Rolle were happy with the purse bid result as well. "Actually we don’t care where we fight – as long as we get our hands on Britsch", states Rolle. "We were preparing for February 25th and we were ready to fight at their show. But, of course, this is even better for us. Going to Turkey with Ahmet is like a home fight for us and we will take the belt from Britsch. We thank Ahmet and ARENA for their support and their trust in us."

Eurosport will broadcast the show live on March 9th from Tekirdag.

Undercard Announced For SuperBrawls FNF Card, Feb. 3 At Texas Station Casino In Las Vegas

Roberto J. Acevedo, Juan Carlos Velasquez, Evgeny Gradovich, and Cameron Kreal all scheduled for battle

The undercard has been announced for the February 3, 2012, Warriors Boxing and Sampson Boxing blockbuster SUPERBRAWLS show at the Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel in Las Vegas.

Several exciting matchups are scheduled in addition to the ESPN Friday Night Fights-televised portion of the show consisting of a 10-round light heavyweight main event between Colombian powerhouse Edison "Pantera" Miranda and South Africa's WBC #6, WBA #13, and WBO #14-rated Isaac "Golden Boy" Chilemba, as well as Hylon Williams Jr. (15-0, 3 KOs) of Las Vegas and Rances "Kid Blast" Barthelemy (14-0, 11 KOs) in the eight-round lightweight co-main event, and a heavyweight showdown between 2005 and 2006 Russian super heavyweight amateur champion Magomed Abdusalamov (12-0, 12 KOs) and Cuba's Pedro Rodriguez (8-0, 6 KOs).

Topping the all-action undercard will be "can't miss" Puerto Rican super middleweight prospect Roberto Jose Acevedo (2-0, 1 KO) in a four-round showcase fight against Las Vegas resident Velvet Malone (0-3).

Other bouts scheduled include a noteworthy six-round super featherweight tussle between Igrim, Russia's undefeated Eveny Gradovich (11-0, 6 KOs) and Las Vegas' Robert Osiobe (11-3-4, 6 KOs); a four-round junior welterweight match-up between Vegas residents Cameron Kreal (0-0-2) and Jesus Gutierrez (1-0, 1 KO); and Puerto Rico's Juan Carlos Velasquez (10-1, 5 KOs) in a six-round super featherweight bout against TBA.

Tickets for "Super Brawls" are priced at $25 and $50 and are available at Ticketmaster, any Texas Station rewards center or at Stationcasinos.com/concerts. A few VIP seats are available at a price of $100. Please call (954) 985-1155.

On fight night, doors open at 5:30 and the action starts at 6:00 pm.

Station Bucks may be used to purchase tickets. All ages welcome. Under 21 must be accompanied by an adult 21 or over. Show subject to change without notice. Management reserves all rights. Digital Photography and video prohibited. Tickets can be purchased at any Station Casinos Boarding Pass Rewards Center, The Fiesta's, by logging onto stationcasinos.com/concerts or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel is located at 2101 Texas Star Ln in North Las Vegas. Telephone: (702) 631-1000 or (800)654-8888.

Polish Prince Andrzej Fonfara Headlines Windy City Fight Night 22, March 17th

CHICAGO, IL (January 24, 2012) Chicago’s Polish Prince and world ranked light heavyweight Andrzej Fonfara will return to battle on Saturday, March 17th at Windy City Fight Night 22, it was announced today by Dominic Pesoli, President of 8 Count Productions.

Advance tickets, priced at $31, $51, $76 and $101 are available through Ticketmaster, (www.Ticketmaster.com), the UIC Pavilion Box Office (Phone 312-413-5740) and the 8 Count Productions Office (312-226-5800).

The heavy-handed 24-year-old Fonfara, sporting a record of 20-2-1 with eleven knockouts continues to draw very large “loud and proud” crowds at the UIC Pavilion from the massive Polish population in Chicago. Most recently Fonfara crushed Phil Williams on December 16th, drilling him to the canvas in the third round to earn the stoppage.

Currently ranked #9 by the World Boxing Organization, the Warsaw, Poland native has resided in Chicago since turning professional five years ago. He will appear in a scheduled ten round bout for the USBO Light Heavyweight Title against an opponent to be named.

Undefeated in his last eleven bouts, the last eight by knockout, Fonfara has received a sensational amount of interest nationally and overseas due to his highlight real stoppages, many of which have garnered tens of thousands of viewings on Youtube.com.

Said Pesoli, “This is going to be a big year for Andrzej. His improvement over the last two years has been incredible. We’ve drawn tremendous crowds for his fights at the UIC Pavilion and after each one I receive a larger amount of requests for news on his next fight. I would strongly encourage fans to make their purchases early as the best seats will go quickly.”

Also battling at Windy City Fight Night 22 will be Chicago based Mexican warrior Ivan “EL Marro” Popoca. A native of Guerrero, Mexico, Popoca has enjoyed a sensational amount of support from Chicago fight fans over his five-year career.

Undefeated in his first fifteen professional bouts, Popoca went to war with world ranked Ruslan Provodnikov on April 15, 2011, in a bout broadcast on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. After seven sensational rounds, the fight was stopped abruptly in the eighth after Popoca was knocked down for the first time.

Campaigning as a lightweight, Popoca will return to action in a scheduled six round tilt against an opponent to be announced.

Also announced for Windy City Fight Night 22 is former Ukrainian Olympian and current undefeated middleweight Viktor Polyakov. A native of Perm, Russia, now residing in Chicago, Polyakov has made a resounding return to Chicago, winning his most recent two bouts with six round unanimous decision shutouts over Romaro Johnson on September 23rd and Foster Nkodo on December 16th.

More information on these and other exciting bouts will be announced shortly.

Doors on the night of the event will open at 7pm with the first bell at 8pm. The UIC Pavilion is located at 525 S. Racine, at the corner of Harrison and Racine, just one block south of the Eisenhower Expressway in the West Loop area of Chicago.

8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, was started by Dominic Pesoli in 1998 and has consistently presented the highest quality professional boxing events in Chicagoland.

Fighters currently under the 8 Count Productions banner include; super middleweight contender Donovan George, world ranked light heavyweight Andrzej Fonfara, former world title challenger Edner Cherry, middleweight prospect Viktor Polyakov, junior welterweight prospects Ivan Popoca and Adrian Granados along with welterweights Achour Esho and Jaime Herrera.

For more information on 8 Count Productions please visit their new website, www.8countproductions.com. Follow them on Twitter at 8_Count and Facebook at “8 Count Productions”.

For further information about the UIC Pavilion please visit their website at www.uicpavilion.com. The UIC Pavilion is now serving alcohol at all boxing events.

Shaw's Future Stars-Dulorme, Franco, Del Valle, Gonzalez & Pedraza Making Noise

Gary Shaw Productions has a fantastic stable of undefeated fighters making their mark in the boxing world. Five made the cut on ESPN's Super 25 prospect list, created by Dan Rafael. Shaw co-promotes some of his fighters with other top promoters like Lou DiBella, Javier Bustillo and Leon Margules. Below are Dan Rafael's write up's on Shaw's rising stars. Click here to see the entire list on ESPN.com.

Luis Orlando Del Valle (24, junior featherweight, Lou DiBella/Gary Shaw, 14-0, 11 KOs): Puerto Rico's Del Valle, who lives in New York, lost his first amateur fight at age 14 but wound up going 112-14 and earning a National Golden Gloves title before turning pro in 2008. He has excellent hand speed and is efficient with his punches. He has a high knockout percentage but is more of a sharp puncher than a crushing puncher. He scores his knockouts with an accumulation of well-placed shots. In his most notable fight, which aired on "ShoBox" in June, he hammered credible Dat Nguyen in a lopsided 10-round decision with an excellent performance that stole the show.

Thomas Dulorme (21, welterweight, Lou DiBella/Gary Shaw/Javier Bustillo, 13-0, 10 KOs): Puerto Rico's Dulorme is an ultra-exciting prospect with Felix Trinidad-like charisma. When Dulorme comes to the ring, he has a smile on his face and seems to thoroughly enjoy the combat. He is a very aggressive puncher with tremendous power. He turned pro in 2008 but initially didn't fight very often. In 2011, he picked up the pace, winning five fights -- including spectacular second-round knockouts of Guillermo Valdes and Harrison Cuello on major undercards. Dulorme followed those fights with quality decision wins against former junior welterweight titlist DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley on "Friday Night Fights" and former welterweight title challenger Charlie Navarro. The sky is the limit for this kid. He has the look of a future star who just needs more experience. Dulorme will open his 2012 schedule by headlining "ShoBox" on Feb. 17.

Thomas Dulorme will challenge Jose Reynoso for the NABF welterweight title.

Luis Franco (29, featherweight, Gary Shaw, 11-0, 7 KOs): The Miami-based Franco spent eight years on the powerhouse Cuban national team and was a 2004 Olympian. But he lost what would have been some prime professional years before defecting in mid-2009 and turning pro. After roughly 400 amateur fights (including wins against Yuriorkis Gamboa), Franco is adapting well to the pro game. He's a volume puncher with quickness and, because of his amateur experience and advanced age, is on the fast track. He has already defeated solid pros such as Wilton Hilario, Eric Hunter and Leonilo Miranda. There was serious talk of Franco facing 2011 ESPN.com prospect of the year Gary Russell Jr. on HBO on two different cards, but no deal ever came to fruition, as Franco was in position for a title eliminator in one of the alphabet organizations. He figures to get a significant fight in 2012.

Jonathan Gonzalez (22, junior middleweight, Leon Margules/Gary Shaw/Lou DiBella, 14-0, 13 KOs): Gonzalez was a 2007 Pan-American Games silver medalist and 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian who went 132-18 as an amateur. He's a strong volume puncher who loves to bull forward and look for knockouts. But he can also box and fights in a confident, relaxed manner. He picked up his most notable victory in June, when he broke down onetime contender Richard Gutierrez in impressive fashion to win a lopsided decision on Showtime's "ShoBox" in New York on the eve of the annual Puerto Rican Day parade.

Jonathon Gonzalez returns to the ring as the co-main event on "ShoBox" Feb. 17, against Billy Lyell.

Jose Pedraza (22, lightweight, Lou DiBella/Gary Shaw/Javier Bustillo, 5-0, 4 KOs): Pedraza, a 2008 Olympian and 2009 silver medalist at the amateur world championships, is perhaps the most heralded Puerto Rican prospect since Miguel Cotto came out of the 2000 Olympics. Nicknamed "The Sniper," Pedraza turned pro in February and has rolled through his first four (low-level) opponents. He has shown an educated jab and an excellent body attack, two elements that usually take time for a young fighter to develop. He has poise, is accurate with his punches and is very fluid. DiBella said Pedraza's fighting style reminds him of a young Oscar De La Hoya.

With only a few fights under his belt, Pedraza was able to capture the WBC Youth title and will defend it on February 28th in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Shaw Productions Signs Undefeated Lightweight Sensation Alejandro Luna

New Jersey (January 24, 2012) - Gary Shaw Productions is proud to announce the signing of undefeated power-punching lightweight sensation, Alejandro "Charro" Luna (8-0, 6 KOs) of Whittier, California. Shaw and Luna agreed to a multi-year contract, and both sides are extremely happy. Luna is scheduled to return to the ring on March 16, 2012 at the Morongo Casino in Cabazon, CA, on ESPN Friday Night Fights.

A joyful Gary Shaw went on to say, "Alejandro Luna is a great kid with heavy hands and the fans love his approach. Every time he steps in the ring you know something exciting is about to happen. He's got great skills and good team around him. I have big plans for him in 2012."

Luna, a twenty year old prospect known for his crowd pleasing style stated, "I'm very excited that I signed with Gary Shaw because I know he's one of the best promoters in boxing. He's guided many world champions to the top and I plan to be his next big name. My goal is to say busy this year and continue my success as a prize fighter."

Alejandro grew up as a "Charro" in a family of Mexican cowboys, who competed in "Charrería's" around his local area. Deep rooted in his family's life long tradition, Luna sated, "The definition of a "Charro" is a gentleman's cowboy. I learned how to ride a horse at a very young age and started competing in local "Charrería's", which are rodeo competitions. All my family members from my dad to my uncles are involved in the sport of rodeos, "Charreadas" in Spanish. I juggled both sports growing up, and as an amateur boxer I compiled a record of 90-12. I love to compete and right now my focus is strictly on becoming a world champion in boxing."

Video: Fight Camp 360: Ortiz vs. Berto II Bonus Feature



ABOUT REPEAT OR REVENGE: ORTIZ vs. BERTO II:

“Repeat or Revenge: Ortiz vs. Berto II” is the highly anticipated 12-round welterweight rematch of USA Today and Ring Magazine’s 2011 Fight of the Year between former World Boxing Council (WBC) World Champions “Vicious” Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto which will take place Saturday, Feb. 11 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and DiBella Entertainment.

It will air live on SHOWTIME Championship Boxing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast). A special three-fight undercard will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).



George-Rodriguez Now HBO Opener For Martinez-Macklin Undercard

In a very intriguing matchup between world ranked super middleweights Donovan George (22-1, 19 KOs) and Edwin Rodriguez (20-0, 14 KOs) will square off March 17th. The bout will be the HBO opener 10 or 12 rounds prior to the Sergio Martinez vs Matthew Macklin St. Patrick’s Day main event in Madison Square Garden, New York, New York. Middleweight Andy Lee was originally slated to open the telecast, but pulled out to seek a possible world title shot. On paper, George-Rodriguez seems like for sure fireworks as both are decent punchers. And, both fighters are expected to sell a lot of tickets with George being of Irish decent and Rodriguez of Dominican.