Alex Bunema was born in Kinshasa, Zaire, nine months after the city hosted the legendary “Rumble in the Jungle,” Muhammad Ali’s stunning upset knockout of George Foreman in October, 1974.
Before and long after the fight, an unprecedented boxing buzz engulfed Zaire and Alex was immediately drawn to the Sweet Science.
“The thing that really got me into boxing was the Ali-Foreman fight in ’74,” said Alex, who tallied a 39-1 amateur record before turning professional in August 1996. Growing up, everybody was talking about that fight.
“That was one of the greatest fights of all time and it happened in Zaire. For months and years, that was the only thing people were talking about. It inspired a lot of kids to pick up the gloves and pursue a career in boxing.”
While the Ali-Foreman fight pushed Alex to learn the nuances and intricacies of one of the most difficult individual sports, it was his father’s calming influence that helped him stay motivated and dedicated to the sport.
“My dad used to be a boxer,” said Alex, who stormed out of the professional gates winning his first 13 fights. “He fought as an amateur. He would tell me about his fights and that would inspire me. I started boxing when I was just eight years old.”
Alex quickly turned heads with his advanced skills and strength. He would dispatch opponents with one-part finesse and one-part power.
He would become a four-time national champion in Zaire. He did it in 1992 at 132 pounds, and from ‘93-‘95 he would terrorize the 139 pound division.
Alex’s hard work and determination led him to qualify for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Ga., but, through no fault of his own, Alex was unable to compete.
“I was one of the youngest fighters to make it to the national team,” Alex said. “I won the Central African tournament. I was ready to go to Atlanta, but the sports federation wanted my family to give them a certain amount of money, and they didn’t have it.”
Alex would now focus on his professional career.
At the age of 21, on Aug. 30, 1996, Alex said goodbye to the amateur world and said hello to professional boxing. Alex would knockout his first opponent, Scan Ione, in the opening stanza.
Alex would face one of his toughest challenges only a year after turning professional. On Sept. 9, 1997, in Bay St. Louis, Miss., Alex got in the ring with former National Golden Gloves amateur champion Orlando Hollis.
Alex didn’t waste anytime as he got off to a hot start and never looked back. He scored one knockdown in the second round. He dropped Hollis a second time in the third, latter stopping him at 1:48, registering a technical knockout victory.
On March 2, 2000, in Las Vegas, Nev., Alex proved he was capable of winning a tough, close fight against a quality opponent. Alex took home a 10-round split decision victory against former world-title challenger Tony Marshall, who came into the fight with more experience and ring savvy than Alex.
Marshall kept the busier pace, but Alex was the harder puncher. He rocked Marshall in the fifth round and staggered him in the eighth. His hard-hitting style won him fans in the audience and points from the judges. Alex won a split decision where two judges favored him 96-94, and the third judge gave it to Marshall, 97-93.
By now, Alex was gaining experience and momentum. He had only two losses on his resume and a handful of quality wins against tough opposition.
His next challenge would come in an International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior middleweight title eliminator on Oct. 26, 2001 in Temecula, Calif. against the veteran and crafty Bronco McKart.
It was an exciting fight which earned a standing ovation from the crowd as there were many give-and-take rounds that were close and hard to score. Both fighters were exchanging leather as if it were going out of fashion.
Alex stood a great chance of winning since he applied constant pressure throughout. The judges, however, didn’t see it that way. Alex lost a hard-fought 12-round split decision with one judge favoring him 115-113 while the remaining judges saw it for McKart 116-112 and 117-111.
After the fight McKart admitted, “I almost went down in the fifth. He hit me hard with a body shot and I was very close to going to a knee. Bunema can box and punch with the best of them.”
To date, Alex’s most visible fight came against former world champion Jermain Taylor.
On March 27, 2004, Alex challenged Taylor for his World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas title in Little Rock, Ark. At the time, Taylor was an undefeated, rising contender.
Alex came out aggressively in the early rounds in an effort to wear down the harder-hitting Taylor. Alex is known for his incredible stamina that can wear out even the most conditioned athletes.
Taylor was able to keep a busy pace and consistently landed the harder punches.
Taylor scored two knockdowns in the seventh round, both coming after a series of right hands, and the referee stopped the fight without a count with 44 seconds left in the round.
After the fight, Alex said, “I’m very disappointed. I felt like the referee let me down. I take a knee and he stops the fight. I’ve been down before and have come back to win the fight.”
Alex rebounded nicely after the Taylor loss, winning four of five fights.
The Zaire native took on the biggest challenge of his career when he faced former International Boxing Federation junior middleweight champion Roman “Made in Hell” Karmazin at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 19, 2008.
On paper, it looked as though Karmazin would cut through Bunema. In fact, only one of the three judges gave Bunema a single round in the first nine.
That all changed early in the 10th round when Bunema landed a devastating left hook that sent the Russian to the canvas. Bunema knew he had Karmazin in trouble, but he waited for the right moment to unleash a three-punch combination that left Karmazin crumbled on the floor in his own corner. The only thing left was for the referee to call of the action.
“I knew Karmazin was in very good shape from the opening bell,” Bunema said. “I also believed that he watched a lot of tape on my fights because he changed his style for me.
“He was trying to counter-punch more. The fight was close until I knocked him into the corner in the 10th round. I knew he was in trouble then. I thought it was over when I hit him with the big right but he stayed up.
“I followed him and landed the big hook that knocked him down. I was not surprised I did what I said I was going to do. Now I want a title shot against WBA champion Joachim Alcine.”
Karmazin’s trainer, Freddie Roach, summed it up simply after the fight.
“He told me in between rounds that he had no power and felt really weak,” Roach said. “He got caught and after that he never really recovered.”
Bunema’s next challenge came from respected Argentinean contender Walter Matthysse (26-3) at the beautiful outdoor Uniprix Stadium in Montreal, Canada, on July 11, 2008.
Bunema started out where he had left off with Karmazin delivering a three-punch combination in the third round that began and ended with left hooks—with a left uppercut in between for good measure—that sent Matthysse down flat on his back. While Matthysse gamely rose to his feet, referee Michael Griffin deemed him unfit to continue.
Alex is married and has two daughters.
Please see the Alex Bunema page we have created on our Website with pictures, video and a bio:
http://www.donking.com/fightersgallery/alexbunema/index.php
Alan Hopper
Don King Productions
http://www.donking.com/fightersgallery/alexbunema/index.php
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Giovanni Lorenzo reloads after learning valuable lesson
NEW YORK CITY– 2000 Dominican Republic Olympian Giovanni “El Chico Malo” Lorenzo (26-1, 18 KOs) soon embarks on a mission to prove that, coming off of his first pro loss in June, he still remains a clear and present danger in the middleweight division.
Lorenzo lost a voluntary IBF title eliminator fight to former world champion Raul “El Diamente” Marquez in a razor-close 12-round decision, separated by a single point on all three judges’ scorecards, but only after one point was controversially deducted for a head butt, live on Showtime Championship Boxing from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
“Losing to Raul Marquez in my first TV fight was very difficult for me,” Giovanni said. “At the same time, I have gained a tremendous amount of experience from this fight. I waited a little too much thinking Marquez would fade. My plan was to come on hard down the stretch. I felt like the bigger and stronger puncher in the fight. I learned that I need to be more aggressive. I am hoping to land another really big fight very soon and I am training very hard to regain my status as the top middleweight contender so I can complete my destiny of becoming middleweight champion of the world.
“Marquez is the kind of fighter that, if Abraham takes him lightly (Abraham defends his IBF title Saturday night against Marquez live from Germany on pay-per-view in the United States and Canada), he is capable of pulling off an upset. Marquez should not be underestimated because he shows you many different angles. He can punch a lot harder than people give him credit for and he is a tough, tough Mexican warrior with a ton of experience and determination.”
Going into the title eliminator, Lorenzo had been criticized in some quarters for having fought relatively light opposition. Team Lorenzo rolled the dice, even though they didn’t have to fight an eliminator for “Gio” to get a title shot, accepting the challenge (and risk) to fight the crafty U.S. Olympian Marquez. The former IBF junior middleweight title-holder had a distinct advantage in professional experience having fought 40 pro fights, 257 rounds and battled world champions Jermain Taylor, Fernando Vargas, and Shane Mosley. “Gio,” on the other hand (or glove), at that time had only 25 pro bouts and 90 rounds of action under his belt.
“Giovanni is going to learn a lot from our fight,” Marquez remarked. “He could afford to lose that fight, I couldn’t. He’s young and has a very bright future. He’s a big middleweight – strong puncher, definitely with power – who is going to make a name for himself.”
Lorenzo learned an invaluable lesson against Marquez as the 12-rounds of hard-earned experience will prepare him very well for the future. Giovanni is still a top 10-rated middleweight challenger, No. 6 by the IBF and No. 9 by the WBC, who doesn’t celebrate his 28th birthday until October 13.
“The Marquez fight was a good experience for ‘Gio’ who is still young,” Giovanni’s co-manager Rich Ryan said. “Raul was too savvy, too experienced for ‘Gio,’ who had never fought a lefty before. He’s a much better fighter than he showed in that fight, but he still won six rounds against the house fighter. After the fight, we went back to the hotel and Marquez went to the hospital. The next day you wouldn’t have thought Marquez had won if you had seen him because he’d obviously been to a plastic surgeon and was all bandaged up. We can’t wait to get ‘Gio’ back in the ring to show everybody how much he’s learned and improved.”
Lorenzo posted a 247-16 amateur record, capturing 15 gold medals in International competition. He is from Jeringa, Dominican Republic but now lives and fights out of the Washington Heights section of New York City.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Lorenzo lost a voluntary IBF title eliminator fight to former world champion Raul “El Diamente” Marquez in a razor-close 12-round decision, separated by a single point on all three judges’ scorecards, but only after one point was controversially deducted for a head butt, live on Showtime Championship Boxing from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
“Losing to Raul Marquez in my first TV fight was very difficult for me,” Giovanni said. “At the same time, I have gained a tremendous amount of experience from this fight. I waited a little too much thinking Marquez would fade. My plan was to come on hard down the stretch. I felt like the bigger and stronger puncher in the fight. I learned that I need to be more aggressive. I am hoping to land another really big fight very soon and I am training very hard to regain my status as the top middleweight contender so I can complete my destiny of becoming middleweight champion of the world.
“Marquez is the kind of fighter that, if Abraham takes him lightly (Abraham defends his IBF title Saturday night against Marquez live from Germany on pay-per-view in the United States and Canada), he is capable of pulling off an upset. Marquez should not be underestimated because he shows you many different angles. He can punch a lot harder than people give him credit for and he is a tough, tough Mexican warrior with a ton of experience and determination.”
Going into the title eliminator, Lorenzo had been criticized in some quarters for having fought relatively light opposition. Team Lorenzo rolled the dice, even though they didn’t have to fight an eliminator for “Gio” to get a title shot, accepting the challenge (and risk) to fight the crafty U.S. Olympian Marquez. The former IBF junior middleweight title-holder had a distinct advantage in professional experience having fought 40 pro fights, 257 rounds and battled world champions Jermain Taylor, Fernando Vargas, and Shane Mosley. “Gio,” on the other hand (or glove), at that time had only 25 pro bouts and 90 rounds of action under his belt.
“Giovanni is going to learn a lot from our fight,” Marquez remarked. “He could afford to lose that fight, I couldn’t. He’s young and has a very bright future. He’s a big middleweight – strong puncher, definitely with power – who is going to make a name for himself.”
Lorenzo learned an invaluable lesson against Marquez as the 12-rounds of hard-earned experience will prepare him very well for the future. Giovanni is still a top 10-rated middleweight challenger, No. 6 by the IBF and No. 9 by the WBC, who doesn’t celebrate his 28th birthday until October 13.
“The Marquez fight was a good experience for ‘Gio’ who is still young,” Giovanni’s co-manager Rich Ryan said. “Raul was too savvy, too experienced for ‘Gio,’ who had never fought a lefty before. He’s a much better fighter than he showed in that fight, but he still won six rounds against the house fighter. After the fight, we went back to the hotel and Marquez went to the hospital. The next day you wouldn’t have thought Marquez had won if you had seen him because he’d obviously been to a plastic surgeon and was all bandaged up. We can’t wait to get ‘Gio’ back in the ring to show everybody how much he’s learned and improved.”
Lorenzo posted a 247-16 amateur record, capturing 15 gold medals in International competition. He is from Jeringa, Dominican Republic but now lives and fights out of the Washington Heights section of New York City.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Abraham-Marquez; IBF middleweight fight headlines Saturday’s PPV in U.S. & Canada
BAMBERG, Germany-- IBF middleweight champion “King” Arthur Abraham (27-0, 22 KOs) and mandatory challenger Raul “El Diamente” Marquez (41-3, 29 KOs) voiced their respect for each other at today´s press conference in Bamberg, Germany.
Raul Marquez and Arthur Abraham
Saturday’s Abraham-Marquez headlined card is promoted by Wilfried Sauerland, presented by Sauerland Event and its Managing Director, Christian Meyer, in association with Seminole Warriors Boxing. The broadcast is being distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports for live viewing at 3 PM/ET – 12 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, TVN, DirecTV, DISH Network, Viewer’s Choice Canada, and Bell ExpressVue, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. A replay will be shown that same night starting at 9 PM/ET. Al Bernstein and Nick Charles will call the action.
“I am happy to be here in Germany to fight Abraham,” the 37-year-old Marquez said. “He is a great champion and I do have a lot of respect for him. But I came here to win. I don´t think there will be a KO.I have prepared myself for 12 rounds. I am ready to exploit Abraham´s weaknesses.”
“King Arthur” will be out to please his home fans – Bamberg is the city where he started boxing – for a second time in 17 months. Back in May 2007, in his first fight after breaking his jaw against Edison Miranda, the 28-year-old knocked out Sebastian Demers in the third round. But “King Arthur” knows that Marquez will be a much tougher opponent. “He is fast, mobile and clever,” Abraham assessed. “In other words: He is a really good boxer. That will be a tough challenge for me. In my last mandatory title defense I stopped Khoren Gevor but Marquez is much stronger than him.”
Abraham’s head trainer, Ulli Wegner, also is full of praise for the former world champion. “I’ve know Marquez for a long, long time,” he remarked. “I saw him at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. During the times of the GDR, he once fought against one of our guys. Ten years ago he was world champion and he has gotten stronger and more experienced since then. Many people were surprised to see him beat Lorenzo in the eliminator, but not me. Arthur will be in for a hard battle but I expect him to succeed.”
In the 12-round co-feature, Enad Licina (14-1, 8 KOs) will clash with former NABO champion Otis “Triple OG” Griffin (19-3, 7 KOs), winner of the “The Next Great Champion” television reality show, for the IBF Intercontinental cruiserweight title.
For more information about the Abraham-Marquez PPV go to www.integratedsportsnet.com or www.warriorsboxing.com
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Raul Marquez and Arthur Abraham
Saturday’s Abraham-Marquez headlined card is promoted by Wilfried Sauerland, presented by Sauerland Event and its Managing Director, Christian Meyer, in association with Seminole Warriors Boxing. The broadcast is being distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports for live viewing at 3 PM/ET – 12 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, TVN, DirecTV, DISH Network, Viewer’s Choice Canada, and Bell ExpressVue, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. A replay will be shown that same night starting at 9 PM/ET. Al Bernstein and Nick Charles will call the action.
“I am happy to be here in Germany to fight Abraham,” the 37-year-old Marquez said. “He is a great champion and I do have a lot of respect for him. But I came here to win. I don´t think there will be a KO.I have prepared myself for 12 rounds. I am ready to exploit Abraham´s weaknesses.”
“King Arthur” will be out to please his home fans – Bamberg is the city where he started boxing – for a second time in 17 months. Back in May 2007, in his first fight after breaking his jaw against Edison Miranda, the 28-year-old knocked out Sebastian Demers in the third round. But “King Arthur” knows that Marquez will be a much tougher opponent. “He is fast, mobile and clever,” Abraham assessed. “In other words: He is a really good boxer. That will be a tough challenge for me. In my last mandatory title defense I stopped Khoren Gevor but Marquez is much stronger than him.”
Abraham’s head trainer, Ulli Wegner, also is full of praise for the former world champion. “I’ve know Marquez for a long, long time,” he remarked. “I saw him at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. During the times of the GDR, he once fought against one of our guys. Ten years ago he was world champion and he has gotten stronger and more experienced since then. Many people were surprised to see him beat Lorenzo in the eliminator, but not me. Arthur will be in for a hard battle but I expect him to succeed.”
In the 12-round co-feature, Enad Licina (14-1, 8 KOs) will clash with former NABO champion Otis “Triple OG” Griffin (19-3, 7 KOs), winner of the “The Next Great Champion” television reality show, for the IBF Intercontinental cruiserweight title.
For more information about the Abraham-Marquez PPV go to www.integratedsportsnet.com or www.warriorsboxing.com
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)