★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience©®™: Jul 26, 2012

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Women boxers to look out for at the London 2012 Olympic Games

With just a few days to go until the biggest show on Earth gets underway in the British capital, we look at the men and women in each of the weight categories who can have a real impact at the London 2012 Olympic Games. In the final part of this series, we examine the Fly (51kg), Light (60kg) and Middleweight (75kg) women.

Women Flyweight (51kg)

Ren Cancan won gold at the most recent AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships in China, a title she defended once again. Her main rival in London will be Great Britain's Nicola Adams, whom she has defeated in the last two World Championships finals. Chungneijang Mery Kom Hmangte, also known as Mary Kom, moved up weight classes in order to qualify for the Olympic Games and is determined not to leave the capital without at least a medal. Veteran Karolina Michalczuk from Poland, Russia's Elena Savelyeva and the American Marlen Esparza, who was recently featured in Vogue magazine, are also tough competitors who can really make a difference.

Women Lightweight (60kg)

Difficult to look beyond the Irish icon Katie Taylor (photo) for this one, she was recently crowned a quadruple AIBA World Champion and took the best boxer trophy in China. Her main rival will be the impressive Russian Sofya Ochigava, who she defeated in the final. Quanitta Lee 'Queen' Underwood and Great Britain's Natasha Jones are the other favourites behind the front two. New Zealand's Alexis Pritchard trained with the AIBA Road to London programs and sparred with some of the best boxers around in preparation for the Olympic Games so could be a dark horse in the draw.

Women Middleweight (75kg)
Great Britain's Savannah Marshall, a 21-year-old orthodox fighter from Hartlepool, dubbed the 'Silent Assassin', became the first British woman to be crowned an AIBA World Champion after taking gold at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships Qinhuangdao 2012 and now will be the firm favourite to take the Olympic title after defeating all before her in China. Marshall will be the one to beat, but she has some tough opposition to deal with. Azerbaijan's Elena Vystropova came second to the young Brit in the World Championships this year and after losing by just two points in the final, she will firmly believe that she can claim gold at the ExCeL London on 9 July when then women's finals take place. Canada's triple AIBA World Champion Mary Spencer was one of the sport's dominant forces in recent years so will be keen to re-assert her authority on the young pretenders. Russia's Nadezda Torlopova was the Heavyweight (81kg) AIBA World Champion in 2010 so her power makes her a major contender too. Finally, American teenage sensation Claressa Shields is one the most talented fighters to ever emerge in women's boxing and even though she is only 17, she has all the attributes of a future great.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

Watch: Mike Tyson & Spike Lee in Rehearsal for 'Undisputed Truth'

Mike Tyson's Las Vegas one-man show, The Undisputed Truth, is heading to Broadway under Spike Lee's direction... in case you haven't heard.

Tyson will bring his show to Broadway for a limited engagement (July 31 to Augugust 12) at the Longacre Theatre.

This will be Spike's Broadway directorial debut (he filmed a stage production Passing Strange; but he's never actually directed a Broadway show before), with James L. Nederlander producing.

"It is an honor to work with Spike Lee... I have always admired his work. Sharing the highlights and lowlights of my life with New York is especially important to me as I was born and raised in Brooklyn. I am thrilled to bring the story of Undisputed Truth to Broadway," said Tyson.

The upcoming show is being billed as "a rare, personal look inside the life and mind of one of the most feared men ever to wear the heavyweight crown... This riveting one-man show goes beyond the headlines, behind the scenes and between the lines to deliver a must-see theatrical knockout."

A website has already been set up (http://tysononbroadway.com/), and tickets are now on sale.

This should be interesting. It's a one-man show, but Spike could get creative with it.

Watch the duo talk about the show as they rehearse for it:

Marlen Esparza: LQQK AT HER NOW!!! VOGUE

Marlen Esparza: Vogue usually doesn’t devote much of its coverage to boxing. But history will be made in London this summer when the Olympics feature women’s boxing for the first time, and Vogue has published a compelling profile on Marlen Esparza.

Esparza started boxing when she was 11 in her hometown of Pasadena, Texas. Now 23, Esparza might be the best bet to win gold for the U.S.

The Vogue profile notes that she doesn’t necessarily look the part: “A track-and-field athlete, perhaps, or a runner, but at five feet three and 112 pounds she is neither brawny nor particularly fierce-looking.”

But there’s no arguing that she looks stunning in that red dress for her Vogue shoot, nor with her 69–2 record.

Marlen Esparza: CAN YOU SAY SPONSORSHIP!!!

Marlen Esparza: The flyweight from Texas probably has the happiest backstory of the three fighters—which is to say, her story of herculean sacrifice is fairly mundane, as far as Olympic athletes go. At 11, Esparza's boxing-obsessed father gave his daughter the task of bringing her younger brother to a boxing gym. She had been sent to a disciplinary program for talking back in school and had time on her hands—enough time, apparently, to convince her stubborn trainer Rudy Silva to take on his first female client. ♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

Melissa Hernandez vs. Nicole Woods July 28, 2012, in Georgia

Melissa Hernandez (16-3-3, 6 KOs) is from Puerto Rico. She is set to fight July 28, 2012, in Georgia against native Nicole Woods (11-9-2, 3 KOs) in Columbus, GA. Hernandez has moved around various weight classes, as have a lot of women just to get fights.

Beautiful, Powerful Women of USA Boxing

2012 is the first year women's boxing will be a part of the Olympic Games. Although women's boxing has been a recognized sport since the first organized bouts in London in the 1720's, it has taken a very long time for women to be allowed in the ring at the Olympics. London will host the first women's boxing events in just a few days, bringing the sport full circle over a span of approximately 300 years.

Three women will represent Team USA in three weight classes. Each of these young women possess an enormous amount of strength, beauty, character, and yes, femininity. They each have battled their way to a chance to compete in this historic event.

Claressa Shields

At just 17 years of age, Claressa Shields is a stunning young woman who is unafraid to speak openly of her faith. At an age when faith is one of the last things on most young people's minds, God ranks first for Shields. This gold medal favorite trains hard and fights hard, going undefeated for 26 fights before her first loss. It was a loss she accepted prayerfully as a lesson God wanted her to learn on her journey to the Olympics.

Shields will represent the USA in the middleweight class. Her muscles tight, long brown hair braided back from her face, Shields is a picture of determination, a young woman who has overcome awful abuse but still stands strong. Head bowed and eyes closed in prayer, her beautiful, youthful glow exudes peace and serenity.

"God has a plan for me, if it's meant for me to get this gold medal, I will," Shields told reporter, Val Berry.

Marlen Esparza

A new CoverGirl model, 22-year-old Marlen Esparza is as stunning outside the ring as in. Outside the ring, Esparza is happy to be the first Hispanic Olympian to be selected to represent CoverGirl, saying, "Anyone can be beautiful, and is deserving of beauty no matter what your personal situation is. You don't have to be famous to look good." Inside the ring, she has won six consecutive national championships in her division and will represent Team USA in the flyweight class.

Esparza is also unafraid to let her light shine when it comes to her faith. She told the North Channel Area Chamber of Commerce, upon receiving an award for her accomplishments, "I've done really well in the last three years, and I give all the glory to God and to Jesus Christ. That lifts a lot off of me and helps me perform better."

Queen Underwood

I wrote about Queen Underwood and her heart of a champion in June. She has strength almost beyond measure, and not just physically. Yes, she is a strong fighter with determination made clear in her motto, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop." But she also has an inner strength that gave her the power to overcome horrible abuse and stand tall as a role model and inspiration for others.

Fighting for Team USA in the lightweight class, 27-year-old Underwood has been through more than many people face in a lifetime, but she chooses to fight. With a radiant smile that testifies to her ability to overcome, Underwood's truest beauty will always be her heart.

THE WORLD’S BEST IN FEMALE BOXING

THE WORLD’S BEST IN FEMALE BOXING; By Pedro Fernandez

BEST OF THE CHICK FIGHTERS!

San Francisco, CA- At one point and time in the prior decade of the 1990s, female boxing was a subject that you could broach with a casual sports fan and have a conversation. Most of this had to do with Don King’s promoting Christy Martin, the “Queen-pin” of female fighters who is said to have made millions of dollars during her reign as the predominant female fighter in the world. But as we see in men’s boxing, Christy got “gift” decisions, lost a fight to Sumya Anani that virtually nobody in 1998 saw because it was on the then fledging Direc TV.

WHAT HAPPENED TO FEMALE BOXING?

The sport has been the victim of mass discrimination by U.S promoters, especially at the club level. I’ve talked to promoters who won’t utilize the services of female boxers for a number of reasons, which in my mind all track back to being a Male Chauvinist Pig. Some of you might not like the thought of women fighting, but it’s OK for them to partake in every other sport for the most part outside of the National Football League. The bottom line is that female fighters never dog it! You don’t see women in dull fights. Why? Because they are fighting for the life of their sport, trying their best to make it a livelihood.

MANAGER & FIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER WAS OF GREAT HELP HERE

Christy Martin

That being said, with the help of Mary Ann Owen, a retired Corrections Officer and professional photographer who covers the fight game globally out of las Vegas, NV, I have come up with a list of the best female boxers in the world. The following list isn’t about being a ratings tool, it’s just a collaboration put together by Ms. Owen and myself.

1) Ava Knight, Chico, CA (9-1-3, 5 KOs). Ava is a great talker who is a positive force in the sport. Having had her on “Ring Talk Boxing & MMA Radio” twice, she hasn’t lost a fight since 2009. The “Road Warrior” of female boxing, Knight is the IBF flyweight (112 lbs) champ who has been forced to fight three straight times in Mexico, because she can’t get a decent paying fight in this country.

2) Jelena Mrjenovich, Alberta, Canada. 26-8-1 (12 KOs as a pro, the Cannuck, like Knight is not afraid to take her show on the road. Winning in Japan last December, she recently defeated journey-woman Belinda Laracuente, who was “robbed” in a 2001 fight against the aforementioned Christy Martin. Currently holds the WBC 130 lb. title.

3) Ann Sophie Mathis of France is 26-2, 21 KOs.

Fighting at 145 lbs., the aforementioned Mary Ann Owen considers her the best “P4P” female in boxing, this even though she was on the short end of a rematch decision with Holly Holm in New Mexico last month.

4) Cecilia Braehkus is a 140 lb. fighter that boxes out of Germany. With a record of 20-0, 5 KOs, the Norwegian native is the WBO, WBA & WBC 147 lb. champ. Considered an iconic figure in both Norway and Germany, Cecilia can fight and appears to be making a living seeing she has sponsors and does great ratings on European TV when she fights.

5) Mariana Juarez is the WBC 112 lb. champ (35-5-3 (16 KO’s) who recently won a fight in Ontario, CA. Afterwards, Ms. Juarez was embarrassed as Ava Knight, who traveled to Southern California by car and then called Juarez out right then and there to unify the 112 lb. belts. Knight is willing to fight Juarez in her native Mexico at the drop of a hat and a decent purse.

6) Ana Maria Torres is 23-3-3, 16 KOs and the WBC super flyweight (115) from Mexico.

7) Jeanine Garside hails from Windsor, Canada and holds the WBO & WBC 126 lb. champ is 10-3-1, 4 KOs. Another Cannuck that can fight!

8) Holly Holm of New Mexico at 145 lbs. is 31-2-3, 9 KOs. Although she bested Ann Sophie Mathis in June, Holly avenged a previous KO loss by “jabbing and grabbing” according to Ms. Owen. Holly sells a lot of tickets and has even fought and won MMA matches.

9) Myriam Lamare hails from France. Fighting at 145, she was an outstanding amateur fighter (49-3) who is now 20-3, 10 KOs as a professional.

10) Susi Kentikan is a German who is 20-1, 16 KOs, is coming off a Majority Decision loss recently to Melissa McMorrow (7-3) in what was a stunner! Fighting around 110 lbs., she can roll at 108 or 110.

11) Ada Velez fights out of Florida and is 20-4, 6 KOs. A bantamweight (118) who dropped a recent decision to (7-3) Melissa McMorrow, who seems to be the “upset” queen of female boxing.

11) Jackie Nava from the border town of Tijuana, MX is 23-3-2, 11 KOs. She has been rated at 118, 122, 126 & 130 lbs. and was the first ever WBC female champion in 2005.

12) Hanna Gabriel Valle of Costa Rica won a title at 147, but making the weight affected her health. Now a jr. middleweight (154) she drew 14,000 Costa Rican fans fighting at home. Her record is 11-0-1, 6 KOs.

13) Diana Prazak is a 130 lb. from Australia who is training in Los Angeles, CA by the “greatest” female fighter in the minds of some in history, Lucia Ryjker. She is 11-1, 7 KOs.

14) Argentina’s Yesica Yolanda Bopp fights at light flyweight and has been WBA champ since 2008. She has added the WBO title and had six successful defenses in 2011 alone. Her unbeaten record is 20-0, 9 KOs and has defeated the extremely capable Carina Moreno in her first 2011 defense.

15) Carina Moreno is from Salinas, CA. A sweet girl outside the ring, inside the squared circle she is the “meanest (female) from Salinas. At light flyweight she is 22-3, 6 KOs.

16) Susie “Q” Ramadan of Australia fights only in her homeland and is 20-1, 8 KOs. In order to bolster her status at 118, she needs to fight in Europe or North America.

17) Kaliesha West is the WBO 118 lb. champ out of Moreno Valley, CA. At 15-1-3, 4 KOs, she started training at the age of 10 after watching her father Juan Westbox. Dad wasn’t too cool on having his daughter box, but her determination and will to fight overcame her father’s wishes and she is now one of the better fighters in the world.

18) Melissa Hernandez (16-3-3, 6 KOs) is from Puerto Rico. She is set to fight July 28, 2012, in Georgia against native Nicole Woods (11-9-2, 3 KOs) in Columbus, GA. Hernandez has moved around various weight classes, as have a lot of women just to get fights.

19) Last but not least is Christy “The Coal Miner’s Daughter” Martin who was born in West Virginia and now resides in Florida. She survived being shot and stabbed by her now ex-husband Jim Martin in late 2010 for her telling him she was leaving! Long in the tooth at 45, Christy is supposed to retire after her fight with Mia St John in August. Overall she is 49-5-1, 33 KOs. This was the women’s boxing “flag-bearer’ for most of the 1990s, supporting main events that had Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez and others on top. Now an admitted Lesbian, Christy’s time was the “golden era” of female boxing. The sport might never raise to the heights of popularity that it did when Martin and Don King brought female boxing into your front room on Showtime and Pay Per View.

No Holds Barred: Jordan Burroughs

http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2012-07-26T05_43_16-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with 2011 freestyle wrestling world champion and 2012 Olympian Jordan Burroughs (http://www.alliseeisgold.com).

After completing an undefeated 2010-11 season at Nebraska and winning his second NCAA Div. I national championship, Jordan Burroughs went on to represent the U.S. at the world wrestling championships in freestyle at 74 kg/163 pounds. He won the world championship at that event, and has been undefeated since then, including winning championships at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, the Cerro Pelado International Tournament, the Dave Schultz Memorial International Tournament, and the 2011 Pan American Games.

Wrestling in his first Olympic Games, Jordan Burroughs is favored by many to win a gold medal in London. The wrestling at the 2012 London Olympics takes place Sunday, August 5, through Sunday, August 12, at the ExCeL Centre. The competition for Jordan Burroughs's weight class, 74 kg, takes place Friday, August 10.

"It definitely gives me a lot of confidence being the favorite for the Olympic Games," he said in this interview, recorded by phone Tuesday evening, right before he left for London. He added and stressed, "However, I know I still have to go out there and perform. Predictions and projections mean nothing if you don't go out there and perform at your highest level. So for me I'm staying mentally focused right now on the task ahead, and just go out there and win."

We spoke with Jordan Burroughs about his successful transition from American folkstyle to freestyle wrestling, how his training has helped him adapt to international wrestling, his plans to continue wrestling through at least 2016, the possible effects of the Penn State scandal on that school's two-time NCAA Div. I national champion wrestling team, the growth of wrestling on the East Coast of the U.S., how he hopes to be viewed as an American hero, and more.

ROBERT GUERRERO vs. SELCUK AYDIN SHAWN PORTER vs. ALFONSO GOMEZ FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and Selcuk Aydin met with members of the media at a final press conference at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. on Wednesday, July 25, 2012 just three days before their 12-round showdown for the vacant WBC Interim Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 28 from HP Pavilion at San Jose which will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In Saturday’s co-feature, top-rated welterweight prospect “Showtime” Shawn Porter steps into the ring against his toughest foe to date, two-time world title challenger Alfonso Gomez for the vacant NABO Welterweight Title.

The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arena-Box Promotion and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. Preliminary bouts, featuring unbeaten junior middleweight Hugo "The Boss" Centeno vs. Ayi Bruce and undefeated super middleweight George Groves vs. hard-hitting Francisco Sierra, will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

ROBERT GUERRERO:

“I had a great camp. I’ll let my training talk in the ring. I’ve been in Lake Tahoe for two months and I’m in great shape. This is the best camp I’ve ever had.

“My wife is doing better now and I can focus on boxing. Before, you guys only saw 50 percent of me in the ring. Now, I can give it 100 percent.

“I’m hungry and ready to fight.

“I want to thank Aydin for taking on the challenge to face me.

“He said he was going to break my jaw and that motivated me more. That pushed me even harder to get in there and bring it.

“I’m making my way back into the ring so this fight is very important for my career. I’m 100 percent focused and I know what I need to do on Saturday. If they think we’re looking past him, they’re wrong.”

SELCUK AYDIN:

“Most of the time when you have a big fight coming up you talk big, but I’m not a man of big words; I like to prove myself in the ring.

“I know what I came here for, to put on a great fight. We know our opponent, we know he is tough, but we came here to win and take the title back to Turkey.

“I’ve been fighting for 20 years and I know what I have to do to win. You’ll see on Saturday night.

“I can hit hard, but I will also box. I can’t wait to prove to the United States fans what I can do in the ring.

“We know Robert is very experienced, so I won’t say anything against him, but I know what I’ve done. I’ve had a great camp and I’m prepared for anything that happens on Saturday. I know what I’m all about and you’ll find out soon enough.”

RUBEN GUERRERO (Guerrero’s father and trainer):

“We had a great camp up in Lake Tahoe. We did it all with Bob Santos - conditioning, nutrition, training. When Robert gets in the ring you’ll see that body.

“He’s ready, he’s on fire. He’s ready for 20 or 30 rounds.

“These guys think they’re here to win but we’re going to put on a clinic.

“Robert is going to win another title. It’s going to be a long ride home for these guys.”

CONNY MITTERMEIER (Aydin’s trainer):

“We’ve had most of our camp here in San Jose. It’s been a great camp and Selcuk is in great shape.

“We have a very tough opponent, but Selcuk is here to win the fight. We know we have a tough test in front of us but we came here to win.”

SHAWN PORTER:

“This is my first fight in California, which is saying a lot after my amateur and professional career, so it’s a big step for me and my camp.

“My camp dissected Alfonso and told me what to do in the ring. My team pushes me physically and mentally to be ready to fight and I’m prepared to be 20 and 0 after Saturday night.

“He is the most experienced fighter I’ve faced as a professional and he’s been in there with some of the best, but I fought some tough guys in the amateurs and beat them.

“I need to use everything I have; speed, quickness, power, strength and endurance. It’s going to take everything I have to beat him. I need to make adjustments and take it one round at a time.”

ALFONSO GOMEZ:

“This is where I fought as an amateur and I’m excited to be back.

“We prepared well for this camp for Porter. We know he is capable. He reminds me of a young Shane Mosley and I’m sure he’ll have a great career like Mosley, but I have plans and he can’t derail me.

“I’m the toughest guy he’s ever faced. It’s a tough test that I know he will fail. I feel confident, strong and ready.”

“Title Wave,Hammerin’ Hank Lundy vs Raymundo Beltran Friday, July 27th, 2012 and will air live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights at 10 p.m. (EST)

Hammerin’ Hank Lundy will be returning home to Atlantic City, NJ, next Friday on ESPN against Raymundo Beltran. The Philadelphia fighter is looking to get one step closer to getting a world title shot against the winner of the Sep.8 bout, involving John Molina and Antonio Demarco

“Title Wave” is scheduled for Friday, July 27th, 2012 and will air live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights beginning at 10 p.m. (EST). The 10-round main event features Philadelphia’s “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy (21-1-1, 11 KOs) defending his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) lightweight title against Mexican warrior Raymundo Beltran (25-6, 17 KOs) of Phoenix, Ariz. Philadelphia super middleweight Farah Ennis (19-1, 12 KOs) will face Richard Pierson (11-2, 8 KOs) of nearby Paterson, N.J., in the 10-round co-feature.

The undercard also features a four-round welterweight bout between Anthony Young (4-0, 2 KOs) of Atlantic City and Richie Andrews (3-1-3, 1 KO) of Stuarts Draft, Va. Josh Mercado (5-1, 2 KOs) of Cape May, N.J., will battleKorey Sloane (2-4-1) of Philadelphia in a four-round bout and Atlantic City’sAntowyan Aikens (5-0, 1 KO) will face Jimmy Ellis (3-5-1, 2 KOs) in a four-round super middleweight bout.

Also, Kenneth Moody (2-3-2, 1 KO) of Virginia Beach, Va., will face Ismael Garcia (3-0) of Millville, N.J., in a four-round middleweight bout and super middleweight Isaiah Seldon of Somers Point, N.J., will face Steven Tyner (3-5-2, 2 KOs) of Akron in a four-round bout. All fights and fighters subject to change. Bantamweight Miguel Cartagena (5-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia will put his unbeaten record on the line against Jose Rivera in a six-round bout.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

DERRICK WEBSTER HEADED TO CAMP WITH ANDRE WARD Webster Returns to Action on August 31st in the Poconos

After spending time in Las Vegas last month with Freddie Roach and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., undefeated super middleweight Derrick "Take it to the Bank" Webster (13-0, 7 KOs) is now headed to Big Bear Mountain in California to help prepare WBA (Super) and WBC Super Middleweight Champion Andre Ward (25-0, 13 KOs) for an upcoming title defense. Ward, a 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist and reigning Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year, will be putting his belts on the line on September 8th when he faces current WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Chad Dawson (31-1, 17 KOs) in Oakland.

"Everything is really starting to hit home for me," an appreciative Webster said of the recent advancements in his career. "Andre Ward is the best in the division. For him to see me as a person who can get him ready for the fight with Dawson, it really means a lot to me. Ward is one fighter who is not missing much in terms of what he is capable of doing. Basically, he does everything right, and he works extremely hard. Not a lot of fighters have his work ethic."

After being unable to find an opponent this weekend for the latest installment of ESPN's Friday Night Fights, Webster will now return to action on August 31st when he headlines a show at Mount Airy Casino in the Poconos. However, the New Jersey native has been putting in the same amount of work leading into the camp with Ward that he would have conducted if the bout on Friday had never been pulled.

"I'm really looking to go to camp with Andre Ward and give him the best Derrick Webster I possibly can to help him come out victorious in this fight," Webster continued. "I've been training for this camp like I was training for a fight. I've also been disciplined as far as eating the right things, keeping a lot of water in my body and getting the proper sleep. I want to go out there and give him the best that I can. Hopefully, as I did in Vegas, I'll go out to Big Bear, California, and kick some doors down out there."

Webster will remain in camp with Ward for just over four weeks, and he will return to the East Coast on August 25th to put in final preparations with trainer Denny Brown for his own upcoming bout. He last fought in April when he defeated the hard hitting Sabou Ballogou in Atlantic City, meaning that his fight in the Poconos will be his first since gaining new world championship experience with Chavez, Jr., and Ward, along with trainers Roach and Virgil Hunter. Webster says he is the certain the two camps will have created a better version of himself, and he spoke about some of the specific improvements he expects.

"After working with Andre Ward, I think my defense will be a lot better," he remarked. "Since he has such great defense, I also think my punches will become much more precise. My timing will be a whole lot better because I'm not dealing with an average fighter. I'm dealing with a champion of the world who does everything right. In order for me to get to him, I'm going to have to do as much correctly as possible. In turn, that will start educating me and improving my capabilities to a much greater level than where they are now. Really, when I come home, I plan on being a completely different fighter."

And as far as his bout on August 31st is concerned, Webster promises there will be fireworks.

"Down at the Poconos, expect explosiveness," he stated. "As always, the crowd will be on their toes. It's going to be a really good night with a lot of showmanship. It's going to be something, I guarantee that. If you miss it, you're going to miss a lot. I don't care who the opponent is, I don't care how hard he trains. You can't train for a total package. When I put it together, it's going to be too much for him to handle, from round one until whenever the referee stops the fight."

Boxers to look out for at the London 2012 Olympic Games - Part III‏

With just a few days to go until the biggest show on Earth gets underway in the British capital, we look at the men and women in each of the weight categories who can have a real impact at the London 2012 Olympic Games. In the third of this four part series, we examine the Middle (75kg), Light Heavy (81kg), Heavy (91kg) and Super Heavyweight (+91kg) men.

Men Middleweight (75kg)
2008 Olympic Title holder: James DeGale (GBR)
2011 AIBA World Champion: Ievgen Khytrov (UKR)

Ukraine's Khytrov was in irrepressible form in Baku last year and the word is that he will be even better this summer so he will start the tournament in London as favourite. However there are many pretenders to the Olympic title with Japan's Ryota Murata, who lost to Khytrov in the final in the Azeri capital, a serious threat to the 23-year-old Ukrainian. Tough Irishman Darren O'Neill, a 2010 European Championships silver medallist, has the experience to really influence the top of the podium and after being handed the team captaincy, the 26-year-old will want to lead by example. Azerbaijan's Soltan Migitinov, who was so impressive in the World Series of Boxing first season, could prove that his added maturity could allow him to make a big impact. 2009 AIBA World Champion and Uzbek legend Abbos Atoev, who lost his first bout at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, carries the hope of a nation on his shoulders and at 26 years of age, this could be his last opportunity to collect the Olympic gold. Vijender from India, also a veteran on the international stage, has the know-how to go deep in the competition, having taken an Olympic bronze medal in Beijing four years ago. Stylish Anthony Ogogo from Great Britain and the USA's Terrel Maurice Gausha are also both in with a good chance.

Men Light Heavyweight (81kg)
2008 Olympic Title holder: Zhang Xiaoping (CHN)
2011 AIBA World Champion: Julio la Cruz Peraza (CUB)

It is very hard to see past the imposing figure of Cuba's AIBA World Champion Julio la Cruz Peraza for this one. The tall orthodox 21-year-old is a terrific mover around the ring with exceptional foot-work to go with his powerful combination punching. Adilbek Niyazymbetov from Kazakhstan made quite an impression after taking the silver medal at the AIBA World Boxing Championships Baku 2011 in his debut tournament on the international stage; the fledgling young talent is only 23 but has shown great maturity and could really challenge la Cruz Peraza for the title. Russia's gifted 2009 AIBA World Champion Egor Mekhontcev and Elshod Rasulov from Uzbekistan both took bronze back from the Azeri capital last year so will both be seeking to finish on top of the podium in London. In what promises to be an extremely competitive weight category, look out for Algeria's Olympic flag bearer Abdelhafid Benchabla, who took the World Series of Boxing by storm and won the Individual Championships in its first season. Heavy-hitter Damien Hooper from Australia was a 2010 AIBA Youth World Championships silver medallist, lost by one point to la Cruz Peraza in the quarter-finals of the AIBA World Boxing Championships Baku 2011, and at 20 is already spoken about as a future champion so maybe 2012 could be his year. Brazil's Baku bronze medallist Yamaguchi Falcao Florentino is another who will be keen to impress, the 21-year-old orthodox with the penetrating jab could be a dark horse in this category. Teenager Marcus Browne from the USA took first place at the AIBA American Olympic Qualifying Event Rio 2012 by defeating some quality opposition so expect the tactical American to also be pushing for honours. Up and coming Ukrainian Oleksandr Gvozdyk, who was a revelation during this season's World Series of Boxing, is another who could use the Olympic Games as a stage to set the boxing tournament alight with his sensational set of skills.

Men Heavyweight (91kg)
2008 Olympic Title holder: Rakhim Chakhkiev (RUS)
2011 AIBA World Champion: Oleksandr Usyk (UKR)

Another division that is expected to be dominated by the reigning Ukrainian World Champion, however Azerbaijan's super talented orthodox fighter Teymur Mammadov will be primed to be the main challenger. Belarusian Siarhei Karneyeu never gives his opponents a moment's peace and his ferocious style can defeat anyone on any given day. Tervel Pulev of Bulgaria is an awesome proposition and has both the skills and the power to dominate the category. Cuban boxers can never be overlooked and this is once again the case with classy Jose Angel Larduet Gomez in the mix. Italian superstar Clemente Russo knows what it takes at this level and this intelligent boxer will be looking to go one better than in Beijing when he took the silver medal. Russia's Artur Beterbiev and Michael S Hunter II from the USA also have it in their lockers to make a big impact. World Series of Boxing star Chouaib Bouloudinats from Algeria packs so much power in his punches and has the tournament experience to surprise a few of his adversaries in this tough draw.

Men Super Heavyweight (+91kg)
2008 Olympic Title holder: Roberto Cammarelle (ITA)
2011 AIBA World Champion: Magomedrasul Medzhidov (AZE)

There is talent aplenty in the heaviest weight category where both the Olympic title holder and reigning AIBA World Champion will be battling it out for supremacy. But this promises to be the most difficult category to predict with so many technical and flair boxers looking to take gold. Cammarelle and APB's Medzhidov will have to deal with the immense power of Great Britain's Anthony Joshua, who at only 23 years old is already being spoken about as one of the future greats, the 198cm tall, 6ft6in, Londoner has developed into one of the most feared fighters in the World. There is also an immense threat posed by the electric Cuban Erislandy Savon Cotilla, nephew of the great Felix Savon who won three Olympic gold medals. Kazakhstan heavy-hitter Ivan Dychko, a bronze medallist at the AIBA World Boxing Championships Baku 2011, has always had huge potential and with added maturity to his approach in the last year, we could see the 21-year-old having a real breakthrough at these Olympic Games. The emerging talent from Russia Magomed Omarov is another one who cannot be discarded; the giant won the AIBA European Olympic Qualifying Event Trabzon 2012 and last year became the European Champion after defeating Italy's Roberto Cammarelle in the final. The teenage sensation from Ecuador Ytalo Antonio Perea Castillo looked in devastating form at the AIBA American Olympic Qualifying Event Rio 2012, and although not the tallest, his hand speed and movement around the ring is awe inspiring, so he could really have an impact.

ELITE HEAT BOXING TEAM EXCELS AT JR. GOLDEN GLOVES TOURNEY IN LAS VEGAS

ELITE HEAT BOXING TEAM EXCELS AT JR. GOLDEN GLOVES TOURNEY IN LAS VEGAS

Once again, The Elite Heat Boxing Team out of Newark, New Jersey made their presence felt at this past weekend’s National Jr. Golden Gloves Tournament in Las Vegas

The team placed third overall in the entire country.

Vito Mielnicki repeated at the 9-10 Year old national champion at 70 pounds as did Malik Nelson in the 11-12 Year old - 70 pound division; Eysa Dorsey 11-12 year old at 65 pounds and Dantrell Perry in the 15-16 year old -- 154 pound division.

Tysir Daniels took 2nd in the 9-10 year old -- 65 pound division.

Golden Boy Promotions, SHOWTIME Sports® & CBS Team Up To Showcase Olympic Boxers Making Their Pro Debuts On Network Television‏

Golden Boy Promotions, SHOWTIME Sports and CBS Sportswill team up to showcase standout boxers from the 2012 Summer Olympic Games making their professional debuts live on the CBS Television Network. The initial live boxing broadcasts, which will be produced by SHOWTIME Sports, include two dates, Sunday, October 14 and Saturday, December 15 with additional dates to follow.

"It is a great pleasure for Golden Boy Promotions to be working with CBS on this excitingnetwork television opportunity for these young athletes," said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. "It is a chance of a lifetime and a guaranteed career jumpstart for some of these fighters to be able to make their professional debuts in front of millions of viewers on the CBS Television network."

"It is a dream come true for any Olympic fighter to make his or her pro debut on network television," said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. "I am grateful to my colleagues at CBS who are giving SHOWTIME the opportunity to present the future of the sport to the largest possible audience. It will be an exciting moment for boxing and I am proud to be part of this special presentation."

Schaefer will travel to the Olympic Games in London which begin on Friday, July 27. He will attend the boxing events watching closely for breakout performances by fighters in all weight classes. Schaefer expects to keep a keen eye on the 12 men and women representing the United States, one of the largest U.S. boxing delegations at the Olympic Games in recent years.

"On behalf of Golden Boy Promotions, I am excited to attend the Olympic Games and see firsthand the worldwide talent that will be competing in the tournament," said Schaefer. "We know these men and women have the potential to become the future champions in our sport and it will be a thrill to see what boxing can look forward to in the years to come."

In addition, Olympic gold medalist and Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya, who this year celebrates the 20^th anniversary of his own Olympic gold medal win (1992 Barcelona), has pledged to be personally involved in the development of these fighters as they look for advice and guidance when he or she transition from their amateur to professional careers.

"I know from my own experience the pressure these young fighters are under to compete in the Olympics, to represent their country well and to bring home a medal," said De La Hoya. "Once the celebrating is over and they turn professional, there are certain things that happen during that transition that I feel I can assist them with because I did it myself."

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Thursday, July 26, 2012