One of the top trainers in boxing, Gabriel Sarmiento will not be in the corner with his man, World Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez when he takes on Sergiy Dzinzurak this Saturday night at The Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Gabriel won’t be in the corner because of some personal issues,” promoter Lou DiBella said, although he would not say what the particular reasons were. “It’s private, so there’s not much I can say about it. But Gabriel was with Sergio in training camp all the way, so they have worked on everything together.”

Taking over as the head of Martinez’s corner is Pablo Sarmiento, Gabriel’s brother. Pablo Sarmiento is a regular member of Martinez’s training staff and has worked in his corner for several past fights, DiBella said.

“Gabriel was with Sergio through the close of camp [last] Friday,” DiBella said. “We knew about this, but we didn’t feel the need to announce it until we had to. We are comfortable with Pablo. This is not an excuse no matter happens in the fight, and we know this is a very tough fight. Sergio said it will make no difference and that he had the best training camp he has ever had. Both of the Sarmientos were there in camp.”

Said Martinez, the consensus fighter of the year for 2010: “Pablo is from the same school [as Gabriel], so this will be OK. It’s nothing that is a surprise. I am well-trained and ready

Unbeaten WBO Intercontinental Champion Robert Helenius (14-0, 9 KOs)
will face the next huge test on his way up the heavyweight rankings when
he collides with former world champion Sam Peter (34-4, 27 KOs) at the
Gerry Weber Stadium in Halle, Germany on April 2. “This is a dream
match-up of two nightmares,” promoter Kalle Sauerland said. “Robert has
taken the heavyweight world by storm and will continue his path to glory
with a victory over an accomplished champion like Peter.”

Helenius, the Nordic Nightmare, sent shockwaves through the
international boxing world by clinching four spectacular victories in
2010. In January, he stopped former world champion Lamon Brewster in the
eighth round before edging Gbenga Oloukun in Helsinki two months later.
In August, Helenius won the EU Heavyweight Title with a sixth-round TKO
victory over previously unbeaten Gregory Tony. In November, he pleased a
boisterous crowd at Helsinki´s Hartwall Areena when he stopped Attila
Levin the second round of their Scandinavian derby. “We are very pleased
with Robert´s development,” Team Sauerland´s sports director Hagen
Doering said. “We have moved him very fast because he is a very special
fighter with an incredible punch. Now is the time to take the next step,
which is a showdown with Peter, a very dangerous opponent. It will be a
spectacular fight. I am sure the Nordic Nightmare will topple the
Nigerian one.”

Peter is one of the biggest names in the heavyweight scene, having been
in the ring with both Klitschko brothers. In 2005, Peter knocked down
Wladimir Klitschko three times – only to lose on points. Two years
later, he beat Jameel McCline to win the Interim WBC Heavyweight Title
and then defeated Oleg Maskaev to become WBC Champion, a title he later
lost to Vitali Klitschko. In his last fight in September 2010, Peter
failed to take revenge on Wladimir Klitschko. “Sam Peter is one of the
biggest and best names out there and I look forward to proving myself
against him,” Robert Helenius said. “He has a tremendous punch and will
be very tough to beat. But I will not allow him to stop me on my way to
the top. It will be a great fight.”

Newly crowned WBC Super Welterweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will return to the ring on June 18th according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Canelo wants to be back in June and we have to see what we’re going to do, but we are holding that date,”Said Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions. “He’s only 20 and he’s ready to go again. He’s looking forward to staying active.”

No opponent has been selected. Schaefer said he has a list of potential opponents he has discussed with Alvarez and his team, but he did not want to make it public. He said he plans to go to New York to discuss the pay-per-view and possible opponents with HBO.

“Last Saturday night was one I’ll never forget and I thank all my fans for their support,” Alvarez said. “I promise that I will always give them the fights they want to see and that I will proudly represent them and Mexico every time I step in the ring.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former Light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson will make his first appearance since his first defeat when he takes on Adrian Diaconu on May 21st as part of a Light Heavyweight doubleheader that will be coupled with the anticipated rematch between Bernard Hopkins and JeanPascal that will most likely land in Quebec City and be televised on HBO.

“This is no walkover fight for Chad,” Said Dawson’s promoter Gary Shaw. “Diaconu is a tough fighter, a good fighter. But Chad is with a new trainer now in Emanuel Steward and I think that will make a big difference in Chad’s fight game and his strategy. I think you’ll see a whole new Chad, a guy that can finish off his opponent.”

NEW YORK (Mar. 9, 2011) – Undefeated title challenger Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano has signed an exclusive promotional with Boxing 360 and joined the New York-based company’s growing stable of future champions.

The 23-year-old Serrano (8-0-1, 4 KOs), who was born in Puerto Rico, now fighting out of Brooklyn, is slick-boxing younger sister of former lightweight contender, Cindy Serrano. Amanda is presently rated No. 3 by independent source WBAN, as well as No. 7 by the WIBA.

“I wasn’t sure about getting involved in female boxing,” Boxing 360 CEO & Founder Mario Yagobi explained. “But I was at her last fight in upstate New York and I was unbelievably impressed by what I saw from her in the ring. I was equally impressed outside of the ring when we spoke. All she does is train to fight. She doesn’t have a cell phone, a boyfriend, or even go out with friends. She trains everyday to the point of exhaustion, goes home to sleep, and then it is right back to the gym the next day for the same routine. Amanda Serrano is a world champion in the making and we’re going to position here for that opportunity.”

In her last bout in January, Serrano thoroughly dominated rugged Ela Nunez for a win by unanimous 6-round decision, avenging the only blemish on Amanda’s record, a draw versus Nunez in 2009.

Boxing 360 Director of Boxing Bob Duffy believes Amanda is ready to challenge cross-town rival Maureen Shea, the reigning NABF featherweight champion from the Bronx. “I think it’s a natural for New York City and would draw a lot of interest,” Duffy said. “Maureen is the first female NABF champ from New York City. She’s the best and Amanda wants to fight the best. She needs to get past Maureen to get to where she eventually wants to reach.”

Other members of Boxing 360’s stable include USBA heavyweight champion Maurice “Sugar Moe” Harris, WBC #3 rated super bantamweight contender Leon “Hurry Up” Moore, former IBF super middleweight champion Alejandro “Naco” Berrio, NY State super middleweight title-holder Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen, KO king Tyrone Brunson, Nick “Hands of Gold” Casal, Mike Mollo, Joshua “The Juice” Harris, Emad Ali, Angel “Toro” Hernandez and “King” David Estrada.

Go to www.Boxing360.com for more information about Serrano, Boxing 360 or any of its other fighters, as well as its scheduled events.

WHAT: “Diamond Elite” professional boxing show

BOUTS:

WORLD BOXING COUNCIL DIAMOND MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

MAIN EVENT – 12 ROUNDS — HBO

SERGIO “Maravilla” MARTINEZ SERGIY “Razor” DZINZIRUK

WBC Emeritus & The Ring Middleweight Champion WBO Light Middleweight Champion

2010 Fighter of the Year The Ring #8/1996 Ukraine Olympian

Oxnard, CA by way of Argentina Hamburg, Germany by way of Ukraine

46-2-2 (25 KOs) 37-0 (23 KOs)

“CELTIC WAR”

CO-FEATURE – MIDDLEWEIGHTS — 10-ROUNDS – HBO

ANDY LEE CRAIG McEWAN

WBA #5, WBC #13/2004 Ireland Olympian WBO #12, WBC #20

Detroit, MI by way of Ireland Hollywood, CA by way of Scotland

24-1 (18 KOs) 19-0 (10 KOs)

WBC YOUTH FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

10 ROUNDS

JAVIER “El Abejon” FORTUNA DERRICK “Dynamite” WILSON

La Romana, Dominican Republic Fort Myers, FL

13-0 (10 KOs) 8-1-2 (2 KOs)

6 ROUNDS – FEMALE HEAVYWEIGHTS

SONYA LAMONAKIS TANZEE “Sweet Tea” DANIELS

4-Time New York Golden Gloves Champion 5-Time New York Golden Gloves Champion

Turner Falls, MA by way of Greece Brooklyn, NY

3-0 (1 KO) 4-0 (1 KO)

8 ROUNDS – JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

DEMETRIUS “Boo Boo” ANDRADE JHON BERRIO

2008 U.S. Olympian Colombian Junior Middleweight Champion

Providence, RI Monteria, Colombia

12-0 (8 KOs) 15-8 (11 KOs)

6 ROUNDS – JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

THOMAS “The French” DULORME GUILLERMO VALDES

Carolina, Puerto Rico Miami, FL

9-0 (8 KOs) 12-2 (3 KOs)

4 ROUNDS – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

SEANIE MONAGHAN BILLY “Steel” CUNNINGHAM

Long Island, NY Jackson, MS

5-0 (4 KOs) 5-8 (4 KOs)

4 ROUNDS – JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

ABRAHAM LOPEZ ANDREW “Drama” JONES

Oxnard, CA Buffalo, NY

1-1-1 0-3-1

(ALL FIGHTS AND FIGHTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

WHEN: Saturday, March 12, 2011

WHERE: MGM Grand at Foxwoods

PROMOTER: “Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk” is presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Gary Shaw Productions and Banner Promotions. “Celtic War: Lee vs. McEwan” is presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Golden Boy Promotions.

BROADCAST: The main event and co-feature will air live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:30 PM/ET / 7:30 PM/PT.

TICKETS: $450.00, $250.00, $125.00, $75.00 and $50.00 (SOLD OUT) on sale through the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office, online at www.mgmatfoxwood.com, calling MGM Grand at Foxwoods at 1.866.646.0609, or in person at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office.

INFORMATION: Doors open at 7 PM/ET, first bout at 7:30 PM/ET, first HBO fight at 10:30 PM/ET.

For more information about DiBella Entertainment, including a list of all upcoming bouts, please visit www.dbe1.com, or follow Lou DiBella on twitter, @loudibella.

15rounds.com is giving away two tickets to this Saturday’s World Middleweight title bout at Foxwoods and Connecticut. Fans should email mabrams@15rounds.com and write a brief summary of what fight you are most looking forward to in 2011 (besides Pacquiao – Mayweather)

Please list name and town you live in and in Subject line type the word Diamond Contest

Note–The contest is only for tickets. Not for Travel or Accommodation

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

Joshua Clottey who was supposed to be part of the Miguel Cotto – Ricardo Mayorga undercard this Saturday in Las Vegas will not make his ring return since his loss to Manny Pacquiao according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

Former welterweight titlist Joshua Clottey suffered ankle and wrist injuries when he fell while doing roadwork, forcing him to withdraw from a fight scheduled for Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“He’s got a fracture or just a real bad sprain of the ankle and the wrist,” manager Vinny Scolpino said. “It says on the report that a fracture is possible to both.”

He was running and then it started to rain and that was it. He tripped in the pothole,” Scolpino said. “As he was falling he put his hands down to catch his fall and whacked his wrist. Unbelievable. What are you gonna do? He was by himself. He called up and we went to pick him up and brought him to the hospital.

“He’s upset. I’m upset. He wants to fight. Now he’s on the couch with crutches and splints.”

“He wants to fight, but he can’t go in there if he’s hurt,” Scolpino said.

Clottey (35-4, 20 KO’s) was scheduled to fight Calvin Green (21-5-1, 13 KO’s)

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the much anticipate Heavyweight championship between recognized world champion Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye appears to have been finalized.

More than two years in the making — thanks to Haye’s constant verbal trashing of Klitschko and his older brother, fellow titlist Vitali Klitschko — the fight will take place either June 25 or July 2, both sides said.

However, it is not signed yet.

“It’s 99 percent,” Bernd Boente, Klitschko’s manager, told ESPN.com Sunday. “This week it will be finally signed and also announced. But it is not signed.

“We will sign it very soon. There are no question marks anymore,” Boente said. “The fighters have to sign. [Haye manager/trainer] Adam Booth has to sign. I have to sign. Wladimir [has to sign]. As long as it’s not signed, it’s 99 percent.”

“I am really pleased that we have closed a deal on this fight,” Klitschko told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

“The terms were right, it’s a fair deal — it’s a 50-50 split. That’s what they wanted and that’s what I wanted,” Haye told the BBC. “Here it is — end of June, beginning of July. Let’s get ready to rumble.”

“It will be in a European time zone, but England is out,” Boente said. “It could be one of three different stadiums in Germany. We also have three options outside of Germany. All these things will be discussed A to Z between Adam and myself.

“In the contract we have a paragraph that we do all of these things together because that is what is best,” he added. “Adam will be involved in the stadium deal. We will also talk to American TV stations HBO and Showtime. It could also be on pay-per-view in the U.S. if we can’t find an agreement.”

“The points are agreed to, and I think both sides are happy,” Boente said. “No options, no rematches. One fight. If we want to do another one and sit down afterward and see if it makes sense, we will do that. But this is a straight one-fight deal. It’s obvious that if there is public interest in another fight, it will probably come.”

“Our contract with Chisora says if someone is injured — Wladimir still is — there is no fight,” Boente said. “It is the same injury from December, and it has not healed properly. So the April fight is off, but June or July, that is different. I can only tell you the truth. That is what the doctor said.

“The doctor checked Wladimir and said it is not possible to fight April 30. Why should anybody question it? However it looks, I can only tell you this is the truth and he is one of the top doctors in Germany.”

“Knock on wood, nothing happens. Vitali has to win his fight in two weeks against Solis, which is a very tough fight,” Boente said. “If he comes out of that fight, he is also a possibility. In the contract it says Vitali or Wladimir.”

“Haye is now willing to fight Vitali,” Boente said. “I think it will be Wladimir to face Haye, but it’s not a precondition from Adam Booth or David Haye. In these negotiations they were very flexible. David said he was also willing to fight Vitali, which is different than last time. I think all sides acted as real gentlemen. That is why we reached the goal this time.”

“We had this door open all the time,” Boente said. “Haye walked away last time because Wladimir was going to fight Chisora. But Wladimir was always willing to fight Haye in July if they came back to talk again. They did that.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (March 6, 2011) – One of the most decorated and widely respected fighters in the history of Mixed Martial Arts, Dan Henderson, knocked out defending champion Rafael “Feijao’’ Cavalcante at 0:50 of the third round to capture the STRIKEFORCE World Light Heavyweight Championship in Saturday’s main event live on SHOWTIME® before 7,123 at the Nationwide Arena.

For the remarkable 40-year-old Henderson, the only fighter to simultaneously hold two world titles in two different weight classes with a major promotion, it was his fifth MMA world title and, perhaps, the sweetest.

“Leading up to this fight there was a lot of talk about fighting for the title but I didn’t give it much thought,’’ said Henderson, who left the UFC on a three-fight winning streak to sign with STRIKEFORCE in December 2009. “But now that I have it, it is really nice.

“I wanted to be real patient. Feijao is a tough, real powerful guy especially in the first round. Hopefully, now, I can break that curse.’’

By winning, Henderson (27-8), of Temecula, Calif., became the fourth consecutive challenger since November 2008 to dethrone a defending champion in the deep, talent-laden STRIKEFORCE 205-pound division. It began with Bobby Southworth losing to Renato “Babalu’’ Sobral, who was dethroned by Gegard Mousasi, who in turn was ousted by Muhammad “King’ Mo’’ Lawal, who fell to Feijao.

“I’m just thankful it turned out like this,’’ said Henderson, a two-time United States Olympic Games wrestler before turning pro. “I want to thank Feijao for giving me the opportunity.’’

A winner of five of his last six, Henderson threw what appeared to be a glancing right hand that landed on Feijao’s head. While off-balance, Hendo pushed Feijao to the mat. Feijao landed face-first, and from there Henderson pounced. After five huge right hands, the referee stepped in and stopped it. Going into the third, Hendo was ahead 20-18 on one of the scorecards. The other two had it 19-apiece.

“I made a lot of mistakes,’’ said Feijao (10-3), of Rio de Janiero, Brazil. “You can’t make these kinds of mistakes. I’ll go home, and come back stronger than ever.’’ Feijao entered the fight having won three in a row and six out of his last seven.

In other televised action on STRIKEFORCE: Feijao vs. Hendo presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, Marloes Coenen (19-4) of the Netherlands turned back a determined challenge by late substitute and previously undefeated Liz “Girl-Rilla’’ Carmouche (6-1), of San Diego, Calif., to retain her 135-pound title with a come-from-behind fourth-round submission (triangle choke) in the opening half of a STRIKEFORCE World Championship Doubleheader.

Also, Saturday, on SHOWTIME, American military hero Tim Kennedy (13-3) of Austin, Texas, regained his winning ways with a 3:21, first-round submission (rear-naked choke) over Melvin “No Mercy’’ Manhoef (25-8) of the Netherlands in a middleweight (185 pounds) match and Jorge Masvidal (21-6) of Miami, Fla., dealt previously undefeated lightweight Billy Evangelista (11-1) of Fresno, Calif., his first loss on a unanimous three-round decision.

One of the top female fighters in the world, Coenen, a product of Holland’s Golden Glory team, was behind 29-28 on all the scorecards, heading into the fourth round. She rallied to tap out the game Carmouche at 1:29

“She was kicking my (butt), you must give her respect,’’ said Coenen, who won the STRIKEFORCE crown with an impressive third-round submission (armbar) over defending belt-holder Sarah Kaufman on Oct. 9, 2010. “My gameplan was to just get her tired but she got me on the ground a few times.

“When I had her in that choke I knew I had her, I knew it was over. I’ve been sick and I just wasn’t feeling well in there. If (STRIKEFORCE Women’s World Middleweight Champion Cris) Cyborg hits you, it’s hard to survive but these hits didn’t really hurt that much. I was just defending myself and waiting for my opportunity. Liz is a terrific fighter. She’ll be a champion one day.

“I want to face Miesha Tate next – I think she deserves it. I want to thank the American audiences, my sponsors, and of course (STRIKEFORCE CEO) Scott Coker for giving women a chance in MMA.”’

The virtually untested Carmouche, who replaced an injured Tate on less than two weeks notice, displayed a ton of skill, grit and determination en route to nearly pulling off a major shocker.

“Of course I’m frustrated, no one wants to lose,’’ said the 27-year-old Carmouche, a former Marine whose five-year stint included three tours to Iraq. “I thought I was dominant and that she wasn’t defending herself. I thought the ref was going to stop it a few times but he didn’t.

“I was expecting him to stop it and I was surprised he kept letting it go on. I absolutely want another shot at her. I’d take it next week if I could.’’

One of first things Kennedy, who’s toured the Middle East multiple times, did after the victory over Manhoef was jump on the top of the cage and salute two of his superiors seated near cageside– Leader General Tim Kadavy, the Deputy Director of The National Guard, and Colonel Rob Porter, the Chief of Guard strength director.

When asked by SHOWTIME’s Mauro Ranallo moments later about Manhoef and his immediate future plans, Kennedy said, “we’re talking about one of most decorated strikers (Manhoef) in MMA. I’m excited. There was no hidden game plan. He’s weak on his back.

“I just love being here and fighting for the crowds. I want to fight the best. If the matchmakers at STRIKEFORCE don’t think I’m ready for (current STRIKEFORCE middleweight champion) Jacare (Souza) again, give me the next guy, Robbie Lawler. They’re the two best in the world. I’d love fighting either.’’

Then, directing his attention to those tuning in to the Armed Forces Network, Kennedy said. “There’s only one thing I love more (than fighting MMA, and that’s) being overseas with those guys. Give me a little more time. I’ll be back, protecting your freedoms.’’

Masvidal won by the scores of 30-27 on the three judges’ scorecards. “I do well with strikers,’’ he said. “My timing wasn’t great and I was a little off my game plan but I pulled it out. I think the difference maker was my heart. If I need to go back and beat a few more guys before I get a title shot then that’s fine with me.’’

Said Evangelista, a veteran of the STRIKEFORCE Challengers series who was making his Saturday debut for SHOWTIME: “It was a close fight. I was definitely the aggressor and trying to fight. He used his reach to his advantage. He did what he needed to do to win. I didn’t focus on my grappling. Maybe next time I can get in better grappling shape.’’

Saturday’s event, STRIKEFORCE’s first in the state of Ohio, took place in conjunction with The Arnold Sports Festival, the nation’s largest health and fitness exposition founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The telecast will re-air as follows:

DAY CHANNEL

Tuesday, March 8, at 10 p.m. ET/PT SHO Extreme

The telecast also will be available On Demand beginning Tuesday, March 8, and running through March 21.

Ranallo called the action on SHOWTIME with MMA legends Frank Shamrock and Pat Miletich serving as expert analysts.

For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive video, photos and news links on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and STRIKEFORCE mixed martial arts telecasts, along with access to the SHOWTIME Sports Facebook® and Twitter® pages, please go to http://Sports.Sho.com.

About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose. In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network. The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, SHOWTIME 2 HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND™ and FLIX ON DEMAND®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Channel™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that World Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has canceled a fight with Derek Chisora for a second time citing lingering affects of the a rib injury that halted their scheduled bout in December.

This turn of a events can open the door for a much anticipated unification bout between Klitschko and David Haye

“Considering the current clinical picture, it is difficult to predict a precise time of rehabilitation,” Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, Klitschko’s doctor, said in a statement released by Klitschko’s K2 Promotions. “The start of a training camp at this time for a fight in April would be too much of a high risk.”

Shelly Finkel, Klitschko’s adviser, told ESPN.com that Klitschko recently began to train and the injury still was giving him a problem.

“I don’t know if he was shadowboxing or what, but Wladimir said he felt something within the last week. He had it checked out,” Finkel said.

“Canceling the Chisora fight was no condition of any deal,” Finkel said.

Vicente Escobedo scored a seventh round knockdown en route to a ten round unanimous decision over veteran Walter Estrada in a Lightweight bout in Indio, California.

Escobedo caught Estrada with a perfect right hand that cracked Estrada on the chin and sent him to the canvas in round seven. Escobedo was very workmanlike throughout the rest of the bout

Escobedo of Pasadena, CA is now 23-3. Estrada of Monteria, Colombia is now 38-14-1.

Randy Caballero scored a six round unanimous decision over Hugo Ramos in a Super Bantamweight bout

Caballero, 120 1/4 lbs of Cochella, CA is now 8-0. Perez, 121 1/2 lbs of Palm Springs, CA is now 3-8-2.

The first six round didint go so well, but Zab Judah scored a emphatic seventh round stoppage over Kaizer Mabuza to win the vacant IBF jr. Welterweight championship an the AmeraHealth Center inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey

The fight started with both jabbing and by the simple fact that Judah was able to score with left hand, he took round one. Round two started off well for Judah as he landed two good body punches that sandwiched a straight left. Mabuza could have stolen the round as he landed five solid body punches over two flurries. Mabuza did well over the first two plus minutes of round three as he continued to pressure Judah and flurry. Judah landed a good straight left at the bell. In round four, Mabuza landed a couple nice right and and a third bucked Judah to the point where his glove scraped the canvas and referee Sammy Viruet ruled a knockdown that was protested outwardly by Judah. That may have awoken Judah as he came out in round five and landed some good shots with both hands and didint get backed up as much as he did in the previous four frames. Mabuza had a big round six that was highlighted by a big right that rocked and hurt Judah on the ropes.

In round seven, Judah landed a deviating straight left that slumped Mabuza between the second and third rop and was ruled a knockdown. Mabuza was severely hurt and Judah jumped on him and landed five drilling punches and the was correctly stopped by Viruet at fifty-nine seconds of round seven

Judah, 138 lbs of Brooklyn is now a four-time world champion with a record of 41-6 with twenty-eight knockouts. Mabuza, 138 lbs of Johannesburg, South Africa is now 23-7-3

In a battle of southpaws, Tarvis Simms scored an eight round unanimous decision in a middleweight tussle.

It was a workmanlike effort for Simms, who did well with all of his punches as he evenly divided up head and body shots. Mackey was tough as he he got in some good body work of his own and the two even exchanged at various times in the bout. Simms looked like he rocked Mackey on several occasions but never had him in serious trouble. Simms’ work showed as in round six Macket began to bleed from the mouth.

Simms, 158 lbs of Norwalk, CT won by scores of 80-72;79-73 and 78-74 to raise his mark to 27-1-1. Mackey, 158 lbs of Washington, DC is now 13-6-2.

Jose Peralta scored a first round stoppage over Clifford McPherson in a scheduled six round Welterweight bout.

McPherson wasnt hit when he dropped to the canvas with a injured right hand. The pain was sever that McPherson was riding in pain on the pain and the bout was stopped.

Peralta, 146 lbs of Jersey City, NJ is now 5-1 with three knockouts. McPherson, 147 1/2 lbs of Cleveland is now 2-4-1.

Shemuel Pegan made short work of Marcos Garcia by scoring a first round stoppage in their four round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Pegan trapped Garcia in the corner and landed twenty unanswered blows until the bout was stopped 1:33 into the bout.

Pegan, 137 lbs of Brooklyn is now 2-0 with one knockout. Garcia, 133 lbs of Camden, NJ is 0-4

Popular Welterweight Vinny O’Brien made a successful pro debut as David Navarro was unable to continue at the end of round three of a scheduled four round bout.

O’Brien, 147 lbs of East Hanover, NJ is 1-0 with one knockout. Navarro, 150 lbs of Philadelphia is 0-2

Zab Judah’s brother, Chris Crosby scored a four round split decision over Greg Hackett in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Scores were 40-36; 39-37 for Crosby, 150 lbs of Brooklyn who is now 6-1. Hackett, 156 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-6.

Female super flyweight sensation Patricia “Patty Boom Boom” Alcivar moves her perfect record to 4-0(3KO) with a dominating unanimous decision win over Laura Gomez 3-3 of Mexico. Alcivar set the pace from the opening bell by pressing the action and overwhelming the Mexican fighter. Alcivar the former 2 time NYC golden gloves and National Champion dazzled her hometown crowd for the first time as a professional fighter starting with her ring entrance proudly displaying her Colombian heritage to the final bell of non stop action. The constant pressure by Alcivar noticeably frustrated Gomez as the Sonra Mecixo native resorted to noticeable fouls of grabbing behind the head and intentionally headbutting the NYC native. Gomez was in trouble a few times in the fight but held on. Alcivar who improved to 4-0, was brought the distance the first time. Boom Boom said after the fight that she felt Gomez was ready to go few times but was contanstly tied up and held by the Mexican fighter who was simply fighting to survive the fight. Alcivar was awarded a unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the fight 40-36.

Dan Rafael of espn.com reported that former Jr. Middleweight champion Winky Wright injured his hand and his bout with Matthew Macklin is off the April 9 Pay Per View that will be headlined by Erik Morales and Marcos Maidana.

“I hurt my hand sparring, so I’m not going to be able to fight,” said Wright, who added that he was at the doctor’s office and just about to meet with him.

Wright said he injured his left hand during a sparring session with welterweight prospect Keith Thurman on Thursday.

“I hit him on top of the head or on his elbow and I hurt the hand, but I kept working with it,” Wright said. “And then I did it again and I had to shake it off. My hand swelled up a little bit. I went to get it checked out [on Friday]. It ain’t fractured, but it’s pretty sore and swollen and the doctor said wait about a week and then we’ll see. But I’m near the end of my career. I can’t go into the fight not at 100 percent. I can’t be going in there with a hurt hand and half-trained. I want to go in there and show people I can be a champion and look good. If I lose a week, that’s a problem. So I figured let’s call it now and at least give Golden Boy a chance to get another fight.

“I know if I am out a week or two, I won’t be ready for the fight. The important thing is to be healthy when I get in the ring. I was looking forward to a good fight. This is a little setback, but this ain’t gonna stop me. This train is going to keep on moving.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (March 3, 2011) – The eight fighters who will compete in televised fights during a STRIKEFORCE World Championship Doubleheader this Saturday, March 5, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) participated in a final press conference Thursday at Nationwide Arena.

The event, STRIKEFORCE’s first in the state of Ohio, will take place in conjunction with The Arnold Sports Festival, the nation’s largest health and fitness exposition founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Tickets are on sale at the Nationwide Arena ticket office, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com and Ticketmaster by phone (800) 745-3000. The first non-televised, undercard fight starts at 7:30 p.m. ET. Doors will open at 7 o’clock.

In Saturday’s main event, Dan Henderson (26-8), of Temecula, Calif., will challenge defending belt-holder Rafael “Feijao’’ Cavalcante (10-2) of Brazil for the STRIKEFORCE World Light Heavyweight (205 pounds) Championship. In a second world title fight, Marloes Coenen (18-4) of the Netherlands will risk her lightweight (135 pounds) title for a first time when she faces Liz Carmouche (6-0) of San Diego, Calif.

Other televised fights: American military hero Tim Kennedy (12-3) of Austin, Texas, faces Melvin “No Mercy’’ Manhoef (24-8-1) of Amsterdam, Holland, in an important middleweight (185 pounds) match and undefeated Billy Evangelista (11-0) of Fresno, Calif., will take on Jorge Masvidal (20-6) of Miami, Fla., in a lightweight (155 pounds) encounter.

What the fighters had to say Thursday:

FEIJAO

“I prepare for the next fight and I train for that opponent. I’m thinking about Dan Henderson and not thinking about the championship.

“I don’t care that no one has successfully defended the (light heavyweight) title. I care about preparation, training and getting inside the cage to fight.

“I always train like a family. Antonio Rodrigo is like my mentor. He helped me a lot. He’s always there with me. My coaches and I have made a strategy for this fight.

“With a big challenge you train more and more. Henderson is a big challenge and that is what makes this sport exciting.”

DAN HENDERSON

“One of the benefits of fighting at 205 (pounds) is I get to enjoy my food. One of the drawbacks is I have to fight guys his (Feijao’s) size.

“I don’t feel any added pressure fighting for the title. Every fight for the last few years has been pretty big so I don’t feel any added pressure fighting for the title.

“He’s (Feijao is) a different fighter than Anderson Silva so it doesn’t matter that they train together. And I think I’ve improved a lot since I fought Anderson.

“A lot of the techniques are similar in MMA. You just have to look at your opponent and their technique and tweak your game plan a little bit.

“Obviously, I wouldn’t be here if winning a world title wasn’t one of my goals. But the challenge of fighting someone like Feijao is exciting. He’s big, he’s tough and he’s strong. I would definitely enjoy having the belt but the reason I fight is for the challenge.”

MARLOES COENEN

“I’m always prepared and ready to go. This will be a very exciting fight. Liz will come in very determined because of the opportunity she’s getting, but this is an important fight for me, too.

“I need to stay humble because when you start to get cocky is when you’ll lose. I’m comfortable, my weight is good. I can fight at 135 and 145, but I feel a bit stronger at 135 pounds.’’

LIZ CARMOUCHE

“I’m absolutely grateful and excited for this chance. I look forward to the challenge. I’m all about challenges.

“This is going to be a fierce, non-stop back-and-forth fight that I expect will go five full rounds.

“We train for five round fights, so stamina will not be a problem. I can’t wait to fight Marloes on Saturday.’’

TIM KENNEDY

“I’m just excited to be fighting a guy that comes to fight. Manhoef is exciting and comes to win. It is exactly the recipe for a good fight and that’s what I want on Saturday.

“I expect a fast-paced, explosive fight. I don’t see it going the distance.’’

MELVIN MANHOEF

“All fights are important and every time I step into the cage I’m confident I will win. I’m not treating this fight any differently, but it would be good to get a win to reestablish myself.

“I’m not making any excuses, but I know I had (Robbie) Lawler but I made a mistake and it cost me the fight. I went in for the kill and dropped my hands and he caught me.

“Striking is definitely my strong point, but I’m prepared to go anywhere the fight goes on Saturday. The key is for me to be aggressive and fight my fight and not force it.

“Kennedy is a very good, determined fighter. This is going to be an all-action fight.’’

BILLY EVANGELISTA

“I’m looking forward to dropping back down to my natural weight of 155 pounds. My last fight was my first in nearly a year and the first since my injury. I fought a guy stronger and bigger than me and in a totally different weight class. Performance-wise, I expect to be much better on Saturday.

“I don’t watch tapes of opponents so I don’t know much about Masvidal other than he’ll have a height advantage. I’m confident that I can win what will be a very hard fight and take the next step up. A win gets me closer to the STRIKEFORCE belt – the ultimate goal is for me to fight for the STRIKEFORCE title.”

JORGE MASDIVAL

“I’m happy to be fighting for STRIKEFORCE again. I’m looking forward to fighting on SHOWTIME.

“I had a great camp and I’m in great shape. I’m very confident.’’

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that a summer fight between Jr. Welterweight Devin Alexander and Lucas Matthysse is being discussed by promoters Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer and Don King.

“I have to get to back to King with a number, but Matthysse wants to take the fight. He’s OK with going to St. Louis [Alexander’s hometown] as long as there are neutral officials,” Schaefer said. “King said no problem. We just have to work out the numbers, but I have a pretty good feeling about it.”

“I’ve discussed it with King and with HBO and there is interest from all sides,” Schaefer said.

“I think it would be a great fight, just the type of fight that Devon wants,” said Kevin Cunningham, Alexander’s trainer and manager. “He’s disappointed with his lack of execution in the Bradley fight and he wants to go right back in the ring with one of the top guys. We feel Matthysse is better than [Marcos] Maidana, but Maidana chose to go and fight Erik Morales instead of Devon. So Matthysse is there and he is one of the top guys. Most guys feel like he won the fight with Zab. He’s a very tough opponent. That’s what Devon is looking for.

Schaefer said he and King are also discussing a fight between junior middleweight titlist Cornelius “K9” Bundrage and rising contender Erislandy Lara as the televised co-feature.

NEW YORK (March 3, 2011) – Former body builder and NCAA wrestler Justin Wilcox will face former world title challenger Rodrigo Damm in the main event of a STRIKEFORCE Challengers Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card presented by Rockstar Energy Drink at Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif., on Friday, April 1, live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Wilcox (10-3), of San Jose, Calif., has emerged a contender in the deep lightweight (155 pounds) division, while Damm (9-4), of Brazil, is looking to climb back into title contention.

Tickets, starting at $20, for STRIKEFORCE’s first fight in Stockton go on sale tomorrow/Friday, March 4 at 10 a.m. PT at the Stockton Arena ticket office, online at www.StocktonTickets.com, by phone at (209) 373-1700 or (866) 373-7088 and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

The first non-televised, undercard fight will begin at 5:30 p.m. PT. Doors will open at 4:45 p.m.

In a featured, televised bout, 2008 Judo Olympic Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii (4-1), of Japan, will take on kickboxing specialist Scott Lighty (6-1), of San Luis Obispo, Calif., in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) bout.

David “Tarzan” Douglas (6-2), of Antioch, Calif., will face Caros “The Future” Fodor (7-2), of Kirkland, Wash., in a featured lightweight bout.

Strikeforce Challengers is a SHOWTIME Sports® series that serves as a proving ground for up-and-coming Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters, providing today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.STRIKEFORCE.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose. In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network. The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

NEW YORK, NY (Mar. 3, 2011) – Yesterday’s media conference call featured Middleweight Champion, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez in advance of his “Diamond Elite” clash with WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion, Sergiy “Razor” Dzinziruk on March 12 from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods, airing live on HBO World Championship Boxing. Also on the call were Martinez’ advisor Sampson Lewkowicz, and Lou DiBella, the promoter of the event.

Below are quotes from the call’s participants:

WBC Emeritus & The Ring Middleweight Champion, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez:

“It definitely wasn’t a lucky punch (vs. Paul Williams II). Anybody who has seen the tape – it’s not too long – see me throwing the same punch six times and landing five and then I knock him out. It was a premeditated punch, not lucky.”

“Like Lou said, he wants me to knock this boy out; however, people don’t know the quality of this champ to knock him out. I need to do the job and I’m ready to fight, if I knock him out or go the distance. But I will predict a knockout. I’m ready for either.”

“I’m very happy and content that I finally got my dues (after Williams II) to be recognized. It’s because of the hard work in the gym that I was able to come up with this victory.”

“I never want an easy fight. I want to fight the best. Mayweather cannot fight me; Manny Pacquiao cannot fight me. So, I need to fight somebody very challenging and the best opponent, or the best challenger, is Sergiy Dzinziruk. Nobody else is left.”

“Everybody’s wrong. The fight was officially made by HBO and HBO got the best available opponent, Dzinziruk, because he has the credentials. I didn’t lose the title, only for a few months, because after I beat Dzinziruk, whoever is at 160 (pounds) I want to fight, regardless of whom it’ll be. And I have no issues with that and nobody forced me to fight because I only want to fight the best.”

“I believe that in a way I gave up the title because I have a promise to fight Zbik and I needed to give up the title. However, I’m very proud and honored to be fighting for the Diamond belt that, I believe, is the most beautiful belt I’ve ever seen. There is lots of prestige to be part of that and I thank the WBC for this great opportunity and the WBC never closed to door to me, to the contrary, the WBC opened the door. Today, I am who I am.”

“It’s really a pity in my case because of problems fighting opponents or challenges. I’m not thinking of going up to 168 (pounds) because I’d be too small physically. So, I plan to stay at 160 for the rest of the year and then see what it takes for the future. I believe I’m too small for ’68. I will give too much of an advantage to 168-pounders.”

“I’m surprised that he (Dzinziruk) talked like that (“Sergio isn’t special”). But he will find out March 12th that he was wrong. I believe I have something special.”

“Really, this is the hardest training camp I’ve ever had. Former two-time champion, Daniel Santos, is with me, who fought Dzinziruk, and the other (sparring partner), Austin Trout, is the WBA 154-pound champion. I have the best sparring partners I can get.”

“I know very well…I’ve fought similar guys (to Dzinziruk) several times in Europe, but the problem is, no press in America know them. I’m used to it and he will use all of his intelligence against me and wait for me to make a mistake to counterpunch. I know what I need to do to avoid any complications. So, I have no problem with that.”

“It was very hard and sad to give up the title. I wanted to defend that title every time I could until the end of my career. But at this time I’m happy with the outcome, if my next fight after this I will recoup the title. I will demand to fight for the title, on behalf of my promoter, if he wants me to fight at 160, so (the winner of) Zbik and Chavez Jr. must face me or give up the title to me.”

“It (Feb. 21 was his birthday) was a very happy day for me. I got up at four in the morning, as normally, and finished training at 10 o’clock at night. It was no different except that I received phone calls of congratulations from all over the world and that was happy for me. But I worked normal like every day.”

“I will never celebrate – I dislike parties – after the fight. I like to be with my close friends and have dinner. That’s special. No, I won’t party after any fight. I don’t like parties.”

“I need to dictate the pace of the fight. I will not allow him to dictate. I’m the champion and I want to be the pound-for-pound best. So, I need to prove I can dictate the fight. The strategy I plan to use is being discussed. I just started discussing it with my trainer, Gabriel Sarmiento, because we do that the last week. For now, the only thing I do is training like I would train for any other fight.”

“It will be very good for Cotto, for me, and the fans so maybe it can happen in 2011.” (In regard to a fight between Martinez and Miguel Cotto.)

Martinez’ Advisor, Sampson Lewkowicz:

“I’m very happy to be part of Team Martinez and I definitely believe I have an excellent promoter who did a great job bringing Martinez to this position. Let’s hear from the champion, a great champion in and out of the ring, Sergio ‘Maravilla’ Martinez.”

“He (Sergio) will not get in the ring with somebody who doesn’t have the stature. He will not do it.”

“He’s never talked about money. Every time when there are negotiations with Sergio Martinez and his team, there never was an issue and that is unheard of. He is the champion of the press; he is always available for the press.”

Statement from Martinez’ Trainer, Gabriel Sarmiento (read by Martinez’ strength-and-conditioning coach Cicilio Flores):

“Gabriel apologizes. He couldn’t be here today and in fact he’s training Javier Fortuna right now, who will also be on the undercard. Victor Cayo, he’s training him now, as well as Victor Gonzalez. Again, he apologizes for not being on this conference call. It’s very important to him but all he needs to say is his fighter, Sergio Martinez, is having the best training camp and one of the hardest training camps. In fact, he is hitting harder today than his last fight against Paul Williams. He is guaranteeing a knockout. He is very excited about this fight and he isn’t taking Dzinziruk lightly at all.

Promoter of “Diamond Elite” and Martinez, Lou DiBella:

“I want to point out that, even since our call (on Tues., Mar. 1), tickets are moving very, very well at Foxwoods. I’m urging people to get their tickets as quickly as possible, particularly at lower price ranges because those are moving very quickly and there are still some great ringside seats available. But I’m very, very happy with the performance of the event at the site and I think we’re going to have a great crowd at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods. As everyone knows it’s going to be televised by HBO Sports and Andy Lee and Craig McEwan are in the opening fight.

“The fact that this fight is happening is a tribute to the type of champion Sergio Martinez is. In a lot of ways this is a no-win fight: this is the best fighter in the world, Dzinziruk, that no one knows. He is a very difficult guy to fight because of his defensive style, because of his great jab, his movement, and he’s a very well skilled guy. He’s really unknown in this country, but this is the fight HBO wanted. They wanted Sergio in a difficult match-up and it’s typically Sergio Martinez’ way. Sergio said, ‘Put him in front of me and I’m going to fight him,’ and he is. He is the boss and that’s why he’s become the ‘People’s Champion.’ He lost his WBC title and he’s now fighting for the Diamond title. Honestly, he’s doing that because he’s fighting the best and this is why he has captured the imaginations of so many boxing fans and why everybody is looking forward to March 12th to see this fighter and what he brings.

“Certainly, I’m proud to have Sampson Lewkowicz, the great boxing guy and one of the smartest men in the sport and great judge of talent, as my partner and Sergio’s advisor. I wouldn’t be promoting Sergio Martinez if Sampson didn’t bring it to my attention and that’s been one of the most fortunate things to happen to my company in recent years. Certainly, promoting Sergio Martinez has been an absolute pleasure.”

“Obviously, Sergio is looking for the biggest fights possible. We pursued the possibilities with Cotto and had conversations with Arum but the fight didn’t materialize. He (Arum) wasn’t interested in reaching out beyond his stable. But this is the most difficult fight; this is the toughest fighter out there. I said it’s a no-win situation, but if Sergio knocks this guy out at least intelligent people in boxing and the people who’ve seen Dzinziruk fight will know what an accomplishment it is.

“It’s just unfortunate that with a fight of this degree of difficulty, that the public doesn’t know the opponent. The opponent is a champion in his own right. He’s in his mid-thirties and never lost a fight and has had loads of successful title defenses. He’s a very, very good fighter. And this is consistent with Sergio’s pattern: from Kermit Cintron to Paul Williams, to Kelly Pavlik, to Paul Williams, and now to Sergiy Dzinziruk. There’s not a single fighter in the sport, not one, that’s gone through a ‘Murderer’s Row’ like that in recent fights. And like I said, that’s a credit to the greatness of Sergio Martinez.”

“One thing that makes Sergio so unusual is, yeah, I felt the way I felt, but his attitude was, ‘if they think this is the hardest guy, put him in front of me.’ There haven’t been guys like that I’ve had. I’ve promoted guys before that don’t shy away from challenges, but I’ve never had a guy like this whose attitude is: if you think this guy is the hardest, then that’s who I want to fight.”

“If HBO holds true with that as their principle goal, forward through the rest of the year and holds everybody to the same standard, then you’ll never hear a peep out of us about them insisting on us fighting anybody. And the truth is, what Sergio said is 100-percent the reality because he didn’t make a peep out of fighting Dzinziruk because he realized that’s who they wanted him to fight, and when he knew he was going to be paid appropriately, he was gung-ho to do it. “

“Sergio is studying English and his teacher is Nadia (Sergio’s translator). She’s really good and after he beats Dzinziruk, I’m going to twist his arm to say a few words in English at the press conference.”

“People who want to watch Cotto will have to pay about $50 to watch it and the same people, in all probability if they’re boxing fans and have HBO, will go back-and-forth. They’ll buy pay-per-view and go back-and-forth to watch both shows because that’s how hardcore boxing fans are. But I’m confident people want to see Sergio Martinez and that we have a great doubleheader on HBO that people will watch. So, sometimes, there are two fight cards in one night and it’s unfortunate. I prefer that there be only one – it’s better for the sport but people who have HBO don’t have to pay extra money to see this fight but they have to pay $50 to see Cotto. So, I’m guessing that even the people buying the Cotto show will switch the channel to watch Sergio Martinez.”

Tickets for “Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk” are priced at $450, $250, $125, $75, and $50, and are available now through the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods box office. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com, by calling the box office at 1-866-646-0609, or in person at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office.

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT
GREEN BAY, WI (USA) 8pm CST Saturday, March 5th, 2011 – Wisconsin’s top mixed martial arts pro fighters will battle in four weight divisions when Combat USA presents a 10-fight card at Oneida Casino. Tickets are priced at $40, $65, $90, and $110 for cage-side, tickets available at www.CombatUSA.net, or by calling 920-569-4987. Box office hours are M-F 10am-5pm CST.

“This upcoming event is the second event on the Combat USA Season 2 Tournament. The winners of this event will fight for the Wisconsin State Championship April 22nd. The Wisconsin State champion will then go head to head against the best in Illinois for $10,000 in cash, a Diamond Championship Ring, and a two week trip to the Tapout Training Center in Las Vegas to train with Team Tompkins.

The fight card includes Wisconsin’s best talent fighting to see who the best in the State. The main card includes Gary Bivens vs. James Warfield, Tony Rook vs. Tim Hallock, Morgan Sickinger vs. Nick Agallar, and former Green Bay Packer running back Whisper Goodman vs. Will Dicke. For more information about the event or future events be sure to check out www.CombatUSA.net or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/combatusa

Sponsors will be Oneida Casino “Fun is our game”, Tapout R & D, 4oz Fight Gear “Built for the fighters by the fighters”, Cagetrain “Mobile MMA Training Cage”, Real Wellness, Massage Evolution, Planet Chiropractic, Submission Impossible, Sharkbite MMA, Combat Training Center, Wisconsin Combat Sports, Verlo, Final Round, Miller Light, Payback Inc, and Stadium View Bar and Grill.

GFL.tv will feature this tournament fight exclusively worldwide online. This is a high quality video stream provided by GFL.TV that allows viewers to watch as if they are a part of the live Combat USA event. Combat USA January 5th event is currently showing on GFL Video-On-Demand.

The event is sanctioned by the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing.

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GFL Combat Sports Network is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 850 live events with over 4300 combat sports videos in 190 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 1.8 million public viewers last year with now over 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. www.gfl.tv

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According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, NFL Safety Tommy Zbikowski will appear on the March 12th on Las Vegas as part of the Miguel Cotto – Ricardo Mayorga televised undercard.

“He’s coming back to boxing, assuming there’s a lockout,” Carl Moretti of promoter Top Rank told ESPN.com on Wednesday. “If there’s a lockout, at that point, he’s free to go ahead and fight. He’s fought once already and he probably has the most extensive amateur (boxing) background of any pro football player, and he really loves the sport.”

Zbikowski played college football at Notre Dame from 2003 to 2007. He went by the name “Tommy Z” during the build up to his lone pro fight, coming into the ring to the Notre Dame fight song. He needed just 49 seconds to knock out Robert Bell at Madison Square Garden in New York in June 2006 on the undercard of another Cotto fight — a junior welterweight title defense against Paulie Malignaggi.

Coming off his spectacular second round destruction over Fernando Montiel on February 19th, Two belt Bantamweight champion looks like he will engage in another Unification bout on May 28th against Anselmo Moreno according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Bob Arum said Moreno would be the opponent and I’m fine with it. Bob said he can get Moreno, that that is not an issue,” said Donaire’s manager Cameron Dunkin. “Moreno is a really good boxer, a good fighter, but I like Nonito.”

“When I talked to Nonito about what Bob said he had a big smile on his face and said, ‘Let’s go.’ He just really wants to fight. He really does.”

For the HBO-televised opener, plans are in the works to match Philadelphia welterweight Mike Jones against Quebec’s Antonin Decarie (25-1, 7 KOs).

“That’s the plan,” said Russell Peltz, who co-promotes Jones with Top Rank. “[Decarie] is a tough guy, but that’s not a fight you turn down. We’re talking to his people and both sides are interested in the fight.”

Filipino-born former National PAL Champion Bruno Escalante Jr. dominated Martin “Tarzan” Sandoval en route to a second-round knockout on Friday night at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, California. In addition to notching the impressive victory, Escalante signed a managerial contract with boxing hype man Repo Ric.

Escalante (2-0-1, 1 KO) of San Carlos, California by way of Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines dropped Sandoval (0-1) of Oakdale, California with a left hand in the first and eventually ended the fight with the same punch at 1:05 of the second round. “I felt good,” says Escalante. “It was the first knockout of my career. It was a big win, especially since everyone could see it on TV in the Philippines and on the internet. All of my family saw the fight, so it was a really big win for me.”

Escalante was one of the country’s top amateurs at 112-pounds before turning pro in February of last year. In Sandoval, Escalante was fighting a much larger opponent, but the disadvantage did not alter his game plan. “He was a lot bigger, 128-pounds, and I usually fight 115,” explains Escalante. “I knew he was going to come out strong and rough. I just had to stick to the game plan, just stay with the jab on the outside and box him. Then once the jabs start landing, you follow with combinations. I stuck to the plan and scored a knockout.”

Escalante was born in the Philippines and moved to Hawaii when he was eight-years-old, but made the move to California to better his boxing career. Escalante trains under Brian Schwartz at the Undisputed Boxing Gym in San Carlos. “Brian was a world champion in kickboxing and he’s taught me a lot,” says Escalante. “He always wants me to keep my head moving and not get hit. That is our rule number one.”

Emerging Filipino icon Nonito Donaire Jr. trains out of the Undisputed Boxing Gym as well, which has helped Escalante improve his game. “Every time Nonito is in training camp, I train with him,” says Escalante. “It is really great to have someone to look up to such as a three-time world champion and to be able to train with him.”

While Escalante could still easily make the 112-pound flyweight limit, he has had to be flexible in taking fights at higher weights. “It is hard to find opponents at that weight class,” explains Escalante. “There are only like fifteen people in the United States at that weight class. So we train for and are ready to fight even bigger guys.”

By signing a managerial contract with Repo Ric, Escalante can rest assured that he has someone moving him intelligently and matching him with the right opponents. “He is going to help me out getting fights, and I trust him,” says Escalante, who hopes to be back in the ring April 1st in San Diego, California. “He gets all of his fighters fights. I turned pro a year ago, and I have had only three fights. It is great to have him on the team.”

NEW YORK, NY (Mar. 1, 2011) – Today’s media conference call featured WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion, Sergiy “Razor” Dzinziurk in advance of his “Diamond Elite” clash with Middleweight Champion, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez on March 12 from the MGM Grand Arena at Foxwoods, airing live on HBO World Championship Boxing. Also on the call were Dzinizruk’s co-trainer, Buddy McGirt; his advisor, Harry Kazandjian; Josh Roy from Banner Promotions, his co-promoter; and Lou DiBella, the promoter of the event.

Below are quotes from the call’s participants:

WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion, Sergiy “Razor” Dzinziruk:

“It makes me very excited to know they think that highly of me. I want to thank HBO for making this fight happen. It’s a lifetime opportunity for me. I’m looking forward to fighting Sergio Martinez.”

“So far, no problems with my weight, and I feel comfortable with this weight. I’m fighting big sparring partners. Yes, I’m a 154-pounder but I’m going to fight at 160 and let’s see what happens. I feel very confident with this weight.”

“I’ve mentioned before that 30 is just a number. I feel like I’m 20 years old and I want to keep fighting and winning titles. I’m very comfortable at my age.”

“I don’t do anything out of the ordinary except live a clean life. I’ve had the same training regimen and have just added to it with experience. The main thing is discipline. If something is not right, I don’t do it. Fighting is my life, my world. All I know is how to box. I make sure my lifestyle – my health – I take care of. I’m healthy. I love fighting and want to win a few more titles. I have great discipline.”

“We have watched (tapes) in the past and more recently of Sergio’s fights. He is a great fighter and a great champion, but there’s nothing special. He is just another fighter in front of me and I hope to win.”

“With Buddy McGirt we have our game plan. We’re not thinking about what Sergio can do, we’re thinking about what we can do. There will be a lot of surprises, lots of pressure on Sergio, (for me) to win the fight.”

Dzinziruk’s Co-Promoter, Josh Roy of Banner Promotions:

“Lou and Team Martinez have reasons to be worried. Everybody knows Lou doesn’t say something like that lightly. Sergiy is the best junior middleweight in the world. He is 37-0 with 24 knockouts. He’s never lost; he doesn’t know how to lose. And it’s not like he’s been protected, he’s 7-0 in world title fights. He has made a concerted effort t to come here (to the United States).”

“I want to credit Lou, Team Martinez and Sergio. He didn’t take a soft touch after fighting Paul Williams. He’s going all out.”

“We have complete confidence in Sergiy. He’s bringing his A game; it’s all he knows. HBO will be pleased with the outcome, how it looks, and it’ll highlight Sergiy as a star.”

“I want to thank HBO, Foxwoods and DiBella Entertainment for the opportunity to get Sergiy this fight, on behalf of Banner Promotions and Gary Shaw Promotions.”

“A lot has been made of weight because Sergiy is a junior middleweight. Sergio was a junior middleweight until (three fights ago when he fought Paul Williams (in their first fight). Essentially, they’re the same weight and have been for most of their careers. It’s not like Manny Pacquiao fighting Oscar de la Hoya.”

Dzinziruk’s Advisor, Harry Kazandjian:

“We’re very excited to be on the air with HBO. As Josh and Lou mentioned, it’s a tough fight for both fighters, Sergio as well as Sergiy. Sergio has proven that he’s the man in the (middleweight) division. We have all of the confidence in Sergiy. There will only be one winner at the end of the night. We wish both, good luck. “

“We hope to win. Sergiy has trained hard and March 12th American fans will see where he’s been all these years. Today is Sergiy’s birthday. We’ll celebrate that a little later, He’s turning 35. A few days ago it was Sergio’s birthday.”

Dzinziruk’s Co-Trainer, James “Buddy” McGirt:

“I want to thank Harry, Sergiy and his camp for bringing me onboard. I respect Sergiy. He said that he wanted to maintain his trainer for the past 37 fights (Olesksander Polishchuk). I said I was here to help, not take anybody’s job. I have no ego and it’s an honor for me to work with guys like him. At the beginning (training together), they looked at me, but as time went on they picked-up everything. I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to work with Sergiy.”

“He (Sergiy) is down with precision punches. You’d think he was a typical European fighter but he isn’t. He has a phenomenal jab and a better left – the difference in this fight. You see guys sparring, no, they’re more awkward than Sergio. It took them a round to figure them out and then Sergiy was dancing to his beat.”

“Sergio Martinezx is a great fighter with great hand speed. We’re working on certain tools to eliminate his speed and make our game plan better than him.”

“The key to defending an opponent with hand speed is to nullify it, not out-speed ‘em. Sergiy has the perfect punch to nullify – his right jab. I heard about it but didn’t believe it until I saw it. The jab controls the temp and makes him (opponent) think and then, it’s a whole different ball game.”

Promoter of “Diamond Elite”, Lou DiBella:

“We have a great event March 12th at Foxwoods. The undercard is terrific with HBO televising the fight between Andy Lee and Craig McEwan in ‘Celtic War’ – top Irishman versus top Scotsman prospects. There’s some tremendous talent on the undercard with Javier Fortuna fighting Golden Boy Promotions’ Derrick Wilson; ‘Boo Boo’ Andrade is one of the best prospects; Thomas Dulorme is one of the best young fighters out there.”

My champion, Sergio Martinez, is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters. He has another beast in front of him for the fifth time in a row. Since the beginning I’ve said I didn’t like this fight. Technically, he (Dzinziruk) is one of the best I’ve seen. The kid is very sound. This is his toughest fight and probably the toughest fighter Sergio has faced. Sergiy isn’t well known here but he is the top ’54 pounder. It’s a terribly difficult fight for Sergio but it’s what he wants. HBO has very good fight. I’m worried but I have faith in my champion who understands the challenge.”

“The $50.00 tickets are completely sold out. Affordable $75.00 tickets are available but I’m anticipating that they’ll be going fast. Tickets are going well.”

Tickets for “Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk” are priced at $450, $250, $125, $75, and $50 and are available now through the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com, by calling the box office at 1-866-646-0609, or in person at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office.