On Friday October 22nd, lightweight prospect Jorge “The Truth” Teron (23-2-1, 15KO’s) returns to the ring, when he takes on James Hope in the feature bout of the evening on Star Boxing and The Empire’s rescheduled “Capitale Punishment II” card at the Capitale NY. The bout is scheduled for eight rounds in the lightweight division.

JORGE “THE TRUTH” TERON

The 25-year-old Teron, a Bronx native, was a three-time New York Golden Gloves champion as an amateur, before turning pro in 2005. Possessing a fan-friendly style, and power in both hands, Teron is looking to get back into the win column after suffering a defeat in his last fight, a shoot out against highly regarded, undefeated, Brandon Rios (25-0-1, 18KO’s).

“Jorge is an exciting, and crowd pleasing fighter,” stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO and President of Star Boxing. “We have had him on some of our shows in the past and he has yet to disappoint. We are looking forward to featuring this match-up, in what is promising to be an entertaining night of boxing in New York City, come October 22nd.”

Hope (6-5-1, 4KO’s) is by no means a pushover or easy fight for Teron. The 26-year-old is coming off a draw in an absolute war with unbeaten prospect Bayan Jargal (15-0) on July 17th, and hopes to bring some of that momentum in with him into the ring on the 22nd.

UNDERCARD ACTION

There are five exciting undercard bouts scheduled to take place, highlighted by the return of popular New York light heavyweight and former NY Golden Gloves champion “Irish” Sean Monaghan (2-0, 2KO’s) taking on Nick Whiting. The bout is scheduled for four rounds in the light heavyweight division.

Also scheduled to appear on the card is the Bronx’s Hajro Sujak (5-1, 2KO’s) as he takes on Naseem Dean (2-2, 1KO) in a four round light heavyweight contest.

In a battle of all-action bantamweight’s, Brooklyn’s Elton Dharry (5-5-1, 1KO) looks to make it four wins in a row when he takes on former two-time NY Golden Glvoes finalist, Jose “Chilli” Rivera (2-1-1). The bout is scheduled for six rounds.

Also seeing action on the card, in a special female attraction, is former world title challenger Eileen Olszewski (5-2-2) as she takes on fellow New Yorker, Suzannah Warner. The bout is scheduled for eight rounds in the flyweight division.

Rounding out the card will be a battle between pro-debuting Queen’s natives, as Elmer Vera squares off against Abdellah Smith in a four round super middleweight showdown.

“Capital Punishment II” is promoted by Star Boxing and The Empire. The Capitale is located at 130 Bowery, in Manhattan, NY. Doors open at 6:30PM with the first bout scheduled for 7:30PM. A complete undercard will be announced shortly. Tickets are currently on sale and are being priced at $200, **$150**, and $50. Tickets may be purchased by calling Star Boxing at (718)823-2000. **For information on discounted $150 seats (for $100) for advanced purchase call now!** For more information visit www.starboxing.com or www.theempirese.com.

ABOUT STAR BOXING:

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

ABOUT THE EMPIRE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT:

The Empire Sports & Entertainment Co. is primarily engaged in the business of promoting entertainment events and the creation and distribution of sporting events. Today, The Empire acquires the rights to develop and promote sporting and entertainment events through contractual relationships and provides event management services. The Empire arranges events and coordinates venues, media and sponsorship. For more information please visit www.theempirese.com.

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On Saturday, October 16, 2010, All Star Boxing, Inc and Promoter Tuto Zabala, Jr. will return to the city that has hosted many of the company’s boxing shows during the past 10 years that have filled the Kissimmee Civic Center on many occasions. WBO Jr. Featherweight Champion Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. of Bayamon, Puerto Rico will make the second defense of his title when he meets his toughest opponent so far in Ivan “Choko” Hernandez of Ensenada, Mexico in a bout schedule for 12 rounds with Vazquez WBO Jr. Featherweight Title at stake.

Tickets for Vazquez Jr. vs. Hernandez on October 16, priced at $202, $102, $52 and $27, are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Silver Spurs Arena box office and on-line at Ticketmaster.com.

Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. vs. Ivan “Choko” Hernandez will be broadcast live on-pay-per-view, distributed by Integrated Sports in the US and in Puerto Rico by Pay Per View Connection beginning at 9 PM ET/6PM PT at a suggested retail price of $34.95.

ANTONIO LOZADA (Hernandez Promoter): Good afternoon and thanks foe being here. This is a very important fight for us because when Wilfredo Vazquez Sr won his world title, the WBA Jr. Featherweight title, we had the champion Jorge Perez. We did the fight because Jorge had beaten Wilfredo Sr. in Los Angeles 3 years earlier in a 10-round decision. Vazquez came to train in Mexico City for that fight and he was a tiger. Now after all these years I come to fight his son who is a world champion and we bring the challenger Ivan Hernandez to the fight. He is in great shape and we will have a great fight.

IVAN “CHOKO” HERNANDEZ: Thanks for the opportunity and thanks for letting me do what I like. Thanks to Juan LaPorte and Wilfredo Vazquez and thanks to the people who have faith in me and who have trained me for this fight. I want to thank Tuto Zaballa and my trainer who has been with me my whole career. Thanks you to Wilfredo for the opportunity. I just want you to know that I respect you here, but in the ring, I don’t respect you, NADA. Thank you for letting me work because this is my job.

WILFREDO VAZQUEZ SR: I want to thank my brother (Tuto) for having made my son a world champion. I want to thank you also for having my other son on the card who is a junior flyweight. also have another son that will be world champion also. (Israel Vazquez is not in Kissimmee yet. He has a ‘real job’ in a church in Puerto Rico and will arrive tomorrow). What I want to tell Choko that we respect him here but not over there (in the ring). We are ready for Saturday night. Junior is in great condition. We are taking this fight very seriously and he is going to hit you hard. Remember what happened to Jorge Perez in Mexico City. No one was more prepared than me for that fight. If you come to fight you are going to get hurt. We are going to take the title, once again, back to Puerto Rico. I promise you that Saturday is going to be your last fight. You will never fight again.

WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR: I came here to talk little today because I have already said what I need to say and I will do my talking in the ring. The only thing I want to say to Choko is that I want to thank you for bringing the confidence that you have with you to Kissimmee. Thank you for not giving me my merit. That has made me more motivated to get into the ring and the only thing I can tell you is that on Saturday night you are going to pay for it.

The following conversation takes place after the fighters are separated at the face-off following a shove from each.

IVAN “CHOKO” HERNANDEZ: I do respect you, until you get into the ring. There I have no respect for you. I always treat you with respect, until Saturday night. I want it to be October 16 now, so I can hit you.

WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR: I want you to respect me. I am tired of all the (stuff) you are saying. I am a man and you need to respect a man. I am going to hit all of you…everywhere. And after you, I will take care of all the Mexicans that come in my way. I am tired of this. The Mexican fighters are not giving me the respect that I deserve. I am a World Champion for a reason.

WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR (after calming down): I love fighting in Kissimmee. These are the people that believed in me right from the start. Now I am very motivated, more than before. Mexicans are good boxers and he is a good boxer and I won’t take anything away from him.

MCJOE ARROYO: I am real happy to be able to fight on this card where Wilfredo Vazquez will be making the first defense of his world title. I made my pro debut when Wilfredo fought for the title in Puerto Rico on February 27 and its very exciting to be dong it here again in Kissimmee.

ISRAEL “Filipino” ROJAS: I am here from Mexico and I am in great shape and I am ready to give a great fight.

TONY LaPORTE JR: I would like to thank Tuto Zabal for allowing me to have my pro debut here in Kissimmee, FL. I will bring the… …yes, I am very nervous. Anyway, I am just glad to be on this card with Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr.

NEW YORK (Oct. 13, 2010) – Boxing fans viewing Friday night’s TeleFutura broadcast of “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” sat in the judge’s seat and cast their text votes in naming Philadelphia native Danny “Swift” Garcia as the fighter with the most character. His defeat over Greek native Mike Arnaoutis, after a third round knockdown leading to a fourth round technical knockout, led him to a landslide win (70 percentae of votes) over Arnaoutis.

Launched by Tecate, cerveza con carácter, the “Cinturón Tecate”award gives viewers the chance to recognize the strength, courage, and determination of up-and-coming fighters featured on “Sólo Boxeo Tecate.” The boxer who receives the most text votes will be featured in a 2-minute vignette during the following week’s program, giving viewers an insider’s look at the lives of this individual. As part of the promotion, adult consumers who participate will receive free ring tones and screen savers for their cell phones.

In case you missed Friday’s thrilling “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” episode from The Arena in Philadelphia, PA, below is a summary of the night’s excitement.

Winner
Loser
Method
Round

Danny Garcia
Mike Arnaoutis
Technical Knockout
4

Bastie Samir
Joseph Dunn
Technical Knockout
2

Victor Vasquez
Bryne Green
Split Decision
6

Wanzell Ellison
Aaron Anderson
Unanimous Decision
4

Kareem Cooley
Eilud Torres
Unanimous Decision
4

Arash Usmanee
Anthony Flores
Unanimous Decision
8

This week, “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” hits the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California for another exhilarating episode featuring some of today’s most promising boxing talent. Fans at home will have an opportunity to vote and determine whether Frankie Gomez or Ramon Montano is the boxer with the most character! Tune in at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT (10:30 p.m. CT) on TeleFutura.

For more information on “Cinturón Tecate” results or to speak with a brand executive about the program please contact FORMULATIN at (212) 219-0321.

Tecate Boxing

Tecate, cerveza con carácter, is the largest beer brand to sponsor boxing matches in the U.S. Part of its commitment to make boxing accessible to consumers is the title sponsorship of “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.

About Heineken USA
Heineken USA Inc., the nation’s premier beer importer, is a subsidiary of Heineken International BV, which is the world’s most international brewer. European brands imported into the U.S. include Heineken Lager, the world’s most international beer brand; Heineken Light; Amstel Light, a leading imported light beer brand; Newcastle Brown Ale, the leading imported ale in the United States; and Buckler non-alcoholic brew. Heineken USA is also the exclusive USA importer for the Tecate, Tecate Light, Dos Equis, Sol, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from Mexico. For a safe ride home, download the Heineken USA-sponsored Taxi Magic™ application from your smartphone. Please visit https://ui.constantcontact.com/rnavmap/acalva/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/BWYWEZMV/www.EnjoyHeinekenResponsibly.com.

About Golden Boy Promotions

Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by Oscar de la Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. In 2007, in its fifth year of promoting, Golden Boy Promotions set a record by selling over 2.5 million in pay-per-view homes in a single night. Also in 2007, Golden Boy Promotions established the record for highest grossing pay-per-view homes in a single year with more than 4 million total. In 2009, the company broke records again by breaking the million mark in pay-per-view homes again with the return of Floyd Mayweather against Juan Manuel Marquez. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the United States and the world on networks such as HBO, HBO Latino, TeleFutura, SHOWTIME, ESPN2 and Fox Sports Net.

Golden Boy Promotions currently has over 60 fighters under contract, from future hall of famers Bernard Hopkins, Sugar Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez to current world champions and superstars Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan, David Haye, Marcos Maidana, Israel Vazquez and Chris John. Also included on the company’s roster are top contenders Juan Diaz, Robert Guerrero, Saul Alvarez, Victor Ortiz, Joel Casamayor, Daniel Ponce De Leon, Librado Andrade, Rocky Juarez and Abner Mares as well as highly regarded prospects Danny Garcia, Frankie Gomez, Erislandy Lara, Carlos Velasquez and Deontay Wilder.

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Former world champion Ivan “Choko” Hernandez (27), ranked #10 by the WBC and WBO, had an open workout today in Orlando in preparation for his WBO Jr. Featherweight title challenge this Saturday night against defending champion Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. (19-0-1-16 KO’s), of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, at the 10,500 seat Silver Spurs Arena of the Osceola Heritage Park in an event billed, “The Rising Son Returns,” promoted All Star Boxing.

Hernandez, who has fought world champions Mark Johnson, Fernando Montiel, Toshiaki Nishioka and Israel Vazquez, is coming off two 5th round knockout wins against Jaime Maldonado and Lisandro De Los Santos, to improve his record to 27-4-1 (17 KOs).

“The Rising Son Returns,” presented by All Star Boxing, is being distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9 PM/ET – 6 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH Network and Avail-TVN, for a suggested retail price of only $34.95.

Tickets for Vazquez Jr. vs. Hernandez on October 16, priced at $202, $102, $52 and $27, are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Silver Spurs Arena box office and on-line at Ticketmaster.com.

For more information about the Vazquez-Hernandez PPV event go to www.integratedsportsnet.com. Follow Integrated Sports Media on Twitter @IntegratedPPV.

Integrated Sports Media: North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Erik Morales, Vitali Klitschko, Ricky Hatton, Cristian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Tomasz Adamek, Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Khan, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr. and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Real Madrid, Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA, as well as World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.

Promoters acted quickly after last week’s pullout of Andre Dirrell for his world title shot against WBA Super Middleweight champion Andre Ward as espn.com Dan Rafael is reporting that former world title challenger Sakio Bika will now step in for that November 27th opportunity.

“We’re working on that. Bika is definitely interested in doing the fight,” Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, Bika’s co-promoter, told ESPN.com on Tuesday. “It’s not done, but it’s being worked on.”

What has not been decided is whether Ward’s bout will be part of the tournament. He is the only fighter in the field to have already secured a semifinal berth heading into the Group Stage 3 bouts, the last of the round robin portion of the tournament. The tournament contract allows for fighters to fight outside of the tournament with Showtime’s approval.

“We’re working on that too,” Schaefer said.

NEW YORK (Oct. 12, 2010) – Top contender and former EliteXC champion Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva has recently been calling out the biggest names in a STRIKEFORCE heavyweight division which arguably is, top to bottom, the most talented and deepest in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

Silva won’t yet get the fighters he’s most often mentioned – most notably, STRIKEFORCE champion Alistair Overeem or Fedor Emelianenko. But Silva gets perhaps the next best thing when he faces Alistair’s older brother, Valentijn “The Python’’ Overeem, in one of the principal bouts Saturday, Dec. 4, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

The important heavyweight matchup rounds out the televised portion of a stacked, overloaded fight card that features MMA superstar Dan Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., against former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8) of Brazil in a collision of world-class 205-pounders in the main event.

In other fights on SHOWTIME, Paul “Semtex’’ Daley (25-9-2) of Nottingham, England, meets power puncher Scott “Hands Of Steel’ Smith (17-7, 1 NC) of Elk Grove, Calif., in a battle of explosive welterweights (170 pounds), exciting local favorite “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6, 1 NC) of Granite City, Ill., takes on 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (22-7) of Oregon City, Ore., in a middleweight (185 pounds) scrap and football legend and unbeaten MMA fighter, the remarkable Herschel Walker (1-0), will be opposed by an opponent to be determined

The 6-foot-4, 31-year-old Silva (14-2), of Coconut Creek, Fla., by way of Brazil, is one of the most talked-about and feared fighters in MMA. His freakish size is matched with brute strength, startling speed, incredible agility and quickness and brutal ground and pound skills. Factor in that he is also surprisingly nimble-footed and effectively combines Shotokan Karate and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and you seemingly have all of the ingredients of a future superstar.

Silva has won seven of his last eight starts, including a decisive, lopsided decision over former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski in his most recent outing last May 15. Silva’s lone loss since December 2006 came when he was narrowly outpointed by fellow Brazilian, and Fedor conqueror, Fabricio Werdum, on Nov.7, 2009. After an early onslaught that included decking Werdum and having him in serious trouble, Werdum rallied to eke out a decision by the scores of 29-28 three times.

“I want to fight and I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me,’’ Silva said. “My goal is to be the best and fight for a world title.’’

Overeem (28-23), of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, is a fierce, dangerous striker who has won his last two fights in a combined time of 47 seconds. The 6-foot-3, 34-year-old Dutch Destroyer scored a 40-second KO (knee) over Catalin Zmarandescu last May 21. In his outing before last, the previous April 17, a head kick finished off Tengiz Tedoradze seven seconds after the opening bell.

Overeem has several notable victories, including a 0:56, first-round submission over all-time great Randy “The Natural” Couture and a 2:19, first-round submission over Sobral. Overeem has only gone the distance twice in a 53-fight career.

A member of Team Golden Glory like his brother, Overeem is a four-time winner in PRIDE Fighting Championship competition. He’ll be making his debut for STRIKEFORCE after signing with the San Jose, Calif.-based promotion in June.

Crowd favorite and St. Louis native, welterweight Jesse Finney, will take on a foe to be announced in the top non-televised undercard scrap.

Tickets for the event are on sale at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com or by phone (800) 745-3000.

Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first SHOWTIME televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m.

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.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF Light Heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud will defend his belt against an opponent to be named while undefeated Heavyweight Odlanier Solis will take on Ray Austin in a WBC Elimination fight on December 17th at The American Airlines Arena in Miami.

Cloud’s trainer Al Bonani mentioned to espn.com that two fighters are being being talked to by promoter Don King for the coveted world title opportunity.

“Don is negotiating the price with both fighters so by Monday, maybe Friday, we should have somebody,” Bonani said.

“He just wants to fight in his home state and stay busy,” Bonani said of Cloud, who is from Tallahassee. “He wants to fight regularly. We’d like to have this fight and keep busy. He’s in the gym. We want to keep him sharp and also take this fight to have some Christmas money.”

“We’re interested, but it’s not on the top of the list,” Bonani said. “We have possible unification fights and fights overseas. But Dawson is an interesting match. We’re interested, but we’ve also been offered [former titlist] Adrian Diaconu in Canada on a [Lucian] Bute card. We’ve talked about Bute. A unification with [Beibut Shumenov] would be huge money in Kazakhstan and that’s been discussed. But I am glad HBO is considering putting Tavoris back on. The kid is ready to fight the best.”

Currant WBO Bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel was injured while riding a dirtbike in Mexico according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

Montiel and a friend were riding in Alamos, Mexico, a resort town a couple of hours from his home in Los Mochis that he was visiting for the weekend, when the accident happened. Montiel (42-2-2, 33 KOs) suffered several bad cuts and bruises and had a bone fragment cleaned out of the leg.

“He got very scared and is very sad by the accident, but the leg is not fractured,” Top Rank spokesman Ricardo Jimenez said.

Jimenez said Montiel had a “deep wound” and that he was advised to stay off the leg, which is heavily bandaged, for three weeks.

Baltimore, MD (October 11) – Sensational prospect James “Keep em’ Sleepin” Stevenson will make his highly anticipated return Saturday, October 23 when he battles once beaten Phillip McCants in the main event of Baltimore Pro Boxing’s “Who’s The Man II” at the Pikesville Armory.

Tickets start at $40 and can be ordered by calling 410-675-6900 or going to the Armory’s box office.

Stevenson, 13-0 (10 KO’s), is regarded as one of the top young fighters in the Beltway Region, but injuries have sidelined him since March. The hard hitting Baltimore native has wowed local fight on various occasions with his punching power and boxing ability, winning all of his bouts in impressive fashion.

Dubbed as “The Mongoose”, McCants is a winner of six straight. The Philadelphia, PA native, who is 8-1 with 3 KO’s, soundly outpointed his last three opponents and is expected to give Stevenson all he can handle.

Stevenson-McCants is scheduled for six rounds in the junior middleweight division.

Unbeaten crowd favorite Steve “Show Stealer” Wheeler, 6-0, of Catonsville, MD looks to take another step in the right direction when he battles Akron, OH’s Bob Wilder in the six round co-feature. The rapidly improving Wheeler has sent every one of his opponents home early and stopped his last four foes within two rounds.

Appearing on the talent loaded undercard is exciting heavyweight prospect Maurice “Freight Train” Byarm, heavy handed Thomas “KO” Snow, former amateur star “Slick” Nick Kisner and Jed “The Punisher” Phipps.

In addition to $40 general admission seats, tickets are available for $50, with individual VIP seats on sale for $75 and $100. Exclusive VIP tables are $1,000 for ringside and $750 for second row seating. All VIP ticket holders will receive free Hor’dourves and half priced drinks.

Doors open at 7 pm and the opening bell is slated for 8. The Pikesville Armory is located at 610 Reisterstown Rd in Baltimore, MD.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF/WBO/Ring Magazine Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko will defends his titles against undefeated and unheralded Dereck Chisora on December 11 in Mannheim, Germany.

“I think it’s an interesting fight because a guy who is unbeaten is always an interesting opponent,” Klitschko’s manager Bernd Boente told ESPN.com. “He has a very good record and Wladimir and [trainer] Emanuel [Steward] watched some of Chisora’s fights on YouTube and they said he’s fast and can punch. They were impressed. They said he can definitely punch, has good hand speed and is mobile, and that always [makes for] a dangerous opponent.”

“I know that Dereck Chisora is a very dangerous opponent,” Klitschko said. “He’s young, he’s fast and he’s a very hard puncher. My coach, Emanuel Steward, has warned me about Chisora’s quality and reminded me about the great Muhammad Ali, who lost his championship in 1978 to Leon Spinks in his eighth professional fight. I won’t underestimate Chisora. I will prepare myself as intensely as I always do and try to give Chisora no chance.”

“I knew that my victory over Sam Sexton would be a big step in the world rankings, but this chance is unbelievable,” Chisora said. “Everybody thinks my chances against Klitschko are as good as a snowball’s chance in hell, but I don’t care. I have fought my whole life and I am ready for a battle. This will be my night and by the end of this year the whole world will know the name Dereck Chisora.”

“The atmosphere at all my fights in Mannheim is great,” Klitschko, 34, said. “I will always link the SAP Arena with winning my second world championship there against Chris Byrd. It is one of the highlights of my career.”

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (October 5, 2010) – World amateur sensation JESSE MAGDALENO signed a long-term exclusive promotional contract with Top Rank today. Magdaleno, who campaigned at 119 pounds through most of his career, leaves the amateur ranks with a 120-16 record and six major national titles, including the National Golden Gloves and the U.S. Nationals.

Magdaleno, 18, a graduate of Durango High School in Las Vegas, Nev., will make his professional debut on Saturday, November 6, as a featherweight, on the undercard of the Juan Manuel Lopez – Rafael Marquez WBO featherweight championship fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. He will be joining his older brother, super featherweight Diego (16-0, 4 KOs), who will be fighting Derrick Campos in an eight-round bout. Diego is also promoted by Top Rank.

“In Jesse we look for an extraordinarily talented young man who will carry the banner of his hometown both in arenas in Las Vegas and elsewhere around the boxing world,” stated Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank.

Bruce Trampler, Top Rank’s Hall of Fame matchmaker added: “Jesse is 18 and has a chance to be a special fighter in years to come. Right now, he’s one of America’s best amateurs, and we believe he can become one of our best professionals.”

Magdaleno, who describes himself as a boxer/puncher with a powerful punch, will be trained by the tandem of veteran cornerman Pat Barry and one-time world title challenger Augie Sanchez.

“I always liked the way Top Rank handled and cared for my older brother Diego which is one of reasons I signed with Top Rank,” Jesse said. “It is a big company with a lot of history. I am very excited to be fighting for Top Rank and to be making my professional debut on the same card as my brother. I can’t wait for November 6.”

San Jose, Calif. (Oct. 4, 2010) – Lightweight star and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro will take on Justin “The Silverback” Wilcox of Cincinnati in the headlining fight of a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event on Friday, Nov. 19, at Jackson Convention Complex in Jackson, Miss., LIVE on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT, (delayed on the West Coast).

In a featured televised bout, unbeaten lightweight Ryan Couture (1-0) will face an opponent to be determined. The son of legend Randy Couture won his STRIKEFORCE and MMA debut with a 1:15, first-round submission (triangle choke) over Lucas Stark last Aug. 13 on STRIKEFORCE Challengers.

The Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card presented by Rockstar Energy Drink will mark STRIKEFORCE’s initial foray into the state of Mississippi.

A special ticket pre-sale for “STRIKEFORCE Insiders” begins this Wednesday, Oct. 6, at 10 a.m. CT and ends Thursday at 10 p.m. Fans can sign up to become an “Insider” at www.STRIKEFORCE.com.

Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, Oct. 8, at 10 a.m. CT at all Ticketmaster outlets, including the Coliseum box office and Be-Bop Record Shops, by phone at 800-745-3000 and online at Ticketmaster.com and STRIKEFORCE.COM.

Ribeiro (20-4) is a decorated submission expert and one of the top 155-pounders in MMA. He won the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship four times, once as a purple belt in 1996 and three times as a black belt in consecutive years (1999-2001).

His 20 victories include 14 stoppages (12 by submission) and he has defeated, among others, such notable fighters as Joachim Hansen, Eiji Mitsuoka and Mitsuhiro “The Endless Fighter” Ishida.

Ribeiro’s losses have come against some of the division’s most talented practitioners — Tatsuya Kawajiri, Gesias “GZ” Cavalcante and, Shinya Aoki, in the DREAM Grand Prix finals July 20, 2009.

Shortly thereafter, Ribeiro, 31, underwent successful eye surgery. He returned to the cage last May 15 and lost a controversial split decision to undefeated Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm in St. Louis, Mo.

Wilcox (9-3), a 31-year-old former NCAA wrestling star and bodybuilder, has won his last four starts. In his most recent outing on March 26, he registered a unanimous decision over Shamar Bailey at STRIKEFORCE Challengers in Fresno, Calif.

A member of San Jose, Calif.’s Team AKA, one of the most fearsome fight teams in the world, Wilcox wrestled for Edinboro University of Pennsylvania where he befriended teammate Josh Koscheck, who turned his college wrestling buddy on to MMA and eventually brought Wilcox into the AKA family.

Wilcox’ first most noteworthy victory came on Aug. 30, 2008 when he scored a unanimous decision over Gabe Ruediger, a contestant on season 5 of Spike’s The Ultimate Fighter reality series.

The younger Couture is a member of the Las Vegas, Nev., based Xtreme Couture fight team. Before impressively winning his pro debut, the 28-year-old compiled an amateur record of 5-1-1 with all five wins coming by submission.

Couture, whose parents split up when he was in the sixth grade, spent his high school years in suburban Seattle. With his father being a former wrestling coach at Oklahoma State University, Couture naturally developed into a talented high school wrestler.

Following high school, Couture enrolled in Western Washington University in Bellingham, where he graduated in 2004 with a mathematics degree. He worked at a local bank until he realized his desire to work in the family business.

Couture began MMA training in 2006, working diligently to mature into a well-rounded fighter, adding Muay Thai and a dangerous submission game to his repertoire. In January 2008, he moved to Las Vegas to train with his father. He has had access to a who’s who of MMA royalty as training partners and coaches, which, coupled with a solid amateur career, has given him the background and confidence to take his fight career to the next level

Doors at Jackson Convention Complex will open at 6:45 p.m. CT. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 7:30 p.m. The first fight on SHOWTIME will begin at 9 p.m.

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.

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LOS ANGELES, October 1 – A world-class talent who is making his mark in the welterweight division, unbeaten Danny “Swift” Garcia has passed each of his fistic tests with flying colors. On Friday, October 8, at The Arena (formerly The New Alhambra) in Philadelphia, the hometown hero will step up to the next level of his career when he takes on former world title challenger “Mighty” Mike Arnaoutis in the ten round main event of TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate”.

Garcia vs. Arnaoutis, a ten round welterweight bout which headlines a night of world-class professional boxing, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Joe Hand Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate. The doors open at 6:00pm, the first bell rings at 7:30pm and the TeleFutura broadcast airs at 11:30pm ET/PT (10:30pm CT). Consumers at home can also be part of the action by voting for the fighter in the main event who displayed the most character during the telecast by sending a text message to 55333.

Tickets, priced at $100, $65 and $45, can be purchased at The Arena Box Office or by calling 267-687-7560 or by calling Joe Hand Promotions at 215-364-9000.

A proud native of Philadelphia, 22-year-old Danny Garcia (18-0, 12 KO’s) came into the professional fight game in 2007 with high expectations and he has so far lived up to all the hype thanks to his prodigious talent and perfect record. In 2010, Garcia has upped the ante, defeating Ashley Theophane, Christopher Fernandez and Jorge Romero in successive bouts, setting the stage for his biggest fight to date against Arnaoutis.

Athens, Greece native Mike Arnaoutis (22-6-1, 10 KO’s) first made his mark on the junior welterweight division in 2004 when he battled to an entertaining draw with future World Champion Juan Urango. He’s kept fans cheering ever since then, having battled with the cream of the 140-pound crop, including Kendall Holt, Ricardo Torres, Victor Ortiz, Jesse Feliciano and Delvin Rodriguez. Eager to get back into the title hunt, Arnaoutis will put everything on the line to come out victorious on October 8 in what can surely be described as a crossroads fight for him.

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

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing.

LOS ANGELES — SHOWTIME® Sports hosted a press conference Thursday at The Conga Room , L.A. Live, to formally introduce and discuss “BANTAMWEIGHT TOURNAMENT: WINNER TAKES ALL” that begins Saturday, Dec. 11, live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) from Irapuato, Mexico.

In attendance was Ken Hershman, SHOWTIME Sports Executive Vice President and General Manager, the four world class boxers who will participate in the two-round, single-elimination tournament to determine the best fighter at 118 pounds – International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Yonnhy Perez (20-0-1, 14 KOs), former world champions Joseph Agbeko (27-2, 22 KOs) and Vic Darchinyan (35-2-1, 27 KOs) and world-ranked rising star Abner Mares (29-0-1) – and their promoters

The semifinal matchups: Perez defends his title against Agbeko and Darchinyan and Mares vie for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver Belt The bouts are scheduled for 12 rounds. The winners of each semifinal will clash in the final in 2011 with the losing fighters competing in a consolation fight.

Each of the participants in the bantamweight tournament has previously fought at least one of the other fighters in competitive bouts, all on SHOWTIME.

The bantamweight tournament is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions for Darchinyan and, in association with Thompson Boxing Promotions, for Perez, Golden Boy Promotions for Mares, and Don King Productions for Agbeko.

What the fighters, Hershman and the promoters said Thursday:

KEN HERSHMAN (SHOWTIME)

“I want to thank the press for coming out and the fighters and promoters for participating in this amazing series of fights. Our promise to our subscribers has always been very simple and that’s to put on the best fights as possible and let the fans enjoy it. I think we have four of the top 118-pounders in the world and I don’t think there’s a bad matchup in the bunch.

When we looked at the various configurations, we couldn’t figure out where we wanted to go and that to me is exactly what you want. You don’t go into the fight knowing who’s going to win, who’s not going to win, everyone gets two shots and I think we’ll be able to claim who’s the undisputed champion in this weight category.

“I believe the sport of boxing is a tremendous sport by itself, but I think when you overlay tournament style rules to this sport it becomes that much more thrilling. Obviously, for our subscribers, keeping it new, keeping it fresh is what we’re after. I want to thank the promoters. This was really a very cooperative effort.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER (Golden Boy Promotions, Mares’ promoter)

“This really is an amazing lineup. It’s natural for Mexico to host the opening round of this tournament. As we all know, Mexico has a rich and deep history with bantamweights.

“These four fighters will deliver what I know will be the best four fights.’’

ABNER MARES

“The four-man tournament is great. Tournament boxing is great. It helps not only fighters but boxing because in this tournament you have four of the best fighters facing each other. There’s no ducking any fighters here. You’re fighting the best no matter what. You don’t pick fighters in a tournament and this is what people want and I want that. I am here for the fans.

“I want to take the time to thank SHOWTIME for putting this show together and not forgetting about the little guys because there are a lot of people that don’t even look at the little guys. It’s a great opportunity for all four of us. It’s tremendous for the weight class and I love it.

“It’s a privilege to fight Vic Darchinyan. He’s a well-known fighter, a big name. He’s beaten a lot of good fighters. All around I think he’s a good fighter but I don’t think of myself as a bad fighter. I think I’ve got the perfect style for him. I think it’s going to be a tough fight for both of us.

“I’ve got to take it fight by fight. But this fight is really big. I’ve got to take full advantage of my opportunity.

It will be my first time fighting in Mexico so that is exciting.’’

(On fighting Yonnhy Perez to a draw on SHOWTIME)

“I was ready. I said I was ready for that fight and I proved it going the 12 rounds. I still haven’t got over it because I have people telling me, ‘you won the fight.’ (But) it is what it is.’’

KEN THOMPSON (Thompson Boxing, Perez’ promoter)

“I think we’re going to have the most fabulous tournament ever. We’ve got four of the best fighters in the bantamweight division and they’re from all over the world: Ghana, Mexico, Armenia and Colombia. We’ve got a mix like never before — future champions, former champions and current champions. With this mix, you’ll never see fights like this again. But in the end we think the IBF Champion of the World, Yonnhy Perez, will be standing there right in the middle of the ring as the world champion. We’re looking for everything that could possibly happen to happen in this tournament. This is the greatest collection of bantamweights ever.’’

“You’ve got the best of the best with SHOWTIME putting this on. You’ve got the best promoters. SHOWTIME is one of the finest groups of people you could work with and they have a vision like no one else. I can’t wait for this to start.’’

YONNHY PEREZ

“I’m very happy that SHOWTIME is putting this tournament on. In the end it’s going to show who the best bantamweight in the world is. For SHOWTIME to get all these promoters together is great because you don’t have to get fights. It’s set. Whoever wins goes on; whoever loses, there is still a fight. My goal is to win it all. I’m very happy about the tournament because basically everyone included has a title.

“I can’t express how thankful I am to SHOWTIME for putting on this tournament and even putting me on Shobox when I first came up from Colombia. I’m very thankful. After everything is done I hope I continue to have their support and I’ll always be ready to fight and will always give a great fight for SHOWTIME.

“I’m concentrating on my fight. I don’t consider myself the favorite. I know I’m the world champion but I go into every fight thinking I’m the underdog. I’m going to prepare for this fight and come out victorious.’’

GARY SHAW (Gary Shaw Productions, Darchinyan’s promoter)

“Let me thank Ken Hershman. Ken, even with the problems we’ve had with the Super Six, saw the value in tournaments. I think tournaments is the way boxing is going to have to go. It has the interest of the fans. It has the interest of the fighters and once and for all you’ll know who the best really is.

“This is a great tournament. There are four great fighters. I have a lot of respect for all of them. Agbeko fought a great fight and Darchinyan had concrete between his ears, didn’t listen to his corner and I believe cost himself the fight, but Yonnhy finished the unfinished work of Vic by finishing Agbeko off.

“Abner Mares, who I have a tremendous amount of respect for, is the youngest fighter and was in an absolute war with Yonnhy. I thought Yonnhy won by one round but I thought Mares showed a huge amount of heart and courage, stayed in that fight and took it to a draw. Darchinyan is the oldest fighter on the stage, the one with the most experience. Everybody at SHOWTIME knows Darchinyan and they know how he thinks and they know when he fight, he comes to fight. He’s never in a dull fight.

“I want to tell you how you confident I am in Vic Darchinyan. This fight is in Mexico, but I told Vic ‘don’t worry, you are the best in the tournament.’ He said, “You really believe that?’ I said, ‘I believe it so much I called up Jose Sulaiman and we’re going to have a Mexican referee, we’re going to have three Mexican judges, a Mexican timekeeper and I know you’ll win.”

VIC DARCHINYAN

I want to thank Gary Shaw , Ken Hershman and everyone at SHOWTIME for putting on this show. Now, the whole world can see at bantamweight who’s the best. I am very happy for this tournament. I’m physically prepared all the time.

“I’m happy I’m fighting in Mexico. My style is a Mexican style, guys are coming to fight, coming for a show, so that’s what I’m going to do. Mexicans love my style. I am not against them, I am not against anyone. I’m just against my opponent. It just happens Mexicans have been my opponents, which is good. Mexicans are good fighters.

“The two other guys (Francisco Montiel, Nonito Donaire) that didn’t want to be in the tournament know they cannot be at the same level. Some of them think they are good, but if you’re good, get in the tournament. If you’re one of the best at bantamweight, come and fight. Mares is a good fighter.

“I’m going to be prepared for anything. No fear. I moved up to challenge other champions. The super tournament connects all the dots. I don’t want to defend my titles and fight No. 10, No. 15. If I fight, I collect all belts. The point is not who you can beat, it’s what champions you can beat. I want to prove myself and I want to prove to everyone I’m the best. Why worry?

ALAN HOPPER (Don King Productions)

“I happened to be at ARCO Arena in Sacramento in 2007 when pretty much an unknown guy came in to face a tough as nails Nicaraguan name Luis Perez. He had been the ideal bantamweight champion since 2003 Joseph knocked him out and sent him to the hospital. That’s how he catapulted himself to this stage. Later, in his career-defining fight, he met Darchinyan.

“It’s always going to be a good promotion with Vic, a lot of back and forth talking. The Florida commission used SHOWTIME’s clock and there was an extra minute in a round and in that round Vic knocked Joseph down. It was a wonderful fight and Joseph was fortunate enough to come out with a victory. Then, there was the “Halloween Thrilla” at Treasure Island on SHOWTIME where Yonnhy met Joseph. Yonnhy had a great game plan and I give him everything. In the 10th round there was a terrible head butt and Joseph got knocked down. The referee didn’t see it, and called it a knock down. Joseph feels like he has some unfinished business.’’

JOSEPH AGBEKO

“This is going to be a very nice tournament. The opportunity to meet the best bantamweights in the world is going to give me a very good platform. This tournament is the return of “King Kong.’’ It’s giving me the opportunity to get back in the ring. My trainer and I are coming together to make me the best bantamweight.

“Perez is a great fighter. He’s got a brave heart. I’m going to come very well prepared. I’m not thinking about Vic, I’m not thinking about Mares, I’m thinking about Perez. The winner will meet me.

“I think it’s going to be a very nice opportunity for me to fight in Mexico. They’ve produced a lot of great fighters and it’s going to be an honor to fight in Mexico.

“I’m very motivated to get back the belt because Ghana has no champion right now. They all have supported me and want me to win the title.’’

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®.

He wont be fighting Miguel Cotto, but popular Middleweight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will be in the ring on December 4 as he will take on former world title challenger Alfonso Gomez as part of a Top Rank Pay Per View card in Anaheim, Californina, that according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

• Former flyweight titlist Nonito Donaire (24-1, 16 KOs), a top-10 pound-for-pound fighter, will move up from junior bantamweight to face former bantamweight titlist Wladimir Sidorenko (22-2-2, 7 KOs) for a vacant interim belt.

• Lightweight titlist Humberto Soto (53-7-2, 32 KOs) will make his third defense against Urbano Antillon (28-1, 20 KOs) in a bout that had been slated to take place in May but was called off when Soto elected to take a different fight.

• Lightweight contender Brandon Rios (25-0-1, 18 KOs), coming off a breakout performance in which stormed past favored Anthony Peterson for a dominant seventh-round disqualification win on Sept. 11 in his HBO debut, will face an opponent to be determined.

“I think it’s a nice card. I like that card. It should be a fun show.” Said Top Rank boss Bob Arum , adding that the Honda Center will be configured for a crowd of about 10,000. “We have priced the tickets very reasonably — $200, $100, $50 and $30 — so we’re expecting a good crowd.”

“I’m excited to fight someone who has a good resume like Sidorenko, who’s been champion,” Donaire said. “I’m excited to fight somebody at this level rather than the guys I’ve been fighting. It’s good to be challenged and it makes me better. I’m facing a guy who knows how to win and is experienced. The challenge is there for me. Sidorenko is not a joke.”

Should Donaire prove victorious he would be in line to fight Fernando Montiel in early 2011

If Soto and Rios each win their bouts, Arum said he plans to match them in the first quarter of next year.

“That’s the idea, and maybe we could do Rios and Antillon, too, if Antillon wins,” Arum said. “We’ll try to make the fight for HBO or Showtime.”

“Rios is a lovely kid and now he’s a hard-working guy,” Arum said. “I think he’s going to go far and I’d love to give him a chance to fight for a world title on one of the premium networks.”

“Chavez is taking the fight seriously,” Arum said. “He’s going to spar with Manny and it’s perfect. Chavez is bigger than Manny, but Chavez is getting ready for a smaller guy [Gomez] and Manny is getting ready for a bigger guy [Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13]. Chavez being in the Philippines sparring with Manny will help sell both fights.”

One of the fighters who did not make the cut for the pay-per-view, junior middleweight contender Vanes Martirosyan, will still get a televised opportunity. Arum said he plans to have Martirosyan fight in his hometown of Glendale, Calif., in the headline fight on a Fox Sports “Top Rank Live” card Dec. 18, possibly against Pawel Wolak — who had been in the running to face Chavez.

“We’ll save people from having to watch Bernard Hopkins’ fight that same night,” Arum cracked, taking a dig at Hopkins’ light heavyweight title challenge to Jean Pascal, which is scheduled the same day on Showtime PPV.

Newark, NJ (September 29) – Unbeaten lightweight sensation Michael Angelo “The Artist” Perez will appear in a six round special attraction bout as part of the Zab Judah-Lucas Matthysse undercard Saturday, November 6 at the Prudential Center in his hometown of Newark, NJ.

Perez, a skilled pugilist with an intriguing style, is regarded amongst the top prospects on the East Coast. Unbeaten at 9-0 with 4 wins by knockout, the 20 year old phenom is coming off a devastating first round stoppage of veteran Jorge Ruiz. Prior to that, Perez made a name for himself on a national level, dominating previously unbeaten Francisco Reyes on TeleFutura.

Although he’s already built up a solid fan base and a few of his bouts have taken place within driving distance, Perez knows that his inaugural appearance in the Brick City will be something special.

“Fighting in Newark means so much to me,” said Perez, the 2008 National Golden Gloves Champion at lightweight. “Everybody has been dying to see me fight at the Prudential Center and I expect a huge crowd to come out and support me.”

Perez opponent will be announced shortly.

The highly anticipated bout featuring Perez against an opponent to be announced will come beneath the HBO “Boxing After Dark” doubleheader featuring Judah-Matthysse and Robert Guerrero against Vicente Escobedo.

The card is being promoted by Main Events, Golden Boy Promotions and Super Judah Promotions.

Tickets priced at $53, $78, $103 and $253 (ringside) can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling TicketMaster at 800-745-3000 or www.Prucenter.com.

Roy Jones Jr. cruiserweight debut scheduled for October 7th against Danny Santiago has been postponed due to a hand injury according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Roy’s manager, McGee Wright, informed me [Wednesday] that Roy injured his left hand while sparring on Saturday and that on Monday, he went to the doctor and X-rays were taken,” said John Wirt, CEO of Square Ring Promotions. “While the X-rays do not show a fracture, his hand is swollen and continues to bother him to such an extent that we have no choice but to postpone the fight.”

“At this point, we are planning on rescheduling the fight and will make an announcement regarding the new date as soon as possible,” Wirt said.

NEW YORK (Sept. 29, 2010) – Two fighters who loathe decisions will collide when recent STRIKEFORCE signee Paul “Semtex’’ Daley (25-9-2) of Nottingham, England, meets power puncher Scott “Hands Of Steel’ Smith (17-7, 1 NC) of Elk Grove, Calif., in a featured welterweight (170 pounds) bout on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Mixed martial arts superstar Dan Henderson will take on former STRIKEFORCE world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral at light heavyweight (205 pounds) in the main event. Football legend and unbeaten MMA fighter, the amazing Herschel Walker (1-0), will be opposed by an opponent to be determined in a televised heavyweight bout. Popular St. Louis native Jesse Finney will take on a foe to be announced in the top non-televised undercard scrap.

Daley is an exciting British bomber and freelance mixed martial artist whose style is a mix of striking, striking and more striking. Smith is a superb Muay Thai striker with tremendous one-punch knockout power. Neither is accustomed to putting in a full night’s work.

Combined, the fighters have 42 victories, but only five of those wins have come via decision, and all five belong to Daley. Smith, a pro since June 2001, has never been triumphant on points.

The world-ranked 5-foot-9, 27-year-old Daley scored a decision over Jorge Masvidal last Sept. 11. Prior to that, Daley’s last victory on points came on July 1, 2006.

“I am a striker – there is no secret about that,’’ said the brash-talking Daley, a winner of two in a row and six of his last seven. “I like to knock people out aggressively and quickly. That’s my game and no opponent’s going to change that. Almost all my fights are exciting and memorable with non-stop action.’’

Daley, who has compiled a highlight reel of impressive knockout victories, has competed against some of the best since turning professional in June 2003. Three of his most significant victories came against Masvidal, a 2:24, first-round KO (punches) over Dustin Hazelett on Jan. 2, 2010, and a 2:31, first-round TKO (punches) over Martin Kampmann on Sept. 19, 2009.

“Everyone knows I detest decisions,’’ said the soft-spoken six-foot-tall, 31-year-old Smith, a proven finisher known for dramatic, stirring comebacks. He’s won all his fights by knockout or technical knockout – 12 in the first round. The fight with Daley will mark Smith’s first start at 170 pounds.

“Fans want action all the time and so do I. That’s what I am all about.’’

In his most recent start last June 26, Smith lost to former STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight (185 pounds) Champion Cung Le in a rematch, one fight after Smith handed Le the first loss of the San Jose-based Vietnamese star’s fight career with an astonishing comeback third-round knockout on Dec. 19, 2009. The dynamic Le had previously amassed a perfect, combined 22-0 record in professional MMA and kickboxing.

Smith has fought some of the biggest names in MMA, including Le, Diaz, Robbie Lawler (twice) – their first fight was during the first-ever MMA primetime broadcast on the CBS Television Network) – Benji Radach, Dave Terrell, Patrick Cote, James Irvin, Jaime Jara and Pete Sell.

A special ticket pre-sale for STRIKEFORCE; Henderson vs. Babalu for “STRIKEFORCE Insiders” began yesterday and will conclude tomorrow/Thursday, September 30 at 10 p.m. CT. Fans can sign up to become an “Insider” at STRIKEFORCE.com. Anyone who purchases tickets during the pre-sale period will receive a special $5 off discount.

Tickets for the event go on sale to the public this Friday, Oct. 1, at 10 a.m. CT at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com or by phone (800) 745-3000.

Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first SHOWTIME televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former IBF Jr. Welterweight champion, Paulie Malignaggi has inked a promotional deal with Golden Boy Promotions.

“This is the best career move I’ve made and I’m thankful to Golden Boy Promotions for giving me this opportunity,” said Malignaggi, who intends to move up and fight at welterweight. “I know they can give me the biggest and best fights out there and that’s what I want at this point in my career. This is the start of a new stage of my career. A new promoter, a new weight class and a new opportunity to face the best, beat the best and win a world championship.”

The signing of Malignaggi, who is from Brooklyn, N.Y., makes sense for Golden Boy, which is based in Los Angeles, because the company recently announced a three-year deal to promote monthly cards at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The arena, which will be home to the NBA’s Nets, is due to open in 2012.

“That establishes me more in my hometown and helps establish them in New York,” said Malignaggi, who added he was looking forward to the promotional aspects of his deal.

“We are very excited to add Paulie to our roster of fighters,” said Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya, who once considered Malignaggi as one of his opponents before ultimately deciding to fight Steve Forbes in 2008. “We have worked with him on numerous fights and his flashy style is exciting to watch both in and out of the ring. We have big plans in store for him and are thrilled that he is in our corner.”

“The contract I got is a contract I am very happy with,” Malignaggi said of his new deal. “It’s a contract that makes me realize the slave contract I was in for nine years. They gave me pretty much everything I wanted. I don’t want to harp on the past. I had a nine-, 10- year relationship with Lou. I have some fond memories, but it was always business.”

“I just got back in the gym and I’m weighing about 160 pounds,” he said. “I’d like a tune-up on one their undercards, off TV, just to get back in the ring, and then I’d like to have a big fight next year.” Malignaggi first won a 140-pound title when he easily outpointed Lovemore N’Dou in 2007. He made two defenses, including beating N’Dou in a rematch, before vacating his belt in order to facilitate the fight with Hatton, the lineal champion at the time.

“I think these guys will re-establish me in the States,” Malignaggi said. “Golden Boy outlined a game plan where they could establish me in the welterweight picture. I liked the ideas they have. There’s a lot of angles they have with me.”

New York, NY (September 25) – Two time world champion Joan “Little Tyson” Guzman makes his triumphant return to the squared circle Friday, November 5 against rugged Christopher “Kid Kayo” Fernandez in the ten round main event of “Uptown Showdown” from the Armory Track in New York, NY.

The card will be aired all throughout the US, Mexico and Puerto Rico on TeleFutura, as well as in Guzman’s native Dominican Republic.

Guzman, who lives and fights out of Brooklyn, NY, is 30-0-1 with 17 KO’s, and will make his debut at junior welterweight. With tremendous defensive abilities, world class boxing skills and outstanding quickness, the former super bantamweight and junior lightweight titleholder is recognized amongst the most gifted pugilists on the planet. In his most recent bout, Guzman outpointed well regarded Ali Funeka over twelve rounds to avenge a previous draw.

Having shared the squared circle with elite fighters in Devon Alexander and Paulie Malignaggi, the Salt Lake City, UT based Fernandez is an experienced veteran who never backs down from a challenge. At 18-10-1 (11 KO’s), Fernandez is a respected power puncher with a never say die attitude.

“I know Chris is going to be a tough opponent but I feel very comfortable fighting at 140 lbs,” said Guzman, who has victories over world champions Humberto Soto, Jorge Barrios and Javier Jauregui among others. “There are a lot of great fighters in this weight class and I am ready to prove that I am still one of the best out there!”

In the televised co-feature, featherweight Salvador Sanchez II, 19-4-2 (9 KO’s), of Tianguistenco, Mexico will battle an opponent to be announced in a six round bout.

The nephew of the boxing great whom he shares a name with, Sanchez is quickly building a strong reputation amongst fight fans worldwide.

Slated to appear on the undercard in separate bouts are USBA Junior Lightweight titleholder Argenis Mendez, four time US Amateur champion Roberto Benitez and Shamir Reyes of Brooklyn, Queens, NY’s Jose Guzman, former women’s titlist Eileen Olszewski and debuting Armin Mrkanovic.

Tickets start at an economic friendly $25 and exclusive VIP tables are also available by calling 212-679-2461.

The Armory Track is located at 216 Ft. Washington Ave New York, NY 10032 and Doors open at 6:30 pm. The opening bell is slated for 7:00.

The card is being promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT
Teon Kennedy 122…….Alex Becerra 120
(for vacant NABA super bantamweight title)
Tommie Speller 166 1/2……….Dennis Hasson 167 1/2
Dillet Frederick 143………….Ronald Cruz 145
Treysean Wiggins 142 1/2…..Jason Sosa 138 1/2
Chris Green 134 1/2…….Deroy Beaton 137 1/2
Julio DeJesus 138…..Linwood Hurd 138 1/2
Rashad Brown 163…..Greg Hackett 166 1/2

First bout 7.30
Grand Ballroom Bally’s Atlantic City, NJ
Tickets $50 & $75
Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc.

NEW YORK (Sept. 24, 2010)–The Group Stage 3 matchups in the Super Six World Boxing Classic, the unprecedented boxing tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the world’s best super middleweights, have been rescheduled for November 27, it was announced today by Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager for sports programming on the network.

The matchup between breakout American stars and friends, Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell, will headline the SHOWTIME® telecast on Saturday, Nov. 27, live at 9p.m. ET/PT. Ward vs. Dirrell, one of the most talked about matchups of the year, will be contested for Ward’s WBA championship and the newly vacated WBC belt, adding yet another dramatic layer to an already captivating fight.

Ward has already locked up his Semifinal berth, but will be protecting his title and undefeated professional record. Dirrell, conversely, needs a win to guarantee his place in the Semis. Dirrell conceivably could get in with two points but he would need help from fellow tournament competitors.

On the same night, Saturday, Nov. 27 from Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland, Arthur Abraham will meet former WBC titlist Carl Froch for their pivotal Group Stage 3 fight. Promoters Kalle Sauerland and Mick Hennessy are working with the Hartwell Areena to finalize details for the event. This bout, matching arguably the two toughest and most aggressive punchers in the Super Six, has been rescheduled from Oct. 2 due to a back injury to Froch.

Allan Green, whose Group Stage 3 bout with Mikkel Kessler was waylaid when Kessler withdrew from competition with an eye injury, has left the perennial contender without an opponent. A decision on Green’s Group Stage 3 bout is expected in the coming days.

The third and final Group Stage will complete the round-robin portion of the tournament and determine the four fighters who will advance to the single-elimination Semifinals. Through the first two Stages, the WBA world champion Ward is the only fighter to have secured a berth in the Semis. No fighter has been eliminated from contention creating a virtual win-or-go-home scenario for each of the men.

Hershman said, “We have asked these fighters to challenge themselves against the best fighters in the world; not in one mega-fight, but in a consecutive series of career defining fights. Injuries and delays are inevitable. However, each one of them has accepted the challenge and brought a level of intensity to the ring that, in my estimation, is unmatched in all of sports.

“We are still on pace to complete the tournament in 2011, at which time we will have delivered to boxing fans around the world a number of the most compelling and meaningful matches in the sport.

“So, the drama continues with all the fighters still alive heading to Group Stage 3. I couldn’t have scripted this any better.”

SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC SCOREBOARD (Through Group Stage 2)

Record Fighter Points

2-0 Andre Ward 4

1-1 Arthur Abraham 3

1-1 Carl Froch 2

1-1 Andre Dirrell 2

0-1 Allan Green 0

For more information on the Super Six World Boxing Classic including exclusive photos, fight highlights and interviews, plus to view all episodes of the acclaimed documentary series FIGHT CAMP 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic, please visit the website at www.WorldBoxingClassic.com

ABOUT SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC

The inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic is a ground-breaking, six-fighter tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the class of the super middleweight (168-pound) division from around the world. All bouts in the Super Six tournament will be contested under the Unified Rules of Boxing. Each boxer fights three bouts against different opponents in the field in the points-based Group Stage of competition (Win – 2 pts with a 1-pt bonus for KO/TKO; Loss – 0 pts; Draw – 1 pt.). After the Group Stage, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the single-elimination Semi-Finals. The winners of the Semi-Final bouts will advance to the Finals and fight for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup.

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 Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution which recently launched SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

Monday, Sept. 27, at 12:30 p.m. CT at Scottrade Center in St. Louis

WHO: Football Legend/Unbeaten MMA Fighter Herschel Walker

Legendary Superstar And Former Olympian Dan Henderson

Former STRIKEFORCE World Champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral

Talented St. Louis Native Jesse Finney

WHEN: Monday, Sept. 27, 2010

Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. CT

Press Conference will begin at 1 p.m. CT

WHERE: Scottrade Center (main lobby)

1401 Clark Avenue

St Louis, MO 63103

WHAT: The fighters will participate in a press conference on Monday, Sept. 27, to announce the mega-STRIKEFORCE event on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis. The press conference is open to the public. An autograph signing session for fans will take place immediately following the press conference formalities.

The 48-year-old Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time NFL Pro Bowl competitor, is undefeated at 1-0 in his latest athletic endeavor – MMA. A 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee who was selected to Sports Illustrated’s NCAA All-Century Team that year, the 6-foot-1, 220 pound Walker already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo.

A two-time U.S. Olympic wrestling team member (’92, ’96), Henderson is the only fighter in the sport’s history to simultaneously hold two different titles in two different weight classes (welterweight and heavyweight) for a major fight promotion (PRIDE Fighting Championships). A former UFC star, Henderson is one of the most decorated fighters in MMA history.

Sobral, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over knockout artist Robbie Lawler last June 16 at STRIKEFORCE: Los Angeles.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former world Super Bantamweight champion Celestino caballero will make his first appearance at Jr. Lightweight when he takes on perennial contender Jason Litzau on November 27th in Las Vegas underneath the world Lightweight championship between Juan Manuel Marquez and Michael Katsidis

Details are also being worked out to add welterweight titlist Andre Berto (26-0, 20 KOs) in a mandatory defense against Selcuk Aydin (20-0, 15 KOs) to the card, promoter Lou DiBella, who promotes Caballero and Berto, told ESPN.com.

DiBella said he and Aydin co-promoter Don King are getting closer on the money. If they make a deal, then HBO will expand the card to a tripleheader.

“Caballero is moving up because he basically has to,” DiBella said of the 5-foot-11 Caballero. “He’s outgrown the 122-pound weight class. At 126, he is unquestionably being avoided. If we could have worked out suitable opposition we could have made a reasonable deal, and he would have stayed at 126. It didn’t happen.”

“We had been kicking around Litzau as a possibility if Caballero had to move up again,” DiBella said. “When it became clear there wasn’t an alternative HBO liked better, we did it. Caballero wanted to fight a name, somebody people have heard of and Litzau is that guy. He’s coming off maybe the best win of his career against Juarez. So Caballero is making a statement — he was the best 122, one of the best 126 and now he’s willing to go to 130 to fight a real guy for TV. He believes he is the best and will do what is necessary to prove it.

“I think it’s an excellent matchup,” Wirt said. “Litzau always come to fight. A lot of people wrote Litzau off, but he stood up to the plate and delivered in the Juarez fight and now we’re planning on another upset.”

Baltimore, MD (September 19) – With an enthusiastic crowd backing two of the Beltway Area’s gutsiest pugilists, longtime rivals Jesse Nicklow and Julius Kennedy fought to a thrilling ten round majority draw in the main event of “Baltimore Bad Boys” last Friday evening at the Du Burns Arena.

In what many ringsiders declared as Maryland’s Fight of the Year, both men landed a number of crisp blows in various toe to toe exchanges. Each fighter maintained a solid punch output in close quarters, with Nicklow relying on jabs, uppercuts and right hands, as Kennedy worked off of a steady body attack and straight rights. Both men had their moments, but Nicklow appeared to be the more consistent fighter throughout the contest.

Although multiple media outlets declared Nicklow a close victor, the scorecard of 98-92 in his favor was overruled by two tallies of 95-95.

Nicklow, of Baltimore, is now 20-2-3 (9 KO’s). Kennedy, a Windsor Mills, MD native, left the ring at 7-1-1 (3 KO’s).

“I thought Jesse won the fight,” said Promoter Jake Smith of Baltimore Pro Boxing. “He established himself and landed a lot of good combinations, but it was back and fourth the whole fight. I can’t complain though because it was a heck of a fight and the crowd seemed contempt with the draw.”

One of boxing’s legendary warriors was also thrilled with the action that transpired inside the squared circle.

“I am glad it ended in a draw both guys fought their heart out,” stated Five Time World Champion Vinny Paz. “It was a great fight and the fans definitely got their money’s worth. I hope they fight again!”

Unbeaten cruiserweight Steve “Show Stealer” Wheeler of Baltimore remained perfect with a crushing first round knockout over Virginia’s Donald Crawford. The wildly popular Wheeler put Crawford down for the count with a vicious straight left at 2:27.

Wheeler is now 6-0 with 5 KO’s. Crawford, an unbeaten mixed martial artist who came in on short notice, falls to 0-1.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and legendary trainer Kevin Rooney also took in the night’s action from ringside.

Baltimore Pro Boxing’s next card is slated for Saturday, October 23 at the Pikesville Armory.

For more information, go to baltimoreboxing.com

OTHER RESULTS: Heavyweights: Theron Johnson (4-3, 1 KO, Chicago, IL) TKO1 Jed Phipps (18-7, 11 KO’s Baltimore)

Cruiserweights: Maxell Taylor (14-2-1, 5 KO’s, Baltimore) UD6 Francois Ambang (2-7-1, Mechanicsville, VA)

CLICK TO WATCH FOR FREE
Come to Gleason’s gym tonight and watch some exciting amateur boxing.

The bouts tonight are sanctioned by USABoxingMetro and are part of Gleason’s monthly boxing series.

The bouts will include junior, senior and master boxers. Both male and female bouts are on tap.

The price of admission is $20.

Gym members and amateurs with their books in hand pay $15.

If you can not make it to the gym tonight, you can watch the bouts for free on:

www.gofightlive.tv

Jesse Nicklow 159 Julius Kennedy 158.5 (WBF All-Americas and Maryland State Middleweight Championship Bout)

Jed Phipps 218.5 Theron Johnson 227

Steve Wheeler 199 Donald Crawford 206

Maxell Taylor 177 Francois Ambang 183

Promoter: Jake Smith; Baltimore Pro Boxing

Venue: Du Burns Arena (doors open at 6:30 first fight is at 8 pm)

Tickets: 410-675-6900

NEW YORK (Sept. 16, 2010)—SHOWTIME Sports officially announced today a series of high-profile fights amongst four of the world’s elite fighters in the exciting and deep bantamweight division. The two-round, single-elimination tournament to determine the best fighter at 118 pounds will begin with two semifinal bouts on Saturday, Dec. 11, live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast) from Leon, Mexico.

The talented and willing field comprises unbeaten International Boxing Federation (IBF) 118-pound champion Yonnhy “El Colombiano” Perez, undefeated, world-ranked rising star Abner Mares, former IBF bantamweight champion Joseph “King Kong’’ Agbeko, and two-division world champion Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan.

Each bout will be scheduled for 12 rounds. The winners of each semifinal will clash in the final in 2011 with the losing fighters competing in a consolation fight.

“Meaningful match-ups with high stakes in boxing’s most competitive divisions—that’s our promise to boxing fans,” said SHOWTIME Sports Executive Vice President and General Manager Ken Hershman. “I hold these four world championship competitors in the highest regard for taking the fights that the fans want to see; for risking their status as one of the world’s best, to prove they are the sole champion in the division. When you consistently fight and defeat the best, you deserve to be recognized as such.”

The bantamweight tournament is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions for Darchinyan and, in association with Thompson Boxing Promotions, for Perez, Golden Boy Promotions for Mares, and Don King Productions for Agbeko. The venue in Leon, Mexico for the Dec. 11 telecast is to be announced. The semifinal matchups are as follows:

IBF Bantamweight World Championship

Yonnhy Perez vs. Joseph Agbeko

20-0-1, 14 KOs 27-2, 22 KOs

Santa Fe Springs, Calif. Bronx, New York

By way of Colombia By way of Ghana

Abner Mares vs. Vic Darchinyan

20-0-1, 13 KOs 35-2-1, 27 KOs

Montebello, Calif. Sydney, Australia

By way of Guadalajara, Mexico By way of Armenia

Each of the participants in the bantamweight tournament has previously fought at least one of the other fighters in competitive bouts, all on SHOWTIME.

Perez unanimously outpointed then-defending champion Agbeko to capture the IBF belt on Oct. 31, 2009, and retained it with a disputed majority draw over Mares last May 22. Agbeko, in his outing before getting dethroned by Perez, retained the same title with a close, unanimous decision over Darchinyan on July 7, 2009.

The beauty of a tournament is that rankings and past performances can be dismissed once it begins. Each boxer starts with the same chance to make, and win, the final.

The humble, hard-working, 5-foot-11, 31-year-old Perez is looking at the tournament as a chance to continue to stamp himself as perhaps the premier bantamweight boxer on the planet.

“I’m excited to be included in the 118-pound tournament that SHOWTIME has put together,” said Perez, who held onto his belt by the narrowest of margins (114-114 twice and 113-115) against Mares.

“SHOWTIME has helped me reveal my ability to the world and I’m honored they will televise my next two fights. I knew the instant I earned my IBF bantamweight championship title that it would open a lot of doors for me. This is the first of many opportunities. I am going to get through this tournament as the reigning champion.”

The gifted, handsome Mares, who showed his class with a highly proficient performance against Perez, doesn’t anticipate any dull moments in the ring once the first tournament bell rings.

“Boxing fans know that the little guys always make for the best fights and this tournament is guaranteed to prove that again,” said the personable 5-foot-5, 25-year-old Mares. “This is a great opportunity for all of us to prove ourselves in the spotlight and I am excited that this fight will take place in Mexico with all of the support of my people for the first time in my career.

“Of course, I am also grateful and looking forward to having a rematch with Yonnhy in the final. I felt I did enough in our first fight to win a unanimous decision. I know if I do my best again, I’ll come away with the IBF belt.”

The 5-foot-5 ½-inch, 30-year-old Agbeko hasn’t fought since falling short against Perez in Oct. 2009, but feels he is ready to step in and re-establish himself as the man to beat at 118 pounds.

“I’ve always said, and believed in my heart, that I am the best bantamweight in the world,” Agbeko said. “Now it is time to prove it once and for all.

“I’m beyond happy and excited that SHOWTIME is doing a tournament in this weight class. This truly is an opportunity that I never expected, and I am going to take full advantage of it. It is my destiny to win it all.”

Darchinyan is by far the most experienced boxer in the foursome and has participated in more than twice as many world title fights (14) as the others have combined. He is as confident as always.

“I think that this is a beautiful thing that SHOWTIME is doing, but it isn’t a bantamweight tournament, it’s The Darchinyan Tournament,” said the 5-foot-5½-inch, 34-year-old Darchinyan, a former world champion at 112 and 115 pounds who’ll be making his 12th appearance on SHOWTIME. “Everyone who faces me will feel my power and be a loser.

“I owe Agbeko because he got away with one last time. But it doesn’t matter who I fight. Even the winner in the other bracket will be a loser because he will eventually have to face me and lose.”

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please visit the website www.Sports.SHO.com.

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