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Sunday, February 3, 2008

Paterson, NJ welterweight Henry Crawford replaces Wolak

Unbeaten junior middleweight Pawel Wolak (19-0, 13 KOs) has pulled out of the February 9th 'Night of the Rising Stars' show at the Park Theatre in Union City, New Jersey. “He is not 100%,” states Ivan Edwards, manager of the Polish born fighter.

Pawel Wolak and Ivan Edwards


“We are hoping to have him back in action in the very near future.” Wolak will be replaced by Paterson, NJ welterweight Henry Crawford (17-0-1, 8 KOs) as the main event of the evening. "I am excited to be the main event on February 9th and I plan on showing everyone in attendance my skills, Tuesday, January 29
states Crawford."

Henry Crawford


Promoter: John Lynch : Pound for Pound Promotions
Tickets 100,75 ,50 ,35 dollars tickets going fast

Vanes Martirosyan vs Michi Munoz

TICKETS: $125, $75, $50 @ VanesBoxing.com
VanesBoxing.com

Paragon's Plans to Keeppunchin; Sechew "Iron Horse" Powell and Allan "Sweetness" Green on February's ESPN Card

February 29's "Friday Night Fights" broadcast from the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, Louisiana, featuring IBF #1-rated Sechew "Iron Horse" Powell (23-1, 13 KOs) and IBF and WBO #14-rated Allan "Sweetness" Green (26-1, 18 KOs) in dual main events, will mark the culmination of a lengthy group effort to bring world-class professional boxing to Central Louisiana.

Sechew "Iron Horse" Powell



"I think it's huge we're sponsoring a major televised boxing event," says Linda Bordelon, Vice-President of Public Relations for the Paragon. "I know the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe is tremendously proud of getting to this point. They fought hard for this; they deserve it and we're all thrilled to have it."

Known as the "Pearl of Louisiana", the Paragon was constructed on Tunica-Biloxi Tribe land in 1994 and has quickly expanded to a sprawling 1,000,000 + square-foot resort that rivals anything Las Vegas can offer. With cypress trees and live alligators in its newly constructed eight-story glass atrium, over 2000 slot machines, the full complement of gaming tables, three hotel towers, a top-rated golf course and seven restaurants among its many amenities, the Paragon has turned a once-rural area into one of the country's newest hot spots.

So what does a casino traditionally do once it's all dressed up? It goes out for a night of world-class boxing.

David Rivas, Director of Political Affairs for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe as well as the first independent Native American boxing promoter in history, says that while the Paragon has hosted boxing in the past, this amazing coup to stage a major event started with a call to Louisiana-based husband-and-wife boxing promoters Mickey and Kerry Daigle of Keeppunching Entertainment.

"Kerry is a dear friend of mine. When they asked me who I thought could handle the boxing program for the Paragon, I recommended Keeppunching immediately. Mickey and Kerry are honorable people."

The Daigles began their Paragon tenure by putting on well-attended shows featuring local favorites such as Blake "Candyman" Prevost and "The Fighting Marine" Kasha Chamblin.

Then one day came word that a televised date, originally to be hosted by "The Contender" series of promotions, was suddenly available. Through some quick moves, Keeppunching was able to put together this sensational card and make the fight happen at the Paragon.

Kerry Daigle, KPE Director of Boxing to his wife Mickey's role as promoter, says it took some fast maneuvering.

"When I heard that The Contender had other plans, I spent hours on the phone coming up with an idea for a blockbuster show. When I had a plan put together, I called up my good friend Leon Margules (Head of Florida-based Warrior's Boxing) and together with Allan Green's promoter Tony Holden, we approached ESPN and finalized arrangements for this incredible double-main-event evening, one of the best nights of boxing that will be seen on ESPN this year."

Bordelon calls the big show a "coming out party," for the Paragon and for Louisiana boxing. "We're looking forward to having folks around the country find out about our outstanding facilities. In the Mari Center (Mari means "gathering" in the Tunica Biloxi Tribal language) there are only 2200 seats, so when you sit in this newly updated facility, it's like being at a very intimate gathering, but with all the modern technology and features that a much larger facility would have: great lighting and wonderful sound. The exposure through ESPN is wonderful for us. This will encourage people who have never visited Marksville to come and enjoy everything you could want from a top casino resort and the best southern hospitality on the planet to go with it."

When the bright lights go up and the cameras roll that February Friday night, one of the big winners will be the group who were able to collectively put it all together. While Las Vegas is known as the world's champion of top-level boxing, a hungry, young contender has emerged in Marksville, Louisiana.

And they're working hard on taking Vegas's title away some day.

Tickets are on sale now, priced at $100 Ringside (Limited Seating) and $40 (Reserved Stadium Seating) and can be obtained through www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the Paragon Casino Resort at 1.800.WIN.1.WIN. For more information on the upcoming show, go to www.keeppunching.com. To visit the fabulous Paragon Casino go to www.paragoncasinoresort.com.

WBC FEMALE CHAMPIONSHIP COMMITTEE‏; We welcome Alicia " Slick" Ashley as our NABF Super Bantamweight Champ!

China's Wang Ya Nan lasted a spirited last round attack by USA's Janaya Davis to win by unaminous points decision the WBC Female Middleweight World Title in Macao.The vocally partisan Chinese crowd roared as Wang Ya Nan built up a solid lead with strong accurate punches that kept Davis away, but as she began to tire in the last three rounds Davis found something extra and applied extreme pressure on the local favourite.

Exercise your right to use your Mouse:
http://wbcboxing.com/WBCboxing/Portal/cfpages/contentmgr.cfm?docId=1893&docTipo=1&orderby=docid&sortby=ASCJill Diamond WBC Championship Committee NABF Women's Division, Chair World Boxing Cares, Chair

Alicia " Slick" Ashley; The New NABF Super Bantamweight Champ

On January 31, 2008, Paradise Theatre in the Bronx, Alicia "Slick" Ashley faced Brooke "No Mercy" Dierdorff for a scheduled eight rounds and the NABF Bantamweight Title.
By:David Pambianchi



Former dancer with scholarships to Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham dance schools, Alicia carries ballroom elegance into the ring. A southpaw coupled with an unusual style, hands often down, Alicia still managed to dodge Karen's punches for the first two rounds through a fluid body movement that kept her opponent off balance.

Brooke, a younger fighter of 26, still comes with some tough fighting experience and a lot of heart. But the veteran bloodied her nose in the third round and started to step up the pace. Progressively, Alicia scored higher in the fourth, then slipped in notable hard lefts in the fifth and sixth. Whenever Karen fired back with a flurry, Alicia returned with her own combinations more accurate and connected.


Photo: David Pambianchi

During the final two rounds, a valiant, but frustrated Brooke would rush in attempting to capitalize on her adversary's openings, only to walk into a solid left, and then discover that Alicia had disappeared. Hands up now, Alicia scored heavily with right hooks and lefts. Karen held tough and fought back, however, still unable to do any serious damage.

As Star Boxing Public Relation's Queen Rachel Charles notes, "Getting Old is Not for Sissies." While 40 might be a middle age reminder to some, one determined competitor not only feels, but also glows young and vibrant. Almost to the day of her 8th year in Professional boxing, smooth, smart, educated and savvy, Alicia showed little sign of slowing down and captured the NABF title.

Ronica Jeffrey: First Taste of Bronx Paradise


Ronica Jeffrey: First Taste of Bronx Paradise
by David Pambianchi

Photo: David Pambianchi
At the Paradise Theatre in the Bronx, January 31, 2008, Ronica Jeffrey collided with Karen Dulin for a scheduled 4 round Professional Featherweight Boxing Debut.
For the first two rounds, a faster Ronica scored better in general with especially heavy punches to Karen's body. But make no mistake, tough and solid to the core, she took the blows and keep fighting. During the third round, Ronica, again using her speed advantage, started landing some head shots that took a toll. Karen sometimes looked away to protect her face, when she might have blocked and countered instead of losing precious focus. Never-the-less, during the round four slug fest, Karen fought well despite falling pray to Ronica's single combinations, a left to the body then right to the head.

Photo: David Pambianchi
New Yorkers witnessed a dynamic bout of heart and fury, physical conditioning and grit that did boxing proud. Karen fought with courage and earned her right into Professional boxing. And an equally brave and determined Ronica earned and started her Professional boxing career with a win.

Marcus Cederqvist Gearing Up for the Big Countdown

Marcus Cederqvist
By ROBIN FINN


A DEFINITE contender for the title of Most Precocious Republican in New York City, Marcus Cederqvist, at 37 the baby-faced new executive director of the Board of Elections, is gearing up for his debut as the city’s chief vote counter for Tuesday’s New York presidential primary.

James Estrin/photo- New York Times


Super Duper Tuesday, as it has been called, could be a challenge, particularly if the Giants win the Super Bowl on Sunday and Lower Broadway, where the board, with its inventory of backup voting machines, has its headquarters, is taken over by a victory parade on Primary Day.

Mr. Cederqvist apologizes for the Duper thing’s being over the top. Can’t help himself: This is a big deal with big national stakes, and he is, in a sense, running the show. Keeping tabs on it, anyway. He is, he promises, highly conversant with spreadsheets. And with contingency plans should the local football team prevail. “I want the Giants to win, but...”

Mr. Cederqvist is responsible for monitoring the city’s 1,363 polling stations on Tuesday and supplying them with some 6,300 voting machines — yes, the clunky but dependable Shoup lever machines that must all be replaced by modern, voter-friendly machines in time for the 2009 mayoral election.

He is so new in his role (his predecessor and mentor, John A. Ravitz, resigned in October, but Mr. Cederqvist was not appointed until Jan. 15) that his name isn’t yet etched on the office door.

But public service is old hat. He got his start while a student at the University of Rochester by volunteering for Charles Millard’s 1991 campaign for the New York City Council. He then had a summer internship with State Senator Roy M. Goodman in 1992, after which he coordinated the successful City Council campaign of Andrew S. Eristoff in 1993. By age 25, he was elected Republican leader of the 65th District on the East Side, and he went on to serve as Mr. Eristoff’s chief of staff until 1999.

“Granted, this is a partisan agency,” he says about the board of 10 commissioners: a Democrat and a Republican from each borough, a recipe that he is convinced ensures checks and balances. He is a true-blue Republican — “Better make that true red,” he corrects, with a rare giggle — whose fascination with the party began as a Manhattan teenager improbably attuned to the oratory of Ronald Reagan. But the board’s deputy director and its administrative manager are both Democrats. Hurrah for partisan parity.

“What everyone here is interested in, and what everyone truly wants, is a fair election,” he insists, waving a yellow pencil like a baton. “There isn’t really a Republican or a Democratic way to run an election; there’s just a right way. No, really! Here in this role, my job is very specifically to count votes, not influence them. That’s the only game I’m involved in now. The Board of Elections is kind of like the boiler in your house: It’s something you don’t think about much, but as long as it chugs along and keeps you warm, it’s doing its job.” He frets that the analogy sounds dumb.

But forgive Mr. Cederqvist — who will also celebrate his 38th birthday and first wedding anniversary in this pivotal primary month — for his giddiness. He’s young to the point of idealistic, or at the very least earnestness, even if he happens to be wearing, somewhat baggily, a nondescript old man’s suit in an unbecoming shade of charcoal and a green tie from his father’s wardrobe castoffs. His father, a retired obstetrician and gynecologist, accumulated ties from four generations of happy parents of offspring he delivered.

Mr. Cederqvist is, by his own admission, a diligent former Republican operative, not a clotheshorse, which explains why he says he forgot to wear his most photogenic, and partisan, tie: the blue one decorated with itsy-bitsy elephants, a Christmas present from his father. He does wear a shiny black pair of penny loafers, a post-preppy nod to his alma mater, the Browning School on the Upper East Side, and he vows to purchase some snappier suits. After the primary.

“Being that this is a presidential primary and a contested presidential primary at that, we’re anticipating a high voter turnout, something approaching what you would expect for a general election,” he says, flicking the elephant-themed light switch in his otherwise impersonal office (he has had no time to unpack his family photos or posters).

“I’VE been unbelievably busy,” he reiterates. He has even, because protocol demanded it, already voted (he won’t say for whom, but his palpable disappointment, and fleeting pout, at the news of Rudolph W. Giuliani’s withdrawal is a telltale sign). Mr. Cederqvist, before being named to this post, spent six years as executive director of the New York Republican County Committee. Making it a computer-savvy and candidate-rich organization was his mission.

Being a young Republican activist in New York City, where Democrats prevail nearly six to one and where even his wife is registered with the enemy, has often been alienating. Take, for instance, the collection of petition signatures. “If you’re a Democrat, getting signatures on the Upper West Side is like shooting fish in a barrel,” he says. “For a Republican, it is a horrible, horrible experience. I’ve been called a fascist repeatedly. People are just vitriolic in general.” Then there was the time that, at First Avenue and 79th Street, an older woman spit at him when he asked if she was a Republican.

“Thank God she had bad aim and missed.”

Professional Boxing in Laporte Indiana February 9