Philadelphia, PA – As training camps for Philadelphians Mike Jones, Teon Kennedy and Jesse Hart are winding down for their fights on June 9 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV, as part of the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley championship card, all three are confident in bringing glory back home.

In perhaps the biggest night-ever for Philly fighters, Jones (26-0, 19 KOs) will battle Randall Bailey (42-7,36 KOs) of Miami, FL for the vacant IBF world welterweight title, Kennedy (17-1-2, 7 KOs) will challenge WBA world super bantamweight titlist Guillermo Rigondeaux (9-0, 7 KOs), of Cuba, while amateur star Hart, son of former middleweight contender Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, will make his pro debut.

Here are some of their comments from training camp:

MIKE JONES, #1 Rated Welterweight

“It is a lifelong dream to fight for the title. All I know is I’m 100% confident in myself and my abilities. I come to win and I will not lose.”

“I never get too high or too low. I never need acceptance from anybody, whether I score a knockout or get a decision win. I stay true to myself. I believe in God and I believe in myself. That’s what matters to me.”

“He’s (Randall Bailey) a banger, definitely likes to bang. I can do more than just slug. I’ll do whatever it takes to win, even if I have to pound him out, but I want to be moving to set everything up. I don’t know if he can take my power. My plan is not to give him anything and not to give him any advantage.”

“It’s like game planning for a tough defense in basketball. You have to take Bailey’s best attribute – his banging – away from him. Once you do that, things become a lot easier.”

“He’s a strong guy. He hits hard with that right hand and that left hook is not too weak, either. I’m looking for the best Randall Bailey and I want him to bring his best because I know that will bring out the best in me.”

“He has to watch out for my big shots, too. He’s shown he can be knocked out as well. He has his weak points; he doesn’t have a real good jab and he doesn’t put combinations together well. His thing is just trying to bomb you out with one punch. I just want to use my speed and show that I’m the better fighter all around.”

“Making a statement in this fight is showing my best, winning the fight and looking fantastic. The plan always is for me to show the world something better each and every time out.”

“I don’t have a prediction, but I’m just going to beat him down.”

“I always dream about them holding my hand up and I’m the new world champion. There’s no doubt that I’ll be the new IBF world welterweight champion.”

TEON KENNEDY, In His First World Title Fight

“I’m excited about the fight. Whenever I go to bed all I do is dream about it.”

“I feel great. I’m in shape. I’m ready to go right now. Rigondeaux has quick feet, quick hands. My heart and determination will bring the title home.”

“I can’t let him fight his fight and let him get comfortable. I have to force him to make mistakes and take it to him in the first few rounds to show him that I’m there to fight. I believe that I can win a decision. I’m ready mentally and I’m in shape physically. I can’t wait for the fight. It’s a special night to have all of us Philly fighters on the same show.”

“I’m still going to use an aggressive style because he likes to be comfortable. I’m going to put different angles in, not going to go straight to him.”

“Anything can happen, so don’t blink.”

JESSE HART, Amateur Star In His Pro Debut

“Its big, real big, to be fighting my pro debut on the Manny Pacquiao show in Las Vegas. For all the years my dad (Cyclone Hart) fought, he never fought in Las Vegas, so it’s a big thrill for both of us to be in Vegas. This is dad’s dream. It will make for a great show to have us Philly fighters out there. You can’t go wrong.”

“Bernard Hopkins came to me and told me, ‘You’re going to be the next one up, you’re going to be the next great middleweight of Philadelphia,’ and that meant a lot to me.”

“Philadelphia embraced me as a fighter because of my dad. I had to display skill and show that I could stand on my own two (feet). If my dad wasn’t Cyclone Hart, I would still be able to have a name and solidify my boxing credentials. I plan on becoming another great Philadelphia middleweight.”

“My dad is a big, big part of the reason why I was so successful in the amateurs and why I will be successful as a professional. When I was an amateur, my dad surrounded me with great amateur coaches, but he was my head trainer and we were successful.”

“I’d like to think that I was made for a reason. That’s to be a champion. I wasn’t born to do nothing else, but box

Russell Peltz of Peltz Boxing hosted the final press conference for the June 1 NBC Sports Network Fight Night card. Peltz verified that the tickets were sold out for the event being held at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. The NBCSN broadcast will begin at 9PM ET.

Fans can expect to tune in Friday to see two REAL fights. It’s rare in boxing these days for the main event and co-feature to be pick ’em fights. Gabriel Rosado, 19-5, 11 KO’s, gets kudos for taking a southpaw when training for a rightie in this war for the WBO Inter-Continental Junior Middleweight title. Sechew Powell, 26-4, 15 KO’s, is coming to Rosado’s backyard after Rosado came off of his recent NBCSN victory prepared to do battle.

Ronald Cruz, 16-0, 12 KO’s, is facing a lot of pressure by fighting in front of what is sure to be an exhuberant home town crowd against a road warrior, Prenice Brewer, 16-1-1, 6 KO’s, who is one win away from the top 15. This is the only televised boxing card scheduled on Friday night. Every boxing/sports fan should tune in!

Words were exchanged as Powell volunteered to hold the WBO belt for the photo opp (photo below). Rosado assured the crowd that he would be the one holding the campionship belt come Friday night. A verbal scuffle ensued. Co-promoter, Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, expressed gratutude that the fighters waited until Friday night to exchange blows.

Cruz, Brewer, Rosado, Powell

ABOUT JUNE 1

The Rosado-Powell and Cruz-Brewer fights top a seven-bout card at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. First fight is 7PM. Tickets are priced at $50, $75 and $175.00 for seats in the luxury suite boxes, which comes with food. Ticket can be purchased through the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000). Tickets also are on sale at www.peltzboxing.com, www.SandsEventCenter.com, and www.Ticketmaster.com. In Bethlehem, tickets are available at Pronto Insurance Notary, 232 East 3rd Street (610-419-6790). NBC Sports Network will televise the Rosado-Powell and Cruz-Brewer fights, beginning at 9PM ET. The card is being promoted by Main Events and Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and www.goDaddy.com.

NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT SCHEDULE (All Times ET)

Friday, June 1, 9-11 pm – Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, PA
Saturday, June 16, 9-11 pm – Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
Friday, September 21, 9-11pm – Site TBA
Saturday, December 8, 9-11 pm – Site TBA
To find the location of the NBC Sports Network on your local cable, satellite or IPTV provider, click here:http://www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30092015/ns/sports/

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– Friday, June 1, 2012 7:30pm ET featuring Xtreme Fight Events Cage Wars 15 at Harrah’s Casino in Chester Pennsylvania. “Cage Wars” has quickly solidified itself in Pennsylvania as a top-tier MMA event, and the fighters on June 1 will be ready to throw down in the cage. In the main event, Dan Cion (3-1) battles Casey Milliken (3-3) for the vacant Cage Wars Lightweight Title. Cion is a CFFC vet and battle-tested as he has fought a top caliber of East Coast MMAers. Traveling from New York, Cion is looking to grind Milliken down and break his will during the fight. Milliken is also a CFFC vet and has traveled as far as Arizona to ply his trade. Milliken is coming off a spectacular win at “Cage Wars 13” and looks to build on that success as he will look to try and submit Cion if it goes to the mat. In the co-main event, Ryan Cafaro (3-3) defends his Cage Wars title as he takes on Matthew Ibbotson (3-4). Cafaro is coming off a hard earned decision victory that where he won the title back in March. Cafaro likes to go to the ground and exhibits a high risk-high reward fighting style that is always a crowd pleaser. For the challenger Ibbotson, he is riding a 2-fight win streak and looks to make the most of his opportunity by winning his first title. Ibbotson also is strong on the ground so this could be a matchup of grapplers or the ground fighting could be nullified and it could be a slugfest. The third title fight of the evening will be for the Flyweight Championship as former challenger Andrew Aguilar (4-2) battles Brian Gil (3-1) for the vacant 125 lb title. Aguilar likes to break his opponents will inside the cage and win by decision while Gil has wins by KO and submission. This clash of styles always makes for interesting fights and the fact that this is for a Flyweight Championship means this should be fight of the night as that division has the wildest fights.

– Friday, June 1, 2012 8:00pm ET featuring Combat at the Capitale, at the Capitale, New York, NY. Lou Neglia and Ray Longo present World Championship Kickboxing with presenting 12-bout Muay Thai card is anchored by several title fights that are sure to make new stars in the sport and cement legacies. In the main event, Brandon Mickens will take on Julio Arce for the World Championship. Other matches will include: Nicko Tsigaras vs Felipe Carlos, Laurel Holloway vs Andrea Deangelo and Alex Melts vs Stephen Regman plus more.

– Saturday, June 2, 2012 9:00pm ET featuring North American Allied Fight Series (NAAFS) Fight Night in the Flats VIII at the Jacobs Pavilion in Nautica in Cleveland, Ohio. In the main event, Kyle Baker (11-3) fights Chris Lozano (9-3) for Baker’s NAAFS Pro Series Welterweight Championship. For Baker, this is his first title defense and it comes against his toughest opponent to date as Lozano is a Bellator veteran and also a former NAAFS Champion. Baker holds a win over UFC vet Drew Fickett and a win over Lozano would add to his credentials even more and make people around the country take notice of the budding star. Lozano is looking to regroup back in his old stomping grounds and a victory over Baker would get him moving in the right direction and would also see him reclaim NAAFS gold. Lozano packs a heavy punch and will be looking to land it with bad intentions so this main event should be action packed from the get go. In the co-main event, Frank Caraballo (9-4) defends his NAAFS Pro Series Featherweight Championship against Antonio Castillo Jr. (4-3). Caraballo is on a 4-fight win streak including the last two with Bellator and looks to keep his momentum going as he defends his belt against a gritty challenger in Castillo Jr. Caraballo is a fan favorite because of his aggressive fighting style which usually ends with him winning by knockout or submission. Fans will be in for a treat as the challenger Castillo Jr. loves to grind out his opponents and take their will to fight away, so this bout will be a contrast in styles which means anything is possible. This bout will be a barnburner as the 145 lb weight division is one of the most exciting in all of MMA and if Castillo Jr. can pull off the upset not only will he be the new champion, but he will turn a lot of heads in the MMA industry. But Caraballo will do his best to shut down Castillo Jr. right from the beginning.

Other events this week:

Pro-Wrestling: Chikarasaurus Rex: How to Hatch a Dinosaur: June 2, 7:00pm ET.

Pro-Wrestling: Impact Zone Wrestling (Weekly Free show): June 2, 8:00pm ET.

Boxing: DEE LEE Promotions Presents Super Summer Brawl : June 1, 8:00pm ET.

Boxing: Worldkid Promotions Presents Brooklyn Boxing: June 2, 7:00pm ET.

Racing: Speedway Motorcycle Races – Industry Racing, Every Wednesday Night: Starting May 30, 9:30pm ET.

Soccer: Futbol Internacional – El Salvador vs Honduras: June 2, 4:00pm ET

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NEW YORK (May 29, 2012) – A light heavyweight world championship showdown—potentially the division’s best matchup in years between two young fighters in their prime—has been confirmed for Saturday, Aug. 11, at Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, when undefeated International Boxing Federation (IBF) light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs), of Tallahassee, Fla., defends his title against popular hometown favorite and former World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight titleholder Jean Pascal (26-2-1, 16 KOs) on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live on SHOWTIME®.

The co-feature will match budding Canadian knockout artist Adonis “Superman” Stevenson, (18-1, 15 KOs) of Montreal (Canada), against an opponent to be announced in a super middleweight bout.

Cloud is known as a no-nonsense power puncher, who comes right at his opponents with few frills. Pascal may not equal Cloud in work rate, but his footwork and explosive combinations make for a compelling matchup between ferocious punchers. Both men will be coming in to not only win, but to make a statement as the best puncher in one of boxing’s glamor divisions.

The 5-foot-10, 30-year-old Cloud will be making the fifth defense of the then-vacant 175-pound title he won via 12-round unanimous decision over Clinton Woods on Aug. 28, 2009. The hard-hitting, 29-year-old successfully defended against Glen Johnson (unanimous decision, June 7, 2010), Fulgencio Zuniga (unanimous decision, Dec. 17, 2010) and Yusaf Mack (TKO 8, June 28, 2011) before winning a controversial split decision over Gabriel Campillo in February.

“This fight with Jean Pascal is a bout I’m looking forward to,” said Cloud. “It’s going to be what I call a ‘Release the Kraken’ match. Everybody knows I come to fight. What I like about Pascal is that he doesn’t fool around either. When I look for him, he will be there, and the same goes for me.

“Fans like to see leather thrown with bad intentions, and that’s what they are going to get in Montreal on August 11.”

The 5-foot-10 ½-inch, 29-year-old Pascal is currently ranked No. 2 by” The Ring” and in the top 10 in three of the four major organizations. Since his first world title fight in 2009, Pascal has defeated Chad Dawson (via 11th-round technical decision in 2010), Adrian Diaconu twice and fought the legendary Bernard Hopkins to a thrilling draw in December 2010. In the second of back-to-back meetings with Hopkins last May, Pascal lost his title by a very close decision.

“First, I want to thank Tavoris Cloud for giving me the opportunity to fight for his IBF light heavyweight belt and to prove who I really am in the ring,” said Pascal. “He has shown true class seeking out the best challenger in the division and for this he has my full respect. Our styles make for the best, most explosive and spectacular fight possible in boxing. Having been away from the ring for more than a year, I am hungrier and more determined than ever to get back on top. Don’t miss it August 11 in Montreal. I am going to get back on the throne for good.”

Throughout a career that began in August 2004, Cloud has been a road warrior. He’s fought only three times in his native Florida. Pascal, conversely, has had all but two of his fights in Canada.

Stevenson has notched 15 knockouts in 19 professional fights in his climb up the rankings. The Canadian southpaw super middleweight is currently No. 2 in IBF, No. 3 in WBC and No. 7 in the World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organization (WBO).

“I am so proud to be making my SHOWTIME debut fighting in this major event in Montreal,” said Stevenson. “I am on a mission to destroy anybody that has the courage to get in the ring with me. I am not looking for any favors or compassion. My goal is to show the world that I truly deserve to be on a major network fighting Carl Froch for his IBF belt. Watch me make a major statement August 11 on SHOWTIME.”

Trained by the renowned Emmanuel Steward, Stevenson got a late start in the professional ranks with a 2006 debut at the age of 29. Now a six year pro, Stevenson has maintained his penchant for knockouts as he’s stepped up the class of competition. In his last five starts, against opponents with a combined record of 107-8, he has overwhelmed them all, winning four of five inside three rounds. The lone exception is a ninth-round KO of Aaron Pryor Jr.

In all, 12 of his 15 knockouts have come inside three rounds.

The 5-foot-11, 34-year-old Stevenson won a WBC Silver belt with a second-round TKO over Noe Gonzalez (27-1 going in) in his most recent outing last April 20 at Bell Centre.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, visit the website at http://sports.SHO.com.

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™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. 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®.

Bethlehem, PA-It’s the hottest ticket in town!

With a start-studded lineup scheduled for June, the Event Center at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem looks like the place to be in the Lehigh Valley.

But the one evening the local sports fans are talking about is Friday, June 1, when the NBC Sports Network Fight Night cameras invade the 1,832-seat Event Center for an evening of world-class professional boxing.

The double-header main event features Gabriel Rosado, of Philadelphia, PA, vs. Sechew Powell, of Brooklyn, in a 12-round contest for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental junior middleweight title, and Ronald Cruz, of Bethlehem, PA, vs. Prenice Brewer, of Cleveland, OH, for the vacant WBC Continental Americas welterweight crown.

Cruz

The ticket demand has been so overwhelming that the Event Center this week added additional seats to accommodate those fans who still have not been able to purchase tickets to the first boxing card in the new building, which opened May 16 with Incubus and followed with the Beach Boys, Glen Frey and Alan Jackson to strong sales, but nothing like the demand for tickets for June 1

“This is what boxing should be about,” said J Russell Peltz, whose company, Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., is staging the seven-bout card with Main Events, of Totowa, NJ. “We may be next to a casino, but we are in a brand new state-of-the-art arena where fans buy tickets. It’s a beautiful building with seven luxury suite boxes and there’s not a bad seat in the house.

“Real boxing fans are coming to this show and they are buying tickets wherever they can find them. It’s just like the old days when the corner store put up posters and sold tickets from behind the cash register. That’s what we’ve done in Bethlehem. We have ticket outlets all over town. About a dozen businesses have purchased ads in the souvenir program.

“The NBC Sports Network series is about good fights in lively settings and that is what we have been doing this year-bringing boxing back to the real fans.

“We’ve got a hometown hero in Ronald Cruz and he comes from a very tight-knit community of adoring fans. They follow him to Philadelphia when he fights there and they gobble up hotel rooms and loads of tickets when he fights in Atlantic City.”

Last summer, on four weeks’ notice, Cruz vs. cross-state rival Doel Carrasquillo, of Lancaster, PA, sold out the 1,300-seat temporary tent erected on the grounds of the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem on the Friday evening of July 4 weekend. At that time, youngsters under 21 were not permitted to attend the fight since they would have had to go through the casino to get to the tent. With the Event Center standing alone, people of all ages can attend.

It does not figure to be an easy night for Cruz (16-0, 12 K0s) on June 1 when he takes on the slick-boxing Brewer, whose 16-1-1 record includes six knockouts and he has a history of winning away from home.

Brewer

In the TV main event, it should be another struggle for both Rosado and Powell, a pair of world-ranked contenders looking for a world title fight down the road.

The start time of the seven-fight card has been moved up to 7pm due to a taping for overseas television of an important light-heavyweight rematch between Russian puncher Sergey Kovalev and Darnell Boone, of Atlanta, GA.

Kovalev is 17-0-1, 15 K0s, but had his toughest fight 20 months ago when he eked out an eight-round split decision over Boone in Atlanta, GA.

Four additional bouts complete the card.

ABOUT JUNE 1

The Rosado-Powell and Cruz-Brewer fights top a seven-bout card at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. First fight is 7PM. Tickets are priced at $50, $75 and $175.00 for seats in the luxury suite boxes, which comes with food. Ticket can be purchased through the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000). Tickets also are on sale at www.peltzboxing.com, www.SandsEventCenter.com, and www.Ticketmaster.com. In Bethlehem, tickets are available at Pronto Insurance Notary, 232 East 3rd Street (610-419-6790). NBC Sports Network will televise the Rosado-Powell and Cruz-Brewer fights, beginning at 9PM ET. The card is being promoted by Main Events and Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and www.goDaddy.com.

NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT SCHEDULE (All Times ET)

Friday, June 1, 9-11 pm – Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, PA
Saturday, June 16, 9-11 pm – Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
Friday, September 21, 9-11pm – Site TBA
Saturday, December 8, 9-11 pm – Site TBA
To find the location of the NBC Sports Network on your local cable, satellite or IPTV provider, click here:http://www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30092015/ns/sports/

Tweet the link to NBC Sports Network Fight Night channel finder: bit.ly/175UuU
Twitter: #FightNight
Twitter: @main_events @NBCSN
Facebook: facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing facebook.com/NBCSports

Former world champion Paul Williams was Paralyzed from the waist down due to a motorcycle accident that happened near his Atlanta home on Sunday.

In a statement to espn.com, George Peterson who is a Williams Manager/Trainer/Father Figure said “”They’re saying he won’t walk again or box again,” said Peterson, who flew to Atlanta from Washington, D.C., where they were training for Williams’ next fight, on Sunday. “Paul is in denial right now. It’s been that way with him. You tell him he can’t or won’t do something, and he wants to prove you different. So whatever the doctors say, he’s not listening. But they say that (walking and boxing) is not going to happen.”

Peterson said Williams, who lives about an hour outside of Atlanta, had ridden his motorcycle from his home to Atlanta to attend the Sunday wedding of one of his brothers.

Peterson said Williams, 30, is scheduled to have surgery Wednesday to stabilize the portion of his spinal cord that is intact and allows him to move his hands, arms, torso and head.

“The other part of his spinal chord is damaged and has eliminated his lower body movement,” Peterson said.

Peterson continued by saying that Williams is coherent and even joking while in his hospital bed.

Williams, who just signed for a major Pay Per View bout against WBC Super Welterweight champion Canelo Alvarez on September 15th.

Former five-time world champion Johnny Tapia was found dead in his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Sunday.

Tapia who was one of the most charismatic fighters for much of the 1990’s and 2000’s was forty-five years old.

Besides his ring excellence, Tapia had a myriad of problems outside the ring which included many bouts with drugs.

Tapia won his first title in 1994 when he won the WBO Super Flyweight title with an eleventh round stoppage of Henry Martinez. He defended the title times for capturing the IBF belt when he defeated his cross town rival Danny Romero in 1997. Tapia defended those two belts two more times before moving up to Bantamweight and winning the WBA belt in 1998.

Tapia fought memorable fights with Paulie Ayala and Marco Antonio Barrera before retiring in 2011.

15rounds.com spoke to Tapia in November where he told us that he was training fighters and working for Showtime.

Former multiple time world champion Johnny Tapia breaks down Ward – Froch

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

– Friday, May 25, 2012 9:00pm ET featuring School of Hard Knocks 23 Calgary at the Subway Soccer Center, Calgary, Canada. In the main event, Paapa Inkumsah (4-4) of Gracie Barra in Calgary, Alberta fights Jarod Milko (4-1) from Progressive Fighting Academy out of Lethbridge, Alberta in a welterweight pro fight. Inkumsah has 3 victories by submission and has only gone to a decision twice, so his fights are usually action filled bouts where someone is getting submitted or knocked out as Inkumsah uses a high risk-high reward fighting style. Milko has never gone to a decision and holds a title with another organization so his big fight experience will come in handy as he main events “HKFC 23” against Inkumsah. Milko also has 3 wins via submission so this could turn into a grappling chess match, or they fighters could decide to handle their business on their feet, not wanting to risk being submitted by another proficient grappler. In the co-main event, Dia Grant (3-6) from Dynamic MMA in Calgary, Alberta faces Julius Huhs (2-0) from AJJA Canada in Kamloops, BC in a lightweight pro fight. Grant is coming off a first round submission win and looks to add to his momentum against the upstart Huhs. Grant will bring a vast experience edge into the cage as well as a “fight anyone” mentality. Grant will be ready for whatever the newcomer Huhs throws at him. For the undefeated Huhs, this is a great test for him in his early pro career as he has never even fought in the second round with both of his victories coming in the first. Grant will be Huhs’ toughest test to date and a good measuring stick for the 155 lb fighter. If Huhs walks through Grant then he might be in line for a title shot with HKFC.

– Saturday, May 26, 2012 7:00pm ET featuring Dead Serious Four at the Rahway Rec Center in Rahway, New Jersey. In the main event, it is a rematch from a fight at “Dead Serious Three” as undefeated Shane Burgos (4-0-0-1) battles RJ Starace (3-4-0-1) in a featherweight showdown. Their first meeting ended in a no contest after Starace was unable to continue after an accidental foul in round one. It was a disappointing ending to what otherwise started out as a barnburner. The foul occurred when Burgos and Starace where doing some clinch work and working for position and Burgos landed a knee that was low on Starace. Starace was in immediate pain and unable to re-start the fight. In the past, Burgos has shown that he has the cardio conditioning to win a fight on decision, and he also has a deadly submission game to go along with strong stamina. Starace has fought for the Dead Serious Featherweight Title previously, suffering a tough loss in round three. He will look back to get on his winning ways and set the story straight in this rematch with Burgos. The winner of this bout will be at the front of the line for a future 145 lb title shot with Dead Serious, so there is a lot riding on this defacto #1 Contender match. In other action, Jimmy Starr (0-2) fights Guido Valdner (0-0) in a featherweight tussle. Both fighters are looking for their first wins in the sport and this bout will be a great litmus test for both athletes. Starr has already fought twice so he will have the experience advantage, but Valdner is an unknown so it will be hard to game plan for his strengths so he has an advantage in the styles matchup as he will know a little bit more about what Starr’s strengths are while Starr will have to plan for everything against Valdner. This bout should be a barnburner as one of these 145 lb fighters will get their first victory of their career.

– Saturday, May 26, 2012 8:00pm ET featuring Ultimate Warrior Fighting (UWF) “Tournament of Champions” at the Laredo Energy Arena. The event will feature the final four of both the 155 lb and 170 lb tournaments where the eventual winners will win $25,000. Tune into this 9-bout card and watch Texas’ best MMA fighters as they go for gold and honor. In the 170 lb tournament, Lucas Pimenta (6-0) battles Chuck Parmelee (38-11-1) and John Malbrough (3-3) fights Justin Guthrie (15-4). Parmelee looks to be the favorite to win the whole thing as he is very experienced and battle tested. He squares off against Pimenta who is undefeated and coming off a quick victory earlier this month in the first round of the tournament. That could be a huge factor as there is a quick turnaround for this event, with the fighters in the tournaments fighting twice in one month. For Pimenta, he will have to attack Parmelee right from the get-go and test his endurance as Parmelee won his fight via decision after a grueling three round contest. In the other side of the bracket, Malbrough got a well-earned submission victory in his first bout while the more experienced Guthrie went the distance and won via decision. Guthrie holds titles with other federations already so he is used to being in a championship atmosphere. It will be interesting to see if either fighter has any nagging injuries from their first round battles. Look for Guthrie to try and grind Malbrough down, while Malbrough goes for the homerun KO or a devastating submission. In the 155 lb tournament, Rey Trujillo (11-7) fights Gilbert Jimenez (6-5-1) and Christ Quitquit (4-0) takes on Flavio Alvaro (23-7). Trujillo got his first win earlier in the month via decision while Jimenez won via choke in round three. Trujillo is a heavy puncher while Jimenez attacks from all angles. If Trujillo can land early it could be a quick night, but if Jimenez can get the bout to the ground, it could be to his advantage. In the other half of the bracket, the undefeated Quitquit is coming off a spectacular first round submission and came out of his first tourney fight relatively unscathed. He will need to be 100% as Alvaro is a replacement and did not fight in round one and also holds a distinct experience advantage over Quitquit. Alvaro is also on a 4-fight win streak and looks to continue his dominance inside of the cage and with UWF.

– Saturday, May 26, 2012 8:00pm ET featuring Absolute Action MMA XXVI from Florence, Kentucky. In the main event, Phillip Perkins (2-1) fights Donnie Ballou (5-3) for the AAMMA Flyweight Title. Both of these 125 lb fighters have a lot at stake as the winner will be the first ever AAMMA Flyweight Champion. Perkins fights a high risk-high reward style as he has never been out of the first round, winning two of his fights via stoppage (TKO and triangle submission). Perkins is like a Tasmanian Devil in the cage and always looks to apply pressure to his opponent from the opening bell. Ballou is the more experienced fighter, and is also a verteran of Absolute Action MMA. He won his last fight via submission in round one and carries heavy hands into the cage as 3 of his wins have come via KO or TKO. Ballou can make quick work out of opponents when he lands his punches flush. This bout has all the makings of fight of the night as Perkins and Ballou will stop at nothing to win the first ever Flyweight Championship in AAMMA. In the co-main event, Robert Cooper (3-0) battles James Benton (4-3) for the vacant AAMMA Light Heavyweight Championship. The undefeated Cooper has been on a tear getting finishes in all of his fights. Benton will prove to be Cooper’s toughest test to date as he is battle-tested and has never backed down especially during his 4-fight winning streak midway through his career. The leather will be flying as these two gladiators do for gold in this 205 lb championship match.

Other events this week:

Pro-Wrestling: Impact Zone Wrestling (Weekly Free show): May 26, 8:00pm ET.

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CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT CARD
Atlantic City, NJ (May 23, 2012)– Dee Lee Promotions, LLC. in association with the Tropicana Casino and Resort presents hard hitting Dennis “The Assassin” Hasson (13-0-0/5 ko’s) vs George “The Rooster” Armenta (14-8-0/11 ko’s) in a 10 round super middleweight “Summer Super Brawl” on Friday, June 1, 2012. This 10 Round main event is part of Atlantic City’s first ever Multi-Cultural Heritage Festival which includes an All Star Boxing Legends Gala the following night. With legendary names like Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and “Joltin” Jeff Chandler floating around town, Mr. Hasson will have the perfect setting to show case his crowd pleasing brawling boxing skills. Mr. Hasson better not underestimate the hard hitting Mr. Armenta or he could find himself on the wrong end of a big right hand. Mr. Armenta has 11 ko’s in his 14 victories so anything can happen!!

The 8 round co-main event on this “Summer Super Brawl” fight card features Philadelphia’s super bantamweight “Pretty Boy” Coy Evans (10-1-1/2 ko’s). Mr. Evans has shown a lot of early promise and his skills have been steadily sharpened but finding quality opponents in that weight class will be a real challenge for matchmaker Nick Tiberi. There will also be an all time show stopping WIBC 3 minute -10 round Title Fight featuring Lisa Noel Garland (9-6-0/5 ko’s) of York, SC vs Kita Watkins (7-8-0/1 ko’s) of Camden, AR . This will surely be an amazing fight, so do not miss it!!

The exciting undercard will be filled with action packed fighters led by heavyweight Joey “The Polish Thunder” Dawejko (6-0-1/2 ko’s) vs. Edwin Ranquillo (2-1/1 ko’s). At 5’10 – 235 pounds, the 21 year old Mr. Dawejko presents big problems for any opponent and any ring looks small when he steps through the ropes, however do not be so quick to judge this fight. Even though it appears Mr. Ranquillo does not have the ring experience, he does have the experience of serving our country. This card also sees the return of light heavyweight Frankie “The Freight Train” Filippone (9-2-0/2 ko’s) vs Keandre Leatherwood (9-1-0/6 ko’s). With such close records, both men are hungry to pick up another “W” at the Trop no matter what it takes!!!

The remainder of this very promising undercard features Isiah Seldon (6-0-0/3 ko’s) vs Lekan Byfield (2-1), with Big Dog Mr. Seldon in town Isiah will be sure to put on a good show! Saud “Kid Grady” Clark vs Flavio Augusto Reyes both making their Pro-Debut’s, Anthony “The Bull” Smith (13-0/10 ko’s), Delaware’s Mike Tiberi (19-1-0/7 ko’s), Two young local fighters, Atlantic City Native super middleweight Antwyan Aikens (4-0-0/1 ko’s) vs Kenneth Schmitz (2-1/1 ko’s) and Millville featherweight Joshua Reyes (1-0-0) vs David Rogriquez (0-1) round out this entertaining fight card.

Doors open at 7:00 p.m., with the first bout slated for 8:00 p.m. Tickets are priced at $40, $55, $65 and $100 and can be purchased at the Tropicana Box Office, by calling Ticketmaster at 1.800.745.3000 or Dee Lee Promotions, LLC. at 856.692.1206.

About Dee Lee Promotions, LLC.
Dee Lee Promotions, LLC. is owned and operated by New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame promoter Diane Fischer of Vineland, NJ. Fischer has earned a reputation not only as a premier matchmaker who has presented some of the most memorable and entertaining boxing contests in the country, but as woman who has been innovative and overcome gender barriers in an industry dominated by men. Her industry awards and distinctions include:??New Jersey Promoter of The Year; Undercard Fight of the Year; Best Girl Fight of The Year; The First Time Six World Title Belts [Pay Per View] appeared on one card (Atlantic City); The First All Girl Fight on the East Coast; The first woman ever to promote an all girl fight card in Baton Rouge Louisiana; The first woman promoter ever to promote a World Title Fight in Panama City; The first male or female promoter to present a title fight in Delaware; The first woman promoter to promote/co-promote a Heavyweight Championship Fight on HBO, Ray Mercer, and Wladimir Klitschko on June 29, 2002; the fight also was aired on PPV in Germany and was the first Heavyweight Championship promoted by a female in that country.?To contact?Dee Lee Promotions LLC., call 856.692.1206.

About Tropicana Casino and Resort
Tropicana Entertainment Inc. (“Tropicana Entertainment”) owns and operates 8 casinos and resorts in Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and New Jersey. In addition, the Company owns a development property in Aruba. Tropicana Entertainment properties collectively have 5,750 rooms, 8,300 slot positions and 240 table games

NEW YORK (May 23, 2012)-On Thursday night June 14th at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City, Floriano “L’Italiano” Pagliara will return to the squared circle when he takes part on the Lou DiBella’s Popular Broadway Boxing Television Series

Pagliara who has a record of 12-4-1 with seven knockouts will be continuing on his quest to live the American dream as the import from Cecine, Italy will be making his second New York City appearance over the past three months

For this bout, the popular IBF Mediterranean Super Featherweight Champion has set up training in the Aqua Villiage Water Park in his hometown of Cecine Italy near the Livornese coast.

Pagliara has become a major draw in the New York area as he quickly made an impression on the many Italian fans in the “Little Italy” sections of the city including the Williamsburgh Brooklyn neighborhood and on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx

L”Italiano as he is referred to in America could have stayed in Italy and been very successful as he is a very popular attraction in the Tuscan resort coastal town where he routinely draws 3,000 plus fans for his bouts.

“People are just drawn to Floriano, he is very approachable and a pleasure to work with said Rich Komissar, Pagliara’s American sponsor and matchmaker at RKO Boxing. “He works hard and promotes himself well. We had an overflow of people outside BB Kings looking for tickets to his fight on March 7th. The place was sold out more than a week in advance. Even Floriano was surprised” added Komissar. We are getting hit every day by more and more people looking to know when his next fight is”

Another reason for Floriano’s popularity is that he gets involved in community issues. He is a member of the Ring 8 NY Veteran Boxers Association which provides help to retired boxers. Floriano is hoping to become the official liaison to the retired Italian American fighters in the New York area. “Floriano cares as much as he works” said Tommy Gallagher, the veteran boxing trainer from New York who also is one of the directors on the board for Ring8 NY

Additionally Pagliara has recently become involved with the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation. Cooley’s Anemia is a blood disorder that mostly affects children with Mediterranean heritage. Children afflicted with Cooley’s Anemia or Thalassemia are not expected to live much past their teen years. The mission of the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation is to help in advancing the treatment and cure for this fatal blood disease. Floriano, with the help of local businessman and organization member Paul Tucci is hoping to become more involved with the Long Island Fund Raising Chapter. (www.thalassemia.com)

“The DiBella goup has seen the potential and the fan base that Floriano brings and as he continues to appear on Broadway Boxing, there are discussions for Floriano’s fights to be syndicated back in Italy.”

Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65 and $45, with a limited number of VIP tables available for purchase as well. VIP Tickets are priced at $150, and there are four seats to a table. Tickets can be purchased by calling RKO Boxing at 908-240-2097 or DiBella Entertainment at 212-947-2577. Call soon as tickets are already going fast and a third consecutive sellout for the Broadway Boxing series is expected

Follow Floriano on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/floriano.pagliara

Former pound for pound king Roy Jones Jr. will take on Dawid Kostecki in Poland on June 30th according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Roy has set his goal to win the cruiserweight title. That is his new thing,” said Square Ring CEO John Wirt . “He wants to win the cruiserweight title, and with Wlodarczyk not available right now because he has to fight Palacios again, he wanted to stay active. And now Poland has pay-per-view and Roy is a huge star here. His fights were all shown here for many, many years, so he is one of the few big American stars here. There’s a market here and Kostecki is a pretty big fighter here too. So this fight, knock on wood, should do very well on pay-per-view here. So that’s what we’re doing.”

“If this fight does well on pay-per-view in Poland and Roy wins, and if Wlodarczyk beats Palacios again, there is a possibility we could come back here and Roy could challenge him for the title. His goal is to win the cruiserweight title. It’s the only belt he hasn’t won (from middleweight to heavyweight).”

Bethlehem, PA-When Gabriel Rosado learned he was fighting Sechew Powell instead of Joel Julio on June 1, he and trainer Billy Briscoe booked themselves a trip to California for three weeks of training at Freddie Roach’s famed Wild Card gym in Hollywood.

“It’s just what I needed,” said Rosado (left), who meets Powell for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Junior Middleweight Title at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem over 12 rounds, or less.

“At first I wasn’t crazy about fighting a lefty, but the junior middleweight division is full of them so it all turned out for the better. I’m talking about Paul Williams, James Kirkland, Erislandy Lara. These are guys I need to get in there with so fighting Sechew Powell is another step down that road. I’m getting plenty of good work at the Wild Card and I feel good and I’m looking forward to proving myself again. I know a lot of people are skeptical, saying that the last guy I beat (Jesus Soto-Karass) was made to order for me. We’ll see if they right or wrong after June 1.”

The 26-year-old Philadelphian made a career statement Jan. 21 when he tore though Soto-Karass en route to a fifth-round knockout victory at the Asylum Arena in Philadelphia.

Rosado, who turned pro in 2006 after only 17 amateur fights, has a 19-5 record as a pro with 11 knockouts. He has won his last five fights and he is ranked No. 5 in the world by the IBF, No. 9 by the WBC.

The 32-year-old Powell (right), of Brooklyn, NY, turned pro in 2002 and is 26-4, 15 K0s. He is ranked No. 9 by the IBF, and comes into this fight off a 12-round points defeat Jan. 28 to former world champion Cory Spinks in a elimination bout in Springfield, MO, for the No. 1 slot in the IBF world rankings.

Prior that that, Powell had challenged one-time knockout victim Cornelius Bundrage, of Detroit, MI, for the IBF world title, losing that one also by 12-round decision June 25, 2010, in St. Charles, MO.

Powell has beaten Ishe Smith, of Las Vegas, NV, and Terrance Cauthen, of Trenton, NJ, and he split in two fights with Deandre Latimore, of St. Louis, MO. Latimore is the only man to have stopped Powell, but Powell avenged himself in the rematch, winning on points.

The co-feature, also scheduled for 12 rounds, features Ronald Cruz, of Bethlehem, against Prenice Brewer, of Cleveland, OH, for the vacant WBC Continental Americas welterweight title. Cruz is 16-0, 12 K0s; Brewer is 16-1-1, 6 K0s.

Five additional bouts complete the card.

JUNE 1

The Rosado-Powell and Cruz-Brewer fights top a seven-bout card at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. First fight is 7:00 pm. Tickets are priced at $50 and $75 as well as luxury suite seats for $125.00. Tickets can be purchased through the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) or online at www.peltzboxing.com, www.SandsEventCenter.com, and www.Ticketmaster.com. In Bethlehem, tickets are available at Pronto Insurance Notary, 232 East 3rd Street (610-419-6790).

NBC Sports Network will televise the Rosado-Powell and Cruz-Brewer fights, beginning at 9 pm on the Fight Night show. The card is being promoted by Main Events and Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and www.goDaddy.com.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

BROOKLYN, NY (May 23, 2012)—On Tuesday afternoon at the Yemen Café, Sadam Ali’s Worldkid Promotions held a press conference in conjunction with the Inaugural Boxing card that will take place on Saturday, June 2nd at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn.

Ali will not only promote the card but will take part in the main event when he takes on Franklin Gonzalez in the eight round contest.

Ali along with several other fighters on the card were at the Yemen Café and below are their quotes

PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

SADAM ALI (14-0, 8 KO’S)—Undefeated Welterweight, Main Event fighter & Promoter
“This is my first main event and Promotion”
“The undercard fighters will start it and I will finish it”
“I have been training hard for five months”

EDDIE GOMEZ (8-0, 6 KO’s)—Undefeated Jr. Middleweight from the Bronx who will participate in co-Feature
“I want to thank Sadam for letting me fight on your show”

JUAN DOMINGUEZ (10-0, 7 KO’s)—Undefeated Bantamweight from Brooklyn
“I am grateful for being on this card and I will put on a show”

ARMIN MRKANOVIC (2-1-1, 1 KO)-Cruiserweight from Queens
“I have been training since September”
“I hope the sprinkler system is on because I expect fireworks”

STEVEN GAMACHE (2-0, 1 KO)—Jr. Middleweight from New York
“I am an action fighter, so I am going to put on a good show”

ZACHARY OCHOA (1-0)—Jr. Welterweight from New York
“I am happy to fight on the same card as the guys I grew up with”
“This is my time”

DINMUKHAMED NIYAZOV (1-0)—Jr. Welterweight from Staten Island, NY
“I have a great time and I believe this will be a crazy good show”

JENNIFER SANTIAGO (PRO DEBUT)—Bantamweight from Brooklyn
“its an honor and privilege to be the only woman on the card”

With the number of boroughs That are represented tickets are on-sale all
over the tri-state area and they are priced at $150. $100, $75 & $50 and can
be purchased at the Following Phone Numbers and locations

In Brooklyn,
Bayridge
Worldkid sports
6825-5th ave, 11220
917-807-3630
————————————————–
Canarsie,
Crosson’s Karate
1940-rockaway pkwy,11236
718-531-9646/917-642-9016
————————————————-
Downtown
Yemen cafe,
176-Atlantic ave,11201
347-645-6640
————————————————–
Bedstuy
Green Gourmet Market,
354-Lewis ave,11233
718-455-5619/917-655-5254/917-807-3630
————————————————–
Staten Island,
Froogle Printing
350-port Richmond ave,10302
718-442-2910/646-261-0063
————————————————
New Jersey
201-914-9392
————————————————–

Manhattan,
718-744-8855

The first bout begins at 7pm with the doors opening at 6pm

For more information on Sadam Ali click: www.sadamaliboxing.com

The Aviator Sports Complex is located at 3159 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.

Philadelphia, PA–With only a couple of weeks before his first world-title opportunity, undefeated welterweight Mike Jones, of Philadelphia, has the look and mindset of a champion as he prepares to meet the hard-hitting former champion Randall Bailey, of Miami, FL, in one of the co-feature fights on the June 9 Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

“It is a lifelong dream to fight for the title,” said Jones (right), the IBF No. 1 rated welterweight. “All I know is I’m 100% confident in myself and my abilities. I come to win and I will not lose.”

Jones’ confident demeanor extends to his attitude about expectations as well.

“I never get too high or too low,” stated Jones, 29, whose record is 26-0, 19 K0s. “I never need acceptance from anybody, whether I score a knockout or get a decision win. I stay true to myself. I believe in God and I believe in myself. That’s what matters to me.”

But will Jones’ confidence and attitude be enough to stop Bailey, who is well-known for his punching power? Bailey has scored 36 knockouts en route to a 42-7 record as a pro.

“He’s a banger, definitely likes to bang, but I can do more than just slug,” said Jones, who is co-promoted by Top Rank, Inc., and Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc. “I’ll do whatever it takes to win, even if I have to pound him out, but I want to be moving to set everything up. I don’t know if he can take my power. My plan is not to give him anything and not to give him any advantage.”

Jones, along with his trainer Vaughn Jackson, came up with successful game plans for the other recent sluggers Jones has faced, which helped him score two wins over Jesus Soto-Karass in 2010 and 2011, and over Sebastian Lujan in his most recent fight on Dec. 3. They are, likewise, coming up with a plan for Bailey.

“It’s like game-planning for a tough defense in basketball,” Jones said. “You have to take Bailey’s best attribute – his banging – away from him. Once you do that, things become a lot easier.

“He’s a strong guy. He hits hard with that right hand and that left hook is not too weak, either. I’m looking for the best Randall Bailey and I want him to bring his best because I know that will bring out the best in me.”

Jones wants to make a strong statement with his performance on June 9, and although he rarely makes a prediction on his fights, he nonetheless is confident on what he’s going to do.

“Making a statement in this fight is showing my best, winning the fight and looking fantastic,”
Jones said. “The plan always is for me to show the world something better each and every time out.

“I don’t have a prediction, but I’m just going to beat him down.”

After the disclosure of Lamont Peterson’s positive for a banned substance that canceled his May 19th rematch, Amir Khan has found a new dance partner in WBC Super Lightweight champion Danny Garcia as they have agreed to meet on July 14th according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The bout will take place at The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas

“You have two young guys, two of the best in the division,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer,who promotes both fighters.. “Danny Garcia is undefeated and a champion and Amir Khan is one of the biggest names in the sport, so I am really excited about this fight and lucky we were to be able to put it together considering what happened (with Peterson).”

Schaefer said heavyweight prospect Seth Mitchell (25-0, 19 KOs) of Brandywine, Md., will open the HBO telecast. He could face Detroit’s Johnathon Banks (28-1-1, 18 KOs), a former cruiserweight title challenger who has been at heavyweight since 2009 and gone 8-0-1 in the weight class

“I feel like this is how its supposed to be — the best versus the best, both of us in our prime and giving the fans a great fight,” Garcia told ESPN.com. “I’m just happy. Its going to be a great fight and I feel like I have what it takes to beat this guy.”

“When I heard about the possibility I strapped on my shoes and went out running. I want to be ready,” Garcia said. “I believe everything happens for a reason. I guess that (Peterson-Khan II) wasn’t meant to be. I feel like Khan and me are young fighters taking it back to the old days when the best mixed it up with the best.

“I’ve watched Khan a lot. He’s a good fighter, but I don’t think he’s what people say he is, getting all this credit. I’ll expose all that stuff July 14. I know I’m going to win this fight. I feel like he will leave himself open for some big shots and we’ll see if he can take them. I can box and I can punch. I’m going to hit him with stuff he won’t see. I can’t wait.”

Popular WBC Super Welterweight champion Saul Alvarez will defend his title against the dangerous former world champion Paul Williams to help celebrate the Mexican Independence weekend on September 15th in a bout that is ticketed for Pay Per View according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

The bout will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“Canelo and Williams is done. Signed, sealed and delivered,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who got the deal done on Wednesday. “I think Williams is the biggest name in the division we could get and he has been known for years as one of the most avoided fighters in boxing. He’s awkward, he’s tall, he’s a dangerous fighter and that’s what you need on a pay-per-view. You need to give fans fights where they don’t know who’s going to win the fight.

“So, yes, it’s a risk for Canelo because Paul Williams is a terrific fighter. But it’s also a dangerous fight for Paul Williams. Some people still underestimate Canelo Alvarez but he can compete with anyone and he wants to compete with everyone. People have to remember that Canelo is still only 21 years old, but if you want to earn a shot at Floyd Mayweather, you need to be able to pass this kind of test, this tall test.”

Originally, Golden Boy had looked to James Kirkland, an exciting brawler whom it promotes, as Alvarez’s opponent and offered him the fight. However, Kirkland suffered a shoulder injury in a fight in March, had surgery and will not be ready to go by Sept. 15. So they looked to Williams (41-2, 27 KOs), 30, of Augusta, Ga.

“Kirkland is not going to be able to fight in September,” Schaefer said. “I want to make sure he is healthy and ready to go before a fight like this. So now people are saying, ‘Why are you putting Canelo in with Paul Williams?’ Some people think we are nuts. But I know one thing — it’s going to be a good fight. These guys both come to fight. I think one of these guys will get knocked out. If it’s an exciting fight I don’t think there are any losers.”

“We’ve been looking for something of this magnitude. We’ll be prepared for it,” said Williams trainer George Peterson. “He is going to put on a boxing clinic against Alvarez. This is what Paul has been wanting. We know Canelo is a good boxer. He has good footwork, good power and the will to win. That’s what I think about Alvarez. But Paul has been in the ring with the best and done really well. Paul can get up for this fight. There’s been one or two fights he couldn’t get up for.”

“What has happened is a few people have written Paul off, have said that he’s on his last legs. We’re glad about that, or we wouldn’t get no activity at all,” Peterson said. “It’s gonna be a real interesting fight and Paul is excited about it. It’s an opportunity to show the boxing community that Paul Williams is back. He’s never ducked a fighter and when the bell goes ‘bing,’ the fans will see a very exciting fight. Boxing needs something like this where who the winner will be is a mystery.

“I wanted to get the fight done and now I’ll see what I will do as it relates to which network is involved in the pay-per-view,” Schaefer said.

Super Bantamweight world champions Nonito Donaire & Jeffrey Mathebula have agreed to meet on July 7th in Carson, California according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Any time you can unify a title it’s a good thing,” said Top Rank’s Carl Moretti. “And any time you can unify the title in a meaningful division, which junior featherweight is, it’s an even better thing. It’s a legit fight. Mathebula is a little awkward and he’s taller than Donaire. Matheubula is always in shape and has no reservations about coming to the United States for the fight.

“It’s a fight that Nonito asked for,” said Donaire’s manager Cameron Dunkin. “Top Rank was offering us other fighters, Mijares and Marroquin to name two, but he wanted a unification fight. Nonito thought this guy (Mathebula) was a great fighter and would push him to the limit. Nonito said, ‘I want something that will fire me up and this guy presents me with a challenge.’

“Nonito is usually the taller guy. He won’t be for this fight, so I asked him if he wanted that problem,” Dunkin said. “He said he did. He said, ‘I want somebody that will really motivate me.’ I said, ‘OK.’ I think this will motivate him but it’s a dangerous fight, a scary fight. But it’s what he wanted. He specifically asked for it.”

“I have worked with Top Rank before and again these negotiations were fair and we reached the deal,” said Mathebula’s promoter Branco Milenkovic. “Now I am excited that Jeffrey is getting an opportunity to fight a great fighter like Nonito Donaire. I know there were some other names being mentioned. I am not downplaying Mijares, but Jeffrey has more ability.

“If I believed Jeffrey had no chance to win this fight, I wouldn’t make the fight. He can win the fight and he is excited to make his first trip to America to fight a big fight and be on HBO. Without a doubt, Nonito is the favorite. He’s a great fighter, but I believe Jeffrey will come to win. My fighters always come to put on a good performance.”

The HBO undercard has not been set yet but former lightweight titlist Brandon Rios, who is also managed by Dunkin, likely will open the telecast in a junior welterweight bout. Moretti said Rios’ appearance was not locked in but Dunkin said he thought it would be Rios.

Dunkin said the most likely opponent for Rios is Mauricio Herrera (18-2, 7 KOs), 31, who is coming off a competitive 10-round decision loss to Mike Alvarado in an all-action slugfest that is a fight of the year candidate.

Bethlehem, PA-World-rated welterweight Ronald Cruz , who has had all of his pro fights in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and Prenice Brewer, who has boxed professionally in 13 different states, collide for the vacant WBC Continental Americas title in a scheduled 12-round contest on Friday evening, June 1, on the inaugural boxing show in the new 1,800-seat Events Center at the Sands Resort Casino Bethlehem.

The seven-fight card, which will be televised live as part of the NBC Sports Network Fight Night series, also features King Gabriel Rosado, of Philadelphia, PA, against Sechew Powell, of Brooklyn, NY, in a 12-rounder for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental junior middleweight crown in a matchup of top contenders. THe NBC Sports Network Fight Night telecast beings at 9PM ET.

Ranked No. 12 in the world at 147 pounds by the IBF, Cruz (above right) is 16-0, 12 K0s. Eight of his 16 fights have been in Pennsylvania-seven in Philadelphia, one in Bethlehem–and the other eight in Atlantic City, NJ.

In his last fight Feb. 25 in Atlantic City, the 25-year-old Cruz earned a unanimous 10-round decision over Allen Conyers, of the Bronx, NY.

“There are a lot of distractions when you fight in your hometown,” said Jimmy Deoria, Cruz’ manager and former lightweight pro boxer from the 1990s. “People are always calling for tickets. Reporters want to do interviews. Fans are always around. But Ronald is a warrior. He thrives under pressure. He’s a lot more relaxed than I am.”

Brewer (above left) has boxed only once in his Cleveland, OH, hometown. He has traveled from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City to the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA.

A pro since 2006, the 24-year-old Brewer has boxed in New York (three times), Missouri (three), Michigan (twice), and once each in Illinois, Oklahoma, Florida, California, Washington state, Kansas, Indiana, Connecticut, Ohio and the District of Columbia.

“Brewer had a lot of offers from different promoters when he turned pro,” said matchmaker Eric Bottjer, who helps to arrange Cruz’ fight schedule. “After awhile he decided to do it on his own and he’s done pretty well for himself.”

In is last fight Nov. 10, Brewer scored an upset victory over highly touted and previously unbeaten southpaw Emmanuel Taylor in Taylor’s backyard of Washington, DC.

The eight-round split decision over Taylor improved Brewer’s five-year pro record to 16-1-1, 7 K0s.

ABOUT JUNE 1

The Rosado-Powell and Cruz-Brewer fights top a seven-bout card at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. First fight is 7.30 pm. Tickets are priced at $50 and $75 as well as luxury suite seats for $125.00. Tickets can be purchased through the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) or online at www.peltzboxing.com, www.SandsEventCenter.com, and www.Ticketmaster.com. In Bethlehem, tickets are available at Pronto Insurance Notary, 232 East 3rd Street (610-419-6790).

NBC Sports Network will televise the Rosado-Powell and Cruz-Brewer fights, beginning at 9 pm. The card is being promoted by Main Events and Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and www.goDaddy.com.

Josesito Lopez will step in to face Victor Ortiz on June 23rd in Los Angeles after Andre Berto tested positive for a banned substance according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“(Golden Boy) offered the fight to us on Friday afternoon. I got a call from (Goossen Tutor Promotions matchmaker) Tom Brown saying we got the offer and I said, ‘We’ll take it,'” Lopez’ trainer/manager Henry Ramirez said. “We’re excited. We’re ecstatic. Our job is to get the biggest fight out there for Josesito that we can for the best money we can get, and this is that fight.”

“We’ve explored a variety of potential opponents, and so far Lopez seems to be the best available opponent that will take the fight on short notice,” Showtime Sports general manager Stephen Espinoza told ESPN.com. “He is a strong, tough and experienced fighter, and he’s looked particularly good in his last few fights. I like this matchup, and I hope a deal can be worked out.”

Junior welterweight Humberto Soto (58-7-2, 34 KOs) and Lucas Matthysse (30-2, 28 KOs) will still meet in the Showtime co-featured bout, but Riverside, Calif., heavyweight contender Cristobal Arreola (35-2, 30 KOs), who is also trained by Ramirez, will be added to the card to make it into a televised tripleheader. The fight figures to be Arreola’s final bout before an anticipated heavyweight championship shot against Wladimir Klitschko in November.

“Pending approval of the opponent, the Arreola bout would be added to undercard on the Showtime broadcast,” Espinoza said

“My guy has been in the gym, so all we have to do is just change the date of the fight by one day and change our sparring partners,” said Ramirez, noting that Lopez was preparing for the right-handed Holt and now will be facing a left-hander in Ortiz.

“Holt pulls out on us and then this drops in our lap, so we’re excited,” Ramirez said. “The kid (Lopez) will make probably four or five times his biggest purse (which was $35,000) for this fight with Ortiz and a lot more than he would have gotten to fight Holt. So we are in a no-lose situation here because it’s a great opportunity, it’s a good payday and it’s a fight we believe that we can win.

“Lopez puts pressure on his opponents and we know Ortiz doesn’t like pressure and we also know he doesn’t have the biggest heart in the world. We’ve seen him quit before” in a sixth-round knockout loss to Marcos Maidana in a 2009 interim junior welterweight title bout.

Atlantic City, NJ—Two middleweight warriors with similar aggressive styles collide when Partick Majewski, of Atlantic City, NJ, and Chris Fitzpatrick, of Cleveland, OH, meet in a scheduled 10-round contest for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) middleweight championship on Saturday evening, July 7, at Bally’s Atlantic City.

The Majewski-Fitzpatrick contest tops a seven-bout card which begins at 7.30 pm. The show will be televised live by www.gofightlive.tv.

Majewski (right), 32, comes into the fight off a third-round knockout April 7 in Southaven, MS, over former world-title challenger Antwun Echols, of Davenport, IA.

The win over Echols was Majewski’s first fight back after losing for the only time in his career when Jose Miguel Torres, of Magangue, Colombia, stopped him in six rounds last Sept. 30 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.

A pro since 2006, Majewski is 18-1, 12 K0s. He has beaten Jimmy Lubash, of Pittsburgh, PA; Latif Mundy, of Philadelphia, PA; Joseph Gomez, of Bloomfield, NM; Marcus Upshaw, of Jacksonville, FL.

Majewski, nicknamed The Machine, originally is from Radom, Poland.

Fitzpatrick, 24, is known as The Irish Ghost.

A pro since 2008, Fitzpatrick (left) is 15-1-1, 6 K0s, losing only via 10-round decision to Jose Stinger Medina, of Tilton, NH, last Oct. 10 in Albany, NY. He rebounded with a sixth-round knockout over Ken Dunham, of Charlotte, NC, on Feb. 4 in Chapin, SC.

Fitzpatrick’s biggest win came last summer when he earned a 10-round decision over Scott Sigman, of Lynchburg, VA, in Greensboro, NC.

He also has beaten Bruce Rumbolz, of Sterling, IL.

Lightweight Osnel Charles, of Atantic City, a stable-mate of Majewski’s, will try to rebound from his April 14 loss to Derrick Finley, of Detroit, MI, when he returns in a six-round contest to top the six-fight preliminary card.

ABOUT JULY 7

The Majewski-Fitzpatrick fights tops top a seven-bout card at Bally’s Atlantic City. First fight is 7.30 pm. Tickets are priced at $50 and $75 and they are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000). Tickets also are on sale at www.peltzboxing.com and www.ticketmaster.com. Gofightlive.tv will televise the card on the internet. The card is being promoted by Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with Bally’s Atlantic City.

Daniel Cormier remained perfect in capturing the Strikeforce Grand Prix Heavyweight title at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.

Cormier, 238 lbs of Lafayette, LA won by scores of 50-45;49-46 and 49-46 to up his unblemished mark to 10-0. Branett, 248 lbs of Fullerton, CA is 31-6.

“I’ve lost a lot of people in my life and this is for them,” said the emotional champion after the fight. “For my kids, my daughter, my dad; this is for my family.”

Cormier went on to credit his AKA teammates who were in attendance. “Cain (Velazquez), Luke Rockhold, Mike Kyle. Those guys kick my (butt) everyday in practice so I know that I can go with anybody right here in the cage.

“Beating Josh Barnett, this is something a year ago that I never thought I could do.”

STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Championship – 5 Rounds

In the pair’s third fierce battle, STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez (21-2) won the thrilling rubber match by narrow Split Decision over Josh Thomson (19-5). Through five championship rounds it was give-and-take as both men traded sharp shooting strikes and shrewd takedowns. Scores were 48-47 Thomson, and 48-47 twice for Melendez.

Rafael Feijao needed just thirty-three seconds to avenge a previous loss and to choke out Mike Kyle in a scheduled three round Light Heavyweight bout.

Feijao landed hard right hand that stunned Kyle and then landed numerous shots before getting Kyle in the choke and then he tapped out.

Feijao, 206 lbs of Rio De Janero, Brazil is now 12-3 with two submissions. Kyle, 203 lbs of San Jose, CA is now 19-9-11.

Chris Spang scored a first round stoppage over Nah-Shon Burrell in a Welterweight bout.

Spang landed a heavy shot that hurt Burrell and Spang never let up with punches and knees and the fight was stopped at 1:35 of round one.

Spang, 169 lbs of Las Vegas is now 5-1 with three knockouts. Burrell, 170 lbs of Philadelphia is now 8-2

Isaac Vallie-Flag scored a three round split decision over JZ Calvalcante in a Lightweight bout.

Vallie-Flag, 156 lbs of Albuquerque, NM won two cards by 29-28 tallies while Calvalcante took a card 29-28.

Vallie-Flag is now 14-3-1. Calvacante, 156 lbs of Delray Beach, FL is now 10-5-1-1-1

Guto Inocente remained undefeated with a three round unanimous decision over Virgil Swicker in what was a war of attrition.

Both guys landed heavy blowsthroughout the fight with Swicker bleeding from the nosein round two.

Inocente of Delray Beach, FL won by scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 and is 6-0. Swicker of Temecula, CA is now 10-3.

Gian Villante scored a three round unanimous decision over Derrick Mehmen in a Light Heavyweight bout.

Villane, 205 lbs of Levittown, NY won by scores of 30-37, 30-27 and 29-29 and is now 10-3. Mehemn, 205 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL is now 12-5.

Quinn Mullhurn scored a three round split decision over Yuri Villefort.

Scores were 30-27 & 29-28 for Mullhurn who is now 18-2. Villefort is now 6-1