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SERGIO MARTINEZ WRAPS UP NYC TRIP, HEADS TO TRAINING CAMP

2012-01-13T22:02:00.000-05:00

Photo by George Kalinsky, MSG

New York, NY (1/13/2012) - Middleweight Champion Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez wrapped up his NYC trip on Thursday and headed back to his training camp in Oxnard, California, to begin the preparations for his middleweight title defense against Ireland's Matthew Macklin at Madison Square Garden, on St. Patrick's Day (March 17), live on HBO's "World Championship Boxing".

It was a busy few days for Martinez, the number three pound-for-pound fighter in the world. In addition to taking part in the initial press conference to announce his championship fight against Macklin, Martinez spent time at the offices of HBO, participating in a lengthy interview and photo shoot to help promote the upcoming event. Martinez also made time to meet with New York City Council Member Julissa Ferreras, Chair of the Committee on Women's Issues, as well as representatives from anti-domestic violence organizations, such Forestdale, CONNECT, Violence Intervention Program, Seamen's Society for Children and Families and inMotion.

It wasn't all business for Martinez though, as he found time to attend a New York Knicks game with promoter Lou DiBella where Martinez met with a number of celebrities in attendance, including Spike Lee. Below are pictures from Martinez' trip.

The card entitled, "THE REAL Middleweight Championship - Get Your Irish Up", is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and will be shown live on HBO beginning 10PM ET/7PM PT. Tickets are priced at $505, $355, $205, $125 and $65, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased through the Madison Square Garden Box Office or through Ticketmaster, at ticketmaster.com, or by calling (800) 745-3000. Call DiBella Entertainment at (212) 947-2577, or visit www.dbe1.com and @loudibella on Twitter for more information.

Change In Plans For January 21

2012-01-13T21:37:00.000-05:00

Heavyweight contender Eddie Chambers suffered displaced fractures of his left anterior ninth and tenth ribs in training and, therefore, has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled 10-round bout with Sergei Liakhovich on the inaugural NBC Sports Network's Fight Night card from the Asylum Arena in Philadelphia, PA on January 21st.

Promoters Main Events and Peltz Boxing have reached out for a replacement for Chambers and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

Eddie Chambers and Philly Fighters Welcome NBC Sports Network

2012-01-12T01:20:00.000-05:00

Robinson, Chambers and Rosado - Credits: Philly Boxing History

During a recent media event at Joe Hand Gym Boxing Gym in Philadelphia, fighters, promoters and network officials agreed that getting back to boxing basics in the City of Brotherly Love was just what the doctor ordered.

Gary Quinn, Senior Director, Program Planning and Aquisitions, NBC Sports Group, explained how Philadelphia ties in to the NBC Sports Network Fight Night game plan, "What we think puts us in a unique position to make this series succeed is now that we have the NBC Sports Group formulated, we've got 4 media platforms: we've got the NBC broadcast network; we've got the 24/7 NBC Sports Network; we have the 12 regional sports networks; and our digital platforms. It's no coincidence that we are here in Philadelphia where we have one of the strongest RSN's (Regional Sports Network) with CSN (Comcast SportsNet) Philly."

Quinn added, "So you can say, 'okay you've got the promotional platform, but you've got to have the product to make it work.' We think we do. We've come up with a model that resembled what we did back in the day when The Fight Doctor (Ferdie Pacheco) said, 'The key is putting crossroads fights on. You don't have to worry about titles; you don't have to worry about records. You want to match styles that will put on a good show.' We feel Kathy (Duva) and Russell (Peltz) have done a great job on this card from top to bottom. That's going to be the theme, to put on wars that have our viewers wanting more and more."

Kathy Duva, CEO Main Events, explained the location for the debut show, "Philadelphia has a powerful boxing history and many avid boxing fans, we want to use that to make our show successful. Five of the eight bouts on this amazing card feature fighters that are from Philly. We want people in the audience that are from Philadelphia, so that everyone in the arena has a rooting interest, so we know they are going to make a lot of noise. This is why we chose Philly fighters like Gabriel Rosado and Ray Robinson to be on the undercard, they make terrific fights and have a big following. This will make for a great night in the arena and on TV."

Ray Robinson, 12-2, 5 KO's, will be in an 8 round welterweight fight against Doel Carasquillo, of Frederica, DE, 16-18-1, 14 KO's. He assured the crowd that he was ready to put on a great show, "This is going to be an action-packed fight. Anybody that knows me knows I bring the fight. I'm a great boxer. I've trained hard enough for anything. I'll make sure that it's going to be a great fight on January 21st because it is on my birthday!"

Ray Robinson - Credits: Philly Boxing History

Fellow Philadelphian, Gabriel Rosado, 18-5, 10 KO's, faces Jesus Soto Karass of Los Mochis, 24-6-3, 16 KO's, in what promises to be a 10 round junior welterweight war. Rosado ensured his fans that he was ready to give them a rousing show, "I am excited about this card. Soto Karass is a tough guy and I am excited to make a statement. I am going to show that I am a heavy hitter at 154. It's going to be one helluva fight. Soto Karass is gonna bring it. I'm ready for everything. I have a big following and they're all gonna come. I can't wait."

Gabriel Rosado - Credits: Philly Boxing History

Kathy Duva spoke of choosing the main event for the NBCSN Fight Night debut show, "When the time comes to try to actually make the fights that everybody wants to see, you find out it's a lot harder than you thought it might be. As we went through the list, we found consistently that in the heavyweight division there were a lot more people willing to fight each other than anywhere else. And I think that that's a good thing." She went on to say, "There's a lot of talk about how the heavyweight division isn't what it used to be. Well I'll tell you, in recent years the only opportunity for heavyweights was to wait their turn to go to Germany and get beat up by one of the Klitschko's. That does not make for becoming a better fighter, that does not cause anyone to learn or get better. What makes a great fighter is that they have to be in competitive fights, they have to learn as they go along."

"We were delighted when we were able to make arrangements with Eddie Chamber's promoter, Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor to bring him to this show. He hasn't fought in Philadelphia in a very long time, so this is a bit of a homecoming for him. He is one of the top heavyweights in the world and he has agreed to fight another one of the top heavyweights in the world, Sergei Liakhovich. This is exactly the kind of match we were looking for. They both have a lot at stake, they are both going to come in and do their best, and they're both going to try to win," Duva concluded.

Philadelphia resident, Eddie Chambers, 36-2, 18 KO's, was in very good spirits as he discussed his upcoming battle with Sergei Liakhovich, Scottsdale, AZ, 25-4, 16 KO's, on NBC Sports Network, "I'd really like to thank NBC for stepping up to the plate and trying to bring boxing back to what it used to be. I hate to disappoint NBC because they want competitive fights and all, but in my opinion this is not going to be a competitive fight." He confidently boasted, "I got a lot of respect for Sergei; he's been a world champion; a really good fighter; but I think I'm a little more advanced than he is! I think I pose a lot of threats to him. I've watched some his tapes, and some of the things he's done. It doesn't hurt that I am probably in the best shape that I've ever been in. I think it's not going to be easy, but I think what I bring to the table is going to be too much for him to handle."

To find NBC Sports Network on your TV, visit http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/ and use the NBC Sports Network Channel Finder on the right-hand side of the webpage.

MARTINEZ-MACKLIN NYC PRESSER QUOTES AND PHOTOS

2012-01-12T00:10:00.000-05:00

New York, NY - (1/11/2012) - Earlier today, before a standing-room only crowd of media at Ainsworth Prime inside Madison Square Garden, Lou DiBella officially announced his St. Patrick's Day card (Saturday, March 17th) that will take place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Headlining the show will be THE REAL Middleweight Champion "Maravilla" Martinez (48-2-2, 27KO's) defending his crown against top-rated Irish middleweight contender, Matthew "Mack The Knife" Macklin (28-3, 19KO's). The card which will be aired live on HBO's "World Championship Boxing", will also feature Ireland's fellow world-rated contender, Andy Lee (27-1, 19KO's) as well as a stacked undercard of some of the New York City and tri-state area's most promising and exciting Irish fighters. The card entitled, "THE REAL Middleweight Championship - Get Your Irish Up", is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and will be shown live on HBO beginning 10PM ET/7PM PT.

Tickets are priced at $505, $355, $205, $125 and $65 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased through the Madison Square Garden Box Office or through Ticketmaster, at ticketmaster.com, or call (800) 745-3000. Call DiBella Entertainment at (212) 947-2577, or visit www.dbe1.com and @loudibella on Twitter for more information.

"I want to thank everyone involved who made this fight possible; HBO, Madison Square Garden, our sponsor Corona, and, of course who I believe to be two of the best middleweights in the world, Sergio Martinez and Matthew Macklin," said DiBella. "On March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, at Madison Square Garden, the best middleweight in the world, and The Real Middleweight Champion, Sergio Martinez will be defending his crown against a very tough, dangerous and exciting fighter in Matthew Macklin. I can truthfully say that I am proud to be the promoter of this main event and proud to be putting on what promises to be such an exciting night at The Garden. This (MSG) is the Mecca of boxing and it will continue to be the Mecca of boxing in 2012 and beyond, and will always remain the home of DiBella Entertainment."

DiBella continued, "The great thing about this fight is that both of these guys are such exciting fighters with so much heart and pride, stylistically it is a can't-miss."

Kery Davis, Senior Vice President of Programming at HBO Sports, echoed DiBella's statements.

"It's always great to televise an event from MSG," said Davis. They have been terrific partners with us and they have been a real champion for the sport of boxing. New York City brings a certain amount of excitement and electricity to a fight and we are excited about doing the fight here. Combine the fact that we are doing it on such a special day as St. Patricks's and you have all the ingredients for a great night of boxing."

Davis continued, "Sergio Martinez has become must-see television and he is recognized as The Middleweight Champion of the World. Inside the ring Sergio realizes that not only is it important to win, but to win entertainingly which is great for boxing but outside of the ring is really where the magic begins with Sergio. Not only is he handsome and intelligent but he is a great humanitarian and we couldn't be happier to have him as one of the faces of HBO Boxing."

DiBella promised to load the undercard with a number of top Irish fighters, including the world-rated contender Andy Lee, and New York's very popular undefeated prospect, Seanie Monaghan (10-0, 7KO's).

Below are the quotes from the presser:

SERGIO MARTINEZ: I want to thank HBO and my team DiBella Entertainment and Sampson Lewkowicz. I also want to thank Macklin for taking this fight. I am dedicating this fight to my family and to everyone who dedicate there time to fight against domestic violence. Thank you for coming and thank you for your time. I look forward to seeing you at my fight on March 17.

MATTHEW MACKLIN: I want to thank everyone involved making this fight, especially Sergio for giving me this opportunity.

As I have done throughout my entire career I will go up a notch for this fight. Sergio is going to bring the best out of me and I am very confident in my mind that I will be the new middleweight champion come March 17th. Fighting at The Garden on St. Patty's Day it's going to be like I'm fighting in Dublin. The Irish are coming from all over the world to see this. The atmosphere is going to be electric!

It is an honor to have the opportunity to fight here at MSG where so many great fights have taken place. I am proud and privileged to be a part of this great tradition.

Sergio is going to have to be ready. I am coming forward all night and I am coming for war. I am very very confident that I will be leaving the ring on March 17th at the new champion.

ANDY LEE: I want to thank Lou for letting me showcase myself on this show. There is nothing more I can wish for then to have this opportunity to fight at MSG on St Patrick's Day.

I consider myself as a serious contender and I hope to get my title shot in 2012. (Note: DiBella would later promise Lee that he would receive his title shot this year). I'm not sure who my opponent is going to be yet, but I promise you a good St. Patty's Day beating.

SAMPSON LEWKOWICZ: This will be the real middleweight champion of the world. I have said for a long-time that the Irish are the European Mexicans. They have so much heart and no fear and that will be on display on what is going to be an extremely good and exciting fight on March 17th.

Eddie Chambers Hopes To Add To Philly Heavyweight History

2012-01-05T22:28:00.000-05:00

Philadelphia, PA - When Eddie Chambers, of Philadelphia, PA, boxes Sergei Liakhovich, of Scottsdale, AZ, in the 10-round main event on Saturday evening, Jan. 21, at the Asylum Arena, he will take another step on the journey he hopes will lead him to the heavyweight championship of the world.

Chambers, 29, who moved to Philadelphia from Pittsburgh as a young pro in 2002, already has boxed for the IBF version of the crown. Although he was stopped in the 12th round by Wladimir Klitschko in 2010 in Germany, he now knows what he must do to get back there and win.

In the long history of Philadelphia boxing, few have challenged for boxing's richest prize. Despite its reputation as a great boxing town, only two men, Sonny Liston (below) and Joe Frazier, lived in Philadelphia when they won the world heavyweight title. Terrible Tim Witherspoon twice earned pieces (WBC, WBA) of the crown in the 1980s.

Liston lived here when he dispatched Floyd Patterson in one round in 1962 at Chicago's Comiskey Park to become Philadelphia's first world heavyweight champion.

Six years later, Frazier (below), originally from Beaufort, SC, knocked out Buster Mathis in Madison Square Garden to gain recognition as world champion. He won the undisputed belt in 1970 against Jimmy Ellis then cemented his heavyweight legacy by outpointing the comebacking Muhammad Ali over 15 rounds in 1971.

There have been other outstanding Philadelphia heavyweights, including Tommy Loughran, considered by many to be the greatest fighter ever from Philadelphia, Al Ettore, Leroy Haynes, Dan Bucceroni, Leotis Martin and Jimmy Young.

While Philadelphia world heavyweight champions are rare, the city has hosted two of the most important heavyweight championship fights of all-time on the same date and in the same ring, 26 years apart.

On Sept. 23, 1926, Jack Dempsey lost his crown to Gene Tunney via 10-round decision in a steady downpour in front of 120,757 fans at what was then known as Sesquicentennial Stadium in South Philadelphia. On the same date in 1952, in what many claim was the greatest heavyweight title fight ever, Rocky Marciano came from behind to knock out Jersey Joe Walcott in the 13th round at the same venue, then known as Municipal Stadium.

It's a long, glorious history Chambers is following and the fight with Liakhovich is the next step.

A pro since 2000, Chambers is 36-2, 19 KO's. Liakhovich, 35, of Scottsdale, AZ, is 25-4, 16 KO's, and he held the WBO version of the title for seven months in 2004. The winner will have something to say in the world heavyweight picture in 2012.

'Irish' Micky Ward training 'The Wolf' Unbeaten light welterweight prospect Levan Ghvamichava

2012-01-05T22:10:00.000-05:00

CORK, Ireland (January 5, 2012) - Irish boxing manager Gary Hyde announced today that he has come to an agreement with "Irish" Micky Ward to train his hot prospect, light welterweight sensation Levan "The Wolf" Ghvamichava.

Ghvamichava (6-0, 5 KOs), who is a native of Georgia living in Belfast, will relocate in February to Lowell, Massachusetts, where he will train under the guidance of three-time Fight of the Year participant, Ward, whose life was portrayed in the Academy Award winning movie, The Fighter.

"I am delighted we have Micky Ward on board," Hyde said. "He has a lot of valuable experience to share with Levan, whose style of fighting is very similar to Micky's. 'The Wolf' is a throwback fighter who loves nothing more than going into the trenches, just like his new coach, and fighting toe-to-toe. Micky has been approached by a lot of fighters who wanted the benefit of his coaching and experience, so I am very happy that Micky has chosen to work with us.

"Levan is a six-time Georgian Senior champion, European silver medalist, and one of the leading 140-pound division amateur fighters in the world the past few years. I have been in talks with some of the leading promoters in the United States who are very keen on signing Levan. When he makes his US debut, sometime fairly soon, he could be fighting on a major undercard."

In 2011, Ghvamichava won all six of his pro fights and he is already fighting in scheduled eight-round bouts. Levan is one of the highest ranking fighters in the world for a fighter with relatively so little pro fights. In his last fight this past October in Scotland, he knocked out former European and Italian champion Guiuseppe Lauri (51-8, 32 KOs) in the second round.

"I'm looking forward to working with Levan and Gary," the popular Ward commented. "Levan looks like a talented fighter with a very, very bright future. We'll get him good sparring at my gym (Chelmsford, MA), as well as the West End Gym in Lowell, and also take him to some gyms in Boston. There are a lot of young fighters around here who will be good sparring partners for Levan. I can't wait to get started."

Hyde, president of Nowhere To Hyde, also manages a stable of other undefeated fighters such as WBA Interim Super Bantamweight Champion Guillermo "The Jackal" Rigondeaux (8-0, 6 KOs), undefeated British welterweight prospect Mark Heffron (5-0, 4 KOs) and light middleweight Dee "Wealthy" Walsh (1-0). Hyde plans to sign more fighters in 2012 and make Lowell his U.S. base.

NBC, BOXING FANS WIN WITH ROSADO VS. SOTO-KARASS CO-FEATURE

2012-01-04T11:42:00.002-05:00

By: Michael Gerard Seiler

On Saturday, January 21st, hardcore and casual boxing enthusiasts will be treated to a scintillating war at the Asylum Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania when hometown favorite “King” Gabriel Rosado (18-5, 10 KO’s) battles Tijuana Mexico’s Jesus Soto-Karass (24-6-3, 16 KO’s) in a ten-round junior middleweight showdown live on NBC at 9pm E/T. The bout is part of a brilliant card headlined by a ten-round heavyweight clash between “Fast” Eddie Chambers (36-2, 18 KO’s) and Sergei “White Wolf” Liakhovich (25-4, 16 KO’s), and is the first of four outstanding fight cards to be televised by the network this year.

Rosado is truly looking forward to showcasing his talent in the very first televised bout of the four upcoming shows that will air on NBC.

“This is what boxing needs right now,” boasted Rosado. “We both bring it. Chambers vs. Liakhovich is another great match-up. The fans really deserve these fights. It will make for great TV, and the fans will definitely tune in to watch it.”

Rosado, 25, has never been in a dull fight due to his crowd-pleasing style, and is riding a four-fight winning streak heading into his contest with Soto-Karass. He’s been victorious in 6 of his last 7 bouts. In that time span, the only blemish on Rosado’s record resulted from a close, ten-round majority decision loss at the hands of Derek Ennis in 2010.

Rosado keeps himself in tremendous shape between fights, as he already has proven by stepping into the ring three times in each of the last two years. Rosado’s technique is very exciting for fight fans because he uses adept lateral movement remarkably well, but always ends up in a blow-for-blow fracas with the opposition. Once Rosado gets hit, the Philadelphia fighter in him truly shines the brightest to the masses watching him. From there, his fights soar to the highest level, a peak where only few fighters that display a massive amount of heart can take a battle.

Rosado is ecstatic to fight again in his hometown of Philadelphia.

Billy Briscoe, Rosado’s head trainer, started him off in the gym 8 years ago. Rosado compiled a 14-3 amateur record over a two year period before turning professional. Briscoe believes this training camp has been one of Rosado’s strongest.

“I work on making Gabe’s weaker points his stronger points,” explained Briscoe. “He will utilize his jab better, use more head movement and have better snap to his punches in this fight.”

Briscoe added, “We’ve been training about five weeks now, and it will be eight weeks by fight time. We are always looking for progression. I like to train a fighter to a peak, not a plateau. I rest him every other day. We are right where we want to be at this time.”

In this training camp, Rosado has worked extensively on strength and cardio preparation with Jason Sargus, President and Chief Operating Officer of Brazen Boxing.

“He’s coming up to my weight class,” stated Rosado. “I have the size advantage, and I am going to use my power more in this fight. I could always box, but I am going to back this guy up!”

Rosado added, “He’s used to guys boxing him. I am not going to give him a comfort zone. I am going to overpower him, walk him down and back him up. I will take him out of his element.”

Soto-Karass, 29, is known to have a granite chin, and on no account has he been knocked out in a prize fight. From December of 2005 thru August of 2009, Soto-Karass never sustained a loss, compiling a record of (13-0-1, 6 KO’s). In spite of this, Soto-Karass has not won a bout in his last four ring appearances, going 0-3 with one no-contest. Soto-Karass desperately needs a win to further his career in the sport.

He by no means takes a backward step to his challengers, which was clearly exhibited in his two confrontations with Mike Jones. Soto-Karass’ biggest claim to fame in his professional career is losing a highly-contested, ten-round majority decision in his first scuffle against Jones in a welterweight bout on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito in late 2010. That was a match fans have not forgotten. Soto-Karass wore Jones down with relentless pressure, taking an enormous amount of punishment to dish out his own damaging shots in a back and forth melee.

Rosado acquired a great deal of knowledge and understanding of Soto-Karass’ tendencies by watching his fights with Jones, and he plans to exploit the Mexican’s flaws.

“The key is to work Soto-Karass’ body,” acknowledged Rosado. “He has a good chin, so I am going to break him down in the body more than Jones did.”

The strategies of both fighters guarantee an elevated encounter in the City of Brotherly Love on January 21st. If there was ever a fight deemed a “crossroads fight” in boxing, Rosado vs. Soto-Karass is certainly it. Neither man can afford another loss on their record. Rosado is currently ranked #10 by the IBF, and could land another gigantic fight if he is victorious. However, if Rosado loses, he may find it near impossible to crack the top-ten rankings again of a major sanctioning body. For Soto-Karass, a setback would be devastating, most likely leaving the Mexican warrior as a future opponent for up and coming prospects down the road. Yet, if Soto-Karass comes out on top, he could launch his status to where it was just after his first brawl with Mike Jones.

There’s no better recipe for an exhilarating fight than two guys in complete desperation for victory, especially when the face-off will occur in an extremely loud venue in Philadelphia. NBC and all boxing fans won the moment this fight was signed, but only one fighter can triumph on January 21st.

CHICAS TECATE CELEBRATE CARÁCTER AND THE NEW YEAR WITH THE LAUNCH OF 2012 CALENDAR

2011-12-29T18:12:00.000-05:00

Boxing-themed Digital Calendar Now Available to Adults via Facebook.com/TecateUSA

NEW YORK (December 29, 2011) – Tecate, cerveza con carácter, announces the launch of a digital 2012 calendar featuring the official Chicas Tecate as they recreate scenes from a boxing training camp at the renowned Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, N.Y. Adults 21 and older who “Like” Tecate’s Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/TecateUSA) will be able to access and share the calendar, as well as never-before-seen videos and photos of the Chicas Tecate: Monica Barco, Paulina Borrero, Denisse Gonzalez and Christina Salazar.

The January “page” of the Facebook application is now available to fans 21 and older, while the rest of it will become accessible at the beginning of every month in 2012. Each page will be populated with upcoming pugilistic events, viewing parties across the U.S., and much more to help fans feel like they’re part of the action.

“It’s been an incredible experience to celebrate the carácter of boxing and of our consumers in 2011, and we’re excited to kick off the New Year with an initiative that they will be able to enjoy year-round,” said Felix Palau, vice president of marketing for Tecate. “Each photo included in the calendar aims to exemplify the tenacity and determination that it takes to succeed in and out of the ring, while showcasing the beauty of the our brand ambassadors, the Chicas Tecate.”

This summer, adults on Tecate’s Facebook page selected Monica Barco, Paulina Borrero, Denisse Gonzalez and Christina Salazar from amongst 50 candidates to represent the brand for a year. As part of their role as brand ambassadors, they partook in the calendar photo shoot this fall at the famed Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, N.Y., where they had the opportunity to learn some insider’s tips from Super Flyweight Keisher “Fire” McLeod-Wells, who trains at the gym.

NBC Sports Network Fight Night

2011-12-20T17:48:00.000-05:00

(Main Events Press Release)

Yesterday, Jon Miller, President of Programming for NBC Sports and VERSUS (which will become NBC Sports Network on January 2); Kathy Duva, CEO Main Events and series promoter for the NBC Sport Network Fight Night series; and Russell Peltz, Peltz Boxing Promotions and Fight Night series matchmaker, spoke with a group of media about the NBC Sports Network and the NBCSN Fight Night series.

The opening show is slated for January 21, 2012 at Asylum Arena in Philadelphia. The main event will feature Philadelphia heavyweight contender "Fast" Eddie Chambers as he takes on former World Heavyweight Champion Sergei "White Wolf" Liakhovich. The co-feature is also a match that will resonate with Philly fans as "King" Gabriel Rosado of Philadelphia meets up with Jesus Soto-Karass of Tijuana, Mexico.

Here's some of the discussion:

Jon Miller: "We are excited to be getting our team involved with boxing again. We had a long, rich, storied history with NBC Sports. We would do as many as 20-30 fights per year on NBC. We think that there's an opportunity here with the right matchmaking (Peltz) and the right positioning to possibly introduce boxing back to 'free, over the air, and in this case cable' television. Our feeling was that boxing had been under-exposed on linear television and we thought it was a good time to jump back into the ring."

Jon Miller

Pres of Programming

NBC Sports/VERSUS

"There's still as many fights domestically as there was 20 years ago. We have over a dozen US world champions, but the sport clearly has become less US-centric and we thought this was an opportunity for us to see if we could make this work again."

"We're excited about working with a promoter (Main Events) who is looking to create crossroads fights that'll be competitive. We didn't want to go in a situation where the outcome might have been pre-ordained because the promoter didn't want to put in a challenging opponent. We needed to be sure that we found reputable matchmakers and promoters to bring us quality content. Our past experience in dealing with Main Events and Peltz Boxing led us back to them. We premiere with 2 great fights on Saturday, January 21st live from Philadelphia and we're looking forward to it."

Russell Peltz: "We have certainly gone out of way to contact all the promoters in the business. We offer their fighters exposure on the new network. There is still a whole squad of fighters out there that don't get exposed, that do want to fight on television and are willing to take a risk. The main thing I found over the years is if you want to make a good match you make it. If you don't want to make a good match you just get your fighter an easy win and you move on from there. To me that's the only difference between a good matchmaker and a bad matchmaker. There are more undefeated boxers parading around now than ever in the history of boxing. I don't want to give a fighter a streak of wins at the expense of competitive boxing."

Kathy Duva: "This isn't going to be done where all the money in the budget goes to paying for the main event and then the undercard fights are a bunch of appearance fights. As a matter of fact, Russell has put together a co-feature on this show between Soto-Karass and Gabriel Rosado that would be a main event on any other cable show - a terrific pick-em fight that will be nothing but action."

"Once the first show was announced we started getting a lot more calls from promoters, so I don't think we are going to have any problem filling up these shows with really great fights. We're matching fighters not records."

Jon Miller: "Our new model is one that we are excited about. The model that has not worked is a network handing all of its fights over to a single promoter. We have repeatedly seen promoters use this just to build their own fighters. This system was great for those promoters but all too often lead to "appearance fights" that abused the system; created mismatches; and served neither the fans, nor the growth of boxing."

"In this NBC model, you have Russell Peltz who is overseeing quality control and Main Events who helps promote and stage the bouts. While both have fighters in our first show, both of those fights are involving very competitive fights in almost "pick 'em" bouts. Lots of other promoters were offered opportunities but they didn't want to take risks with their fighters and that's one of the reasons we didn't want to go down that road. So this is open to all promoters who have fighters who want to come into the ring and have Russell put together a quality match up."

Kathy Duva: "The fighter's purses for this first show are going to exceed the rights fee, so it's not like we are holding back. I think that's one of the reasons NBC chose us. I don't have 30 or 60 fighters that I have to give wins to. We are more than happy to put anybody's fighters on the card. Our goal here is to make great fights so that NBC is going to want us to do more of them, not just for one year. And also to prove to fighters that if you fight in a really competitive fight and lose your career is not over, as opposed to being protected and put in the ring against guys that you learn nothing from."

Jon Miller: "I think the boxing fan has been under-served on cable and network television because so many fights have gone the Pay per View route. It's incumbent upon us to showcase fighters in competitive fights and help to build a model that shows how great boxing is and what it can be. The best way that I would equate that is for example, when you look at the sport of golf, if Tiger (Woods) and Phil (Mickelson) only played on PPV, you'd have no way of knowing who Ricky Fowler and Rory McElroy and Bubba Watson and guys like that are. I think the same is true here. We need to showcase these other fighters and help build them up so that they become more household names and more recognizable, and if they eventually migrate to a bigger payday then that's great."

Russell Peltz: Boxing's not dead. "Angelo Dundee said a few years ago that they've buried boxing so many times they've run out of shovels. Well, December the 10th they just had close to 10,000 in Washington DC of all places. The week before even though it hasn't been printed yet, I believe that the crowd in Madison Square Garden with 21,000 for the Cotto fight was actually the largest crowd to witness a boxing match in the history of Madison Square Garden. And three weeks before that you had Pacquio drawing 15 or 16,000 people in Las Vegas. So I think that when you make the right fights at any level, whether it's at the elite level or the upper or middle class, if you make fights that people want to see they'll come out. I'm just not sure that enough promoters have made the kind of fights that people want to see in recent years."

Jon Miller: "We are encouraged by what we think the audience will be. We have our second show scheduled for March 24 and we've got a couple other dates penciled as well later in the year, and quite honestly if it's successful there's nothing that says we can't do more than 4 shows this year."

"Our goal is to build an NBC Sports boxing brand where consumers know our fights are always going to be competitive and that they can expect exciting 'crossroads' fights where the fights are very evenly matched to the point where it's tough to predict a winner in advance."

Promoted by Main Events, Peltz Boxing Promotions and Goossen Tutor, the non-televised undercard fights will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are priced at $45 and $65 can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing, (215) 765-0922.

Post-Fight Press Conference: Carl Froch Speaks About Loss To Ward

2011-12-18T13:43:00.000-05:00

Ward Shines In Super Six Final

2011-12-17T23:57:00.000-05:00

By: Michael Gerard Seiler

Andre Ward (25-0, 13 KO's) retained his WBA Super World super middleweight title and captured the WBC super middleweight title, outpointing England's Carl Froch (28-2, 20 KO's) via twelve-round unanimous decision at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey to win Showtime's "Super Six" Tournament. Official scores were 115-113 twice and 118-110.

Both fighters tried to establish range with their steady left jabs in the early going. Ward, 27, landed the cleanest punch of round one, a counter-left hook off a clinch in the opening minute. Froch, 34, appeared very stiff as Ward used the center of the ring to control the round.

After successive body punches from Froch, Ward opened up with plenty of accurate left hooks from his arsenal, continually striking Froch in the face.

It was vividly clear by round four that Ward was much looser and fluid with his shots. Froch repeatedly struck Ward with some hard body punches, although Ward's quicker left jab enabled him to get his combinations off first.

By round five, Ward really started to comfortably find the target, and was dictating the pace in round six with his superior hand speed and efficient use of angles. During round six, Ward sent Froch into the ropes with a sweeping left hook, momentarily stunning "The Cobra".

After Froch connected with a well-timed, straight right-hand shot, Ward promptly responded by throwing a barrage of punches in the middle of round seven.

Froch stepped up the pace in the ninth round, scoring with a multitude of lunging rights. At this point in the fight, it seemed to be Froch's most active and best round.

Froch's finest chances occurred in rounds ten through twelve when he unloaded an abundance of punches, essentially going for the knockout. But, it came too late in the fight, as Ward was unmoved and calmly stuck to his game plan, meticulously placing his punches and outboxing the granite-chinned warrior from the United Kingdom.

Ward had built up a strong lead, and Froch understood he was down on the scorecards heading into the championship rounds. While aggressively attacking Ward's body with both fists and landing occasional right hands to Ward's head, Froch's defense was poor in close quarters, enabling the younger Ward to connect with short, swift shots. And from the outside, Froch was simply too slow to compete with the proficient hand and foot speed of the 2004 Olympic gold medalist. Ward was never reckless, and although Froch at times connected with several solid punches, he could never really penetrate Ward's stellar defense. When Froch did land, Ward patiently stood his ground and countered with lightning-quick punches, keeping the fight in his grasp on the outside.

Andre Ward "SOG" & Carl Froch "COBRA" Weigh-In For Super Six Final

2011-12-16T23:57:00.000-05:00

DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT KICKS OFF 8TH CONSECUTIVE SEASON OF BROADWAY BOXING SATURDAY, JANUARY 21 AT ROSELAND BALLROOM

2011-12-14T20:35:00.000-05:00

By: Kevin Rooney, Jr., Dibella Entertainment

New York, NY - (12/14/2011) - On Saturday, January 21, DiBella Entertainment (DBE) will kick off the 2012 season of the popular "Broadway Boxing" series at the famed Roseland Ballroom in New York City. Headlining the 10-bout card, which is loaded with a bevy of local New York talent, will be Brooklyn's undefeated NABF light welterweight champion, Gabriel "Tito" Bracero (18-0, 3KO's).

Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65, and $45, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet, visiting Ticketmaster.com, calling (800) 745-3000 or simply by CLICKING HERE.

"This is going to be our eighth consecutive year with the series and we expect it to be one of the best and most memorable years yet, commencing with what is sure to be an action-packed night of boxing on January 21st," said Lou DiBella, President and CEO of DiBella Entertainment.

In addition to Bracero headlining, several of DBE's most promising up-and-coming prospects are set to see action on the card, including recent cruiserweight world title challenger Ran Nakash (25-1, 18KO's) making his DBE debut, fast-rising WBA #5-rated featherweight contender Luis Del Valle (14-0, 11KO's), super bantamweight Luis Rosa (9-0, 5KO's), junior middleweight Delen Parsley (6-0, 2KO's) and four-time Golden Gloves Champion Sonya Lamonakis (6-0, 1KO).

Also scheduled to appear on the card are two of the New York area's most popular, fan-friendly Irish prospects: light heavyweight Seanie Monaghan (11-0, 8KO's) and heavyweight Thomas Hardwick (3-0, 2KO's).

A complete list of the undercard will be announced shortly.

Doors open at 6:00PM with the first bout scheduled for 6:30PM. Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65, and $45, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet, visiting Ticketmaster.com, calling (800) 745-3000 or simply by CLICKING HERE.

Viloria vs. Segura PPV Promo Spot

2011-12-08T21:41:00.000-05:00

Staredown: Ward vs Froch - Full Epsiode - SHOWTIME Super Six Boxing

2011-12-08T08:16:00.000-05:00

Island Assault 3

2011-12-06T21:18:00.000-05:00

Brian Viloria vs. Giovani Segura

WBO Flyweight Championship

Metro Manila, Philippines ● Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011

Live on Pay Per View - 8:00 PM/ET 11:00PM/PT

Integrated Sports Media Distributing 'Island Assault 3'

Viloria vs. Segura PPV Saturday night Live from Philippines

By: Bob Trieger, Full Court Press

HOBOKEN, NJ (December 6 2011) -- Integrated Sports Media, the pound-for-pound king of sports distribution in North America, announced today that it will distribute the Saturday night "Island Assault 3," featuring the World Boxing Organization ("WBO") Flyweight Championship between defending champion Brian "Hawaiian Punch" Viloria and challenger Giovani "El Guerrero Azteca" Segura, live from Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

"Island Assault 3," presented by Zanfer Promotions and Saved by the Bell Promotions, is being distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 8:00 PM/ET - 11:00 PM/PT on satellite pay-per-view via DISH Network , for a suggested retail price of only $29.95. Availability via on-line PPV will be announced shortly.

"We're looking forward to bringing this action-packed card, headlined by two of the best lighter weight fighters in the world, Viloria and Segura, to US boxing fans," Integrated Sports Media president Doug Jacobs said. "This exciting show continues the heated Filipino vs. Mexican boxing rivalry that is one of the most intense in the sport today."

Three-time and reigning world champion Viloria (29-3, 16 KOs), a dual citizen of the U.S. and Philippines, was a 2000 U.S. Olympian. Rated No. 3 by The Ring magazine, Viloria captured the IBF title in his last fight in July, winning a 12-round decision from Julio Cesar Miranda (35-5-1). Brian is a former International Boxing Federation ("IBF") and World Boxing Council ("WBC") light flyweight champion.

"I've sparred with Segura in the past and we beat the hell out of each other," Viloria said. "It was the kind of sparring where we could have charged the audience for an entrance fee and they wouldn't have complained. Segura is a very dangerous opponent for me but, if I beat him, I'll get to keep my title and grab his slot in Ring's pound-for-pound rankings."

Knockout specialist Segura (28-1-1, 24 KOs), a two-time world light flyweight champion (World Boxing Association Super champion), knocked out previously undefeated WBO champion Ivan Calderon (34-0-1) in a unification fight in 2010 and again this past April in a rematch. The Ring lists Segura, the No. 1 WBO flyweight contender, at No. 9 in its pound-for-pound rankings.

The PPV co-feature pits Mexican warrior and former International Boxing Association ("IBA") champion, Martin "El Brochos" Honorio (31-16-1, 16 KOs) and IBF Pan-Pacific titlist Fahsai "Mountain Boy" Sakkreerin (36-2, 20 KOs), of Thailand, for the IBF Interim Super Featherweight Championship.

Fighting on the 'Island Assault 3" PPV undercard is undefeated Filipino favorite Al "Captain A" Sabaupan (17-0-1, 12 KOs) versus Roy "The Sniper" Muklis (23-3-2, 18 KOs) for the IBF Pan Pacific Lightweight Championship.

For more information about the "Island Assault 3" PPV event go to www.integratedsportsnet.com. Follow Integrated Sports Media on Twitter @IntegratedPPV.

Miguel COTTO vs Antonio MARGARITO II - Official Post Fight Press Conference

2011-12-04T11:54:00.000-05:00

Cotto Exacts His Revenge Against Margarito

2011-12-04T02:30:00.003-05:00

By: Michael Gerard Seiler

It took a little over three years, but Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KO's) finally avenged his first professional loss by dominating Mexican nemesis Antonio Margarito (38-8, 27 KO's), retaining the WBA Super World Junior Middleweight title with a tenth-round stoppage in front of a sold-out, frenzied Madison Square Garden crowd.

Cotto, 31, started round one the same way he began their first encounter; moving his feet swiftly and striking Margarito with piercing, clean punches to the head. Cotto exhibited a lot of force behind his shots, leaving Margarito baffled as he stalked the Puerto Rican warrior. Margarito, 33, had a great deal of trouble coping with Cotto's skillful in and out mobility.

Cotto continued to use angles to keep Margarito off-balance in round two, and landed a crisp right cross to Margarito's head. Cotto was gliding just as quickly as in their first fight, although this time he seemed to have an added composure, alertness and focus to his game.

As Cotto carried on sticking and moving proficiently in round three, Margarito encountered a cut on the corner of his right eye, which was the very same eye Manny Pacquiao had severely damaged in the fight prior to facing Cotto. After that, Margarito immediately stepped up his aggression. From that point until the end of the round, Cotto and Margarito traded punches fearlessly at a furious pace.

Cotto comfortably found the target in round four, connecting with numerous right cross-left hook combinations. Margarito vehemently attacked Cotto's body, although Cotto was continually getting his punches off first.

Margarito closed the fifth round strong, as he landed a firm right-hand shot to Cotto's head in the last thirty seconds.

Margarito started to land some big punches in round six, but Cotto fired right back, displaying better conditioning than in their first fight.

Cotto kept illustrating terrific lateral movement, while Margarito's right eye was completely swollen shut in the seventh round.

By the eighth round, Cotto's punches revealed greater force behind them even though he was the smaller man.

During round nine, Cotto ripped off a series of left hooks, repeatedly striking Margarito in his impaired right eye. With ten seconds left in the round, Cotto snapped Margarito's head back with another devastating left hook.

After round nine concluded, ringside physician Dr. Anthony Curreri informed referee Steve Smoger to stop the fight because Margarito could not see out of his right eye anymore.

Yet, the victory over Margarito is bittersweet. On one hand, Cotto conquered the man who handed him his first professional loss in front of a large pro-Puerto Rican crowd in New York City. But, Margarito supposedly had used plaster of paris in his hand wraps during his first fight with Cotto. In spite of the previous allegations, Cotto's career has gained significant momentum again, and it may be back to where it was in 2008.

Rios Takes Out Murray

Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios (29-0-1, 22 KO's) stopped England's John Murray (31-2, 18 KO's) via TKO 11 in a fierce lightweight battle. Originally, Rios' WBA World Lightweight title was at stake, but he was stripped of his belt after failing to make the 135 lb. limit at the weigh-in Friday afternoon. The vacant title was only at stake for Murray.

Rios, 25, worked Murray's body without difficulty in the early rounds, as both fighters exchanged blow-for-blow in close quarters. Murray's punch output dipped slightly in round three, but he picked up his pace in round four, repeatedly striking Rios in the head. However, Rios began to wear Murray down in the fifth round with his high-energy level and relentless punching. By the end of round six, Murray had sustained massive swelling under both eyes, and suffered a bloody nose.

In round eight, Rios connected with a flush right-hand shot that snapped Murray's head back. By this point, Murray's punches had lost their steam, and Rios' shots were becoming much more damaging and troublesome for the Manchester fighter.

Rios continued to tire out Murray in the tenth round, simply outworking the 26-year-old with savage uppercuts to the body and head. Rios was intensely determined to end the fight, and he connected with even more uppercuts to the body and clean overhand rights in round eleven, prompting referee Earl Brown to halt the action at 2:06.

Rodriguez Batters Wolak

Delvin Rodriguez (26-5-3, 14 KO's) easily outpointed and thoroughly assaulted Pawel Wolak (29-2-1, 19 KO's) in a junior middleweight rematch by scores of 100-90, 98-92 and 98-91.

Rodriguez, 31, couldn't miss with his vicious right uppercut, cutting through Wolak's meager defense at will. Wolak, 30, did not unleash as many punches compared to his first encounter with Rodriguez, and essentially was a stationary target absorbing a tremendous beating. Rodriguez used superior lateral movement and found his range early in the fight. After that, Rodriguez, who is known to be an agonizing puncher, comfortably dismantled Wolak with an unwavering work rate of excruciating punches.

Jones Remains Unbeaten

Philadelphia welterweight contender Mike Jones (26-0, 19 KO's) remained undefeated, capturing a one-sided, twelve-round unanimous decision versus tough veteran Sebastian Lujan (38-6-2, 24 KO's) of Argentina. Jones won by scores of 118-110 and 119-109 twice on the three ringside judges' scorecards.

Jones, 28, displayed decent punching power, and was extremely poised against the wide-punching Lujan, who applied steady pressure throughout the bout, but lacked the overall skills to pull out a win.

Lujan aggressively attacked Jones' body, although Jones countered efficiently with crisp left hooks to Lujan's head in the early rounds. Jones showed tremendous balance, pounding Lujan with a precise left hook-right cross combination in round two that sent the game Argentinean into the ropes momentarily dazed.

During round four, Lujan exhibited swelling on the left side of his face. While Lujan lacked a sound defense, he continued to relentlessly charge at Jones.

In round ten, Jones struck Lujan above his left eye with a firm right-hand shot. Lujan, 31, was also stunned by a swift left uppercut in the eleventh round, and was still pushing until the final bell.

Miguel COTTO vs. Antonio MARGARITO II Official Weigh-In

2011-12-03T12:51:00.000-05:00

Abner Mares: "Agbeko is a slow fighter, but he has a fast jab."

2011-11-30T09:32:00.000-05:00

Buxton Promotions & Hennessy Sports Sign Exciting Light Middleweight Prospect Brandon 'Bad Boy' Cook

2011-11-28T23:29:00.000-05:00

By: Bob Trieger, Full Court Press

TORONTO (November 28, 2011) - Buxton Promotions and Hennessy Sports announced today that they are now co-promoting unbeaten Canadian light middleweight prospect Brandon "Bad Boy" Cook.

The 25-year-old Cook (4-0, 2 KOs), fighting out of Ajax, Ontario, is a very popular prizefighter who made his pro debut last February, taking a four-round decision from Francis Lafreniere. Three wins have followed, including a devastating first-round knockout of Jason Bernava last Friday night in New Brunswick.

"Brandon's certainly not afraid to mix it up," 29-year-old Tyler Buxton (Buxton Promotions) noted. "He's a boxer-puncher with an aggressive style that's helped him become one of the biggest ticket sellers in Greater Toronto.

"I've promoted him since his pro debut. We signed with Hennessy Sports in order to get Brandon more exposure and bigger fights. We've done shows with Hennessy Sports and know they can help us build Brandon's fan-base, not only in Canada, but internationally as well."

The all-action Cook is an aggressive, come-straight-ahead fighter who International Boxing Hall of Fame nominee announcer Al Bernstein, who called Cook's last fight from ringside, referred to as a bigger version of WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios.

Other members of the Hennessy Sports Canada stable include NABA super featherweight champion and that organization's 2011 Fighter of the year, Logan Cotton McGuinness, WBC Silver welterweight titlist welterweight Victor Lupo and unbeaten prospects Tyler Asselstine, Samuel Vargas and Lionell "Lonnie B" Thompson.

Go on line at www.HennessySports.com for more information about Cook or any of Hennessy Sports' boxers.

Logan Cotton McGuinness Named 2011 NABA Fighter Of The Year

2011-11-25T20:42:00.000-05:00

TORONTO (November 25, 2011) - Undefeated Canadian super featherweight Logan Cotton McGuinness has been named the North American Boxing Association ("NABA") 2011 Fighter of the Year.

"It's a great honor for me to be chosen by the NABA as its Fighter of the Year," McGuinness said. "I defended the NABA lightweight title twice since winning it in September (2010) and won the NABA super featherweight title as well. Hopefully, I'll defend that belt once or twice and then reach the ultimate goal of fighting for the world title."

McGuinness' accomplishment came in a year that also featured NABA champions such as cruiserweight Latiff Kayode, middleweight Andy Lee and welterweight Mike Jones.

"He was the NABA's most active boxer for this year," NABA president George Martinez explained McGuinness' selection. "He defended his lightweight title twice and then moved down one division and won that title with a good performance. Of all the champions we had this year, Logan was the most impressive."

The 24-year-old McGuinness (16-0-1, 7 KOs), presently rated No. 9 by the World Boxing Association ("WBA"), relinquished the NABA lightweight crown to fight former world title challenger Benoit Gaudet (24-3, 10 KOs) last month for the vacant NABA super featherweight championship . Logan overcame a deep cut over his left eye from an accidental head-butt in the second round to register a dramatic 11th round knockout.

"Gaudet came to fight me in front of all my fans," Logan added. "He was nothing but classy, before and after our fight. We have at least 6000 people at my fights (at Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario). It was so loud there that all I could hear was my name being announced. I'm from a small town (Orangeville), which is only 40 minutes north of the venue. The town is very supportive of its athletes.

"I'm excited to see what happens in 2012. I may be fighting March 17, St. Patrick's Day, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and that would be a dream come true. I've only fought once in America (a six-round draw May 22, 2010 vs. 35-13 Walter Estrada at Mohegan Sun in Conn.) and it wasn't my best performance. I've been waiting to get back to America to fight so fight fans there, especially the Irish, get to see me at my best."

Hennessy Sports has moved McGuinness very well and now he's ready to go from promising prospect to legitimate contender. "This is a great honor for Logan and well deserved," promoter Adam Harris (Hennessy Sports) remarked. "Logan leaves it all in the ring, each and every time he fights, and we hope to land him a world title shot. Fans love watching him fight."

McGuinness should move up in the next WBA ratings from his present No. 9 position, the highest ranking for any North American super featherweight.

"Now that I'm considered a top 10 fighter for the first time," McGuinness concluded. "Next year at some point, I hope to be fighting a top 10 opponent and within 1 ½-to-2 years, I should be fighting for the world title."

Other members of the Hennessy Sports Canada stable include WBC Silver welterweight titlist welterweight Victor Lupo and unbeaten featherweight prospect Tyler Asselstine.

Go on line at www.HennessySports.com for more information about McGuinness or any of Hennessy Sports' boxers.

Shumenov Encouraged By Cleverly Unification Media Reports

2011-11-25T20:28:00.000-05:00

LAS VEGAS (November 25, 2011) - World Boxing Association ("WBA") and International Boxing Association ("IBA") light heavyweight World champion Beibut Shumenov is encouraged by media reports and quotes from World Boxing Organization ("WBO") titlist Nathan Cleverly claiming he is agreeable to a unification fight in Las Vegas versus Shumenov.

Shumenov (12-1, 8 KOs), a 2004 Kazakhstan Olympian, and former European champion Cleverly (23-0, 11 KOs) would match, respectively, a lawyer against a mathematician.

One potential obstacle for any unification bout has been averted because Shumenov is once again promoted by KZ Event Productions, which he owns and operates with his brother, Chingis.

"Both of us are world champions; Cleverly in the WBO and me in the WBA," Shumenov said. "I tried to unify against a WBO champion before but it didn't work out. This fight should happen for boxing fans all over the world and we, as fighters, need to make sure that it does happen. I am sure Cleverly would prefer to fight at home in the UK, as I would love to fight in Kazakhstan, but this fight belongs in the boxing capital of the world, Las Vegas. I'm ready and, if Cleverly is really willing and able, let's make it happen and get a deal done. My goal has always been to unify the light heavyweight world title."

Shumenov's trusted advisor, Hall of Fame promoter Don Chagrin, recently reached out to Cleverly's promoter, Frank Warren, after reading stories that the WBO champion was interested in a unification fight against Beibut. Chargin has since received two calls from Warren's matchmaker, Dean Powell. "They want the fight in Wales or London, Beibut would like to have it in Kazakhstan," Chagrin reported. "I asked if they'd be interested in Las Vegas and he said that was something that could possibly be arranged. I'm still waiting to hear back from them about fighting in Las Vegas."

Shumenov set a light heavyweight record for capturing a world title in the fewest career fights, 10, when (Jan. 29, 2010) he won a 12-round decision against Gabriel Campillo in Las Vegas. In three successful world title defenses, Shumenov won a unanimous 12-round decision versus No. 1 mandatory challenger and previously undefeated Viacheslav Uzelkov (UDEC12), followed by a six-round knockout of three-time world champion William Joppy (KO6), and then his victory last July by ninth-round TKO versus three-time world title challenger Danny Santiago.

In only 13 pro fights, Beibut has defeated four world champions (Campillo, Joppy, Byron Mitchell and Montell Griffin), as well as three world title challengers (Uzelkov, Santiago and Epifanio Mendoza

Cleverly captured the Interim WBO title a year ago, when he won a 12-round decision against Nadjib Mohammedi, after WBO champion Juergen Braehmer was stripped for pulling out of his title defense against Cleverly. Braehmer had done the same thing against Shumenov, only days before their scheduled unification fight last January in Kazakhstan. Cleverly was named the outright WBO champion and he has since successfully defended his title against Aleksy Kuziemski (TKO4) and Tony Bellow (DEC12) this past October.

For more information about Shumenov visit www.KZEventProductions.com.

Undefeated Featherweight Prospect Tyler Asselstine Steps Up In Class vs. Philippe Frenois Dec. 10 In Montreal

2011-11-22T21:24:00.001-05:00

By: Bob Trieger, Full Court Press

TORONTO (November 22, 2011) - One of Ontario's best amateur boxers, undefeated featherweight prospect Tyler Asselstine, steps-up in class December 10 for his first scheduled eight-round bout against Frenchman Philippe Frenois at Bell Centre in Montreal.

In his last action this past June in Ireland, Frenois (14-4-1) went the full 12-rounds, albeit in a losing effort, against undefeated Patrick Hyland for the World Boxing Federation featherweight title. The French boxer has never been stopped.

Asselstine's amateur pedigree includes being a member of the 2009 Canadian National Team, representing his country in numerous International matches, as well as being the 2010 Ringside World Championships gold medalist. Since completing a standout amateur career (70-10), the 25-year-old Asselstine (7-0, 5 KOs) from Kingston, Ontario has taken to the professional ranks by storm. The gifted southpaw, who started boxing at 18 after being a kick-boxer, has been a pro prizefighter for only 13 months but he has already had seven fights.

In some ways, Tyler is a smaller, younger version of his boxing idol, IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute, sort of a "Bute-light." Asselstine's promoter, Hennessy Sports, believes Tyler has what it takes to be the next great Canadian boxer.

"He's only 25 and we think, to say the least, Tyler has a very, very bright boxing future," his promoter Adam Harris (Hennessy Sports) said. "He has been totally dominant in his first seven pro fights. We're keeping him as busy as possible because all he really lacks at this stage of his young professional career is ring experience."

Asselstine-Frenois is on a GYM Promotions card headed by Adonis Stevenson vs. Aaron Pryor, Jr. for the NABA/NABO super middleweight titles and a WBC International middleweight championship bout between David Lemieux and Joachine Alcine.

Other members of Hennessy Sports' growing stables of champions, contenders and prospects include undefeated Commonwealth and British heavyweight champion, WBC # 11 Tyson Fury; WBC #15 light heavyweight contender Danny "The Big Mac" McIntosh, former Commonwealth welterweight champion John O'Donnell, former British light welterweight title-holder "Lightning" Lenny Daws, former WBC light welterweight king Junior "The Hitter" Witter, WBC International Silver welterweight champ Victor Lupo; unbeaten prospects such as NABA super featherweight champion and WBA #9 Logan Cotton McGuinness, light heavyweight Lionell "Lonnie B" Thompson, super bantamweight Kid Galahad, newly-signed middleweight sensation Chris Eubank, Jr., and welterweight Samuel Vargas.

Go on line at www.HennessySports.com for more information about Asselstine, upcoming Hennessy Sports events or any of his stable-mates.

NBC SPORTS GROUP PRESENTS FIGHT NIGHT BOXING SERIES

2011-11-21T23:59:00.000-05:00

Quarterly Boxing Matches Saturday Nights on NBC Sports Network

Series Debuts Saturday, January 21, 2012 from Philadelphia

Main Events To Coordinate Multi-Promoter Strategy with Hall-of-Fame Matchmaker J Russell Peltz

NEW YORK November 22, 2011 - NBC Sports Group announced today the formation of NBC Sports Network Fight Night, a boxing series featuring premier boxing talent. Fight Night will debut on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012 on the NBC Sports Network (which will be renamed from VERSUS on Jan. 2, 2012), from Asylum Arena in Philadelphia, Pa. The Fight Night cards are being scheduled in cities that are served by a Comcast Sports Group regional network, and the regional networks will help promote the events and have the ability to re-air fights.

NBC Sports Group will work with Main Events and Hall-of-Fame matchmaker J Russell Peltz on a multi-promoter strategy for NBC Sports Network Fight Night designed to produce the best quality fights. It is a strategy in which any promoter can participate to get their boxers involved in these programs.

"This is a unique approach to have multiple promoters competing to put fights on NBC Sports Network," said Jon Miller, President, programming, NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network. "That, coupled with the legendary matchmaker J Russell Peltz serving as our quality control expert, ensures that boxing fans will enjoy exciting and competitive matches."

"We are reaching out to all promoters to get involved in the series, and our priority is simply to make exciting fights. We don't care who brings the fighters," said Kathy Duva, president, Main Events. "We expect that multiple promoters will be involved in each of the Fight Night programs. All fighters who are willing to further their careers by engaging in compelling, interesting, meaningful matches are welcome."

"Fights in this series will be solid, competitive and exciting," said Peltz. "Borrowing the philosophy of the late Madison Square Garden matchmaker Teddy Brenner, my bouts will be made on the following criteria: Do the fighters' styles mesh to make an exciting fight? Does this fight lead to something? And would I buy a ticket to it? These should be good fights for boxing fans."

NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT SCHEDULE (All Times ET)

Saturday, January 21, 9-11 p.m. - Philadelphia

Saturday, March 24, 10 p.m.-Midnight - Site TBA

Saturday, June 16, 9-11 p.m. - Site TBA

Saturday, December 8, 9-11 p.m. - Site TBA