LAS VEGAS – An era came crashing down, face first. Jinkee Pacquiao cried. Her husband couldn’t. Manny Pacquiao was unconscious. After the smelling salts were applied and he awakened, he smiled. He might have been the only Filipino in the world to smile then, now and perhaps for a very long time. The Philippines could only weep.

But there might have been some relief in the Pacquiao smile.

Finally, he can move on.

Finally, he can get on with his political career.

Finally, he doesn’t have to answer any more questions about Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and the media doesn’t have to ask them.

Time to turn the page.

But it’s up to him.

After his collision with Juan Manuel Marquez’ right hand Saturday night in the final second of the sixth round of the fourth chapter of their rivalry at the MGM Grand, Pacquiao wasn’t ready to step out of the ropes for good and into a full time career in the political ring.

“I’m going to take a rest and come back,’’ Pacquiao said after Marquez beat for the first time.

He might re-think that tomorrow or next week or next year. A review of the stunning stoppage on video might do a lot to convince him that a fifth fight with Marquez isn’t worth the risk. While the predominately Mexican crowd danced and sang in celebration of Marquez decisive victory, Pacquiao talked about a fifth fight.

“Why not, if the promoters can make it?’’ he said.

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum echoed the why-not. A live gate of more than $10 million is a pretty good reason to do some more business.

But Pacquiao wore a T-shirt that, unwittingly perhaps, summed it up. Finished Business, it said. It was supposed to be a message about a rivalry that he finished. Instead, it could have said it all for his brilliant career.

Marquez, who had a knockdown scored against him when his left hand hit the canvas from a jarring left in the fifth, foresaw a chance to knock out Pacquiao.

“He was coming in and I felt that I could hit him with a perfect punch,’’ said Marquez, who also knocked down Pacquiao in the third.

That punch landed at a moment when Pacquiao never saw it. His trainer, Freddie Roach, said he got careless, which is another way of saying it time to think about retirement.

Before the bout, Pacquiao got a visit in his dressing room from Mitt Romney, who wanted to be president and failed in U.S. elections last month. Roach, Arum and others in Pacquiao’s entourage have often said the Filipino Congressman has aspirations to be president of his own country.

He might have better chance that than at winning a fifth over Marquez.

LAS VEGAS – The definitive end of the Manny Pacquiao Era came Saturday. It came in an act of sudden, precise violence. And it came from the right fist of Pacquiao’s nemesis, Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez.

In the sixth round of their fourth fight, in the closing second of it in fact, Marquez used Pacquiao’s feint as his trigger, planted his weight, and threw a short right hand with years of frustration behind it. The punch landed purely, forced Pacquiao’s chin to his right collarbone, and rendered the Filipino entirely unconscious before he landed face-first on the apron. No 10-count was necessary.

The official time of Marquez’s victory and vindication was 2:59 of round 6.

Everything about Saturday’s match was different from its predecessor conducted 13 months ago. This time, Marquez (55-6-1, 40 KOs) was the larger, stronger, more powerful man. Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KOs) was still the match’s quicker and busier fighter, but he was no longer its hunter.

After a pair of very even opening rounds, the third saw Marquez lean leftwards and catch Pacquiao with a looping right hand Pacquiao appeared to see but was surprised by nonetheless. Pacquiao dropped directly to the mat, in a stunning moment entirely unanticipated by anything seen from him in a decade of superfights. Pacquiao rose, however, and fought the still-cautious Marquez off him.

Marquez was still cautious for a reason. After another even round in the fourth, Pacquiao blitzed Marquez in the fifth, dropping him with a straight left, thrown from Pacquiao’s southpaw stance, that stunned Marquez but did not truly hurt him. It affected Pacquiao more than Marquez, actually, emboldening him towards recklessness. After nearly three minutes of attacking Marquez in the sixth, on his way to a two-point lead on all three judges’ scorecards, Pacquiao showed Marquez his signature move one time too many.

Pacquiao feinted the left cross, took a hop back, and then leaped at Marquez, hands-down. Marquez, his back on the ropes, dropped his head underneath Pacquiao’s left hand, and threw his right at Pacquiao’s chin. And in an instant, the Manny Pacquiao Era was ended.

YURIORKIS GAMBOA VS. MICHAEL FARENAS
The plan was this: His promoter, rapper 50 Cent, would drop from the ceiling, and then Yuriokoris Gamboa would drop his opponent directly on the canvas. “Fiddy” did his part.

Saturday’s co-main event, a far more competitive affair than anticipated, or perhaps desired, saw Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa (22-0, 16 KOs) win a wide unanimous decision over Filipino Michael Farenas (33-4-4, 26 KOs) in a match that was not without suspense. Scores went 117-109, 118-108 and 117-108, all for Gamboa, who despite landing more than 550 punches was unable to stop Farenas and had to rise from the mat in round 9 to prevail.

After a first stanza that saw Gamboa’s superior reflexes and movement dominate, the second found Gamboa staggered by a pair of left crosses from the southpaw Farenas. Those punches from the Filipino, though, did little more than incite Gamboa – who felled Farenas in the final seconds of the stanza.

Round 3 found more aggression from Gamboa, but also some unexpected fortitude and defiance from Farenas, who both weathered Gamboa’s attack and staggered Gamboa again in the fourth with looped left hands, for which Gamboa seemed to have no comprehensive plan. Gamboa, whose attention span is short as his talent is long, often got himself struck by punches a lesser talented man – one who relied more on fundamentals than reflex – might have ducked or blocked.

After a sixth round that saw cuts over Farenas’ eyes deepen and bleed enough for a ringside doctor to give him a full examination before the seventh, Gamboa tore out his corner and tried to end the fight sensationally. After 45 second of ferocious combat, though, when a weakened Farenas was nevertheless still standing and trading, Gamboa’s activity dropped considerably, and while he did enough to win subsequent rounds, his willingness to chase a knockout more or less disappeared.

When it returned in the ninth, it nearly cost Gamboa the ‘0’ on his record, as the Cuban, sensing a knockout was near, walked himself directly into a counter left hand that dropped him on the blue mat. Gamboa rose on wobbly legs and held on tight for much of the next two minutes.

After an uneventful 10th and 11th, both men exchanged occasionally in the 12th but otherwise shuffled to the finish line, satisfied with not being felled again – even if it meant not felling the other man.

MIGUEL VAZQUEZ VS. MERCITO GESTA
It was a title match between an experienced but dull champion and an exciting but inexperienced challenger, and the champion owned it. Most every minute of it.

In the penultimate fight of Saturday’s undercard, Mexican Miguel Vazquez (25-3, 19 KOs) easily defended his IBF lightweight title, decisioning Filipino Mercito Gesta (26-1-1, 14 KOs) by unanimous scores of 117-111, 119-109 and 118-110. It may not have been that close.

After an opening round that saw Vazquez look characteristically slippery while Gesta did little to press an attack, the second and third saw Vazquez too quick, busy and awkward for Gesta. Vazquez would attack Gesta, and have certain success, and then Gesta, after patiently waiting, would decide it was his turn. By the time Gesta began his attack, though, Vazquez would be gone.

The next four rounds saw more of the same, as Gesta, for all his vaunted explosiveness against lesser opponents, simply did not have a solution for the problems an experienced champion like Vazquez proposed to him. Gesta threw ominous left hooks aplenty from his southpaw stance, but Vazquez picked them up scientifically, staying at the end of his quite long reach, and ensured he was either spinning away or ducking well beneath their plane by the time they went whipping past.

In round 8, Vazquez added a dull new wrinkle to his attack, staying at range till Gesta dropped his guard, and then rushing in with both hands, landing a clean punch or two, and tying Gesta up. Gesta appeared not to have the wherewithal or desire to fight his way out of the awkward Mexican’s awkward clinches, and the next three rounds passed without incident or emotion.

The final round passed exactly as its 11 predecessors had, with Vazquez, a professional counterpuncher and winner, if not entertainer, boxing, moving, clinching and confusing his way to another successful title defense.

JAVIER FORTUNA VS. PATRICK HYLAND
It was a battle of undefeated fighters, and while neither guy wanted to lose, neither guy wanted to win much either. The partisan-Mexican crowd that half-filled the arena did not appreciate it.

In the first televised match of Saturday’s pay-per-view telecast, Dominican featherweight Javier Fortuna (21-0, 15 KOs) decisioned limited Irishman Patrick Hyland (27-1, 12 KOs) by unanimous scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113. Fortuna, who appeared a little unstable both at Friday’s weighin and points of Saturday’s fight, fell on his back in celebration upon hearing the decision.

The fight began badly, and after two dreadful rounds that saw neither man engage and Fortuna in hands-down retreat, a lowblow made things briefly interesting and Fortuna briefly more offensive in the third. That brief display of offense by Fortuna was more than enough for Hyland to put his own fists away and spend two rounds focused on defense, blocking and ducking, and generally not punching.

In round 7, after 18 minutes of routine booing from the Garden Arena crowd, Hyland appeared to close space slightly and land a few decent right hands on the southpaw Dominican. The eighth brought increased fatigue to both men, which brought actual infighting and enough action for the crowd to cease its hectoring, if not increase its cheers.

The ninth saw a pair of unintentional fouls send Fortuna reeling to a neutral corner, followed by the entire fight’s best minute of sustained combat, as each man briefly took the other’s punches personally before returning to less-belligerent form. The 10th had the less-talented Hyland appearing to want to fight, and the more-talented Fortuna demonstratively displeased with anything that wasn’t clean punching.

The championship rounds passed uneventfully, with neither man daring to do anything daring, as the championship being contested was only the WBA interim featherweight title after all.

UNDERCARD
Saturday’s swing bout, a four-round scrap between local featherweight Alexis Hernandez (3-1, 1 KO) and New Mexican Jazzma Hogue (2-4-1) did not last long and did not look pretty, with Hernandez prevailing by TKO at 2:20 of round 1.

Before that, U.S. Olympian Jose Ramirez (1-0, 1 KO), a lightweight from California, made his professional debut against designated victim Corey Siegwarth (2-2, 1 KO) of Colorado. Charging out his corner and swarming Siegwarth from the opening bell, Ramirez moved well and threw punches in combination while showing good defense, stopping Siegwarth at 2:05 of round 1. As many clean punches as Ramirez needed to finish Siegwarth, time will tell how much power he has brought with him to the pro ranks.

Saturday’s second match saw Filipino featherweight Dodie Boy Penalosa (10-0, 10 KOs) stop Floridian Jesus Lule-Raya (2-2) suddenly and violently at 1:12 of round 2. Undefeated as he is, and with his victories coming the way they do, it will be interesting to see how Penalosa’s coming improvement in competition goes.

The evening began with a surprisingly two-sided affair between Filipino super featherweight Ernie Sanchez (14-3, 5 KOs) and Philadelphian Coy Evans (10-2-1, 2 KOs). Both men were hurt early in the fight, with Evans being sent to the mat by a right hand from Sanchez, but neither succumbed to the other’s numerous but light punches, and Sanchez prevailed by unanimous decision: 78-73, 78-73 and 77-74.

Opening bell rang on an empty MGM Grand Garden Arena at 4:06 PM local time.

QUEENS, NY – The Resorts World Casino hosted another successful night of fights on Saturday night as they featured Vinny Maddalone (35-8, 26 KO’s, 231 1/2lbs) up against Byron Polley 25-13-1, 11KO’s, 268 1/2lbs). The event was promoted by Ole World, New Legend, and Won Promotions in association with Joe Deguardia’s Star Boxing.

Maddalone, as usual, came out swinging. Polley was horribly overweight, and Maddalone zeroed in on his soft midsection. Maddalone scored a knockdown in the first, maintained control of the second, and stormed out of his corner in the third, gunning for the KO. A knockdown came early in the round, and Maddalone pounced, landing a hook upstairs. After a delayed reaction, Polley hit the canvas, and the referee waved the fight off. Maddalone won the fight by way of technical knockout victory at the 1:11 point of the third round.

The co-feature showcased Juan Dominguez (11-0, 7 KO’s, 121lbs) against Jhon Alberto Molina (30-21-3, 19 KO’s, 120lbs). Dominguez started the fight imposing his considerable size advantage with long and straight punches from a safe distance. Molina made attempts at getting inside behind a looping overhand right, but Dominguez seemed prepared for that by only using his jab when absolutely necessary. After three rounds, Dominguez was in control, but still hadn’t established himself as completely dominant. Both fighters seemed fresh as they made it to their corners before the fourth round, but Molina began complaining about an injury to his left thigh. He was unable to continue and was forced to retire, giving Dominguez a technical knockout victory at the :00 mark of the fourth round officially. Dominguez and his fans were glad for the win, but appeared disappointed in the fact that he couldn’t win the old fashioned way.

Frank Galarza (7-0-1, 4 KO’s, 152lbs) made his return to Resorts World hoping for a big performance against Roberto Lopez (4-3-2, 1 KO, 152lbs). Both fighters quickly established stiff jabs and followed up with hard rights, but it was Galarza who landed the cleaner blows. Galarza utilized the ring much better, which was something he hasn’t shown in past fights. Lopez wanted a brawl, but Galarza’s movement kept him in check. As the bout progressed, Lopez was able to continue his pressure and pin a seemingly tired Galarza. The fifth round saw Lopez strafe Galarza along the ropes. Galarza responded in the sixth by fighting like a completely different fighter; ripping huge punches on Lopez. The bout ended to rising applause. The judges all saw it the same, scoring it 59-55 for Galarza for the unanimous decision victory.

Angel Garcia (3-1, 2 KO’s, 134 lbs) showcased his fancy footwork against Victor Galindo (1-0, 1 KO, 133lbs). The first two rounds saw Garcia utilize an excess of movement while pot shotting. Galindo was more traditional, hoping to work behind a 1-2 combination. Landing a clean jab against a left handed fighter is a difficult task, and Garcia began to take advantage in the final two rounds of the fight, throwing numerous from multiple angles. The bout ended and the scores read 39-37, 39-37, and 38-38 in favor of Garcia, giving him a majority decision victory.

In front of a throng of supporters, Bryant Cruz (129 1/2lbs) made his professional debut against Jonathan Caban (0-3, 130lbs). Caban, despite being the taller of the two, was unable to keep Cruz off of him. The first two rounds saw Cruz maul Caban from pillar to post. It was more of the same in the third until the referee had no choice but to step in and call a stop to the onslaught, giving Cruz a technical knockout victory at the 1:20 mark.

About tewnty-seven years ago, Robert Garris was a star amateur with sixty-seven wins and only three losses. After suffering an injury, his professional hopes came to an end. That was until Saturday night. He came in at 171lbs and faced Abdellah Smith (1-4, 1KO, 174lbs) in a bout scheduled for four rounds. Abdellah, at 38 years of age, was no spring chicken himself. The first round saw both fighters size each other up. Neither one of them were steady on their feet. At the 1:08 point in the second, with Garris backing into a corner, Smith unleashed a powerful right hand that landed flush on Garris’ chin. Garris was knocked out cold; face down on the canvas. The crowd, whom he had won over with his story, was in shock. Then word spread out that his entire purse was to be donated to disadvantaged and orphaned children. It was then that Garris sat up, and then stood up to the roar of the fans in attendance. He might have lost, but he won over the hearts of everyone in attendance. Smith was credited with a 2nd round technical knockout.

The very talented Heather Hardy (2-0, 122lbs) made easy work of Ivana Coleman (0-3, 123 1/2lbs) over the course of four one sided rounds. Hardy was just simply too good and landed nonstop combinations throughout the fight. Coleman was able to stay on her feet and attempt to slip in some counter punches, but Hardy barely flinched. The final scores were unanimous in Hardy’s favor, all reading 40-36.

The opening bout of the evening featured a very entertaining for round scrap between Neuky Santelises (1-0, 1KO, 131lbs) and Micah Branch (1-2, 132lbs). From start to finish, both fighters attempted to finish eachother off with hard counter punching. The difference between the two was that Branch focused entirely on blows to the head, while Santelises’ punch selection was much more well rounded. After four spirited rounds, the final scores read 39-37, 40-36, and 39-37 in favor of Santelises, giving him a unanimous decision victory

Las Vegas, Nevada – Episode 12 – “Semifinal Showdown” – of The Ultimate Fighter® Fridays reality series aired Friday night on FX and featured this season’s semifinal matchups, teammate vs. teammate.

The first bout, featuring Team Nelson’s Jon Manley vs. Colton Smith, went to a third-round decision and ended with Smith as the victor after dominating the first two of third rounds. The second semifinal matchup saw Team Carwin teammates Mike Ricci and Neil Magny square off in the Octagon®. It appeared both men were evenly matched, but then, during the last minute of the first round, Ricci delivered the only knockout of the season, which left Magny briefly unconscious.

The two victors, Smith and Ricci, will now face off in the much-anticipated Finale on December 15th to decide who will win the lucrative contract with the UFC® and be named the next Ultimate Fighter.

Here’s what this season’s winning finalists had to say after their bouts:

Ricci: “I won the fight and I was excited, but I couldn’t help it, I broke down and I started crying. Because, the truth is, I would’ve rather win by a decision than to do that to him, cause it hurt. You have a teammate and you eat every night with them and you pray with them and you go for swims and you talk and you share things and then you do that to somebody…and it was hard for me. I know what it’s like to be Neil; I’ve been knocked out before. That feeling where you wake up and you don’t know what happened and all your dreams are shattered, all the opportunity you thought you had was gone. But if I didn’t do it to him, he would’ve done it to me, so I had no choice.”

Smith: “Feels great, I’m top two now. It’s been a long road; 4 weigh-ins, 4 fights, 4-0 in the house. I might not have been the best fighter, I might not have been the most skilled or the prettiest fighter, but I guarantee you, I’m the best fighter at the end of the day in the house.”

Here’s what UFC President Dana White and the two finalists had to say heading into the Finale:

Ricci: “I don’t think that Colton Smith can hang with me to be honest with you. I mean anything can happen, right? He’s a dangerous man, but if my A game is on, I’ll be able to stop Colton for sure.”

Smith: “Mike Ricci is a tough, tough dude. He has power in his hands, power in his kicks, elbows. He’s a very versatile fighter, but I’m going to go in there and I’m going to take his head off, I’m going to ground and pound, I’m going to look for the submission. He’ll break before I will, that’s guaranteed.”

White: “I think Ricci vs. Smith is going to be a good fight. These guys have consistently fought well, they won, and I think we ended up with the two best guys here, I really do.”

After 12 weeks of non-stop action and 30 fights, it all comes down to this moment.

Tickets for The Ultimate Fighter Finale on Dec. 15 at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas are on sale and priced at $304, $254, $179, $154, $104 and $79. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit the Hard Rock Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, www.ticketmaster.com, www.thejointlasvegas.com or charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000.

Results after episode 12:

Team Carwin (7-7)

Sam Alvey (0-1, lost to Joey Rivera by decision in episode 3)

Bristol Marunde (1-1, defeated Julian Lane by decision in episode 4, lost to Neil Magny by decision in episode 10)

Mike Ricci (3-0, defeated Dom Waters by decision in episode 9, defeated Mike Ricci by decision in episode 11, defeated Neil Magny by knockout in episode 12)

Neil Magny (2-1, defeated Cameron Diffley by decision in episode 2, defeated Bristol Marunde by decision in episode 10, lost via knockout to Mike Ricci in episode 12)

James Chaney (0-1, submitted by Jon Manley in episode 8)

Eddy Ellis (0-1, lost to Colton Smith by majority decision in epsiode 6)

Igor Araujo (1-1, defeated Nic Herron-Webb by majority decision in episode 5, lost to Colton Smith by decision in episode 10)

Matt Secor (0-1, lost to Michael Hill by split decision in episode 7)

Team Nelson (7-7)

Dom Waters (0-1, lost to Mike Ricci by decision in episode 9)

Michael Hill (1-1, defeated Matt Secor by split decision in episode 7, lost to Mike Ricci by decision in episode 11)

Cameron Diffley (0-1, lost to Neil Magny by decision in episode 2)

Colton Smith (3-0, defeated Eddy Ellis by majority decision in episode 6, defeated Igor Araujo by decision in episode 10, defeated Jon Manley by decision in episode 12)

Jon Manley (2-1, submitted James Chaney is episode 8, defeated Joey Rivera by decision in episode 11, lost to Colton Smith by decision in episode 12)

Nic Herron-Webb (0-1, lost to Igor Araujo by majority decision in episode 5)

Joey Rivera (1-1, defeated Sam Alvey by decision in episode 3, lost to Jon Manley by decision in episode 11)

Julian Lane (0-1, lost to Bristol Marunde by decision in episode 4)

A full recap is available at ufc.com.

For more show information, bios, videos and photos, visit ultimatefighter.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter under our new name @TUFonFX or on Facebook.com/TUG

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. In 2011, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which now airs on FX.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 149 countries and territories, to nearly one billion homes worldwide, in 20 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with over two million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, the best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed by THQ, and a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

FX

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 98 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series including Sons of Anarchy, Justified and American Horror Story, and acclaimed hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Louie, Archer and Wilfred. Its library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network. The network’s other offerings include the acquired hit series Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother, and live sports with college football and the UFC.

Arthur Abraham (35-3, 27 KOs) has entered the ring in Nuremberg, Germany on
two previous occasions. However, the fight against Mehdi Bouadla (26-4, 11
KOs) will be something special. For the first time ever, the prodigy of
Coach Ulli Wegner will make his way to the squared circle as the WBO
Super-Middleweight World Champion. Hence, King Arthur is very excited about
returning to Franconia.

Arthur Abraham, on August 25 you won an exciting fight against Robert
Stieglitz and consequently took over as the reigning WBO Super-Middleweight
World Champion. What has changed since then?

Arthur Abraham: I am just more relaxed than before. Of course, my finances
have also changed since then. But that is about it. Understandably, I was
very relieved once I had that belt around my waist.

Before you moved up a division, you were the IBF Middleweight World
Champion. Are you even more motivated than before, now that you won the
world title in the heavier division?

Arthur Abraham: Most definitely. My motivation is immense. Everybody would
be happy to call themselves a two-division world champion.

Does that effect your preparation in any sort of way?

Arthur Abraham: Your attitude towards training changes. When I was younger,
my mind was wandering around. But the more experienced you get, the more
focused you become and you start realizing that professional sport is a
serious business. I try to keep mistakes to a minimum – and I train a little
bit harder each day.

In which areas have you developed yourself in the last months?

Arthur Abraham: You develop on a daily basis in many different aspects such
as physically and you become more disciplined. I think that I work even
harder than ever before.

You are finally returning to Nuremberg. You have very special memories of
the city in Franconia…

Arthur Abraham: That´s correct. During my amateur days, I was part of 1. FC
Nürnberg and my coach back then was Uwe Schulz. We had some great times
together. In 1997, I became the International Champion of Germany as well as
the Bavarian Champion. Those are great memories.

After you turned pro, you had two fights in Nuremberg. The first was in 2003
against Cezary Piotrowski followed by a fight with Howard Eastman two years
later…

Arthur Abraham: Back then, I was part of the undercard for a main event. Now
I am returning for the first time as the main event of the evening. However,
I also have some painful memories of Nuremberg. I cracked my rips during the
Eastman fight. That hurt quite a lot and it showed in my performance.

This time you will be facing Mehdi Bouadla. What are your thoughts on him?

Arthur Abraham: Mehdi Bouadla is a real fighter. He is always looking for
one-on-one situations. I am hoping to stop him early in order for him not to
land as many hard shots in return. Those could be very dangerous.

What are your plans for the future?

Arthur Abraham: First, I want to win on December 15. Once the new year has
started, I will start thinking about my next steps. I want to hold on to my
title for quite a while!

Jose Nieves stopped Glenn Porras in round two of a scheduled;ed ten round fight at the Kissimme Civic Center in Kissimme, Florida

Nieves dropped Porras in round one with a four punch combination and again in the second from a crushing right hook to the head

Nieves of Carolina, P is now 21-2-3 with ten knockouts. Porras of the Philippines is now 28-4

Yordenis Ugas scored a ten round unanimous decision over veteran Cosme Rivera in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Scores were 98-92, 97-93 and 97-93 for Ugas, 140 lbs of Santiago, Cuba and is now 13-1. Rivera, 140 lbs of Cuican, MX and is now 35-15-3

Carlos Lacayo scored a four round unanimous decision over Giovanny Vasquez in a Featherweight bout.

Scores were 38-36 on all cards for Lacayo, 126 lbs who was making his pro debut. Vasquez, 126 lbs is 0-2.

LINCOLN, R.I. (Dec. 7, 2012) – Former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran Chuck O’Neil moved one step closer to returning to the big stage Friday night and halted Keith Jeffrey’s momentum with a 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 unanimous decision win in the main event of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Battle Tested” mixed martial events at Twin River Casino.

O’Neil (10-5) took control of the fight in the third and final round with a critical takedown, subsequently preventing Jeffrey (8-3-1) from unleashing his overhand rights, which, at that point, had been his most dangerous weapon.

Jeffrey, a Pawtucket, R.I., native, entered the fight having won each of his last three bouts since returning from a knee injury in 2011, but O’Neil’s takedown and poise on the ground in the final round turned out to be the difference. O’Neil, a former contestant on The Ultimate Fighter reality show, has now won two of his last three fights while Jeffrey suffered his first loss since 2010.

One of the most impressive wins of the night belonged to Providence’s Luis Felix (9-6), who submitted Ludlow, Mass., lightweight Jeremy Ross (6-4) just 1:21 seconds into the opening round via guillotine choke. The win was Lewis’ fourth in a row and first since October when he defeated former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran Marc Stevens in October.

Coming off back-to-back losses, Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Todd Chattelle (11-8) also made quick work of his opponent, using the guillotine choke to submit veteran Robby Roberts (8-15) of Orange, Mass., at the 1:35 mark of the opening round. Chattelle had lost both of his fights in 2012 prior to Friday’s victory after finishing 2011 with a perfect 4-0 record.

Salem, Mass., bantamweight Matt Doherty (1-0, 1 KO) started the night with a victory in his professional debut, stopping Terin Swanson (2-2) at the 1:54 mark of the second round with a series of unanswered blows. Swanson got off to a strong start with his ground game in the opening round, but Doherty answered the call in the second round and utilized his superior stand-up game to make quick work of Swanson, who had won his last two bouts entering Friday.

In the middleweight division, newcomer Joe Palazio (1-0) of Providence bounced back from a slow start and defeated Joe Cronin (2-0) of Mansfield, Mass., via submission with a guillotine choke at the 2:27 mark of the opening round. Cronin looked sharp early, but Palazio turned the tide with a short left hook and then finished Cronin with the guillotine for his first career win.

Chris Foster (6-2) of Middletown, Conn., and Thane Stimson (2-2) of nearby Canterbury went the distance in their featherweight bout with Foster hanging on for a 28-29, 29-28, 29-28 split decision win. Foster controlled the bout early, using a flurry of lefts and right to bloody Stimson’s face in the opening round, but Stimson regained control in the second round with his ground game. The third round went back and forth until Foster sealed it with a well-timed takedown in the closing seconds for a victory in his first fight in more than a year and a half.

Dinis Paiva of East Providence, R.I., evened his record at 3-3 in the bantamweight division with a hard-fought 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 unanimous decision win over Ithica, N.Y., native Josh Lange (1-1). In a tough fight to score, Paiva controlled the action on the ground to escape with the decision. Heavyweight Pat Walsh (2-0) of West Bridgewater, Mass., made quick work of Providence’s Eric Bedard (3-2), submitting his opponent via Kimura just 51 seconds into the opening round.

In one of the most highly-anticipated bouts of the evening, Boston lightweight Lucas Cruz (6-0) kept his perfect record intact by out-working and out-hustling previously-unbeaten Andres Jeudi (5-1) to score a unanimous, yet close, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 win. Both fighters traded blows throughout the fight, with Jeudi’s exceptional takedown defense frustrating Cruz at times, but Cruz sealed the win with a critical takedown in the closing minutes of the third round, preventing Jeudi from utilizing his stand-up game.

PHILADELPHIA – The weigh in was held tonight for Saturday night’s nationally televised NBC Sports Network Fight Night boxing event at Temple University’s Pearson / McGonigle Hall. Heavyweights Bryant Jennings, 15-0, 7 KOs, and Bowie Tupou, 22-2, 16 KOs take center stage in the main event as they battle 12 rounds for Jennings’ USBA heavyweight title. Junior lightweights Eric Hunter, 16-2, 9 KOs and Jerry Belmontes, 17-0, 5 KOs will in engage in a 10 round co-feature contest.

The NBC Sports Network Fight Night telecast will begin at 10PM EST on Saturday, December 8th. Fight fans will be able to catch a re-air of the show after the Pacquaio – Marquez fight, beginning 1AM Eastern, 10PM Pacific.

ABOUT DECEMBER 8TH

Pearson/McGonigle Halls, a 4,500-seat venue at Temple University located at 1800 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19121. It has hosted both professional and amateur boxing in the past, but when NBC Sports Network broadcasts the sixth installment of its Fight Night series on Dec. 8, it will be the first professional boxing event held at Pearson/McGonigle Halls in over 19 years.

Nine bouts are planned for the Philadelphia card. The fight is promoted by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, and Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with BAM Boxing. Tickets priced at $35, $50 and $75 can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing at 215-765-0922 or going online at www.peltzboxing.com. Tickets also are on sale at www.comcastTIX.com.

“FIGHT NIGHT 36: BRYANT JENNINGS” RE-AIRS

All times are ET:

Dec. 7 at 12:30 a.m., Dec. 8 at 4:30 p.m., Dec. 9 at 4 p.m., Dec.13 at 8:30 p.m., Dec. 25 at 1:30 a.m.

2012-2013 NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT SCHEDULE

(All times ET and subject to change)

Saturday, Dec., 8
10 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
Philadelphia, Pa.

Saturday, Dec., 22
4 p.m. ET
NBC
Bethlehem, PA

Saturday, Jan., 19
9 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
Mohegan, CT

Saturday, Feb., 23
10:30 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
TBA

Saturday, Mar., 9
10 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
TBA

Saturday, June 14
9 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
TBA

To find the location of the NBC Sports Network on your local cable, satellite or IPTV provider, click here:http://www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30092015/ns/sports/

On DIRECTV NBC Sports Network has moved to channel 220.

Tweet the link to NBC Sports Network Fight Night channel finder: bit.ly/175UuU

Twitter: #FightNight Twitter: @main_events @NBCSN

Facebook:facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing facebook.com/NBCSports

LAS VEGAS – Evidence of Juan Manuel Marquez’ new found power is circulating like an ominous preview in video of his brutal stoppage of a sparring partner. But Manny Pacquiao hasn’t seen it. Won’t lose any sleep thinking about it.

“I’m not worried about it,’’ Pacquiao said Friday after the formal weigh-in for his fourth fight Saturday night with Marquez at the MGM Grand. “I took Antonio Margarito’s best punch.’’

In the sixth round of a 2010 victory over Margarito at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex., Pacquiao was rocked by left hook to the body. It was one of the punches Margarito had used with devastating efficiency throughout his career as a brawler.

“I was lucky to survive that round,’’ Pacquiao said then.

In a lesson delivered by Margarito’s left hand, Pacquiao might have experience and confidence to go along with the luck he’ll need against Marquez.

Sellout equals heavyweight standard
Top Rank announced Friday that it had sold out the MGM’s Grand Garden Arena’s 16,000-plus seats for Marquez-Pacquiao. Promoter Bob Arum said the gate would generate more than $10.6 million. More than $10 million in tickets were sold for the third Marquez-Pacquiao fight, also at the MGM Grand.

It’s the first time rematches have done more than $10 million at the gate for each bout since Evander Holyfield beat Mike Tyson in 1996 and beat him again in 1997 at the cost of an ear lobe, also at the MGM Grand.

Notes, quotes
· Tyson was introduced to a noisy, cheering crowd at the weigh-in. The former heavyweight champ asked fans to support his charitable foundation, Mike Tyson Cares. Meanwhile, he’s getting ready to take his Broadway show on a national tour of 36 cities. “I’m like Frankenstein,’’ Tyson said. “A lot of people have put me together.’’

· After stepping off the scale, Pacquiao, a Filipino Congressman and Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve, dedicated Saturday night’s fight on HBO’s pay-per-view television to fellow Filipinos hit by Typhoon Bopha. There were reports Friday of than 500 dead and 400 missing. There 310,000 left homeless.

· Former welterweight rivals Tommy Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard are in Las Vegas for Chapter IV in the Pacquiao-Marquez rivalry. Hearns picks Pacquiao to win. Leonard played it safe. He didn’t pick anybody.

LAS VEGAS – It was not particularly eventful, far as these things go – two muscular men stripped to their underwear, stepped on a scale, had their weights read, dismounted, and posed shirtless for photographers beneath the stage – but it was not entirely without event. Mike Tyson saw to that.

Friday afternoon at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Filipino welterweight Manny Pacquiao and his career nemesis, Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, each made weight for their Saturday fight, a match that will complete a storied tetralogy in the very venue where it began.

Pacquiao made the welterweight limit of 147 pounds. Marquez came in three pounds below at 143.

“It’s going to be a war,” Marquez said immediately afterwards. “It’s going to be a war.”

If the fight will be the battle Marquez promised, he is the man who appears to have the heavier artillery this time. As part of a controversial strength and conditioning regimen conducted in Mexico with a controversial strength and conditioning coach, Marquez has added a significant quotient of muscle in his recent training camps and removed fat while doing it – a feat once believed nigh impossible for a man approaching his 40th birthday, as Marquez now does.

It is an edge Marquez, 0-2-1 in his three matches with Pacquiao, believes will mark the necessary “grain” of difference he needs.

“I would like to pray for all the families affected by the storm in the Philippines,” said Pacquiao, after making weight, replying to a question about a natural disaster that struck his native land this month. “I am dedicating this fight to them.”

Pacquiao, who looked very good, if not muscular as Marquez, Friday, has downplayed his opponent’s noteworthy growth in the last 15 months, answering questions about Marquez’s size with appeals to larger men Pacquiao has fought, and bigger punchers, too.

That may be, but did any of them have a history of hitting Pacquiao often or accurately as Marquez does?

“Not the biggest fight, possibly,” Marquez said of Saturday’s fourth match with Pacquiao and its place in his career. “The most important.”

Asked if, as a congressman in the Philippines, he still had the “fire in his belly” required to beat up a prizefighter gifted, dedicated and fixated on victory as Marquez is, Pacquiao was terse but adamant.

“Yes, sir,” he said.

Friday’s weighin, while not the fire-marshal-bar-the-doors affair previous Pacquiao weighins have been, was well-attended by what sounded like a partisan-Mexican crowd. Also in attendance was world middleweight champion Sergio Martinez, who kept a characteristically low profile.

Keeping a characteristically higher profile was former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, in town, and in MGM Grand, to promote and perform “Mike Tyson Cares: Giving Kids a Fighting Chance,” a show Tyson will host at MGM Grand’s Tabu Ultra Lounge, Friday night.

Tyson, whose euphoria at being on stage for a superfight weighin was pronounced, as evidenced by his constant smile and interaction with undercard fighters throughout, spent only a moment center-stage, waving and bowing to loud applause, then saying: “And make sure you come out!”

Doors for “Pacquiao-Marquez 4,” an eight-match card, will open at 3:00 PM local time, with opening bell scheduled to ring at 3:45. The four-fight pay-per-view televised portion of the card will begin at 6:00 PM. 15rounds.com will have full ringside coverage.

Vinny Maddalone 231 1/2 vs Byron Polley 268 ½
Angel Garcia 134 vs. Victor Galindo 133
Neuky Santalises 131 vs Micah Branch 132
Rob Garris 171 vs Abdellah Smith 174
Heather Hardy 122 vs. Ivana Coleman 123 ½
Bryant Cruz 129 1/2 vs. Jonathan Caban 130
Frank Galarza 152 vs Roberto Lopez 152
Juan Dominguez 121 vs. Jhon Alberto Molina 120

VENUE: Resorts World Casino
Promoters: New Legend Boxing, Old World Boxing, W.O.N Promotions (Main event in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing)

1st bell: 6 pm

Tickets prices are $50 General Admission, $125 Ringside and $225 VIP (Includes Open Bar & Buffet) and can be purchased by calling New Legend Boxing 718-487-4474 and/or logging on to www.NewLegendBoxing.com

A portion of the ticket proceeds will be donated to the victims of Hurricane Sandy

For more information and/or media credentials,

Manny Pacquiao 147 – Juan Manuel Marquez 143
Yuriorkis Gamboa 130 – Michael Ferenas 130
Patrick Hyland 126 – Javier Fortuna 126

Photps by Chris Farina / Top Rank

LOS ANGELES, December 7 – It was the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fight of the Year” in 2010 and on Saturday, December 8, nearly two years to the day after this epic battle took place in Las Vegas, TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” Classics is pleased to present a replay of the 12-round battle between Amir “King” Khan and Marcos “El Chino” Maidana for the WBA Super Lightweight World Championship on TeleFutura beginning at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Currently preparing for his December 15 showdown against undefeated Carlos Molina at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, Calif., British superstar Khan cemented his place on the pound for pound list on December 11, 2010, when he defended his WBA Super Lightweight World Title against the hard-hitting Argentinean Maidana. Early on, Khan controlled the fight with his speed and crisp punching, but the iron-chinned Maidana took everything Khan could throw at him and as the fight progressed, it became a fight to remember. Though Khan was forced to survive some rough moments in the late rounds, his courageous stand and early lead allowed him to win a close, but unanimous decision over Maidana in a bout that was celebrated around the world.

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.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (December 7, 2012) – The people have spoken and they voted unanimously for Saturday’s welterweight battle between MANNY PACQUIAO and JUAN MANUEL MÁRQUEZ 4 — Act Four of their exciting and fistoric rivalry. Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum announced today that the MGM Grand Garden Arena and its 16,000-plus seats have completely sold out, producing a live gate in excess of $10.5 million.

“Manny and Juan Manuel may have unfinished business in the ring, but as far as the live box office, it’s business as usual – another sellout,” said Arum. “I encourage boxing fans in Las Vegas to go to their favorite MGM Resort International property to purchase their closed-circuit seats today because the projections are looking like a sell out there too.”

Pacquiao vs. Márquez 4 will be available via closed circuit at the following MGM Resorts International Las Vegas properties: ARIA, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, New York-New York and Circus Circus. Tickets are priced at $50, not including applicable service charges. All seats will be general admission and will be available at each individual property’s box office.

Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs), of the Philippines, and Márquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs), of México, who have won world titles in 12 weight divisions between them, will go mano a mano and toe-to-toe in a 12-round welterweight battle.

******************************

The finale of the all-new editions of HBO’s all-access reality series 24/7 PACQUIAO/MARQUEZ 4 debuts Tonight! Friday, December 7 (8:00-8:30 p.m. ET/PT), the night before the high-stakes welterweight showdown. All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand and HBO GO®.

Pacquiao-Márquez 4 is promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions, Zanfer Promotions, Márquez Boxing, Tecate, Wonderful Pistachios, Cinemax ‘Banshee,’ Smart Communications, Universal Pictures ‘Django Unchained’ and MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.

The Pacquiao vs. Márquez 4 telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #PacMarquez to join the conversation on Twitter. For Pacquiao vs. Márquez updates, log on to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com.

Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez (four fights; 2007-2010);
Azumah Nelson-James Leija (four fights: 1993-1998);
Bobby Chacon-Bazooka Limon (four fights: 1972-1985);
Joey Giardello-Dick Tiger (four fights: 1959-1965);
Sugar Ray Robinson-Gene Fullmer (four fights: 1957-1961);
Beau Jack-Ike Williams (four fights; 1948-1955);
Jersey Joe Walcott-Ezzard Charles (four fights; 1949-1952);
Sandy Saddler-Willie Pep (four fights: 1948-1951);
Sugar Ray Robinson-Jake LaMotta (six fights: 1942-1951);
Beau Jack-Bob Montgomery (four fights; 1943-1944);
Gene Tunney-Harry Greb (five fights: 1922-1925);
Jack Britton and Ted Kid Lewis (20 fights: 1915-1921).
Emile Griffith – Luis Rodriguez (4 times, 55 rounds), courtesy Jack Obermayer.

The original list was compiled by Steve Farhood.
Pongsaklek Wonjongkam-Daisuke Naito (courtesy Scott Shaffer)

(4 times, 32 rounds, 2002-2008, 2 wins for Wonjongkam, one for Naito, one draw)

Pacquiao and Marquez note: last fight ended in a draw but they never did a fifth fight

Stanley Ketchel – Billy Papke (Courtesy Don Stradley)

(Courtesy Michael Woods)

Sugar Ray Robinson-Carl Bobo Olson (4 fights)
Archie Moore vs Harold Johnson (5 fights)
Ezzard Charles-Joey Maxim (5 fights)
Kid Gavilan vs Billy Graham (4 fights)
Veeraphol Sahaprom vs Toshiaki Nishioka (4 fights)
Henry Cooper-Joe Erskine (5 fights)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Dec. 7, 2012) – No longer will Raymundo Beltran be known as Manny Pacquiao’s favorite sparring partner. He’s finally carved his own niche amongst the elite lightweights in professional boxing.

Fresh off his upset win over former top-ranked contender Hank Lundy in July, Beltran (27-6, 17 KOs) pieced together another brilliant performance Thursday night in Las Vegas, defending his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) lightweight title with a 98-92, 98-92, 97-94 unanimous decision win over Ji-Hoon Kim (24-8) at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in the main event of a special Thursday night edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.

“I pray I get a shot at a world title. That’s what I want, and I believe that’s what I deserve,” Beltran said. “This is no time to stop or take easy fights. I have never shied away from a tough fight. I just needed the right fights under the right conditions, and Lundy and Kim were made to order for me.”

Kim entered the fight ranked No. 3 in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and No. 7 in the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and appeared to be in control of Thursday’s fight when he sent Beltran to the canvas courtesy of a hard, left hook midway through the opening round, but Beltran fought back, answering with a left hook of his own that dropped Kim at the bell.

Over the next nine rounds, Beltran out-worked and out-muscled Kim to win decisively on all three scorecards in what was his second consecutive victory and first since dethroning Lundy on ESPN in July.

“This was a great fight for Ray. He trained hard and fought harder,” said Beltran’s head trainer Freddie Roach. “We had Kim hurt a number of times, but Ray hurt his hand early, so we just stayed on Kim’s body. When Ray went down in the first round, I looked at him, and that’s when I knew he wasn’t going to go down again. Kim is a tough kid, but it was Ray’s fight. We want a title shot next.”

A former sparring partner for Pacquiao, who is also fighting this weekend in Las Vegas, Beltran toiled in anonymity before beating Lundy in what many considered the upset of the year. Under the guidance of his longtime manager, Steve Feder, Roach and promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. of Classic Entertainment & Sports, Beltran has finally escaped Pacquiao’s shadow and is now on the cusp of a shot at a world title in the 135-pound division.

“This has been long overdue for Ray,” Feder said. “He’s really put his work in. The biggest difference is his mindset. Being Manny’s sparring partner has been a blessing and a curse. It gave him tremendous experience, but in some ways it took him out of the picture because he’d have a hard time understanding he’s not just someone’s sparring partner.

“These last two camps, although we worked with Manny, we also brought in a lot of other sparring partners as well. We worked with Brandon Rios, who was really helpful, and we brought in strength and conditioning coach Rob Garcia, who really helped Ray step his game up. He had a really good camp. It was all about clearing his head, and having that belt gave him something to prepare for and defend.”

With Pacquiao simultaneously preparing for Saturday’s Pay Per View showdown against Juan Manuel Marquez – the fourth installment of their longstanding rivalry – he and Beltran worked together at Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles.

“Manny has been such a great supporter for him,” Feder said. “Manny kept insisting that Ray understand what his role was and that he was not only there to support Manny, but to prepare for his own fight. Manny never put him in the position of just being a sparring partner. They were really helping each other.

“Being in this relationship with Manny has been phenomenal for Ray, but, as a fighter, he also needs to have his own identity,” Feder added. “He’s not walking into the ring with Manny; he’s walking in there on his own. At this stage in his career, the key for him is being able to identify himself as his own fighter.”

After beating Kim in front of a worldwide audience, the sky’s the limit for Beltran – originally from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico – who entered Thursday’s fight ranked No. 9 in the World Boxing Council (WBC). He’s keeping a watchful eye on the rest of the field, starting Saturday night on the undercard of the Pacquiao-Marquez fight when IBF world lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez defends his title against unbeaten challenger Mercito Gesta.

“I will be watching,” Beltran said. “I want my shot. Tough fighters bring out the best in me and now I want to continue to fight the best.”

Added Burchfield: “We’ll challenge anyone in the 135-pound division, whether it’s Vazquez, Gesta, Richard Abril or Adrien Broner. We’ve seen first-hand what Ray is capable of inside the ring. No one’s worked harder, and, right now, there’s not a more dangerous fighter in this weight class.”

“Since our team at Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., joined forces with Global Boxing Promotions in 2010, we have diligently worked together to guide Mariusz Wach to the precipice of a world heavyweight championship. We fulfilled our obligation as co-promoters, utilizing our wisdom and relationships within the sport of boxing. Under the tutelage of Classic Entertainment & Sports and Global Boxing Promotions, Wach won five consecutive bouts, rose to No. 4 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) ratings and achieved his lifelong dream Nov. 17th by challenging Wladimir Klitschko for the World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight titles.

“Wach put his faith and trust in us as co-promoters to guide him to the top. In turn, we put our faith and trust in Wach and the trainers he felt most comfortable working with in preparing for the opportunity to win a world title. Wach spent four months working exclusively with his team of trainers in preparation for last month’s title bout, fully trusting their guidance and judgment under the assumption they would act within the rules and regulations set forth by boxing’s most respected governing bodies.

“Without the benefit of any direct involvement in Wach’s training camp, we held Wach’s trainers to the same strict code of conduct and ethics we expect from all of our fighters, trainers and employees. CES and Global Boxing Promotions fulfilled its obligations as Wach’s co-promoters and expected his trainers to do the same in preparation for last months’ heavyweight title bout. We are disappointed to learn of the most recent allegations against Wach, and we hope these allegations do not diminish his valiant effort against Wladimir Klitschko.”

WBA Super-Middleweight World Championship:

Brian Magee: 76,2 kg

Mikkel Kessler: 76,1 kg

The IBF has sanctioned the Rances Barthelemy vs. Arash Usmanee fight on Friday, January 4, 2013, as an IBF Jr. Lightweight Title Eliminator. The winner of the Bout will be ranked number 2 in the world by the IBF at Jr. Lightweight.

Presented by Warriors Boxing and Bad Dog Productions in association with the Magic City Casino, live from Stage 305 in the Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida. Barthelemy vs. Usmanee will serve as the 12-round junior lightweight main event on a show entitled “Friday Night Fights at Magic City Casino”.

The show will also serve as the year’s debut broadcast of the popular professional boxing series ESPN’s Friday Night Fights (10 PM Eastern on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, online through WatchESPN.com, and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app.)

In the co-featured televised bout that night, a couple of tough junior middleweight contenders will tangle, when young Puerto Rican powerhouse Jonathan “Mantequilla” Gonzalez (15-0-1, 13 KOs) will take on highly regarded Philadelphian Derek “Pooh” Ennis (23-3-1, 13 KOs).

The undercard, which will be announced shortly, will feature several young local and international rising stars.

Tickets are on sale now on the Magic City Casino website www.magiccitycasino.com as well as in person at the Magic City Players Club. They are priced at $100, $75, $50 and $35.

Doors open at 7:30 pm and the first bell is at 8:00.

About Magic City Casino

Magic City Casino features 800 Las Vegas-style slot machines, 18-table Poker Room, outdoor concert amphitheater, multi-purpose indoor venue, seasonal live greyhound racing and multiple food and beverage outlets, among other state-of-the-art amenities. The casino is open every day (Sunday through Thursday: 10 am to 4 am; Friday and Saturday: 10 am to 5 am). For more information, visit www.magiccitycasino.com

Mehdi Bouadla (26-4, 11 KOs) will be travelling to Nuremberg, Germany next
week with a lot of self-confidence. The man from France will take on WBO
Super-Middleweight World Champion Arthur Abraham (35-3, 27KOs) on December
15. And the 30-year-old is prepared to cause a big upset in his first world
title bout. Although his training schedule keeps him very busy, he managed
to take out some time for a quick interview.

Mehdi Bouadla, you are currently riding on a wave of success. You won all of
your last four fights. How are you feeling ahead of December 15?

Mehdi Bouadla: Of course, I am feeling really good. My last bouts all went
to my full satisfaction. But I will feel a lot better once December 15 is
over and I am able to wear that WBO Belt around my waist.

The last time you found yourself on the losing side of a fight was against
Denmark´s Mikkel Kessler back in June 2011. What went wrong for you back
then?

Mehdi Bouadla: Kessler, who was boxing in front of his home crowd, was the
better boxer that night. It is as simple as that.

Did you learn any valuable lessons from that fight, something that might
help you against Arthur Abraham?

Mehdi Bouadla: Kessler and Abraham are two real champions. But that is the
only thing they have in common. Of course, I took something out of the fight
in Copenhagen, but I was a good boxer before that night anyways. The bout
against Abraham will be something completely different, as his style is
completely different to Kessler´s. The preparation for Nuremberg is going
really well. The training is very intense but that is the way it is supposed
to be.

Where do you see the strengths as well as the weaknesses of your opponent?

Mehdi Bouadla: I know that it won’t be easy against Abraham. He has tons of
experience and participated in many world title fights. Therefore, he knows
what the pressure feels like. You will understand that I cannot talk about
his weaknesses. I will reveal them to everyone watching the fight on
December 15.

What will your days leading up to the big night look like for you?

Mehdi Bouadla: We have almost completed my sparring and will travel to
Germany on Tuesday. Once we get there, I will try to relax and just keep my
focus. But it is always like that ahead of a fight. It has become part of my
routine.

What kind of person are you outside of the squared circle? What do you like
to do during your spare time?

Mehdi Bouadla: When I am not inside the gym of my hometown of Aulnay sous
Bois, I like to be around my family and friends. There is nothing better
than surrounding yourself with your loved ones. I also enjoy watching good
movies and sports in general.

What will be the outcome of the world championship bout on December 15? Will
it go the distance?

Mehdi Bouadla: Unfortunately, I can’t predict the future so I am not able to
tell you the way the fight will end. But I can promise you one thing: I will
definitely give it my all. No matter if the fight goes the distance or not.
I will push him from start to finish.

Tickets for the big fight night in Nuremberg are available at www.eventim.de
and www.boxen.com.

TOKYO, Japan (Dec. 7, 2012) – DREAM Lightweight (155 pounds/70 kilograms) Champion Shinya Aoki (31-6) will face battle-tested wrestling specialist Antonio McKee (28-4-2) at the DREAM Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at Saitama Super Arena on New Year’s Eve.

The matchup was announced today by officials from DREAM and Glory Sports International, which is presenting the year-end show along with the GLORY 4 Tokyo – Heavyweight Grand Slam event.

Also announced was a middleweight (185 pounds/84 kilograms) fight between Melvin Manhoef (26-9-1, 1 NC) and Denis Kang (35-15-2, 2 NC) and a 139-pound catchweight meeting between former DREAM bantamweight (135 pounds/61 kilograms) champion Bibiano Fernandes (12-3) and Yoshiro Maeda (30-11-2) of Japan.

“Shinya Aoki is already a legend in mixed martial arts. His jiu jitsu and judo skills are just incredible and we are delighted to have him on the card for DREAM 18. The Saitama Super Arena is his home and the greatest matches of his career have been fought there. We expect another epic encounter on New Year’s Eve when he faces UFC veteran Antonio McKee,” said GLORY CEO Marcus Luer.

“With Melvin Manhoef and Denis Kang, we have a fight where the fans cannot afford to blink – there is so much power and skill in that fight that it is very, very unlikely to go the distance. And the fight between Bibiano Fernandes and Yoshiro Maeda will be a whirlwind, technical master class. Fernandes is one of the world’s top ten bantamweights while Maeda is as tough as they come. All the DREAM 18 fights are absolutely world class and we are very excited about them.”

Known as Tobikan Judan (‘Master of Flying Attacks’), Aoki is a grappling prodigy. An incredible 20 of his 31 career wins have been by way of submission and his victories include wins over Rich Clementi, Joachim Hansen and Eddie Alvarez. He has a ruthless killer instinct, exemplified by his breaking the arm of Mizuto Hirota at a 2009 New Year’s Eve event in the Saitama Super Arena.

McKee has fought for the UFC, the IFL and top Canadian promotion MFC in a career spanning 12 years. Only four fighters have ever managed to beat him, and three of those – Karo Parisyan, Jacob Volkmann and Chris Brennan – have also competed amongst the upper echelon of fighters in the UFC and PRIDE FC. McKee was set to fight Aoki at DREAM: Fight for Japan last May, but the bout fell through because of visa issues.

The Dutch dynamo Manhoef needs little introduction to fight fans in Japan or anywhere else. A huge fan favorite, Manhoef’s power and highly aggressive style combine to ensure that his fights rarely go the distance. He is one of only two men to ever stop Mark Hunt with strikes and he also has a win over Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba.

French-Korean middleweight Kang won a ‘Fight of the Night’ award for his clash with Michael Bisping in the UFC. A second-degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, Kang’s honors include being a finalist in the PRIDE FC Welterweight Grand Prix and winning a title in leading Korean promotion Spirit MC. He has wins over Murilo ‘Ninja’ Rua and Akihiro Gono.

Fernandes won the 2009 DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix to become the organization’s first featherweight champion. After losing the belt to Hiroyuki Takaya, he moved down to bantamweight and won the DREAM Bantamweight Grand Prix.

Maeda has competed for many of the best organizations in the world, including PRIDE FC, DREAM, WEC, Pancrase and DEEP. He fought for the WEC bantamweight title against Miguel Torres at WEC 34 and holds wins over Chase Beebe and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expert Micah Miller among others. He was also a quarter-finalist in the DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix.

‘GSI presents DREAM 18 and GLORY 4 Tokyo – New Year’s Eve Special’ – will commence at 4 p.m. JST with the DREAM 18 card and continue with the GLORY 4 Tokyo – Heavyweight Grand Slam, a one-night, 16-man, single-elimination tournament featuring the world’s top heavyweight stand-up fighters, including Semmy Schilt (39-6, 18 KO’s), Gokhan Saki (77-15, 53 KO’s), Daniel Ghita (44-7, 34 KO’s), Remy Bonjasky (77-14, 40 KO’s), Peter Aerts (104-30-1, 78 KO’s), Errol Zimmerman (76-16-1, 41 KO’s), Anderson ‘Braddock’ Silva (32-8-1, 22 KO’s) and Sergei Kharitonov (22-7, 12 KO’s).

The winner of the heavyweight tournament will take home a Grand Prize of $400,000, and a total of $600,000 in prize money will be awarded to tournament participants.

For more information, visit www.gloryworldseries.com.

About DREAM:

Japan’s premier MMA organisation, DREAM has staged 23 top-class events in the course of its four-year history. Fighters that have stepped into the DREAM ring include Fedor Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Shinya Aoki, Joachim Hansen, Melvin Manhoef, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Eddie Alvarez, Todd Duffee, Gesias Calvancante, Marius Zaromskis.

About GLORY:

The GLORY World Series (www.gloryworldseries.com) is the world’s premier kickboxing, or stand-up fighting league, staging events across the globe and offering up to $1,000,000 in prize money to the winners of 16-man ‘Grand Prix’ tournaments, which are open to only the best fighters in each weight class. The fight series also includes 8-man tournaments and events with traditional, single bouts.

With television deals spanning every continent, plus a groundbreaking online video streaming system and the world’s largest online martial arts library, GLORY is one of the world’s most widely-broadcast sporting organizations.

Owned and operated by Glory Sports International (GSI), the organization has offices in Holland, the UK, Tokyo, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Its personnel includes a diverse mix of award-winning hedge-fund and private equity investors; principals from pioneering sports marketing agency Total Sport Asia; and senior level executives from several leading sports franchises, including WWE, FIFA, Golden Glory, Champions League and It’s Showtime.

Boxing’s most contentious rivalry is set to end with a knockout this Saturday night, live on Primetime (Channel 498 on Sky & Virgin On Demand).

Both Manny Pacquiao and Mexican warrior Juan Manuel Marquez insist that they will flatten the other to conclusively prove who the superior fighter is as they clash for the fourth time in Las Vegas.

The previous three fights have all gone the 12 round distance and despite a draw in their initial encounter in 2004, and Pacquiao winning closely contested points decisions in the other two, the matchups have been the subject of much controversy.

Despite Pacquiao catching the judges’ eyes, many experts and fight fans believe that Marquez has been the rightful victor in their past encounters.

However, despite not getting the rub of the green, Marquez is adamant that this time round he has the tools to stop it going to the scorecards.

“A lot of people know what happened in the last three fights but I’ve prepared myself very hard because I want to give another great show. After this fight it might be the end of the chapters,” said Marquez.

“I’m trying to look for the knockout. Pacquiao said he wants to knock me out but I want to knockout him out. Manny is a strong fighter, he’s maybe the toughest I’ve fought. But I’m ready for this fight. I’ve trained very hard and I’m in great condition for the twelve rounds.

“This is the most interesting fight. I know I need to change something because he knows me – I need a perfect performance,” he said.

The Filipino star, who is regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, claims he will be going into this bout as the aggressor, in a fight he believes will be the last between the two.

“We changed a little bit of our strategy for this fight. We studied his style and we’re ready for him. He knows how I like to fight which is getting in and out so I will be trying to counter-punch more,” said Pacquiao.

“My focus is on more aggression and if I have the chance to finish the fight early I will grab it. Marquez never accepted that he lost the last three fights so it’s up to me to show him in this one,” added the eight-division world champion.

Pacquiao vs. Marquez is live on Primetime for £14.95 this Sunday morning at 2am. To order visit www.primetimelive.co.uk or call 0871 200 4444.

View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, World Super Middleweight champion Andre Ward suffered a shoulder injury that will him force him to postpone his January 26th title defense with Kelly Pavlik.

“He felt a little tweak when he threw a punch and stopped immediately,” Ward’s promoter, Dan Goossen, told ESPN.com on Thursday. “He didn’t really think it was that damaging at first but he certainly felt pain. He went to the doctor and followed up with an MRI (on Friday). It disclosed no tears, no rotator cuff injury, nothing of devastating proportions, but there was a lot of swelling and inflammation, so the key to healing is not using the arm for a few weeks.”

“Speaking to Andre about it, he said he has had nagging pain in his shoulder since he was a young kid, but nothing to the extent of what he felt this last time,” Goossen said.

“We’ve seen Andre fight through pain with a broken hand as recently as the Froch fight,” Goossen said. “If he says it’s painful and the prescription is to rest the arm, that’s what he will do.”

Holly Holm 138.8 lbs. Diana Prazak 138 lbs.

(all pictures by Will Fox)

WHAT: “Fire And Ice” Professional Boxing

WHO: IBA & WBF WOMEN’S LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS

MAIN EVENT (10)

HOLLY HOLM (31-2-3, 9 KOs), Albuquerque, NM 138.8 lbs.

vs.

DIANA PRAZAK (11-1, 7 KOs), Los Angeles, CA 138 lbs.

BANTAMWEIGHTS (8)

RAYMOND MONTEZ (5-2, 3 KOs), Albuquerque, NM 121.8 lbs.

vs.

TONY VALDEZ (6-6-3, 6 KOs), Espanola, NM 116 lbs.

FEMALE LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS (6)

VICTORIA CISNEROS (8-13-2, 3 KOs), Albuquerque, NM 138 lbs.

vs.

MARY McGEE (19-1, 10 KOs), Gary, IN 138.8 lbs.

LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS (4)

MATTHEW BACA (1-0, 1 KO), Albuquerque, NM 140.8 lbs.

vs.

DEREK PEREZ (pro debut), Albuquerque, NM 144 lbs.

FEATHERWEIGHTS (4)

JASON SANCHEZ (pro debut), Albuquerque, NM 126 lbs.

vs.

GENE PEREZ (1-0), Belan, NM 125.2 lbs.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS (4)

SIJU SHABAZZ (pro debut), Las Cruces, NM 173.2 lbs.

vs.

RICKY VILLAFUERTE (pro debut), Albuquerque, NM 175 lbs.

(All Fights & Fighters subject to change)

WHEN: Friday, December 7, 2012

WHERE: Route 66 Casino Hotel, Albuquerque, NM

PROMOTER: Fresquez Productions, Inc.

INFORMATION: www.FresquezProductions.com

TICKETS: Tickets, starting at $25.00, are on sale at www.rt66casino.com and www.fresquezproductions.com or by calling (505) 884-7484

OTHER: WBA junior middleweight champion Austin Trout will be in attendance; Lerner Film will be shooting footage for a documentary about Holly Holm

DOORS OPEN: 5:30 PM/MT, FIRST BOUT: 7:00 PM/MT.

LAS VEGAS – Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns sat at ringside. Manny Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach worked a corner. It was a good night to get an autograph for everybody but Raymundo Beltran.

Beltran (27-6, 17 KOs) had a job to do Thursday night and he did it in workman-like fashion for a unanimous decision over Ji-Hoon Kim ( 24-8, 18 KOs) at the Mirage on an ESPN2-televised card.

But Beltran, one of Pacquiao’s sparring partners for many years, had to overcome a rocky first round to complete the assignment. Beltran was knocked to the canvas midway through the first by a left from Kim. Before the round ended, Beltran returned the favor, unleashing a short left that dropped Kim.

In the second, Kim, a South Korean, was warned for a low blow that a ringside wise guy said was below the 38th Parallel. Beltran rested, recovered, suffered a cut near his left eye and stole the round with a furious rally in the closing seconds.

Those late moments seemed to sum up Beltran’s strategy. He would fight sporadically, yet effectively when he did. Kim appeared to tire late in the third. He began to drop his hands and Beltran began to capitalize with head-rocking blows. But Kim was as stubborn as he was awkward. Beltran could not finish him in a fight that was dramatic in the beginning, yet deadly dull in the end.

Best of the undercard: Las Vegas super-bantamweight Jessie Magdaleno (13-0, 9 KOs) scored two knockdowns and learned at least a couple of lessons in a bruising, unanimous decision over Jonathan Arellano (13-2-1, 3 KOs) of Ontario, Calif.

“He caught me a few times, but I wanted to go eight rounds,’’ said Magdaleno, who knocked down Arellano in the second round and again in the sixth.

It looked as if Arellano was finished in the sixth. He slumped along the ropes as Magdaleno swarmed him with a cascade of blows. But Arellano would not surrender. In the end, Magdaleno was glad that he didn’t.

“The work was good,’’ he said.

The rest: Super-featherweight Felix Verdejo (1-0), a Puerto Rican Olympian, won his pro debut, winning a four-round, unanimous decisionLeonard Chavez ((1-1, 1 KOs) of Los Angeles; featherweight Evgeny Gradovich (15-0, 8 KOs) of Oxnard, Calif., scored a seventh-round TKO of William Villanueva (10-5-1, 2 KOs) of Albuquerque; and Las Vegas lightweight Robert Osiobe (14-5-4, 6 KOs) survived and eight-round knockdown for a split decision over Jose Roman (14-1-1, 11 KOs) of Garden Grove, Calif.

LAS VEGAS – Threat of a lawsuit is little bit like opening bell. Hear one and you can be sure the fight is about to begin.

Opening bell for the fourth chapter Saturday in the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez rivalry was still a couple of days away, but the lawsuit threat echoed Thursday through the MGM Grand’s press room with a buzz that said only fury will settle the differences that divide the opposing camps.

Marquez’ controversial strength coach Angel Heredia promised to sue Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach for comments in USA Today that implied the heavily-muscled Marquez had been using performance enhancers. Roach didn’t need to consult an attorney for his response.

“He’s a piece of bleep,’’ said Roach, who also called Heredia “a rat” during roundtable sessions with the trainer.

Flush the legalese.

It’s hard to know whether Heredia is just posturing or has been caught up in the hyperbole that always intensifies during the countdown for a major bout. He’s a relative newcomer to boxing’s outhouse. But Heredia’s notorious resume is accented with inevitable questions. During the Balco scandal, he testified he had a role in giving PEDS to Olympic track-and-field medalists, including Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery.

Roach reads the testimony, looks at the bulked-up Marquez and says what many fans are thinking. No surprise there. Roach, a Hall of Fame veteran of fight-week hype, might be using the moment to play some mind games. That’s as fundamental as a feint. Whatever he was doing, Heredia’s anger is enough to wonder if it has entered into his conversation with Marquez and trainer Nacho Beristain.

“We’re going to meet up with my lawyers,’’ Heredia told the media Wednesday after a formal news conference.

If there is a meeting about anything other than how to beat Pacquiao for the first time, then Roach will have succeeded in throwing the first feint.

Notes, Quotes, Anecdotes
The intensity of the Pacquiao-Marquez rivalry makes it impossible to predict how their relationship will be after the final bell. “My relationship with him is one of respect,’’ Marquez said. “It will always be inside the ring. But outside of the ring?’’ Marquez left some doubt about whether they could be friends. “That’s his problem,’’ Pacquiao said.

Purses: According to contracts filed with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Marquez is guaranteed $3 million and Pacquiao $8.595 million. That doesn’t count the international money. Bob Arum says Pacquiao will collect at least $26 million after it’s all counted. “We haven’t knocked out anybody lately and we got a loss in our last fight,’’ Roach said of Pacquiao’s controversial loss by decision to Tim Bradley in June. “So we’re taking a cut in pay.’’