Philadelphia, PA—Undefeated heavyweight Bryant “Bye Bye” Jennings, of North Philadelphia, makes his most ambitious start as a pro when he faces Alex Mejias, of Paterson, NJ, in a scheduled six-round contest Friday evening, Sept. 9, at the Asylum Arena, 7 West Ritner Street.

Topping the seven-bout card is a scheduled 10-round contest for the vacant Pennsylvania State Junior Middleweight title between Gabriel Rosado, of Philadelphia, and Keenan Collins, of Reading, PA. The scheduled eight-round welterweight semifinal pairs Ronald Cruz, of Bethlehem, PA, with Anges Adjaho, of Buffalo, NY.

The Rosado-Collins and Cruz-Adjaho fights will be broadcast on Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo Tecate at 11.30pm ET/PT (10.30pm CT).

Jennings (pictured) is 26 years old. His 9-0 record includes four knockouts. In his last fight July 23 in Las Vegas, he scored a knockdown en route to his second six-round decision victory this year over Theron Johnson, of Chicago, IL. He also knocked out fellow-Philadelphian David Williams and outpointed Mike Miller, of Akron, OH, in other 2011 action.

Mejias, 32, is 11-7, 5 K0s, but has faced much stiffer competition. His foes include Amir Monsour, Chazz Witherspoon, Tor Hamer, Derric Rossey and Bowie Topou. Their combined record was 78-5 when Mejias fought them.

It’s a big step up for Jennings, who was 13-4 as an amateur after excelling in basketball, football and track & field at Ben Franklin High School in Philadelphia.

“I’m learning something new about boxing and about myself every day in the gym,” says Jennings, who is managed and trained by Fred Jenkins. “You’ve got to be smart out there and you can’t rush things, both inside and outside the ring. With my limited amateur background, every fight is a learning experience.”

Four additional fights complete the card, which begins at 7.30pm and is being promoted by Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., Don Chargin Productions and Golden Boy Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $45 and $65. They are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing Promotions (215-765-0922) and also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com.

# # #

Fans at home can be part of the action by participating in Cinturon Tecate and voting for the fighter in the main event who displays the most character in the ring by sending a text message to 55333. Voting will be open through the end of the weekend.
Tecate, cerveza con character, is the largest beer brand to sponsor boxing matches in the U.S. Part of its commitment to make boxing accessible to customers is the title sponsorship of Solo Boxeo Tecate, which creates an opportunity for local fans to witness some of the most exhilarating fights by today’s up-and-coming prospects. Additionally, Tecate has been a primary supporter of Golden Boy Promotions’ marquee events since 2007, and has launched a variety of initiatives to ensure consumers are part of the boxing experience, including boxer autograph signing sessions, commemorative cans, PPV mail-in rebate offers, and most recently the launch of a mobile museum Tecate Museo de Boxeo, which showcases decades of the most memorable moments in the sport.
For more information on Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., visit www.peltzboxing.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/peltzboxing or become a fan on Facebook at Peltz Boxing Facebook Page. For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, or become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Promotions Facebook Page.

As disappointed as he was for having this weekend’s fight with Marcos Maidana postponed, Robert Guerrero will be out “only four months” after a second opinion revealed the injury was not as bad as first feared according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’m just staying positive and praying about it,” Guerrero told ESPN.com on Wednesday. “Right when I felt it, I thought, ‘This isn’t good.’ And then waking up the next day and not being about to move my arm at all, it was scary. I was doing 500 push-ups a day and about 100, 120 pull-ups, and then you can’t even move your arm. So it was scary.

“But I feel good about the test results and look forward to getting the surgery out of the way and getting my shoulder cleaned up and doing what I have to do to get back. I just got to take it one day a time, get the surgery done, get the rehab and get back to full-blown training.”

“He’ll spend two to four weeks in a sling and then can shadow box and jump rope and that sort of thing, but the doctor said he couldn’t punch on it for three or four months,” manager Bob Santos said. “So you’re looking at probably four months before he can train 100 percent. Best-case scenario is if he is back punching on it in four months and then does a six- or eight-week training camp, you’re talking about him being able to fight again in maybe February, March, April.”

“I feel helpless walking around with a sling on, especially on my dominant hand, the left hand,” Guerrero said. “I guess I got to look at the bright side. I can work on my right hand more and make it more effective in the ring. When you work with both hands, you’re more of a well-rounded fighter. I throw (the right) but there is always room for improvement. But the main focus is getting the surgery done and getting it all cleaned up and getting back to 100 percent.”

“The doctor said the arm looked fantastic except in the area where it was injured, that it had scar tissue,” Santos said. “That is probably from having an initial tear in the rotator cuff back then. So the thought is that, over time, it finally tore again.”

“We knew we weren’t going to the doctor and we were taught that if you’re hurt you block it out because you know you’re not going to the doctor,” Guerrero said. “If you can move it, it ain’t broke. That’s how we were brought up.”

“Sometimes you can do rehab, but this being the second time, we thought it was best to get it fixed because this is how he makes his living, using his arm,” Santos said. “So Dr. Dillingham said he would fix the problem and also be able to see what else, if anything, was going on in the shoulder that might not have shown up on the MRI.

“It’s really a shame this happened because I have never seen him in such great shape. We took Maidana more seriously than any fighter we have ever faced. Unfortunately, that old injury reared its head and derailed us.”

“Robert told me, ‘The more I kept thinking about it, every once in a while I would get a deep pain in (the shoulder) for the last few years,'” Santos said. “Now he knows something will be done about it. He would just say before when he felt it that he was the kind of guy who would suck it up and push through it, although this was different. I see him as relieved.”

Disappointed by the postponement of this weekend’s scheduled bout with Robert Guerrero, former 140 pound beltholder Marcos Maidana will not sit around and wait as he will take an interim bout in his native land of Argentina according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

That includes going home to Argentina for a Sept. 16 fight, Sebastian Contursi, Maidana’s adviser, told ESPN.com. Contursi said Maidana was “terribly frustrated” about the fight with Guerrero called off so close to the bout after spending a month training in Argentina and then two more months training in Puerto Rico.

“He was ready to go as he went out of the gym last Thursday at 144 pounds,” he said.

“We did, as Maidana was like a lion locked in a cage, ready for war, but Soto turned it down, which is understandable, of course,” Contursi said. “As we were told that no dates were open for Maidana within the next few weeks we decided to go back to Argentina and have a fight here for Marcos to stay busy. That’s why we are making arrangements to hold it on Sept. 16.”

The fight will take place in Buenos Aires in the neighborhood of Villa Ballester, where Maidana has lived since he was 16. No opponent is set yet, but Contursi said he is working with Golden Boy to secure one.

The fight will take place in Buenos Aires in the neighborhood of Villa Ballester, where Maidana has lived since he was 16. No opponent is set yet, but Contursi said he is working with Golden Boy to secure one.

“Obviously, Marcos was depressed (about) the cancellation of such a big fight and got a little out of focus during the weekend, but now he is back at training (in Argentina),” Contursi said.

If Maidana comes through his fight next month, Contursi said he hopes to face a big-name opponent before the end of the year. Maidana’s main target is titleholder Amir Khan, who is tentatively slated for a Dec. 10 fight as part of his HBO contract.

“Another guy Marcos likes is Tim Bradley, of course,” Contursi said of another of the 140-pound titleholders.

CLICK TO ORDER THE EVENT
On Saturday, August 27th, Kevin “Kid” Rooney will make his Atlantic City debut when he meets New Jersey’s pro-debuting Carlos Perez at the Tropicana Showroom in the Tropicana Casino and Resort. Rooney-Perez is scheduled for four rounds in the jr. middleweight division, and will be one of the featured undercard bouts on Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing promoted show, featuring heavyweight fan-favorite Vinny Maddalone, and Atlantic City’s Shamone “The Truth” Alvarez in separate bouts.

“So far Kevin has been very exciting to watch,” stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO and President of Star Boxing. “Not only are his performances inside the ring exciting, but it’s apparent he has learned a thing or two from me about promoting during his time here at Star Boxing,” said DeGuardia with a chuckle. “In all seriousness though he really has promoted himself well in the two fights, and had great turn outs come see him from the NYC and upstate New York areas.”

Rooney, the son of world renowned trainer, Kevin Rooney, and publicist for Star Boxing, made his pro-debut back in April on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on a Star Boxing promoted card at the Mohegan Sun. In that bout, Rooney, dropped his opponent twice, once in the first and once again in the second, before going on to win a dominate four round unanimous decision. Rooney’s two knockdowns earned him that evening’s Just For Men: “Punch of the Night”.

Rooney followed up that performance with a devastating first round knockout over Elmer Vera on the undercard of Delvin Rodriguez and Pawel Wolak’s epic battle on Star Boxing’s July 15th at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC. Now Rooney will look to make it a clean sweep of the tri-state area when he squares off against Perez on August 27th.

“I’m really looking forward to fighting in Atlantic City,” stated Rooney. “Working for Joe has enabled me to fight on some really good cards, and I can’t thank him enough for the opportunities. I’ve had tremendous support in each of my first two fights and I expect the same thing come August 27th.

Photo by Ed Diller

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Star Boxing office at (718) 823-2000 or visiting www.starboxing.com. Tickets are priced at $30, $50, $100 and $200 VIP seats.

Tickets may also be purchased at any Ticketmaster outlet, or by going directly online to Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available for purchase at the Tropicana North Tower Box Office or by phone at (609) 340-4000. Doors for the event will open at 7:00PM with the first bout scheduled for 8:00PM. All action will take place in the Tropicana Showroom. The Tropicana Casino and Resort is located at 2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ.

ABOUT STAR BOXING:

Star Boxing, Inc. has been in operation since1992. Star Boxing has worked to produce some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star has continued to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit the official website at www.starboxing.com

ABOUT TROPICANA CASINO & RESORT:

The Tropicana Casino & Resort is a 24-hour gaming destination located on the beach and Boardwalk. Featuring more than 2,100 rooms and suites and home of The Quarter, a 200,000 square foot entertainment complex, Tropicana is the premier resort in Atlantic City. With more than 20 restaurants, 20 shops, 12 bars and lounges, 2 pools, an IMAX Theatre and a spa, Tropicana is consistently rated as the “Must-See Attraction” in Atlantic City. For more information, visit the new official Web Site at www.tropicana.net For more exclusive discounts, current information, pictures, and video, be sure to check out the Tropicana on the Web at www.facebook.com/TropAC or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/TropicanaAC

Zab “Super” Judah has filed a protest with the Nevada Athletic Commission and has also sent letters to both the WBA and the IBF requesting that those organizations order a rematch with Amir Khan.

According to the protest letter, Judah’s requests are predicated upon the inappropriate actions of the referee, who was clearly not in a position to see the low blow administered by Khan which ended the fight, as well as the referee’s reluctance to sanction Khan for repetitious hitting behind the head and holding Judah down throughout the bout.

A copy of the letter that was sent to the WBA, as well as the IBF and the Nevada Athletic Commission outlining the details of Khan’s infractions, is attached, along with a link to the video tape illustrating the repeated fouls, is attached.

Bill Halkias, Super Judah Promotions, “We know Zab was behind on the scores cards but there are numerous examples in boxing history where boxers that were behind came back with a knockout. The fact that Zab was behind has no bearing on whether the low blow call was wrong. We still had seven more rounds to fight. Zab still could have won, but that opportunity was wrongfully taken away from him”

“Before making any judgments, I would ask everyone to take a look at the tape,” Promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events, said. “The video doesn’t lie.”

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT CARD
On Saturday, August 27th, Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing returns to the beautiful Tropicana Ballroom in the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City with co-featured headliners, Vinny Maddalone and Shamone Alvarez. Before those featured bouts take place, Star Boxing’s hard hitting undefeated super middleweight prospect, Jason “Monstruo” Escalera (11-0, 10KO’s) will look to produce some early fireworks on the undercard when he takes on fellow knockout artist Mickey Scarborough (6-3, 6KO’s) in a six round super middleweight showdown.

JASON ESCALERA WITH PROMOTER JOE DEGUARDIA

Escalera, who hails from Union City, NJ, is an exciting prospect, with concussive power in either hand. After winning the 2007 NJ Golden Gloves, Escalera turned pro on February 9th, 2008 and scored the first of his so far ten career knockouts, dropping his opponent three times before the referee called a halt to the contest in the very first round. Escalera would have three more fights in 2008, winning all three by knockout.

In 2009 and 2010 Escalera picked up six more victories, five by knockout. Escalera was undefeated and starting to make some noise along the east coast, but he wasn’t being kept as active as he wanted. One problem was that it was becoming harder and harder for Escalera to secure opponents. Luckily late in 2010, Escalera’s power and exciting style caught the eye of promoter Joe DeGuardia. DeGuardia officially signed Escalera earlier this spring, and the super middleweight prospect rewarded his new promoter with a devastating 2nd round TKO in his Star Boxing debut on May 5th. Now Escalera looks to turn in an equally as impressive performance when he meets Scarborough on August 27th at the Tropicana. The fight on the 27th will be Escalera’s third at the Tropicana and fourth in Atlantic City as a pro.

“What makes Jason so exciting is that he has that type of power, that at any instant he can end a fight in devastating fashion,” stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO and President of Star Boxing. “He is such a nice likeable kid outside of the ring, but once he laces up those gloves, he really lives up to his nickname, and turns into a Monster (Monstruo is the Spanish word for Monster). We are excited to be featuring him on August 27th, and looking forward to watching him as he continues to improve and move up the ranks of the super middleweight division.”

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Star Boxing office at (718) 823-2000 or visiting www.starboxing.com. Tickets are priced at $30, $50, $100 and $200. Tickets may also be purchased at any Ticketmaster outlet, or by going directly online to Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available for purchase at the Tropicana North Tower Box Office or by phone at (609) 340-4000. Doors for the event will open at 7:00PM with the first bout scheduled for 8:00PM. All action will take place in the Tropicana Showroom. The Tropicana Casino and Resort is located at 2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ.

ABOUT STAR BOXING:

Star Boxing, Inc. has been in operation since1992. Star Boxing has worked to produce some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star has continued to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit the official website at www.starboxing.com

ABOUT TROPICANA CASINO & RESORT:

The Tropicana Casino & Resort is a 24-hour gaming destination located on the beach and Boardwalk. Featuring more than 2,100 rooms and suites and home of The Quarter, a 200,000 square foot entertainment complex, Tropicana is the premier resort in Atlantic City. With more than 20 restaurants, 20 shops, 12 bars and lounges, 2 pools, an IMAX Theatre and a spa, Tropicana is consistently rated as the “Must-See Attraction” in Atlantic City. For more information, visit the new official Web Site at www.tropicana.net For more exclusive discounts, current information, pictures, and video, be sure to check out the Tropicana on the Web at www.facebook.com/TropAC or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/TropicanaAC

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that former world title challenges Eddie Chambers and Tony Thompson will square off on October 28th in Atlantic City for the right to fight a rematch with the man who knocked them both out, Wladimir Klitschko.

The fight between good friends will take the night before the Super 6 Final between Andre Ward and Carl Froch at will take place at Ballys in Atlantic City which is just a few steps away from Boardwalk Hall where there Ward – Froch clash will take place.

It’s tough, but there is an opportunity for both of us to realize a dream,” Thompson said of fighting his friend. “I’m happy for both us to get this opportunity, but I have to go in there and take care of business. I consider us more than friends — I consider myself like a mentor to him. But I told my own brother I’d kick his ass if had to to get back to a Klitschko fight, and my brother knew I was dead serious.”

“But sometimes in this business you got to fight your friends,” Chambers said. “I’m just looking forward to the fight and getting it done. We’re two of the top heavyweights in the division and we’ve helped each other get there. I’ve helped him and he’s helped me get ready for fights several different times. He’s the kind of person that if I had kids, I’d have my kids play with his kids, but we know this is business. Boxing is not a team sport, but if it was a team sport, we would be on the same team.”

“Both fighters have had that taste of a championship challenge and both of them withstood many rounds with Wladimir. To me the question about their fight is who has learned more from their loss,” Said promoter Dan Goossen, who represents both fighters. “Both of them have come back from their loss. Eddie beat Rossy and looked good and Tony has been kept fairly busy and has been winning against pretty good opponents and getting knockouts. I hate to have our guys fighting each other and only one advancing, but that is what you do as a promoter — you give both of the guys an opportunity. I think it will be an interesting fight.”

“I definitely gotta go in there and stop this guy. I’m going in there to knock your head off your shoulders and separate you from your senses long enough for the referee to raise my hand,” said Thompson, who is close to Klitschko’s size at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds.

“We’re both fighting for our professional lives,” said Chambers, who is 6-1 and 210 pounds. “This could be his last go-round, his last hurrah. He’s still performing well, but at the age of 40, you can get old overnight in this game. Yes, we have respect for each other, but that is even more reason to go out there and give 100 percent. We got two people on a collision course who have everything to lose, and there’s a lot to gain as well with a win. With a win it catapults us to a title shot again. That’s what we are both shooting for.”

Philadelphia, PA—King Gabriel Rosado, of Philadelphia, who takes pride in being a Philly fighter, meets Keenan Collins, of Reading, PA, for the vacant Pennsylvania State Junior Middleweight Title in a scheduled 10-round contest Friday evening, Sept. 9, at the Asylum Arena, 7 West Ritner Street.

“It takes a lot of pride to be a Philly fighter,” said Rosado, who is returning to action less than two months since knocking out Ayi Bruce, of Ghana, in five rounds on July 15. “Philly fighters have skills, but at the same time they have a lot of heart, so when I step in the ring, I want to display my skills and at the same time entertain the crowd because they want to see a good fight.

“Bernard Hopkins, Meldrick Taylor and Ivan Robinson are well-known Philly fighters and, hopefully, one day I’ll be on that level. I want to be a star and a legend. Being a Philly fighter, I have a lot of pride and I want to give the fans exactly what they want.”

Rosado (17-5, 10 KOs), is riding the most impressive streak of his career, having won his last three fights, seven of his last nine, 11 of his last 14. Included in those streaks are victories over former IBF world junior middleweight champ Kassim Ouma, of Uganda, and top contender Saul Roman, of Mexico.

The Rosado-Collins championship bout and the semifinal, which features unbeaten welterweight prospect Ronald Cruz, of Bethlehem, PA, against Anges Adjaho, of Buffalo, NY, will be broadcast on TeleFutura’s Solo Boxeo Tecate at 11.30pm ET/PT (10.30pm CT).

Five additional fights complete the card, which begins at 7.30 p.m. and is being promoted by Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., Don Chargin Productions and Golden Boy Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $45 and $65. They are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing Promotions (215-765-0922) and also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com.

# # #

Fans at home can be part of the action by participating in Cinturon Tecate and voting for the fighter in the main event who displays the most character in the ring by sending a text message to 55333. Voting will be open through the end of the weekend.

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

For more information on Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., visit www.peltzboxing.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/peltzboxing or become a fan on Facebook at Peltz Boxing Facebook Page. For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, or become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Promotions Facebook Page

Lightweight prospect Michael Perez remained undefeated with a one punch bidy shot knockout over Miguel Rodriguez in a scheduled ten round bout at the Paradise Theater in Bronx, New York.

Perez landed a left to the body that sent Rodriguez down on a knee. Rodriguez tried to get up but squatted right back down as he was riding in pain and referee Steve Willis had no choice other that to stop the bout at forty-nine seconds into the fight

Perez, 135 lbs of Lares, Puerto Rico is now 14-0-1 with eight knockouts. Rodriguez, 136 lbs of Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico is now 6-3.

Sensational looking eighteen year old Eddie Gomez scored a one round destruction over Marcus Hall in a jr. Middleweight bout scheduled for six rounds.

Gomez dropped Hall three times with the first being a perfect and quick right hand. The second came from a left-right combination to the head. The end came after a combination bounced off of Hall’s head and sent him to the canvas where referee Harvey Dock ended things at 2:00 of round one

Gomez, 150 lbs of Bronx, NY is now 6-0 with five knockouts. Hall, 151 lbs of Rochester, NY is now 5-4-1.

In a battle of pro debuting Welterweights, Richie Nieves and Latwon Halsey battled to a four round majority draw.

Scores were 39-37 Nieves while two judges ruled it even at 38-38.

Nieves, 146 lbs of Long Island is 0-0-1. Halsey, 147 lbs of Newark, NJ is now 0-0-1.

Mike Brooks scored a hard fought six round unanimous decision over Jamell Tyson in a Lightweight bout.

Scores were 58-55; 58-55 and 57-56 for Brooks, 136 lbs of Nassau, NY and is now 5-0-1. Tyson, 134 lbs of Rochester, NY was docked a point in round four for spitting out his mouthpiece is now 2-3-1.

Throw the records out when Light Heavyweights Todd Erikkson and Borngod Washington meet as the two put on an entertaining scrap that saw Washington score a four round unanimous decision.

Scores were 39-37 on all cards for Washington, 173 lbs of Queens, NY and is now 2-8. Eriksson, 170 lbs of Dover, NJ is now 3-7-1.

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

– Saturday, August 20, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Lion Fight Promotions presents WBC Muay Thai – Battle in the Desert 3 from the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nev.. In the main event of Lion Fight Promotions “Battle In The Desert 3” card, two-time world Muay Thai champion Cosmo Alexandre (40-13) of Brazil will square off with five-time Muay Thai champion and multi-title Lumpinee Stadium champion Sakmongkol Sitchuchoke “Zingano“ (228-19) of Broomfield, Colo. via Thailand in a middleweight (*contracted weight of 155 pounds for this bout) “Superfight.” In addition to his two titles, Alexandre won the coveted, annual King’s Cup tournament in Bangkok, Thailand on Dec. 5, 2009. Sitchuchoke is coming off a third round (TKO victory over James Martinez, a K-1 USA veteran and contestant on the 2008 first season of The Contender Asia, the Mark Burnett-created reality television series that documented 16 Muay Thai fighters from 12 different countries as they competed for a prize of $150,000. Sitchuchoke consistently beat Martinez to the punch throughout the matchup and broke Martinez’s arm with repeated round kicks aimed at the head and body. The co-main event will feature a world interim middleweight (160 pounds) title bout between explosive champion Ky Hollenbeck (18-1) of San Francisco, Calif. and powerhouse challenger Simon Chu (29-6) of Leeds, England. A middleweight (*contracted weight of 155 pounds for this bout) matchup between Chaz Mulkey (6-4) of Las Vegas and Remy Bonnel (55-7) of Miami, Fla. will be contested with the WBC interim international title at stake. Joe Schilling (10-1) of Los Angeles, Calif. will take on Brandon Banda (5-1) of Concord, Calif. for the vacant WBC USA light heavyweight (175 pounds) crown. Women’s Muay Thai and MMA star Jeri Sitzes (3-0) of Springfield, Mo. will defend her WBC international title against Misty Sutherland (1-0) of Calgary, Canada. Sitzes captured her title on Aug. 28, 2010 by scoring a second round (2:06) TKO on Australia’s Joanna MacEachern with a flurry of straight punches.

– Saturday, August 20, 2011 7:30pm ET featuring Absolute Action MMA presents AAMMA XVII at the Midwest Sports Complex from Florence, Kentucky. The card is headlined by 3 title fights. In one bout, Eric Moell (7-1) fights Tyler Stover (4-1) for the AAMMA Amateur Bantamweight Championship. Moell is the reigning 135 lb champion and this will be the 5th title fight in his career. No stranger to main events, Moell will look to utilize his speed and grappling ability against his bigger opponent. Moell has 4 of his 7 wins coming by submission and will look to grab a hold of an arm or secure a choke on Stover. For Stover, he will have the strength advantage as he has fought previously at 155 lb and will look to nullify Moell’s fast start. This will be Stover’s first title fight so he will have to battle the butterflies early in the fight. Expect this fight to be a barnburner as bantamweights are some of the most exciting fighters in all of MMA. In the co-main event, Ryan Debelak (4-1) battles Kelly Pennington (3-0) for the AAMMA Amateur Light Heavyweight Championship. Debelak usually fights at heavyweight, so the cut down to 205 lb should give him an advantage on the mat and in the clinch. For the undefeated Pennington, he has never had a fight go out of the first round with all 3 of his wins coming by KO or TKO. Pennington will look to throw heavy leather in the opening seconds, so don’t blink. Debelak is the more battle-tested fighter and his experience could pay dividends in this championship bout. In the other co-main event, Joshua “Tank” Franklin (6-10-1) fights Andrew Fogg (5-0) for the AAMMA Amateur Heavyweight Championship. For the Champion Franklin this is another opportunity to show the fans that his record is a bit misleading. A grizzled veteran of 17 fights, Franklin has seen it all inside of the cage and he looks to deliver the first loss to the undefeated Fogg. For Fogg, already a champion with another organization, a victory against Franklin could show that he is the top amateur heavyweight in Kentucky and a blue-chip prospect. There will be a lot on the line in this title fight.

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Dan Rafael of espn.com reports that IBF Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute on November 5th in a bout that will be televised on Showtime.

Johnson got that bout after negotiations failed with Mikkel Kessler and Kelly Pavlik.

“We reached an agreement. I’m just waiting for the paperwork and I’m moving forward. I’m preparing myself mentally and physically,” Johnson told ESPN.com. “I have every intention of going to Canada to derail that train.”

Leon Margules, Johnson’s co-promoter with Lou DiBella, said the offer eventually was improved, but he was still not happy with it. However, Johnson so badly wanted the fight, he gave Margules firm orders not to blow the deal. Margules didn’t and Johnson accepted an offer that will pay him less than $400,000.

“It’s a better deal than they initially offered, but it’s not as healthy as it should (be),” Margules said. “But at the end of the day, Glen’s the boss and he wanted the fight. The difference in money, while important, was not going to deter him from making sure he got this opportunity.”

“To be honest, I stopped focusing on the dollar value and just kind of wanted to keep my eyes on the prize, which is the opportunity to derail that train and then make a splash in a rematch or fight somebody else for big money,” Johnson said. “It is not about what I get for this fight. Even if I got what I wanted to get, or somewhere in between what I wanted and what I’m getting, it really wasn’t going to change my zip code. I had to just focus on the opportunity to fight for a world title against a major star in the sport in Canada. It doesn’t come any better than that.”

“We worked very hard for the Pavlik fight and we were very surprised with what happened,” Bedard said. “We were already planning press conferences. But at least he pulled out three months before the fight and not three days like he just did (for a fight scheduled against Darryl Cunningham on Aug. 6). We know we have a guy, Johnson, who will be there. This is Lucian’s biggest opponent. He’s fought everybody. He’s only been knocked out once and that was by Bernard Hopkins in 1997, and he didn’t even go down.

“For Lucian, there are still a lot of people who don’t think he’s the best super middleweight, so I think it’s a great fight for fans to see where Lucian is now. People (in Quebec) are happy that we can bring this quality of fighter here to fight Lucian. A lot of people think it’s a tougher fight for Lucian than Pavlik.”

“I’m extremely excited. I’m delighted. I believe this could not come at a better time,” Johnson said. “I’m coming off a loss I’m disappointed in. There’s nothing like getting an opportunity to go out there and redeem yourself, so this opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time.”

“He’s a tremendous body puncher,” Johnson said. “I’ve seen him work. He’s an overall good boxer. He’s a southpaw, so that bring its own difficulties. I have tremendous respect for his abilities and I have huge respect for his stardom and for him as a person. But this is a business and this goes out the window when the bell rings. I’m trying to feed my family and beat him.”

“It’s really a fight Glen’s wanted since they sparred,” Margules said. “He’s always believed he could beat Bute. Glen wanted the fight in the worst way.” The Jamaican-born, Miami-based Johnson, who has suffered several debatable decision losses in his opponent’s hometown, said he is not concerned about going to Bute’s turf for the fight. He said he knows he cannot leave it to the judges.

“I believe the knockout is going to happen. I feel like this is something I need to win the fight,” Johnson said. “I just need to dominate. I’m not going to win a close decision. I better go in there and separate from myself from Bute in every fashion and a knockout would be the best way, the sure way to get that victory.”

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra, will close out the 2011 season from Hammond, Ind. on August 19 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN3.com when undefeated junior middleweight Demetrius Andrade (13-0, 9 KOs) and Grady “Bad Boy” Brewer (28-12, 16 KOs) meet in the 10-round main event. The card is presented by Banner Promotions/HITZ Boxing.

Joe Tessitore and Andre Ward, Ring Magazine’s No.1 ranked super-middleweight, will be ringside at the Horseshoe Casino describing the action, while studio host Brian Kenny will present the latest boxing news. Ward, a 2004 Olympic Gold medalist, who will meet Carl Froch in the Super Six World Boxing Classic in late October, is sitting in for Teddy Atlas who is in Russia training Alexander Povetkin.

Andrade, a 2008 U.S. Olympian from Providence RI., is coming off a second-round knockout win over Omar Bell. After the fight ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael wrote, “It was business as usual as he (Andrade) dominated the first round and then ended it in the second. He caught Bell with a left hand to the body and Bell went down. Although he didn’t look too hurt, Bell got to a knee and took the full count from the referee at 1 minute, 31 seconds.”

Lawton Okla.’s Brewer, 2006 winner of The Contender, is coming off a June fourth-round TKO win over previously undefeated Fernando Guerrero.

After the fight Rafael wrote, “Brewer took care of another highly touted youngster in shocking fashion. He pounded Guerrero with clean right hands and uppercuts, finally sending him falling through the ropes onto the ring apron for a knockdown. Guerrero made it to his feet, but he was done. As soon as the fight resumed, Brewer was all over him again. He continued to pound him with body shots and uppercuts until Guerrero finally slumped forward and fell to the mat. A stunning finish that ranks up there with any of the biggest upsets of the year.”

Friday’s card will also feature former lightweight titlist David Diaz (36-3-1, 17 KOs) and “Hammerin’ ” Hank Lundy (20-1-1, 10 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature. Chicago’s Diaz, is coming off a 10-round majority decision win over Rob Frankel, while Philadelphia’s Lundy is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Patrick Lopez.

Philadelphia, PA—Undefeated welterweight prospect Ronald Cruz, of Bethlehem, PA, takes the biggest step of his young professional career when he takes on steel-chinned Anges Adjaho, of Buffalo, NY, in a scheduled eight-round contest Friday evening, Sept. 9, at the Asylum Arena, 7 West Ritner Street.

The Cruz-Adjaho contest will serve as the semifinal to the 10-round main event which features King Gabriel Rosado, of Philadelphia, against Keenan Collins, of Reading, PA, for the vacant Pennsylvania State junior middleweight championship.

The seven-bout card begins at 7.30 p.m. and the Cruz-Adjaho and Rosado-Collins fights will be televised at 11.30 p.m. on a delayed basis by Telefutura/Univision.

Cruz, 24, has won all 13 of his fights, 10 by knockout. A pro since 2007, Cruz has wins over Jeremy Bryan, Dillet Frederick and Doel Carrasquillo.

A relative newcomer to boxing, Cruz (right) jammed 28 amateur fights into a 13-month period from July, 2007, until August, 2008. He won 25 of them before turning pro.

Cruz is managed by ex-pro lightweight Jimmy Deoria, of Phoenixville, PA. He is trained by Lemuel Rodriguez, of Bethlehem.

Adjaho, 31, is originally from Benin, West Africa. He came to the United States in 2006 and is 17-6, 9 K0s, a record compiled against some of the best at 147 pounds.

His biggest win came in 2009 when he earned an eight-round decision over Fernando Angulo, of Ecuador.
In his last fight May 20 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, Adjaho lost a 10-round decision to world-rated Joel Julio, of Colombia.

Adjaho, who has been stopped once, has faced world-class contenders such as Antonio DeMarco, Brad Solomon and Shawn Porter, whose combined records were 53-1-1 at the time he fought them.

Five preliminary fights complete the Sept. 9 card, which is being promoted by Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., Don Chargin Productions and Golden Boy Promotions.

Tickets priced at $45 and $65 are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing Promotions (215-765-0922). They also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com.

Dan Rafael of espn/com is reporting that WBO Super Middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz will take on former world champion Mikkel Kessler on November 5th in Denmark.

“The negotiations with SES Boxing and Robert Stieglitz have been tough but now everything is in place,” said Kalle Sauerland, who promotes Kessler. “With the support of his ferocious Viking fans, I am sure that Mikkel will accomplish his goal and become world champion for a fourth time.”

“I have a lot of respect for Robert Stieglitz,” Kessler said. “He has a very good record and he is a deserving world champion. But his reign will be over once we meet in the ring. Throughout my career, I have proven myself against the best fighters out there. I can’t wait to be world champion again. Winning the title for a fourth time will be special. & I have never lost a fight in Denmark. It will be no different this time. It can promise my fans a hell of an evening with me leaving the ring as the winner.”

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.—“I am pleased to see that the International Boxing Federation, the organization that sanctioned the world championship match between IBF champion Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares on Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, took such swift action in ordering an immediate rematch.

“They wasted no time in determining that Russell Mora, the referee assigned to Agbeko vs. Mares, was in violation of their rules by displaying “inappropriate conduct” for ignoring repeated low blows against my fighter, Joseph Agbeko.

“I commend IBF President Daryl Peoples and IBF Championship Chariman Lindsey Tucker for confirming what everyone who witnessed the bout already knew. Too often, the first inclination when human frailty is exposed is to sweep it under the rug as though it never happened. It is to their credit that Mr. Peoples and Mr. Tucker confirmed that when obvious mistakes are made, it’s best to recognize them and attempt to immediately right the wrongs.

“It was a triple-blow against boxing by hurting fighters, discrediting world championship boxing and the great state of Nevada, where so many of boxing’s most memorable bouts have been staged. This has caused an undeserved negative shadow over Nevada. There should be an investigation to clear any and all doubts as to what occurred in this fight. The people deserve to know more about whatever caused this man to do what he did.

“The honor that was established by exceptional past members of the Nevada State Athletic Commission like Dr. Elias Ghanem, Chuck Minker, Marc Ratner, Dr. James Nave, Luther Mack, Duke Durden, Sig Rogich and many others brought boxing in Nevada to towering heights by being committed to following the rules with honor and integrity. They established an impeccable reputation, and to see the house they built being tarnished brings me great sadness. Inaction in this instance would be unacceptable.

“I urge the state of Nevada and its leaders to step up in similar fashion as the IBF has done. After all, they have an additional obligation to protect those making wagers by insuring that fair play is paramount in their state.

“I look forward to giving two great young athletes, Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares, the fair playing field they deserve to display their wonderful boxing skills.”

PHILADELPHIA, PA – The winners of the 4th Annual Briscoe Awards were announced today in two categories, “Philly Fight of the Year” and “Philly Fighter of the Year”.

The thrilling USBA junior middleweight title fight between Derek Ennis and Gabriel Rosado was named the “2010 Philly Fight of the Year”. Ennis defended his regional crown with a close 12-round decision in a high-level , throwback, all-Philly war staged by Peltz Boxing Promotions at the South Philly Arena (now called the Asylum Arena).

That bout was broadcasted LIVE all over the world on www.gfl.tv and can be viewed for $9.99 by clicking:
http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/All_Philly_War__USBA_Title/709

IBF cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham was named the “2010 Philly Fighter of the Year”. Cunningham regained his world title with a TKO over Troy Ross in his only fight of 2010. Cunningham becomes the first two-time “Briscoe” winner, having won the same award in 2007.

The Briscoe Awards are presented by phillyboxinghistory.com, and are named for the late, great Philadelphia middleweight Bennie Briscoe. The award itself is a customized statuette in the likeness of “Bad Bennie”.

The winners will be presented their Briscoe Awards at a public event to be held on October 10, 2011, at the VBA Club in Philadelphia, 6-9 PM.

For additional information, contact John DiSanto of Philly Boxing History at 609-377-6413.

CLICK TO ORDER THE EVENT
Thai Legend and Five-Time World Champ Sakmongkol Sitchuchoke vs. superstar Cosmo Alexandre in WBC Superfight main event

Ky Hollenbeck to defend WBC interim world middleweight title against Simon Chu

Chaz Mulkey vs. Remy Bonnel for WBC interim international middleweight title

Joe Shilling vs. Brandon Banda for vacant WBC USA light heavyweight championship

Jeri Sitzes to defend women’s WBC international super bantamweight title against Misty Sutherland

PRIMM, NEV. (Aug. 12, 2011) – Lion Fight Promotions announced today that it has partnered with Go Fight Live (www.gfl.tv) to deliver a live, online stream of its highly-anticipated World Boxing Council (WBC)-sanctioned “Battle In The Desert 3” Muay Thai championship event at Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nev. on Sat., Aug. 20.

Fight fans around the world can tune into the entire 12 bout fight card (6 professional main card bouts and 6 amateur preliminary card bouts) online by logging on to GFL’s dedicated web page for the event (http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/MuayThai/Battle_in_the_Desert/1131) and paying a fee of $14.99. The one-time credit card payment will allow purchasers to watch the event both live and after its completion.

“We are excited about the opportunity to showcase our WBC world championship fight card to a global audience,” said Scott Kent, president of Lion Fight Promotions. “Go Fight Live has a reputation for streaming live combat sports events with exceptional quality, so fight fans will be able to enjoy all the hard-hitting action from our event to the fullest extent.

“We are thrilled to partner with Lion Fight Promotions to bring their WBC championship Muay Thai card to fight fans around the world,” said Go Fight Live Vice President of Operations, Keith Evans. “We recognize that Lion Fight Promotions has produced some incredible Muay Thai fights with world class competitors, so this event is a welcomed addition to the GFL family.”

In the main event of Lion Fight Promotions “Battle In The Desert 3” card, two-time world Muay Thai champion Cosmo Alexandre (40-13) of Brazil will square off with five-time Muay Thai champion and multi-title Lumpinee Stadium champion Sakmongkol Sitchuchoke “Zingano“ (228-19) of Broomfield, Colo. via Thailand in a middleweight (*contracted weight of 155 pounds for this bout) “Superfight.” In addition to his two titles, Alexandre won the coveted, annual King’s Cup tournament in Bangkok, Thailand on Dec. 5, 2009.

Sitchuchoke is coming off a third round (TKO victory over James Martinez, a K-1 USA veteran and contestant on the 2008 first season of The Contender Asia, the Mark Burnett-created reality television series that documented 16 Muay Thai fighters from 12 different countries as they competed for a prize of $150,000. Sitchuchoke consistently beat Martinez to the punch throughout the matchup and broke Martinez’s arm with repeated round kicks aimed at the head and body.

The co-main event will feature a world interim middleweight (160 pounds) title bout between explosive champion Ky Hollenbeck (18-1) of San Francisco, Calif. and powerhouse challenger Simon Chu (29-6) of Leeds, England.

A middleweight (*contracted weight of 155 pounds for this bout) matchup between Chaz Mulkey (6-4) of Las Vegas and Remy Bonnel (55-7) of Miami, Fla. will be contested with the WBC interim international title at stake. Joe Schilling (10-1) of Los Angeles, Calif. will take on Brandon Banda (5-1) of Concord, Calif. for the vacant WBC USA light heavyweight (175 pounds) crown.

Women’s Muay Thai and MMA star Jeri Sitzes (3-0) of Springfield, Mo. will defend her WBC international title against Misty Sutherland (1-0) of Calgary, Canada. Sitzes captured her title on Aug. 28, 2010 by scoring a second round (2:06) TKO on Australia’s Joanna MacEachern with a flurry of straight punches.

Tickets for Lion Fight Promotions’ stacked WBC world championship Muay Thai event are on sale and can be purchased at the Primm Valley Casino Resorts ticket office (702-386-7867), Ticketmaster by phone at (800) 745-3000 and online at Ticketmaster.com and LionFightPromotions.com.

Complete Lion Fight Promotions: Battle In The Desert 3 Fight Card:

Professional:

Main Event
Cosmo Alexandre (Brazil/ Deerfield, FL) vs. Sakmongkol Zingano (Thailand/ Denver, CO)
Middleweight (*contracted weight of 155 pounds for this bout)/ WBC Superfight / 5×3 rounds

Co-Main Event
Ky Hollenbeck (San Francisco, CA) vs. Simon Chu (Leeds, England)
Middleweight (160 lbs) / WBC interim world title / 5×3 rounds

Chaz Mulkey (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Remy Bonnel (France/ Miami, FL)
Middleweight (*contracted weight of 155 pounds for this bout) / WBC interim international title / 5×3 rounds

Joe Schilling (Los Angeles, CA) vs. Brandon Banda (Concord, CA)
Light Heavyweight (175 lbs) / WBC USA light heavyweight title / 5×3 rounds

Jeri Sitzes (Springfield, MO) vs. Misty Sutherland (Calgary, Canada)
Super Bantamweight (122 lbs) / WBC international title / 5×3 rounds

Anthony Castrejon (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Ryan Ratcliffe (Concord, CA)
Catchweight 124 lbs / 5×3 rounds

Amateur:

Jason Andrada (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Ruben Lahn (Los Angeles, CA)
Catchweight 130 lbs / 3×2 rounds

Justin Driggers (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Carlos Delcid (Van Nuys, CA)
Light Heavyweight (agreed weight – 180 lbs) / 3×2 rounds

Genesis Bravo (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Jill Guido (Concord, CA)
Flyweight (112 lbs) / 3×2 rounds

Josh Shepard (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Michael Ellison (Los Angeles, CA)
Middleweight (160 lbs) / 3×2 rounds

Patti Teran (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu (New York, NY)
Mini Flyweight (102 lbs) / 5×2 rounds

Johnny Parsons (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Niko Ruiz (Van Nuys, CA)
Welterweight (147 lbs) / 3×2 rounds

About Lion Fight Promotions
Lion Fight Promotions is a Las Vegas, Nevada-based world championship Muay Thai kickboxing promotion dedicated to producing matchups between the best Muay Thai fighters in the world in their respective weight classes. Led by former Las Vegas casino executive, Scott Kent, the promotional company has been developed in consultation with Christine Toledo, one of the sport’s most popular champions and star of the Oxygen Network reality television show Fight Girls. Both Kent and Toledo share a common passion for Muay Thai and are working together to promote the sport.

About Go Fight Live (GFL)
GFL Combat Sports Network is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1100 live events with over 5500 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 5 million public viewers over the years with more than 250 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL is now available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices.

Teon Kennedy 121.5 Alejandro Lopez 121.5
(NABA Super Bantamweight Title fight)
Karl Dargan 134.5 Juan Suazo 134
Romaro Johnson 164 Derrick Webster 164.5
James Owens 122.5 Camilo Perez 123.5
Yordenis Ugas 144.5 Fernando Rodriguez 145
Elvin Sanchez 196 Pedro Martinez 200

First fight 7pm.
Top Rank Live
Fox Sports Net at 9pm.
Tickets $50, $75

Liberty Boxing Enterprises presents world class professional boxing at Albert Park Field, outside under the lights in San Rafael, California, on Friday, September 16, 2011. In the eight-round main event, former WBF Welterweight Champion Paul Nave, “The Marin County Assassin,” of San Anselmo, CA will fight Brandon Hoskins, “The Pride of Missouri” from Hannibal, MO at welterweight, topping a five-bout card.

Hoskins is unbeaten as a professional and boasts a record of 15 wins and 0 losses with 8 knockouts with a better than 50% knockout ratio. Hoskins is 24, less than half Nave’s age. Nave will be 4 days shy of his 51st Birthday come fight time. Hoskins was a three-time Golden Gloves Champion as an amateur and had a stellar record of 50 wins with only 7 defeats. After a ten-year hiatus from the boxing game due to back surgery, Nave returned to the ring in March 2009 and has won four straight fights, the last being a 3rd round knock-out of Daniel Schlienz from Duluth, Minnesota on June 4th, 2010. Nave has a record of 19 wins, 8 losses and 3 draws with 8 knockouts and was recently rated 15th in the US as a welterweight by the USBA, a branch of the IBF. Nave states, “At my age I’m jumping in deep water, but we’ll see if I can swim to the top.”

Matched for the undercard in an intriguing four-round lightweight female fight is Novato’s own Marquita Lee, making her pro debut, against Laura Deanovic of San Francisco, CA. Also on the card once again is Luis Alfredo Lugo of Richmond, CA, by way of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico against Jovanni Rubio of Santa Rosa, CA in a six-round super lightweight bout. Richmond’s amateur boxing standout Ulises Soriano will make his pro debut in a four round super featherweight contest against Jesus Partida of Redwood City, CA. Rounding out the card is John Dunham of Stockton, CA in a four round super lightweight bout against Aldwayne Simpson from Richmond, CA.

Tickets are available online at Ticketmaster.com or by calling Liberty Boxing Enterprises at (415) 454-1113

LOS ANGELES, August 11 – One of the most exciting fighters in the sport of boxing today, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo has an aggressive style and knockout power that has made him a must-see competitor for years. Now, Angulo will continue his attack on the junior middleweight division as a member of the Golden Boy Promotions team, and the Mexican warrior has just one goal in mind…to win a world championship.

“I always want to give the fans a great show and I work hard to get to my goal of retiring as a world champion,” said Angulo, a former interim WBO and WBC Continental Americas junior middleweight champion. “I believe Golden Boy Promotions is the right company to further my career and achieve my goals in boxing. I can’t wait to become Golden Boy’s next world champion.”

“There are a handful of fighters who always deliver excitement whenever they’re in the ring and Alfredo Angulo is certainly one of those select few,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Alfredo has already accomplished a lot in this sport, but at 29, there’s much left for him to accomplish and we’re going to be with him every step of the way as he moves from being a star to being a superstar.”

A native of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, Alfredo Angulo (19-1, 16 KO’s) is a 2004 Mexican Olympian who took the professional game by storm as soon as he debuted in 2005. A devastating puncher whose relentless pressure has seen him break the likes of Ricardo Cortes, Richard Gutierrez, Andrey Tsurkan and Cosme Rivera over the course of his six-year career. Angulo rebounded from the lone loss of his career via decision to Kermit Cintron in 2009 to win the interim WBO World Title just two fights later against then-unbeaten Harry Joe Yorgey. In 2010, Angulo continued to show his world-class talent with knockouts of Joel Julio and Joachim Alcine. Following Angulo reaching a settlement with his prior promoter Gary Shaw Productions, he is ready to resume his quest to rule the junior middleweight division with Golden Boy Promotions in his corner.

A date and opponent for Angulo’s Golden Boy Promotions debut will be announced shortly. For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or visit us on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page.

LAS VEGAS (Aug. 11, 2011) – You beat the best, you are the best and this Saturday, Aug. 13, the best bantamweight in the world will emerge when finalists Joseph King Kong Agbeko and Abner Mares clash in The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

The highly anticipated matchup for Agbeko’s International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight title and the promising, unbeaten Mares’ WBC Silver championship belt will take place at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

Agbeko, of Bronx, N.Y., by way of Accra, Ghana, will bring a record of 28-2 with 22 KOs into the 12-round bout. Mares, of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., by way of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, is 21-0-1 with 13 stoppages.

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, along with a limited number of VIP suite seats priced at $150, are available at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.Ticketmaster.com or by phone (800) 745-3000.

Doors open Saturday at 3:00 p.m. The first non-televised undercard fight starts at 3:30 p.m.

Agbeko and Mares were scheduled to meet last April 23, but the fight was postponed when Agbeko was injured moments after his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport for fight week. Doctors diagnosed the champion with sudden onset sciatica, a back injury.

The fight card is promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and is sponsored by Corona. For more information, visit www.donking.com or www.goldenboypromotions.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or follow the event on twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.twitter.com/abnermares00.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://sports.sho.com/.

What the fighters and executives said Thursday:

JOSEPH KING KONG AGBEKO

“It’s great to be back. Las Vegas is like my home. I made my U.S. debut here. I want to thank my promoter, Don King, and all who made this fight and tournament possible.

“It may be Mares’ dream to become world champion but my dream is to become No. 1 pound-for-pound in boxing. A loss on Saturday would not give me that chance, so my only option is to win.

“I don’t understand why Mares is a (near 2-1) favorite. I’m the champion. I just want a fair fight.’’

ABNER MARES

“I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to do what I love, and that is boxing. I want to thank the media for the attention and support they give the little guys. I want to thank SHOWTIME for allowing me to enter this tournament and showcase my talent.

“The final is here and I’m really happy about that. I had a tough fight in my last fight against (Vic) Darchinyan and now I am ready make my dream come true.

“I am totally ready for this. There’s no way I can lose. The thought of defeat is not in my mind. I am ready for a war.’’

ALAN HOPPER (Vice President of Public Relations, Don King Promotions)

“On Saturday, we are going to have a barn-burner. In Joseph King Kong Agbeko, we have a true Ghanaian warrior who follows in the footsteps of greats like “The Professor” Azumah Nelson.

“This is for Abner Mares: If you want to know what I mean by this, just ask the head of your promotional company, Oscar De La Hoya about a fighter from Ghana by the name of Ike “Bazooka” Quartey. He knocked Oscar on his tail — but to Oscar’s credit he got up and knocked him on his butt and flurried at the end to win the fight. But he can tell you what it’s like to be in the ring with a warrior from Ghana. IBF bantamweight champion Joseph Agbeko is one of these warriors.

“I say this so you know what you are up against, Abner. I wish you luck and may the best man win.”

DAVID ITSKOWITCH (Chief Operating Officer, Golden Boy Promotions)

“We’re very excited about the culmination of this tournament and on Saturday. Wwe are going to witness a great night for boxing.

“This tournament would not have happened without the visionary work of Ken Hershman and his staff who have done an outstanding job which we appreciate.”

CHRIS DEBLASIO (Senior Director Communications, SHOWTIME Sports)

“On behalf of Execute Vice President and General Manager SHOWTIME Sports, Ken Hershman and Executive Producer, David Dinkins, Jr., I want to thank the fighters for staying committed to this tournament. In Agbeko versus Mares, you won’t find a more competitive and compelling matchup this year in boxing.

“This fight is of major importance to the bantamweight division and on Saturday night we will see who the best bantamweight in the world is.

“Boxing, which began on the network in 1986, has always been our flagship sport and this bantamweight tournament is just one of the innovative ways that SHOWTIME Sports has made its mark in this industry.’’

FRANK ESPINOZA (Mares’ Manager)

“From day one, I knew Abner had the makings of a champion. Joseph Agbeko is one of the best in the world, but on Saturday we are going to see the coronation of boxing’s newest superstar.

“I want to thank Ken Hershman and everyone involved for this tournament.’’

ERIC MOLINA

“I love being here in this kind of big-fight atmosphere. When I started boxing, I could only dream of this kind of opportunity. I’m well-prepared and ready for a war.’’

WARREN BROWNING

“I’m not cocky, just confident. I am really looking forward to Saturday. Bring it on.’’

ERIC MOREL

“I’m extremely happy to be involved in this event. I want to fight the winner of Agbeko-Mares and win another world title.’’

CARLOS MOLINA

“I want to thank Golden Boy and everybody who had a part in making this show happen. This is a great card full of champions. I’m ready to put on a show on Saturday night.’’

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®.

LAS VEGAS (Aug. 10, 2011) – In an eagerly awaited matchup this Saturday, Aug. 13, Joseph King Kong Agbeko will defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight title against unbeaten World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver Bantamweight Champion Abner Mares in The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

The 12-round bout between between the New York-based Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs) of Accra, Ghana and the unbeaten Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs) of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., by way of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, will take place at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, along with a limited number of VIP suite seats priced at $150, are available at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.Ticketmaster.com or by phone (800) 745-3000.

Doors open Saturday at 2 p.m. The first non-televised undercard fight begins at 2:15.

Agbeko, who will be making his fourth consecutive appearance on SHOWTIME, and Mares, who’ll be making his third in a row on the network, were scheduled to meet last April 23, but the fight was postponed when Agbeko was injured moments after his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport for fight week. Doctors diagnosed the champion with sudden onset sciatica, a back injury.

The boxers, along with three fighters on the undercard – Eric Molina, former World Champion Eric Morel and Angelo Santana — participated in a media workout today at the Hard Rock. On Saturday, Molina (17-1, 13 KOs) and Warren Browning (14-1-1, 9 KOs) collide in a 12-rounder for the vacant WBC United States heavyweight title, Morel (44-2, 22 KOs) meets Daniel Quevedo in a 10-round bantamweight bout and Santana (10-0) takes on Ronald Hurley in a nine-round super lightweight scrap.

The fight card is promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and is sponsored by Corona. For more information, visit www.donking.com or www.goldenboypromotions.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or follow the event on twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.twitter.com/abnermares00.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://sports.sho.com/.

What the fighters had to say Wednesday:

JOSEPH KING KONG AGBEKO

“I feel good, actually, great and I’m very happy to be back and fighting. I was never afraid that I would not fight again. I was surprised a thing like this could happen to me, but I knew in my heart that my career was not going to end this way. I mostly felt very bad that our first fight could not come off as scheduled.

“I have trained for nine weeks and my camp was excellent. At no point did I feel weak and now it is all behind my and I am focusing on Mares.

“There is no way I am going to lose this fight. I don’t watch a lot of tape on my future opponents and I have only seen a few rounds of Mares’ fight against Yhonny Perez, but I know he is a very good, fast, aggressive fighter with a big future in this sport.

“I have prepared for everything he brings. He may be the one running in this fight.

“I have dedicated this fight to my youngest child, Keira, who turns five six days after the fight. My motivation comes from both my kids.

“I am the only champion in boxing now from Ghana and I plan to continue to carry the torch from Azumah Nelson. Whether you are watching in the arena or on SHOWTIME, it is going to be a great, great fight on Saturday. The winner deserves to be recognized as the No. 1 bantamweight in the world.’’

ABNER MARES

“Naturally, it was difficult for me when our fight was cancelled, but eventually I got over it. I took a few weeks off and then was back in the gym. My camp was different this time around. We changed it up, first when I was in Mexico and then when I was in Santa Fe Springs (Calif.), just so I wouldn’t get stale.

“Actually, this camp went by fast and now my training’s done. I’m in great shape and very excited about fighting on Saturday. I’m totally focused and ready to explode.

“I look at this as my hardest fight, but winning the IBF belt and the SHOWTIME tourney on one night is something that can really set my career in motion. There are lots of opportunities for the winner after Saturday.

“I definitely believe the winner of this tournament should be called the top bantamweight in the world. To be the best, you have to fight the best and that’s what we have done. Other guys were invited to participate, but declined. That’s their business, but I’m sure I’ll be fighting one of them at some point.

“A chance to become the first homegrown Golden Boy world champion is very exciting to me. I definitely would like to be the first, but I don’t feel any nervous pressure.

“I’m really grateful for everyone involved in making this fight happen and for this tournament. Everyone knows that boxing’s little guys make the best fights. Fans are in for a real treat on Saturday.’’

ANGELO SANTANA

“This is my first fight since December and my first at 140 pounds. I am very excited to be getting back in the ring again. It doesn’t matter against whom. I’m also excited about fighting in Las Vegas again.

“It took me 12 times before I made it to the United States from Cuba, but I knew I was never going to give up on that dream no matter the consequences. I’ve been here about four years.

“My goal Saturday is to win and then fight as often as I can. If I have to continue to fight at 140 to stay busy, I will. Whenever I get the call, you can bet I’ll be ready.”

ERIC MOREL

“I’m calling out all the big names at 118 pounds. They all know what time it is. My goal is win another world title, which would make me a three-time champion.

“I feel if I continue to win, my chance will come, but I understand that it’s not just winning that matters, but how you win, and I hope to be impressive Saturday night.

“I’ve trained very hard and there is no way I am taking an opponent lightly. There is too much at stake. Of course, I would love to fight the winner of Agbeko-Mares.’’

ERIC MOLINA

“I want to become the first Mexican-American heavyweight champion. I lost my pro debut but have won 17 in a row since.

“I think my trainer, Al Bonanni, would like me to show a little more killer instinct. Being a college graduate he thinks I’m too nice a guy in the ring.

“I’ve been training really hard and I’m really looking forward to a good performance.’’

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®.

CHESTER, PA (August 10, 2011)—TOMORROW night at the Endzone Sports Bar at Harrahs in Chester, PA the weigh-I will take place for ROUND 4 that will take place the following night at Harrahs in Chester.
The weigh in will start at 6pm.

The show is promoted by Joey Eye Boxing and David Feldman

In the main event, Victor Vasquez will take on Angel Rios in an eight round Lightweight bout.
In the six round co-feature, Tony Ferrante will take on William Prieto in a Light Heavyweight bout
WHO: Victor Vasquez – Angel Rios
Tony Ferrante- William Prieto
Angel Ocasio – Rasool Shakoor
Joey Dawejko – Keon Graham
Joey Tiberi – TBA
WHAT: Final Weigh in for ROUND 4 that will take place on Friday night at Harrahs in Chester, PA
WHEN: Thursday August 11th at 6pm
WHERE: Endzone Sports Bar at Harrahs in Chester, PA

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Marc Abrams at 856 287 7611 or mabrams@15rounds.com; phillyboxing@gmail.com

– Saturday, August 13, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Fight Force International presents Blood and Sand X from the beautiful Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi. In one of the featured bouts, Drew Wallace (5-1) fights undefeated Jason Knight (3-0) in a lightweight contest. Both fighters have quite a following in the Mississippi area and you can bet this contest will be full throttle from the opening bell. The more seasoned Wallace will look to set the pace early in the fight and use his ring experience to wear down the fast-starting Knight, a grappling prodigy, who has defeated all of his opponents in the first round by submission. Wallace’s only defeat came by decision and the veteran looks to be the first to put a check in the loss column for Knight. Both fighters are established stars prepared to take the next step in their careers and they will leave everything in the cage to prove it. In other action, Zebulon “The Prophet” Stroud (2-0) faces Austin Parker (3-3) in a welterweight battle of up and coming prospects. The undefeated Stroud is quite a talent in the sport while Parker is on a 3-fight win streak, with all of his wins coming in the first round. These two very explosive 170 lb fighters will lock horns in the center of the cage and the result could be fight of the night. In more action, Harris “The Sandman” Stephenson (2-0) battles Blake Miles (0-2) and James “Razor” Sharp (5-6) takes on Jason Goodin (3-5) in matches that promise to be barnburners. These two matchups are full of risk takers who have wild fighting styles and always give the fans a great show.

– Saturday, August 13, 2011 10:00pm ET featuring Fight Night Entertainment presents Combat at the Cabaret – Fight Night Round XVI at the Swinomish Casino located on the beautiful Fidalgo Island in Anacortes, Washington. The event features a bevy of top matches, in both the professional and amateur ranks, highlighted by a UFC veteran fighting at the top of the card. In the main event, 4X UFC veteran Mario “Super Mario” Miranda (10-3) fights undefeated Jason Zentgraf (5-0) in a high-octane middleweight bout. For Miranda, this fight is a chance to get a “W” against a tough up and coming opponent. Miranda has refocused and rededicated himself to his craft and looks to be the first fighter to put a blemish on Zentgraf’s perfect record. For Zentgraf, this is a wonderful opportunity to fight against a UFC caliber opponent and if he is able to pick up the victory, then he is very likely to gain the attention of the national promotions. Zentgraf’s task is no easy achievement as Miranda went the distance against Aaron Simpson and Demian Maia in his last two UFC appearances inside the Octagon. This fight couldn’t have bigger stakes for both and the winner will climb the ladder and inch one step closer to realizing his dream. In the co-main event, Craig “The Bullet” Jackson (3-1) battles Dustin Praxedes (1-3). This fight will resemble two Tasmanian devils fighting in the middle of the cage. For Jackson, who is riding a 3-fight win streak, he will look to keep the momentum going with his high risk/high reward fighting style. “The Bullet” always starts fast and will look to push the pace on Praxedes. For Praxedes, a victory over Jackson would show how deceiving his record is. All 4 of Praxedes fights have ended in the first round, so don’t blink. This fight is sure to be a fan-favorite because with these two athletes fighting, it is impossible for this to be a boring match. Look for fireworks early.

– Sunday, August 14, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring M1 Grand Muay Thai Championship at the Commerce Casino, Commerce, California. Internationally recognized professional fighters from all over the world will gather in Southern California on August 14, 2011 for a chance to fight for one of several world titles up for grabs. This event is traditionally held in Thailand in honor of the Queen’s birthday celebration, but due to the immense popularity of the sport internationally special permission was granted to bring this celebration stateside. Stand Up Promotions along with Muay Thai Associations of America (MTAA) and WBC Muay Thai received the Queen’s blessing along with complete endorsement from the Thai government. “We are honored to have for the Queen’s birthday acclaimed fighters from all over the world compete in the most prestigious Muay Thai fight to take place in the United States,” said Robin Hart, Promoter of Stand up Promotions. “Fans continue to gravitate towards Muay Thai due to the exciting bouts, technique and rich tradition of the sport.” Fighters from Thailand, America, and Japan will showcase their skills and their love of the sport in the ring with heart-pounding action as they compete for two world titles in the same fight. To add to the significance of the event, for the first time ever in Muay Thai history, the Diamond Championship Belt will be awarded to one fighter who will own it for their lifetime; it never has to be defended. The WBC (boxing division) created the Diamond Championship Belt in September of 2009 as an honorary championship exclusively to award the winner of a historic fight between two high-profile boxers. World class fighters expected to fight on August 14 include Saenchai Sinibi and Rungravee Sasiprapa from Thailand, Kevin Ross, Coke Chunhawat, Malaipet Sasiprapa and Chike Lindsay from the U.S., Tetsuya Yamato and Kunitaka Fujiwara from Japan. M1 Grand Muay Thai Championship fight will be presented by Stand Up Promotions. Tickets can be purchased online at www.standuppromotions.com.

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Former Cuban amateur standout Odlanier Solis (17-1) is set to return to action on October 14th in Germany. On March 19th „La Sombra“ slipped at the end of a competitive first round against WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko and suffered various knee injuries forcing him to undergo three surgeries in March and April. Now the 31-year-old Olympic gold medalist and four-time world amateur champion is scheduled to fight for the vacant IBF intercontinental championship against Varol Vekiloglu from Berlin. Vekiloglu (18-2-1) had won the IBF East/West European title in the light heavyweight division and moved up to heavyweight in June.

„Solis proved against Vitali that he is one of very few fighters in the world who can actually beat him“, states promoter Ahmet Oner. „If his knee hadn’t given in he would have won that fight. But anyways, we are happy that everything looks as if he will be fine and able to return in October. After I heard the diagnosis I thought this injury might end his career but his knee is developing very well and – most importantly – Odlanier wants to come back as soon as possible. He is working very hard for his second chance. This fight can hopefully get him back on track and in line for another title shot.“

Adds Odlanier Solis, „I can’t wait to get back into the ring. Until I fought Vitali I was merely a mercenary soldier. Now that I know how easy it is to become champion of the world this is what I want and what I’m working and living for.“

The deal for the fight was made between Oner and Vekiloglu’s trainer and manager Robert Rolle who had secured the challenger status for the IBF intercontinental title at the IBF Convention back in May before even thinking about a possible opponent. „Varol wanted the big fights so now he has to prove himself in a very big fight“, said Rolle. „Actually it doesn’t get much bigger than this. Solis looked very well against Vitali. He is one of the best heavyweight contenders out there. His amateur merits speak for themself. But then again it is always hard to come back after an injury layoff. We are definitely up for the challenge and looking forward to the fight.“

Bantamweight title holder Nonito Doanire will make his ring return on November 5th in a bout to be televised by HBO according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“We are looking to secure an opponent and a site for Nonito’s return on Nov. 5 and we’re very excited,” said Todd duBoef, President of Top Rank.

The names presented to HBO as possible opponents, according to Moretti, are Argentina’s Omar Narvaez (35-0, 23 KOs), a reigning junior bantamweight titleholder and former longtime flyweight titlist; former two-time title challenger Silence Mabuza (23-3, 19 KOs) of South Africa; Mexico’s Christian Esquivel (23-2, 17 KOs); Sebastian Gauthier (21-2, 13 KOs) of Canada; former junior bantamweight titlist Alexander Munoz (35-4, 27 KOs); and Juan Mercedes (26-3, 17 KOs) of the Dominican Republic.

“Narvaez’s people have interest in the fight and there’s a hefty offer out to them right now,” said Top Rank’s Carl Moretti.

“We have absolutely zero interest in pursuing a Darchinyan rematch,” Moretti said. “We’ve been down that road before. We’ve tried to make it and it didn’t get done. I don’t think there’s anything for Nonito to gain by fighting him again.”

In the first sanctioned bareknuckle boxing match since 1889, Bobby “The Celtic Warrior” Gunn defeated boxer Rich Stewart via KO in round 3. With the win Gunn claimed the vacant bareknuckle boxing title that was last held by John L. Sullivan.

“It’s mean a great deal to me to have won the way I did,” said Gunn. “Early on I was able to go out there and establish my pace to the fight, and executed the way I planned.”

Leading up to this fight Gunn was adamant about bringing back bareknuckle boxing on a competitive level. Many critics claimed the sport was barbaric and questioned the safety of the fighters.

“A big misconception was that the fight was going to be a street fight or bar fight,” said Gunn. “That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Fighters only have a 3 ½” gap to strike, from the eyes to the nose, around the side of the temple. When you throw a shot to the jaw you have to be careful to hit the side of the jaw. The teeth can split your hands wide open, and if you hit too high above the eyebrows you can shatter your hand on the forehand. Bareknuckle boxing is not about wasting shots throwing wild punches; it’s about precise, accurate shots that are effective.”

Gunn displayed the sweet science as he carefully moved around the ring through the first and second rounds, keeping Stewart at bay and avoiding getting hit.

In the third round Gunn launched a devastating assault on Stewart’s body, followed up with a crisp left hook to the jaw, brining Stewart to the canvas. Upon getting up, Stewart was grazed with a right cross on the top of his head, dropping him again. The referee called the fight in the best interest of Stewart’s health.

“Waking up the next day my hands were a bit sore, but that was the extent of the damage,” said Gunn. “Neither of us fighters suffered any real damage, due to the safety precautions that were put into place.”

Making history with the first bareknuckle boxing match since 1889, Gunn is confident that the sport will take off.

“The public enjoys watching fights because they want to see two professionals who know what they’re doing stand there and throw hands,” said Gunn. “I believe that following this first match the sport is going to take off and become huge.”

And the numbers don’t lie. Over 800,000 tuned in to Ustream.tv to watch the bout.

“I am hoping we can line up a big name for our next fight,” said Gunn. “I will fight anybody they put in front of me, and I promise we’ll put on a show for the fans.”

“Lastly, I want to thank everybody on my team for all their support, and a very special thanks to McDuffy’s Sports Grill in Chandler, Arizona, for sponsoring the fight and being a part of bareknuckle boxing history.

Stay current with all of Gunn’s latest news by visiting www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Bobby-The-Celtic-Warrior-Gunn/229151550460878.

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that that Manny Pacquiao’s November 12th Welterweight title defense against Juan Manuel Marquez will be distributed bu HBO Pay Per View.

Pacquiao who had been a staple of HBO Boxing, had his May 7 showdown with Shane Mosley carried by Showtime after his promoter Top Rank got a better deal.

Just a few weeks after HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg resigned, HBO came to Top Rank with a better offer to reacquire the right to televise the world’s best Pound for Pound fighter.

“In boxing we talk about great fighters coming back after a loss. Well, HBO came back just like a great fighter,” said Top Rank President Todd duBoef, a key architect of the deal, told ESPN.com. “They came back from being on the canvas. They made their adjustments and came back and won the fight. You have to give them a lot of credit.”

“The Pacquiao-Mosley fight re-established Showtime as a major player in the pay-per-view arena and we look forward to future opportunities with Top Rank and the other promoters in boxing,” Showtime spokesman Chris DeBlasio told ESPN.com. “Right now we remain focused on a huge slate of sports programming we have lined for the fall.”

“I’m absolutely sick. This has been a physically and mentally very grueling process,” duBoef said. “But it’s invigorating to see how two major media companies have used incredible resources and assets to show how much they want to be involved in a boxing match.

“Showtime was disappointed and I’m disappointed. You’re disappointed when someone puts in a terrific proposal and then you have to tell them they’re not good enough because someone came across with a better one, a more appealing map for this fight. It was a tough call to make, especially when you’ve built relationships. I felt it was appropriate to be truthful and up front with Ken. I couldn’t sleep last night. I’m disappointed I had to leave somebody that I have a lot of respect for. The proposals (both networks) put together were fantastic. They were unprecedented. I’ve never seen anything like it. When you have that it is very difficult to make your decision. I wish both could have distributed the fight.”

“One of the things that motivated me personally (to make the HBO deal) is the attitude of Plepler and Lombardo,” Arum told ESPN.com. “I think they are extremely bright guys and have the same vision that we have to make boxing big-time again and a desire to elevate it on a world stage. With this deal, they brought to bear all the resources of the Time Warner empire.

“HBO can do only so much because of the limited audience it has. I can tell when people are extremely motivated and will put the time and effort in and to have them behind it and working with us on a day-to-day basis, along with the HBO staff, like (HBO PPV chief) Mark Taffet, it will be a home run.”

“We’re not tying ourselves to anyone,” he said. “Let’s see how this goes. But I have very high hopes that it will be a blockbuster.”

Arum said the goal is not only to do big pay-per-view numbers, but to bring boxing more into the mainstream. With Showtime and CBS marketing Pacquiao-Mosley, it generated about 1.3 million buys, according to Arum — the most ever for a Pacquiao fight.

Besides the usual promotional tools HBO would typically use for a fight — including the “24/7? reality series following the buildup, “Face Off With Max Kellerman” and replays of classic Pacquiao and Marquez fights — Arum said the fight would be promoted across Time Warner’s numerous platforms, which includes television networks (such as HBO, TNT, TBS and CNN), magazines (Sports Illustrated and People) and the websites for those outlets. They will be heavily utilized, Arum said. Among the plans, according to Arum and duBoef:

• CNN will show replays of “24/7? episodes.
• Arum and Pacquiao will appear for a joint interview on Piers Morgan’s primetime CNN show as well as be interviewed on CNN international programming.
• The fight will be promoted during TBS’ coverage of the Major League Baseball playoffs.
• If the NBA lockout is lifted, the fight would also be promoted during TNT’s basketball coverage.
• There will be daily coverage of fight-week activities on HBO, including the final news conference and weigh-in.

“Being on shows on CNN, to me, is elevating the sport to new levels,” Arum said. “To have the fight discussed on programs that intellectual elites watch is good for the brand. Time Warner is also going to pull out all the stops on their sports programs on TNT and TBS.”

Said duBoef: “The currency of these deals isn’t about the dollars. It was the currency of who could get my product out to the most eyeballs. It was an analysis. I didn’t just do it on a gut feeling. I went through this very strategically and we had it analyzed. At the end of the day, it was HBO, Time Warner who had a better deal across the board.”

Initially, Arum said whichever company got the rights to Pacquiao-Marquez III would also get the Dec. 3 Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito rematch, another major fight. HBO PPV did their initial fight in 2008 while Showtime PPV did Cotto’s win against Ricardo Mayorga in March.

Arum said he eventually changed his mind about making the two fights a package deal.

“Showtime still has a position on the Cotto fight because they did the last one, so Monday we’ll start talking to them,” Arum said. “When Todd and I had further discussions and we realized that it wasn’t the most advantageous thing to do, to make a package deal. Showtime did such a great job for us on the last Pacquiao fight and it would be important and good for the sport for Showtime to stay involved in these major pay-per-view fights. So if Showtime meets certain proposals that we’re going to make, and we get the support we need from them, then it behooves everybody to go with them. That way we keep more people and entities involved and it’s great for the sport.

“I don’t want to go back to the situation where there is one entity doing all the major pay-per-views and that entity does the same thing over and over and gets into this narrow box, which I felt the pay-per-views were in because they had been successful and we kept repeating the same thing over and over again. That is not a way to grow a sport. You grow it by being innovative and having competition and new ideas.”