Trainer Emanuel Steward talks Lee – McEwan; Miguel Cotto and Wladimir Klitschko

Former WBO Heavyweight Champion Siarhei Liakhovich and Main Events CEO Kathy Duva announced today that they have entered into a promotional agreement.

Nicknamed “The White Wolf,” Liakhovich has earned a professional record of 25-3, 16 KO’s. As an amateur, the current Scottsdale, AZ resident compiled a record of 145-5, was a member of the ’96 Olympic team from his home in Belarus and won a bronze medal at the 1997 World Championships. Liakhovich won the WBO Heavyweight Title in 2006 when he scored a 12-round decision over Lamon Brewster in Cleveland, Ohio. In his most recent bout, Liakhovich scored a ninth round KO over Evans Quinn in Germany.

“There is no doubt that Siarhei has what it takes to be competitive in the heavyweight division,” Duva said. “There are three heavyweight champions right now and it is our goal to put Siarhei in a position to challenge for one of their titles before the end of the year. We are delighted to be working with a fantastic team that includes Siarhei, his manager Tony Cardinale and trainer Tommy Brooks. ”

Tony Cardinale added, “I am happy for Sergei to be with one of the most respected and hardest working promoters in the industry. With their support and his ability it is just a matter of time before he is a two-time world heavyweight champion.”

Liakhovich had this to say, “First of all I would like to thank God for everything that has happened in my life: I am thrilled to have a newborn son; and I have a brand new team with well known and respected Tony Cardinale as my Advisor and Attorney and Main Events as my new Promoter. With their history and reputation in boxing business I know I am finally with the right team.” Liakhovich added, “I am very impressed with how hard Main Events work for their fighters. I know that they will work hard for me outside the ring and I can do my job in the ring.”

Liakhovich spoke about his upcoming fight, “I can’t wait to get back in the ring as soon as possible. My last two wins were in Germany and now I am glad to be fighting in US again. Thank you to all my fans for their support over the years, I would love to see all of them in New Jersey. This is a great new chapter for me. My first step in becoming a World Champion again!”

In what looks to be shaping up as the fight card of the year, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. will defend the WBO Super Bantamweight championship against former world champion Jorge Arce on May 7th underneath Manny Pacquiao defending the WBO Welterweight championship against Shane Mosley

“We’re done, we’re good to go,” said Carl Moretti of Top Rank of the deal with Vazquez promoter Tuto Zabala. “We’ve agreed on everything. We’ll be doing a lot of fights with Tuto and Vazquez.”

We could sign the papers on the night of the fight for all I know. I’ve known Tuto for 24 years. This deal is a result of a relationship that goes way back,” Moretti said. “I trust him and he trusts us and because of what we do on the island, and the opportunities we have coming up, it’s a win, win for everyone, especially [Vazquez].”

“Tuto has seen how we can take guys to the next level on the island and then cross them over in the [heavily Puerto Rican] New York market,” Moretti said. “We’ll make joint decisions on everything about Vazquez. We do what makes sense for the fighter first.”

“Vazquez is in a perfect weight class,” Moretti said. “We have guys who can come up and challenge him, and eventually he will move up to featherweight where there are a lot of good fights. It’s a great situation. He is well liked in Puerto Rico and he has his father’s name as part of the package.”

In addition to the main event, this fight could be on a card that will be a rematch of a fight of what many called the 2010 fight of the year between WBC Lightweight champion Humberto Soto and Urbano Antillon as well as the return of former Middleweight world champion Kelly Pavlik

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com a much anticipated rematch between world Light Heavyweight champion Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins has a just a few hurdles to clear before it comes to fruition on May 21st.

The two fought a controversial draw on December 18th in a bout most people believe that Hopkins deserved the nod.

The fight was broadcasted on Showtime and the rematch will be headed to HBO if completed.

“The deal, as far as the fight itself, we have the date,” Hopkins said, adding that he also had worked out his financial agreement with Golden Boy promoter Richard Schaefer. “Now we have to find a site. I’d love to fight in Montreal. I’d love to go where the best offer is for the fight. Montreal, fine. In Las Vegas, fine. I’m ready and I just want to settle the score. I want to set the record straight.”

Said Schaefer, “Bernard is on board with everything. Now I just need to work out the venue with [Pascal promoter] Yvon Michel.”

Michel said he was confident he would come to terms with Pascal on their side of the deal.

“We haven’t finalized with Jean Pascal yet but we are working on the details,” Michel said. “It will be a few days before we finish that. And we have to meet with Richard and talk about some other things, but overall we are pretty happy that we could do this.”

The WBC, whose belt Pascal holds, ordered an immediate rematch with the winner mandated to fight Chad Dawson next. However, there was the thorny issue of a contractual rematch that Pascal already owed Dawson, who lost to Pascal in August. The rematch clause allowed the 28-year-old Pascal (26-1-1, 16 KOs) to take an interim fight, which he did against Hopkins, before he would be obligated to face Dawson again.

However, Pascal-Hopkins II is a far more lucrative fight than Pascal-Dawson II. So Gary Shaw, Dawson’s promoter, quietly worked with Golden Boy, Michel and HBO to work out a deal under which Dawson will pass on the rematch for the time being, fight on the televised undercard of Pascal-Hopkins II and then get a shot at the main event winner if he also wins.

“I believe Gary was able to get his own license fee from HBO to have a fight with Dawson on the show with the guaranteed license fee for Dawson to fight the winner of Pascal-Hopkins,” Michel said. “Overall, I believe Gary Shaw understood what was the most popular thing to do and he negotiated for his side to make sure Dawson was taken care of. He was very cooperative. He fought for his guy, but he understood the complexity. I really appreciated how he worked on the agreement. He helped make sure we could do this rematch, which is the best for the weight division and for the fighters and the fans.”

According to Schaefer and Michel, Dawson’s undercard fight could come against either Montreal’s Adrian Diaconu (a former titleholder) or Librado Andrade, the Southern California resident from Mexico who is popular in Quebec; he considers Quebec a second home. Andrade has challenged Montreal’s Lucian Bute for his super middleweight title twice in the province.

“I believe that it’s a historic situation for me and things worked out the way I expected,” Hopkins said. “I think it’s good for boxing and good for us to settle the score. I’m just very excited and looking forward to breaking George Foreman’s record and making history. I can’t wait [until] May 21 to show people I beat him the first time and I will beat him the second time. I’ll be a few months older than I was last time, which should put [the record] even more out of reach.”

I changed my opinion of fighting in Canada when it comes to Montreal,” Hopkins said. “I’ll go to Montreal. Everything is based on the referee and the judges. It wasn’t the fans that voted in the fight. The Canadian people treated me very well in Quebec City. The thing was the referee and the judges, mainly the judges. The judges didn’t do the right thing and the WBC agreed with us and ordered the rematch. I can’t punish Canada for what the judges see or don’t see. As long as the judges are straight and the referee is straight with the way he handles things, I will go back to Canada.

“Richard and I got the money done. That was not an issue with us. But looking for a fight sight, Richard asked me if I would go back to Canada. I said yes, as long as the judges and referee are neutral.”

“The date is very important to Bernard. He does not want to wait,” Schaefer said.

“I’m glad HBO invited me back home to end my historic career,” he said. “I still have a few things I want to do. My dream hit list is Pascal, Chad Dawson if he wins and then I would like to clean out Canada by beating Bute at light heavyweight. That’s an impressive list put together for an old man.”

Philadelphia, PA–Danny Davis, who has been Bernard Hopkins’ strength & conditioning coach for eight years, has been added in that capacity to Mike Jones’ team as Jones, the undefeated welterweight contender from Philadelphia, prepares for his rematch vs. Jesus Soto-Karass on Feb. 19 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

“I push and challenge Mike and bring out the best in him,” said Davis, who credits Hopkins, trainers Freddie Roach and John David Jackson and fitness nutritional specialist Mackie Shilstone as major influences. “Mike’s a hard worker who wants to go to the highest level and never complains about what he’s asked to do. That’s what makes a champion.

“He looks a lot stronger and his conditioning is right there. People will see a difference in Mike in this fight,” added Davis, who has worked with pro football and basketball players and is based at Joe Hand’s Boxing Gym in Philadelphia. “I hope I’m the missing piece to the puzzle. It’s a pleasure to be working with him. I’m blessed each and every day.”

Jones: “Danny has pushed me and has squeezed out of me every ounce of sweat I own in the drills he has put me through. Look at the shape Bernard (Hopkins) was in for his last fight. Staying in shape is a lifestyle that I also believe in, doing the right things in and out of the ring. Look at how long Bernard’s stayed on top. That’s where I want to be.”

“Danny has some great ideas on strength and conditioning that he brings to the team from his experience with B-Hop,” said trainer Vaughn Jackson, who brought Davis aboard three weeks after Jones’ first fight with Soto-Karass last Nov. 13. “Danny brings what he’s done with Bernard to our workouts. He’s put Mike through some strenuous sessions. He also gives me great feedback from Mike’s sparring sessions. He will be my other set of eyes in the corner for the fight with Soto-Karass.”

* * *

Mike Jones vs. Jesus Soto-Karass rematch, co-promoted by Top Rank and Peltz Boxing Promotions, takes place Saturday, Feb. 19, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The 12-round title fight will be televised live on HBO beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET along with Fernando Montiel defending his WBC/WBO world bantamweight title against two-division champion Nonito Donaire.

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

Seven hours before the doors would open for the STRIKEFORCE Grand Prix Fan Experience Tuesday, a long line began to form outside the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. Once inside, the approximately 1,500 MMA fans who jammed the venue for the event were treated to a spectacular afternoon they will not soon forget.

All eight fighters who will compete in the eagerly awaited STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix — Heavyweight Tournament were in attendance and signed autographs, answered questions from emcee Scott Ferrall and posed for photos. There were ticket, T-shirt and STRIKEFORCE fight gear giveaways, fight videos shown on giant television screens, workouts in the cage and photo opportunities with The Rockstar Girls. Music was provided by special guest deejay, DJ Clue.

The STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix — Heavyweight Tournament begins this Saturday, Feb. 12, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) with two quarterfinal fights from the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J. The first live, non-televised undercard bout starts at 7:30 p.m. ET.
In the main event, Fedor Emelianenko (31-2, 1 NC) returns to action against Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (15-2) in a STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL co-promoted event. The opening quarterfinal will match former world champion Andrei Arlovski (15-8) against Russian star Sergei Kharitonov (16-4), the last fighter to defeat current STRIKEFORCE and DREAM Heavyweight World Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem.

The other two quarterfinal matchups at a site and date to be announced are: Overeem (34-11, 1 NC) versus the only man to tap out Fedor, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1), and hard-hitting Brett “The Grim” Rogers (11-2) against Josh Barnett (29-5).

Dyami Arroyo of The Bronx was the first to show at 8:30 a.m. Despite cold, bitter, windy conditions, he kept his spot at the head of the line. “There was no way I was going to miss a chance to meet Fedor and the greatest heavyweights in the world,” he said. “As soon as I heard about this, I told my boss I was taking the day off.”

His buddy, Freddie Diaz, of Queens, says he called in sick. “I love STRIKEFORCE, but this is a dream-come-true for any MMA fan.”

Said Brooklyn’s Joe Doyle, who arrived a little after Arroyo and Diaz: “To get this kind of access to these kinds of fighters is unbelievable,” he said. “There was no way I wasn’t going to be here. I am really happy that STRIKEFORCE did something like this for us. No other MMA organizations do anything like this around here.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Manny Pacquiao wull relinquish his WBC Super Welterweight championship as his promoter Bob Arum said he wont be fighting in that division anymore.

Pacquiao’s 154-pound title was “declared vacant, following the unanimous voting of the WBC board of governors, due to the inability of the champion to defend his WBC title,” according to a statement from the Mexico-based organization.

Pacquiao had no intention of defending the title, which was vacant when he won it by easily outpointing Antonio Margarito at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

In line to fight for the now-vacant junior middleweight belt are mandatory challenger Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and a contender to be appointed by the WBC.

Gabriel Bracero 142 – Chris Fernandez 140.6
Mark Tucker 174 – Ray Smith 176
Seanie Monaghan 176 – Angel Gonzalez 176 1/4
Boyd Melson 153 1/2 – Marquise Bruce 153 1/2
Keisher McLoed-Wells 107 1/2 – Melissa McMorrow 108
Ryan Kielczewski 129 1/2 – Wilshaun Boxley 132
Deano Burrell 131 1/4 – Sidell Blocker 133
Steven Martinez 153 1/4 – Ishwar Amador 153 1/2
Allan Benitez 126 1/4 – Joseliz Cepeda 127

Mahkota Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions & Sampson Boxing LLC announced in a press conference at the Jakarta International Expo, the championship boxing event scheduled for Sunday, April 17, 2011 at the J.I. EXPO, in Hall D-2. In the main even, undefeated WBA Super Champ. (Featherweight), Chris John (44-0-2, 22 K.O.‘s) vs. countryman, Daud Yordan (27-1-0, 21 K.O.’s). For Chris John, history will be made in Indonesia where he will be making his 14th title defense.
President of Sampson Boxing, Sampson Lewkowicz stated in the press conference “I am extremely pleased and honored to be the boxing steward for this historical event that the entire nation of Indonesia deserves to be a part of and see.” Mahkota Promotion’s best young Entrepreneur & Promoter in Indonesia, Raja Sapta Oktohari stated “This fight will be Indonesia’s equivalent of Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler or Oscar De La Hoya vs. J.C. Chavez.” Long time Manager and Trainer of Chris John, Craig Christian had this to say “Chris is extremely focused and motivated for this fight. I view this fight as an unpredictable fight between a young prepared boxer matched against an experienced, well-trained fighter”.

The intriguing and beautifully renovated Jakarta International Expo venue has a capacity of 8,000 fans and is expected to be sold out. The site is located at the heart of the capital city of Indonesia and due to it’s partnership with local government, has on-going, complimentary shuttle buses that provide access to visitors of the event. For additional information on the venue’s access, you may also visit the Jakarta International Expo web site: http://www.jiexpo.com/home.php?menu=1&id=3
Additional fight announcements and details will follow in an ensuing Press Release as they are solidified.

NEWARK, NJ (February 7, 2011) – Polish boxers Kamil Laszczyk and Rafael Jastrzebski have been added to “Brick City Brawl” on February 19 at Essex County College, which will be promoted by Prize Fight and Global Boxing Promotions.

The main event will feature undefeated heavyweight Mariusz Wach (23-0, 11 KO) of Krakow, Poland against Jonathan Haggler (23-3, 18 KO) of Winston-Salem, North Carolina for the vacant WBC Baltic heavyweight championship on FoxSports.

Laszczyk, 19, is from Wroclaw, Poland and won six national championships back home during a 110-7 amateur career. Laszczyk was training previously with Polish super middleweight champion Piotr Wilczewski but will now work with Aroz “Terrific” Gist.

Making his pro debut, Laszczyk is the first product of the Global Boxing Foundation, which brings young amateur boxers from Poland to America to help them achieve their boxing dreams. As a featherweight, Laszczyk needed all the help he could get.

“There is a very limited market for smaller weight fighters in Europe,” says Mariusz Kolodziej, President of Global Boxing Promotions. “In the next couple of months, we want to adjust him to the American style of boxing and match him with the right fights to make him a world-class professional.”

Jastrzebski, 29, of Bydgoszcz, Poland competes in the super-middleweight division. His record of 3-6-1 (1 KO) is deceiving, as he was the victim of flagrant mismanagement early in his career. Often times the naive Jastrzebski was placed in cruiserweight (200 pounds) matches to build up the records of others, where he was outweighed by 10 pounds or more.

Now based in Atlantic City, NJ and trained by Bill Johnson and conditioning coach Sean Sutton, Jastrzebski is getting a second chance.

“I’m willing to give him another chance in life because he was misrepresented in his career,” says Kolodziej. “It’s more than just sports or money, this is his life. He came to America to be a champion and we want to give him every chance. I see great potential in him.”

Since teaming up with countryman and unbeaten middleweight Przemek “Patrick” Majewski, Jastrzebski is 3-0 with 1 knockout.

Both men will compete in four round bouts against opponents to be named later.

For more information on Laszczyk, Jastrzebski or any other Global Boxing fighters, visit www.globalboxing.com .

Tickets for this championship night of boxing are priced at $120; $70& $30 by calling 1-866-468-7619; logging onto www.ticketmaster.com or www.ticketweb.com as well as Global Boxing Gym (5601-5711 Tonnelle Ave. North Bergen, NJ, 07047)
Doors open at 7PM, first fight is at 8PM.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBA Super Lightweight champion Amir Khan will battle Paul McCloskey on April 16th in Manchester, England in a fight between two fighters from the United Kingdom.

“I am delighted that this fight has finally been put together following some tough negotiations,” Khan said in a statement Saturday. “This is a matchup the British public want to see and will be a fantastic fight between two of the best light welterweights in the country.”

HBO will televise Khan-McCloskey on same-day tape in the United States while Sky Box Office will carry it live on pay-per-view in Britain. HBO plans to pair the fight with live coverage of Andre Berto’s welterweight defense against Victor Ortiz, who would move up from junior welterweight, from a site to be determined in the U.S. Berto-Ortiz is close to being finalized.

“Amir is back. The ‘King’ is back. It’s his homecoming, his first fight at home in over 12 months,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, Khan’s promoter. “He is excited to take on an undefeated fighter in Paul McCloskey. He is looking forward to the showdown. I am still working with [Berto promoter] Lou DiBella to finalize the live fight from the U.S., Berto-Ortiz. It will be a great night of boxing.”

“McCloskey is European champion and he has been calling out Amir,” Schaefer said. “Amir had other fighters on his mind, but for his homecoming, to fight a guy from Northern Ireland who is undefeated, it makes sense. It’s an important showdown for the British fight fans and for Sky. McCloskey has yet to taste defeat. That makes him dangerous and motivated because he doesn’t know how to lose. McCloskey is licking his chops to get his hands on Amir.

“I heard that he wants to go and finish what Maidana started. Of course, Amir will have something to say bout that.”

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT
Atlantic City, NJ—Heavyweight prospect Bryant “Bye Bye” Jennings, of Philadelphia, PA, goes for his sixth win in as many pro fights when he takes on veteran Terrell “Baby Bull” Nelson, of Plainfield, NJ, in a scheduled six-round contest Saturday evening, Feb. 26, in the Grand Ballroom of Bally’s Atlantic City.

Gabriel Rosado and Jamaal Davis collide in the all-Philadelphia junior middleweight main event, set for 12 rounds. Ronald Cruz, of Bethlehem, PA, and Dillet Frederick of Fort Myers, FL, square off in the scheduled eight-round junior welterweight semifinal.

The seven-bout card will be televised live by www.gofightlive.tv.

Jennings, 26, is 5-0 as a pro, with three knockouts. In his last fight Dec. 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, he K0d Randy Smith, of Cortland, NY, in two rounds. The combined records of Jennings’ five foes is 8-20-4, a far cry from the type of opposition Nelson has faced.

Nelson, 39, is 8-11-2, 5 K0s, but the combined record of his last five opponents is 86-13-1. He has traded punches with former title-holder Nikolay Valuev as well as top contenders Albert Sosnowski, Vinny Maddalone, Dominick Guinn, Devin Vargas, Maurice Harris and Shannon Miller.

Jennings, who did not begin boxing until little more than two years ago, was 13-4 as an amateur. He went to the Finals of the 2009 National PAL Championships in San Antonio, TX, and the Finals of the 2009 National Golden Gloves in Salt Lake City, UT, losing close decisions each time to lefty Lenroy Thompson.

“It’s a big step up for Bryant,” says manager-trainer Fred Jenkins, “but he has the ability to make things happen. He believes in himself and he’s looking forward to the fight.”

Four additional bouts complete the card, which begins at 7.30 p.m. The show is being promoted by Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with Bally’s Atlantic City.

Tickets priced at $50 and $75 are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and all Ticketmaster outlets (800-345-7000). They also can be purchased online at www.Ticketmaster.com and at www.peltzboxing.com.

Roman Morales, long one of the top amateurs in the country, makes his professional debut tonight at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California. Morales, fighting out of San Ardo, California, will take on the capable Shaun Solomon (1-1-1) of Moreno Valley, California in a four-round super bantamweight bout.

Morales scaled 123-pounds, while Solomon came in at 124. Solomon comes in off of his first career pro victory, a split decision over Floyd Smith in October of last year. Morales capped a stellar amateur career by claiming a gold medal at the Four Nations Tournament in France this past November and has been sparring with several world class pros in preparation for tonight’s bout.

The Morales-Solomon bout will open a stellar night of boxing promoted by Gary Shaw Productions and the two featured bouts will be televised on Showtime’s Shobox: The New Generation. In the main event, former Cuban Olympian Luis Franco will square off with Leonilo Miranda in a featherweight tilt scheduled for ten. In the co-feature, fast-rising cruiserweight contender Lateef Kayode takes on once-beaten Nicholas Iannuzzi in a ten-rounder. Tickets for the event can be purchased online at ChumashCasino.com.

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that a terrific undercard is being assembled underneath the May 7th showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley that could feature the rematch of one of the best fights of 2010 as well as the return of former world Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik.

The co-feature in the works would match lightweight titlist Humberto Soto (54-7-2, 32 KOs) against Urbano Antillon (28-2, 20 KOs) in a rematch of their epic Dec. 4 slugfest, which Soto won via tight unanimous decision.

“There’s no paperwork done yet, but the sides are aware of it and have [verbally agreed to the rematch],” Top Rank’s Carl Moretti told ESPN.com Thursday. “We’ve talked to both sides and the camps are both up for the date and we’re trying to get it closed up.”

Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs) has not fought since losing the middleweight championship to Sergio Martinez last April. He pulled out of a comeback fight scheduled for Nov. 13 on Pacquiao’s last undercard and checked into an alcohol rehabilitation clinic for the second time. He spent two months at the Betty Ford Center before coming out in early January.

“He’s itchin’ to fight,” Moretti said.

“All indications are that Kelly would like to take advantage of that,” Moretti said, adding that there has been no discussion yet of a specific opponent.

Cameron Dunkin, Pavlik’s co-manager, said Pavlik is planning to fight on the card.

“The idea is that is he going to fight on May 7,” Dunkin told ESPN.com. “We’re just taking it one step at a time, but he’s scheduled. He’s terrific. He’s working out and very happy, spending time with his family. Everything is wonderful right now.”

“I would think he will fight at 168 or 169 pounds,” Dunkin said. “He says he wants to be a super middleweight now. There’s no way he can go back the other way [to 160]. He realized he is just too big.”

When Moretti is in Puerto Rico for a news conference on Tuesday to formally announce featherweight titlist Juan Manuel Lopez’s April 16 fight with Orlando Salido, he said he is going to meet with promoter Tuto Zabala Jr., who promotes Puerto Rican junior featherweight titlist Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. (20-0-1, 17 KOs).

Moretti said he and Zabala will try to close the deal that they have been working on to match Vazquez in a title defense against Mexico’s Jorge Arce (56-6-2, 43 KOs), a former flyweight and junior bantamweight titlist. Part of that deal could be Top Rank coming aboard as Vazquez’s co-promoter.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, World Featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez will defend his title against former champion Orlando Salido in Lopez native homeland of Puerto Rico and the bout will be televised on Showtime.

” ‘Juanma’ is one of the top four television fighters today. He makes great fights,” Top Rank’s Carl Moretti said. “No matter who he is in with, you’re going to be entertained. We’re at a great arena in Puerto Rico that will have 8,000 to 10,000 people and I think it will be a good evening all around.”

“I think it’s a tough fight for Juanma,” Top Rank president Todd duBoef said. “Salido is a really solid, durable guy. Yuriorkis Gamboa had to work really hard to get past him and with this fight we will be able to see comparatively where the two hot, young featherweights are. Salido is going to be there all night. Juanma is really going to have to work for it.”

“Salido is a hard-nosed, grizzled Mexican with a great chin and good power [and] this could be his last shot at a title,” Moretti said. “And Juanma has been known to catch better sometimes than fellow Puerto Rican Jorge Posada.”

Said Salido: “It’s a tough fight, but for me it’s an opportunity to win a title belt and become a world champion again.”

“It’s going to be a measuring stick on where both of them stand against each other, so what Juanma has to protect against is fighting the guy and thinking, ‘I gotta look good. Can I knock him out? Do I get out of my game plan just to prove a point because Gamboa went the distance with him?’

“There’s a feel for when it’s ready to go,” DuBoef said. “I think sometimes there’s a road map and sometimes it’s a sixth sense when it’s time to match them up. We’re working to get there with these guys and to make this as big as it can be. We’re creating a business around both guys. Lopez is more advanced in that sense because he’s become a big draw, especially in Puerto Rico. But we’re working on it with Gamboa. There is something naturally that happens where fighters are on two independent paths and they eventually merge into one, and the fight happens.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that former four-time Heavyweight champion, Evander Holyfield will now take on Danish star Brian Nielson in May 7th instead of March 5th after Holyfield suffered a cut around his left eye in his January 22nd bout with Sherman Williams.

“I had hoped to be fully fit to fight Brian on March 5 but after another close examination this week the doctor said I could not do sparring until the end of the month,” said Holyfield, who is due to earn $500,000 against Nielsen. “My good physical shape and my meticulous preparation have been my biggest advantages throughout my career, and I will not enter the ring against a determined opponent like Nielsen when I am not 100 percent prepared.

“I take Nielsen very seriously. I need a convincing victory to put myself back in line for another shot at the world title, so I will give the cut enough time to heal before resuming practice. I will be in top shape on May 7 and defeat Brian Nielsen.”

“Always look on the bright side of life,” Nielsen said. “The more training I get, the stronger I will become. I would have been ready to give Evander a great fight on March 5. I have worked my butt off in practice where [trainer] Karsten Rower has been torturing me twice a day.

“Although I am not exactly thrilled to be in his German training hell for two more months, every single practice session will only make me better,” he added. “I will make sure Evander gets a nice souvenir from his trip to Copenhagen. I will cut his other eye, too. He will be good friends with the doctor he has been seeing.”

“We fully understand Evander’s decision. It is the right thing to do,” promoter Kalle Sauerland said. “We have stressed from the very beginning that we would never let a fighter inside the ring if he is not 100 percent ready, and that includes a perfect preparation. As we have learned from Brian, let’s look at the bright side. Two more months of professional boxing training and sparring will make him even better.”

Philadelphia, PA–Undefeated welterweight contender Mike Jones (23-0, 18 KOs) has taken advantage of the snowy conditions in Philadelphia to help prepare for his rematch with Jesus Soto-Karass (24-5-3, 16 KOs) on Feb. 19 at the Mandalay Bay Event Center in Las Vegas.

The Jones vs. Soto-Karass fight is being co-promoted by Top Rank and Peltz Boxing Promotions.

“Shoveling snow at home has been an excellent workout for my arms,” said Jones, who has shoveled a-near-Philadelphia record of 37.8 inches of snow over the 12-13 days that it’s fallen to date this winter.

“I’m glad I stayed home for training this time (Jones has gone away for training for his fights over the last two years). I focus better. I don’t drink, smoke or go out so there’s no problem with distractions at home. It’s soothing being home.

“Plus, the snow workouts have made me stronger.”

Jones, rated No. 2 by the WBO, No. 3 by the WBA, No. 3 by the IBF and No. 4 by the WBC, won a majority 10-round decision over Soto-Karass in their first fight Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX, to retain his NABO and NABA welterweight titles while winning the WBC Continental Americas belt.

The Jones-Soto-Karass fight, this time scheduled for 12 rounds, opens the 9:45 pm (EST) HBO telecast prior to a title fight featuring world bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel defending his title against two-division champion Nonito Donaire.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, world rated Heavyweight Tomasz Adamek will take on the man who retired Mike Tyson, Kevin McBride on April 16th in either Poland or New Jersey.

“We have confirmed Kevin McBride as Adamek’s April opponent, but we were holding off on a formal announcement until after I had the chance to meet with [Adamek co-promoter] Ziggy [Rozalski] to go over the two site alternatives with him and make a decision.”, said Adamek’s promoter Kathy Duva.

FAIRFAX, VA — After earning a majority draw last November in a crowd-pleasing, back-and-forth contest, former D.C. world champion William Joppy (39-6-2, 30 KOs) and dangerous veteran Cory “Black Ice” Cummings (17-4-1, 13 KOs) of Baltimore, MD will look to settle Beltway bragging rights when they return to the Patriot Center on March 12 as the 10-round Co-Main Event on the Jimmy Lange Boxing card. The show is an Ice Promotions event presented by Valcourt Building Services.

Each fighter believed he won three months ago in their 10-round showdown where one judge scored in favor of Joppy, 96-94, while the other two saw it even at 95-95.

Joppy, a popular trainer at LA Boxing in Northern Virginia, continues to look for his elusive 40th career win after being stopped by World Boxing Association (WBA) / International Boxing Association (IBA) Light Heavyweight Champion Beibut Shumenov in Shymkent, Kazakhstan on January 10, 2011. Originally scheduled to fight Gayrat Ahmedov on the undercard, Joppy took the last-minute upgrade and title shot opportunity when Jürgen Brähmer pulled out days before the fight due to illness. During his illustrious career, Joppy has faced the super middleweight division’s best: Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins, Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Roberto Duran, Howard Eastman, Lucian Bute, Jermain Taylor and Julio Cesar Green

Meanwhile, Cummings looks to prevent the former three-time world titleholder from reaching his milestone victory, while defeating his second straight D.C. fighter in the process. In May 2009, he captured the Maryland State Super Middleweight crown with a ninth-round TKO win over D.C.’s Demetrious Davis. Cummings has more than held his own against top opponents including former world champions Montell Griffin and top D.C. fighter Keith Holmes.

Hometown fighter and former Contender star Jimmy Lange (34-4-2, 24 KOs) of Great Falls, VA headlines his 12th Patriot Center show with a 10-round bout against Jimmy Holmes (19-1, 10 KOs) of Demotte, IN. The undercard features undefeated Todd “White Lightning” Wilson (9-0, 3 KOs) of Fairfax, VA vs. Dean “Pitbull” White (15-10-2, 3 KOs) of Smithsburg, MD; knockout artist Tony “Mo Better” Jeter (10-2-1, 9 KOs) of Stevensville, MD vs. TBD; a heavyweight collision between Ron “Heavy Duty” Gamble (1-0, 1 KO) of Arnold, MD and Abodurin “Bo” Akinyanju (3-1, 3 KOs) of Landover, MD; and Charlottesville, VA middleweight George “Wartime” Rivera (11-6, 4 KOs) vs. Shakir Ashanti (16-9, 4 KOs) of Greensboro, NC.

Tickets, priced at $35, $50, $75, $125, $200, $300 and $500 (plus applicable service charges), can be bought through all Ticketmaster outlets including the Patriot Center box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com/ and via phonecharge at 703-573-SEAT, 202-397-SEAT and 410-547-SEAT. Accessible seating is available for patrons with disabilities by calling 703-993-3035.

NEW YORK (Jan. 31, 2011) – Dan Henderson is one of the most recognizable and popular fighters in the world. He is the only fighter in the history of Mixed Martial Arts to simultaneously hold two world titles in two different weight classes with a major MMA promotion.

In an illustrious career, the legendary 40-year-old Henderson has won a total of four MMA world championships and fought and defeated a host of all-time greats, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort. Before turning pro, Henderson was a two-time United States Olympic Games wrestler. There isn’t a lot that he hasn’t accomplished.

On Saturday, March 5, Henderson (26-8), of Temecula, Calif., will attempt to add another belt to his wardrobe when he challenges defending champion Rafael “Feijao’’ Cavalcante (10-2) of Brazil for the STRIKEFORCE World Light Heavyweight (205 pounds) Championship at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In the opening half of a STRIKEFORCE World Championship Doubleheader, Marloes “Rumina’’ Coenen (18-4) of the Netherlands will risk her lightweight title for a first time against No. 1 135-pound contender, Miesha “Takedown’’ Tate (11-2), of Tacoma, Wash.

American military hero Tim Kennedy (12-3) of Fort Bragg, N.C., will be opposed by Luke Rockhold (7-1) at middleweight (185 pounds) and undefeated Billy Evangelista (11-0) of Fresno, Calif., will take on Jorge Masvidal (20-6) of Miami, Fla., at lightweight (155 pounds) in other televised bouts on SHOWTIME.

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

A special ticket pre-sale for “STRIKEFORCE Insiders,” begins tomorrow/Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 10 a.m. CT and ends Thursday at 10 p.m. Fans can sign up to become an “Insider” at STRIKEFORCE.com

Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, Feb. 4 at the Nationwide Arena ticket office, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com and Ticketmaster by phone at (800) 745-3000.

It will be the hard-hitting 6-foot-1 Henderson’s third start for STRIKEFORCE since he left the UFC on a three-fight winning streak to sign with the San Jose, Calif.-based promotion in December 2009.

Henderson secured the title shot in devastating fashion, destroying Brazilian Renato “Babalu” Sobral by 1:53, first-round knockout (punches) last Dec. 4 in St. Louis. It was the STRIKEFORCE 205-pound debut for Henderson, a former two-division PRIDE Fighting Championships belt-holder who will become the only fighter to compete for titles in STRIKEFORCE, PRIDE and UFC.

For Cavalcante, a powerful 6-foot, 30-year-old Brazilian referred to simply as “Feijao,” it will be his first defense of the 205-pound crown he captured with a third-round upset TKO (elbows) over previously undefeated “King Mo’’ Lawal last Aug. 21 in Houston.

The talented Feijao will enter the scheduled five-round match at the peak of his game. He has won three in a row and six out of his last seven. Feijao has never gone the distance as a pro and the furthest one of his bouts has gone came against King Mo.

Feijao has never been in with anybody who hits like Henderson, but the Brazilian fighter has been highly-touted as one of the next great superstars of the sport. With his fearsome submission capabilities and vastly improved kicking and punching, Feijao could indeed be something special — especially if he passes the class test against Hendo.

“Everybody knows about Dan Henderson and what he can do and how hard he hits,’’ said Feijao, a native of Ilha Solteira in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who trains out of the famed Black House camp with, among others, the aforementioned Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida and Antonio Nogueira.

“This is going to be a very exciting fight. I worked very hard to get back to where I could fight for the title. Now that I have won it, I’ve been working even harder to keep it.’’

While fighting for PRIDE, Henderson was both the welterweight (185 pounds) and light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion. In his debut for STRIKEFORCE, at 185 pounds, the aggressive-minded veteran nearly knocked out Jake Shields during a dominant first round on April 17, 2010, in Nashville, before losing a close decision.

“I want to thank STRIKEFORCE for this opportunity to fight for the title,’’ said Henderson, a winner in four of his last five. “That last fight got me back on track. I’ll be ready for anything, but mostly I’m expecting a flat-our war.’’

Coenen, a product of Holland’s Golden Glory team, captured the STRIKEFORCE crown with an impressive third-round submission (armbar) over defending belt-holder Sarah Kaufman on Oct. 9, 2010. A strikingly attractive submission whiz, the talented, 5-foot-9, 29-year-old ousted Kaufman one fight after giving STRIKEFORCE 145-pound champ, the naturally bigger Cris Cyborg one of her toughest fights.

Tate, a winner of five in a row and 10 out of 11, earned her first five-round fight by winning twice during a single-night elimination tournament on STRIKEFORCE Challengers on Aug. 13, 2010, in Phoenix, Ariz., The 5-foot-6, 24-year-old outpointed Maiju Kujala and then Hitomi Akano to take the tourney and ascend to the top spot. It will be Tate’s fifth bout on SHOWTIME and her sixth start for STRIKEFORCE.

Kennedy is an American military hero who’s toured the Middle East multiple times, and earned the Army’s Bronze Medal Star medal for valor under fire. This will be the 5-foot-11, 31-year olds fifth start for STRIKEFORCE and his first since losing a close, hard-fought decision to “Jacare” Souza in a fight for the then-vacant STRIKEFORCE middleweight title last Aug. 21 on SHOWTIME. The disputed defeat ended a four-fight winning streak for Kennedy, who has split two fights against Jason “Mayhem’’ Miller.

The up-and-coming Rockhold is taking a step up in class, but the 6-foot-3, 26-year-old has won six in a row, all in the first round, including three straight on STRIKEFORCE Challengers. In his last start, he registered a 2:24 TKO over Paul Bradley on Feb. 26, 2010. A rising star in STRIKEFORCE’S talent-laden 185-pound division, Rockhold was scheduled to fight last Oct. 9, but withdrew after injuring a shoulder in training.

Like Tate and Rockhold, Evangelista is a veteran of the STRIKEFORCE Challengers series who is making his Saturday debut for STRIKEFORCE on SHOWTIME. In his last outing and first fight in nearly a year, the 5-foot-8, 29-year-old Muay Thai specialist won a unanimous decision over hard-trying Waachiim Spiritwolf in an extremely spirited affair last Oct. 22. That fight was contested at a catch weight of 165 pounds; Evangelista will be competing at his natural weight of 155 for this one.

Masvidal is an experienced seven-year pro who has been matched with some good ones across his career. In his last outing, he went the distance with world-ranked Paul “Semtex” Daley before losing a decision on Sept. 10, 2010. The 5-foot-10, 26-year-old member of America Top Team is unbeaten in his two fights for STRIKEFORCE.

About STRIKEFORCE

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

SAN JOSE, Calif. (Jan. 29, 2011) – On a thrilling night of action in which Herschel Walker and Roger Gracie remained undefeated and STRIKEFORCE Middleweight Champion Ronaldo “Jacare’’ Souza outlasted Robbie Lawler to retain his 185-pound title, Nick Diaz closed the show in sensational fashion, turning back a determined bid by Evangelista Cyborg to win by second-round submission to successfully defend his STRIKEFORCE Welterweight Championship before a pro-Diaz crowd of 9,048 at HP Pavilion live on SHOWTIME® .

The victory was the ninth in a row for Diaz (24-7, 1 NC), of Stockton, Calif. and the second defense of the 170-pound world title. Cyborg, of San Diego, Calif., by way of Brazil, dropped to 18-14.

Complete results on the televised portion of STRIKEFORCE: Diaz vs. Cyborg presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, Souza (14-2, 1 NC), of Rio de Janiero, Brazil, kept his 185-pound crown with a hard-fought third-round submission (rear-naked choke) over former two-time world champion Robbie Lawler (18-7, 1 NC) of Gilbert, Ariz., the remarkable Walker, a former college football and NFL standout who fights out San Jose, Calif., improved to 2-0 in Mixed Martial Arts with a 3:13, first-round TKO (punches) over Scott Carson (4-2) of Costa Mesa, Calif., and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu standout Gracie (4-0), of Rio de Janiero, submitted Trevor Prangley (23-7-1) of San Jose with a rear-naked choke at 4:10 of the first.

The main event was a slugfest, the southpaw Diaz landing solid punches with both hands while the gallant challenger did significant damage with an array of leg kicks and counter punches.

But shortly after Cyborg, the husband of STRIKEFORCE Women’s Middleweight (145 pounds) Champion Cris Cyborg, scored an ill-advised takedown late in the second, Diaz finished him with an armbar at 4:50.

“He was eating a lot of punches,’’ Diaz said. “For all the leg kicks he was throwing, I was landing more punches. He had taken too many punches and had to take me down. It was a mistake and I was able to finish him.

“(But) I respect the way he fights. He doesn’t mess around. He came out here and fought me. He didn’t play games.”’’

In a bit of a pleasant surprise, for him, the talented Diaz was the clear choice of the crowd. The fans chanted “Dee-As, Dee-As’’ several times throughout the action-packed fight.

“I think it’s great to get a fight in front of a hometown crowd,’’ Diaz acknowledged. “When I fought here before, I was fighting against San Jose when I fought Frank Shamrock. It’s nice to have a home here now.’’

Both Jacare, a slick submission specialist, and Lawler, the puncher, displayed their greatest strengths throughout the exciting fight. The hard-hitting Lawler almost knocked out the champion in the opening round.

But Jacare survived and went on to retain his title for a first time. Jacare captured the vacant STRIKEFORCE middleweight crown last Aug. 21 with a unanimous decision over American military hero Tim Kennedy in Houston on SHOWTIME.

“I love my job,’’ said Jacare, who forced Lawler to tap out at 2:00 of the third. This was a great night. “I don’t know what’s next but I’m ready to fight again and defend my belt.

“He fought with courage and a lot of guts. He got me hard in the first. I really felt it. But I used my heart to come back. He fought me off well in the second, but he was tired in the third.’’

Said Lawler, who was coming off a devastating, 50-second, first-round knockout over Matt Lindland last Dec. 4 in St. Louis on SHOWTIME. “I just got tired. I wanted to keep it standing but I didn’t have the energy to keep him off me’’

Look for Walker, who seemingly never gets fatigued, even at age 48, to get back in the gym quickly after a dominant triumph over Carson.

“I’m happy I won and I’m happy I took it to the ground,’’ Walker said. “My ground game has definitely improved. That’s something we’ve been working on in the gym with all the guys since the last fight.

“I think I was a little bit too excited in the beginning. I let him kick me and that was a mistake. It made me a little upset but it fired me up. I don’t have time to play. When I do something I do it with all my heart. I have to train more. I’m still a young MMA fighter. I’m happy with the win but I still have a lot to learn.

“I love MMA and look forward to fighting again.’’

The submission victory was the fourth in four starts for Gracie. “I’d like to get to the top of my division,’’ he said. “That’s the goal.’’

Saturday’s thrilling event will re-air as follows:

DAY CHANNEL

Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 10 p.m. ET/PT SHO2

The telecast also will be available On Demand beginning Tuesday, Feb. 1, and running through Feb. 14.

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

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

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

About Showtime Networks Inc.

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

SAN JOSE, Calif. (Jan. 27, 2011) – The eight fighters who will compete this Saturday, Jan. 29, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) and STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker participated Thursday in a final press conference for the eagerly awaited event at HP Pavilion.

Saturday’s event will be highlighted by a STRIKEFORCE World Championship Doubleheader. STRIKEFORCE World Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz (23-7, 1 NC) will seek his ninth consecutive victory when he makes his second title defense against Brazilian powerhouse Evangelista Cyborg (18-13) in the main event.

STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight Champion “Jacare” Souza (13-2, 1 NC) will put his belt on the line for the first time against hard-hitting, former two-time world champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (18-6, 1 NC) in the co-feature of a stacked card.

The remarkable Herschel Walker (1-0) will return to the cage to face Scott Carson (4-1) in a heavyweight bout and undefeated Roger Gracie (3-0), the latest prospect from MMA’s first family, will battle former South African national wrestling champion Trevor Prangley (23-6-1) at light heavyweight (205 pounds).

The first non-televised, undercard fight on Saturday begins at 4:30 p.m. PT.

What the fighters had to say:

NICK DIAZ
“I feel good and I’m ready to fight. Cyborg has a unique style and I know that he will give it his all and be as crazy as ever. But that’s good because I’m crazy, too.

“I have great respect for Cyborg. He is strong and has skills and comes real hard. I feel he deserves a shot.

“I think he was fighting guys too big when he was fighting at middleweight, but I might be too big for him too. Anything can happen in a fight, but I prepare for everything.’’

EVANGELISTA CYBORG
“After 15 years of training and sacrificing, my dream is finally almost here. I am very excited at the chance to make my mark. I can promise you I will do my best to pull out the win.

“Nick Diaz is a very gallant fighter but I will press the action whether we are standing or on the ground.

“I am not worried about those who underestimate me in this fight. I am pre-occupied with winning.

“The belt always equals a build-up to your career, but first you have to win it. I feel strong and very comfortable at 170 and looking forward to a great fight against Nick Diaz.’’

JACARE SOUZA

“This is going to be a tough fight, and a very dangerous one. Robbie Lawler is very heavy-handed and I know to win I am going to have to play my game, which is to take him down and try and finish the fight.

“Some were surprised that I stood last time but Lawler is a different kind of fighter than I had in my last one. If I have to stand, I will, of course, but I know it is important that I keep control.

“I don’t feel either of us think that we can afford to make a mistake.’’

ROBBIE LAWLER
“I’m not looking ahead to anybody. I’m only looking ahead to Saturday’s fight.

“I work on all my skills all the time. Guys are so good at this level. Make a mistake and it will cost you.’’

HERSCHEL WALKER
“The Herschel of today would have beaten up the Herschel of a year ago. I was dumb and naïve when I first started. But I have learned a lot.

“This will be a good fight. Scott Carson has a lot of experience. I am looking forward to fighting again for STRIKEFORCE and on SHOWTIME.’’

SCOTT CARSON
“I feel fortunate to get this fight and I hope to make the best of it. I’m definitely prepared and ready for a fight.

“Fighting such a legendary name has certainly added a lot of hype to the fight, but I have worked very hard in training camp. I’m looking to see this fight go into the later rounds where it will be a war of attrition.’’

ROGER GRACIE
“Even though each fight is different, I treat them all the same in my approach. All fighters are dangerous. I am in with a good, very experienced fighter so I do not expect him to make any silly mistakes. I know I must be patient because he is very heavy-handed.

“I have worked very hard for this fight and am excited about fighting on a STRIKEFORCE show on SHOWTIME. I want to be more active in MMA and hope to fight two or three times this year.’’

TREVOR PRANGLEY
“I think this is going to be a great chess match. Who can implement their game plan best will win. I want to fight my fight.

“I had a great camp and feel comfortable. We’ll see how it goes.’’

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, a new boxing series will be televised by Fox Sports Net and it will feature former three division world champion James Toney in the first installment that will take place on February 24th.

The series, called “Fight Night in America,” will generally air on the last Thursday of each month, Cohen told ESPN.com. Some of the early shows will air on tape delay, as was the case with the Dec. 17 debut card Prize Fight-promoted welterweight prospect Jesse Lubash (14-0, 8 KOs) of Pittsburgh.

Toney (72-6-3, 44 KOs) will face Damon Reed (45-14, 32 KOs) on Feb. 24 at the San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino in San Bernardino, Calif., in a heavyweight fight in the main event of the next edition, which will also air on tape delay.

“We are not averse to working with other promoters because we are looking to make this series a real success,” said Empre Sports CEO Greg Cohen, who hopes to develop fighters who can move on to the HBO and Showtime level of fights. “We want to make competitive fights. We are looking to build a brand. It’s good for the sport. The more televised boxing, the better it is for the sport.”

“We’re starting as a monthly show and we hope to grow to be bigger than monthly. Twice a month would be the goal,” Cohen said. “If we will deliver on our end and Fox delivers on its end, this will be a great partnership. We are taking care of the production, but Fox made a very favorable deal with us on the sponsors we brought the to table. It’s a nice situation for both parties.”

Steve Cunningham (23-2, 12 KOs) will make a first defence of his IBF
Cruiserweight Title in Mulheim, Germany on February 12 when he takes on
mandatory challenger Enad Licina (19-2, 10 KOs). The clash was
originally scheduled for January 22 but had to be postponed after IBF
Middleweight Champion Sebastian Sylvester caught a virus infection,
forcing Team Sauerland to cancel the entire card in Neubrandenburg. In
the main event in Mulheim, Cuban cruiserweight sensation Yoan Pablo
Hernandez (23-1, 12 KOs) will challenge WBA Interim Cruiserweight
Champion Steve Herelius (21-1, 12 KOs).

Cunningham has returned to Philadelphia to continue his preparation.
“The small delay is no problem for me,” the 34-year-old stated. “I will
be in top shape. I think Licina is a good fighter. He is not to be
underestimated, and he will not. He is the number one contender, this is
a serious level of boxing and I take him and this fight very serious.”

Licina, who defeated Felix Cora Jr. in an eliminator in November, is
also brimming with confidence. “I have performed very well in sparring,”
he said. “That´s why I go into this fight with a lot of confidence. I
know that a lot of people keep underestimating me and don´t think I can
beat Cunningham. But everybody is beatable. Cunningham is a great
champion but I will find a way to be victorious.”

NEW YORK (Jan. 26, 2011)—Showtime Networks Inc. and CBS have joined forces with Top Rank, Inc. to promote, produce and distribute the biggest boxing event of the year—the May 7th showdown between global superstar and Philippine Congressman Manny Pacquiao and three-division world champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley, it was jointly announced by Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports®, and Bob Arum, Top Rank CEO.

The agreement brings together Pacquiao, the top athlete and personality in the sport, with SHOWTIME, the fastest growing premium television network in the U.S., and its parent company CBS Corporation whose programming and media assets span network and local television, pay and basic cable, radio, outdoor and online.

The campaign will include the SHOWTIME Sports documentary series FIGHT CAMP 360° in preview of Pacquiao vs. Mosley. The top rated CBS Television Network will participate by broadcasting a primetime special of the show in April.

“The arrangement with CBS and Showtime regarding the promotion and distribution of the Pacquiao vs. Mosley championship event represents a new opportunity for the sport of boxing. It enables boxing to reach millions more people in the United States given the reach of CBS, the most watched television network in the country. This development will not only benefit Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley but all of the young men participating in the sport of boxing,” said Arum.

Hershman said, “We look forward to combining Showtime Sports’ production and distribution expertise with Top Rank’s promotional power and the amazing programming and marketing resources available to us across CBS to present the biggest boxing event of 2011.”

On May 7, Pacquiao will fight under the SHOWTIME PPV banner for the first time, bringing it the highest profile and biggest revenue generating athlete in boxing whose fights over the past two years have garnered nearly 4 million pay per view buys and unrivaled box office receipts. The event marks the first SHOWTIME PPV event since 2005’s Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo II.

“Pay per view has been an opportunistic play for SHOWTIME Sports in recent years,” Hershman continued. “In Pacquiao, we have a global celebrity and unquestionably the most popular boxer of this era attempting to continue his dominance in the ring against Shane Mosley, one of the most talented and recognizable fighters of today not named Manny Pacquiao. With this marquee match up, Pacquiao’s proven track record in pay per view and CBS’s participation, this is the perfect opportunity for Showtime to be back in the pay per view business and in a big way.”

Showtime has a long history of success in pay per view dating back to the 1990s. In 1997, the SHOWTIME PPV presentation of Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield II garnered the most pay per view buys for any sport or entertainment event in history. The 1.99 million buys stood as the industry benchmark for nearly 10 years, until being surpassed in May 2007.

Additional details about the May 7th event, including ticket information and undercard fights are to be announced.

Pacquiao Biography

Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, is the first Congressman in history to both fight for and defend a world boxing title. Congressman Pacquiao was sworn in on June 28, 2010 and is the lone representative of the Sarangani province. Pacquiao won the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight championship—his record eighth world title in as many weight divisions—last November via dominant unanimous decision over three-time welterweight champion Antonio Margarito. Pacquiao captured the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title, which he will be defending against Mosley, in November 2009 with a brilliant 12th-round knockout of four-time world champion Miguel Cotto. The Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Cotto. His knockout victories over Cotto and Hatton in 2009 and his decisive wins over Joshua Clottey and Margarito in 2010 combined for nearly 4 million buys making Pacquiao the reigning pay per view king. No boxer sold more live tickets than Pacquiao in 2010, making him the pound for pound king in the ring and at the box office.

Mosley Biography

Sugar Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs), from Pomona, Calif., has reigned as world champion four times in three different weight divisions during his remarkable 18-year professional career. The only man to serve up two defeats to Oscar De La Hoya — both in world championship fights — Mosley’s Hall of Fame caliber resume also boasts victories over world champions Fernando Vargas (twice), Ricardo Mayorga, Antonio Margarito, John John Molina, Jesse James Leija, Philip Holiday and Luis Collazo. De la Hoya, Holiday and Collazo were the only Mosley victims to survive the 12-round distance to hear the judges’ decisions.

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