★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience©®™: Jul 31, 2012

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Notorious Boxer Mike Tyson's Solo Show, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth

Grab your tickets to see Mike Tyson on stage today!

Tickets for Broadway’s Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, an autobiographical solo show from infamous boxer Mike Tyson, are now on sale! Directed by Spike Lee, the show will run from July 31 through August 12 at the Longacre Theatre.

Undisputed Truth chronicles many aspects of Tyson's life including his battle with drug abuse, bankruptcy, a 1992 rape conviction that resulted in a three-year prison term, his conversion to Islam and his prolific boxing career. The show first played Las Vegas' MGM Grand in April.

Tyson has quite a history of playing himself on screen. He made a cameo as himself in the 2009 comedy hit The Hangover, as well as its 2011 sequel, and has also played himself in films and TV series such as Entourage, Play It To the Bone, When Will I Be Loved and Rocky Balboa. Undisputed Truth will be his Broadway debut.

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Italian superstars take APB to another level‏

Charismatic Lightweight (60kg) Domenico Valentino and Heavyweight (91kg) Clemente Russo have today signed five year contracts with AIBA Professional Boxing (APB), further underlining the popularity of the new programme amongst the world's top boxers.

Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, APB Board Chairman said: "These two exciting additions add further legitimacy to our new competition. We are convinced that it is the right time to provide something different for our top boxers. With APB, we will revolutionize the world of boxing and establish a blueprint for its development. Finally our athletes won't have to jump into the unknown while embracing a professional career."

Part of his national set-up since 2003, orthodox Valentino is competing in his third Olympic Games at London 2012. An Olympic title is one of the few medals missing from his bulging trophy cabinet. One of the poster boys of the Italian World Series of Boxing Franchise, Valentino was part of the Milano Thunder team which won the WSB Team Final in May. An eccentric character, he is addicted to tattoos; at the last count he had 18 including one on his left shoulder commemorating his gold medal at the AIBA World Boxing Championships Milan 2009.

Valentino said: "I was never convinced to turn pro until I was offered this opportunity by APB. I feel safer staying under the same governance and within my National Federation. I know how many fights I will have per year and how much I will get from them. There is no uncertainty, all is guaranteed. I can't wait for APB to start."

Clemente Russo is one of the biggest attractions in boxing. The 29-year-old has quite a pedigree after taking the gold medal at the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Chicago, USA, before coming home with the silver from the Beijing Olympic Games a year later. Russo has since gone from strength to strength, defeating all before him in his first WSB season to capture the Individual Championships belt and going unbeaten in his second season, amassing 14 wins over the two campaigns. Last year, Russo also starred in a semi-autobiographical film 'Tatanka' about a young Southern Italian man trying to escape from the crime-ridden mafia-controlled province of Caserta through boxing. The film itself was critically acclaimed and Russo's performance got excellent reviews.

"Turning pro in boxing is never easy to decide, especially when you have had a successful Olympic boxing career", declared Russo. "I am thrilled with the career I have had so far, I know what pro-style boxing is about thanks to two seasons in World Series of Boxing, and I now feel ready and happy to join APB, knowing that I will never be left aside."

Five AIBA World titles, one Olympic Silver Medal and one WSB World Champion title. The APB can be proud of its inaugural signings. A little more than a month after 2011 AIBA World Champion, Azeri Super Heavyweight (91+kg) Magomedrasul Medzhidov, twice AIBA World Champion; Welterweight (69kg) Serik Sapiyev from Kazakhstan; and top Light Flyweight (49kg) South Korean Jonghun Shin have joined the programme.

With the London 2012 Olympic Games just underway, the world's best boxers might have to choose a new pathway for their career in just under two weeks.

With a clear and transparent competition structure based only on their performance and a secured plan of career, AIBA Professional Boxing (APB) is the best proposal that boxers could expect. APB will start in autumn 2013.

The action continued with the evening session on the third day of boxing at the London 2012 Olympic Games. A capacity crowd at the ExCeL Arena welcomed the Flyweight (52kg) and Light Heavyweights (81kg) for ten bouts of high-octane drama.

2011 World Series of Boxing (WSB) Individual Championships finalist with Paris United, 25-year-old Nordine Oubaali of France began his assault on the Flyweight (52kg) title in style. The experienced recent AIBA European Olympic Qualifying Event winner came out of the blocks at double speed, firing all kind of shots in direction of the relatively unknownAjmal Faisal of Afghanistan. Pummelling his rival throughout the three rounds, Oubaali was just unstoppable as he outclassed the three-time Afghan National Champion to win 22:9. The Frenchman faces USA Boxing Team Captain Raushee Warren, the third seed in the draw and a veteran of three Olympic Games.

When interviewed, Oubaali stated, "I had a fantastic preparation for these Games but unfortunately fell ill as soon as I landed here in London. As a result, I felt seriously weakened. I am happy that I managed to overcome this and box well against an opponent that I did not know". On facing Warren next, the Frenchman declared, "I know him well; he is a very talented fighter, very quick. He has never been a World Champion or an Olympic Champion so he is not unbeatable. I have the same chances of winning than he has. It will obviously be tough and if I recover from my illness in time, I can assure you that our battle will be an even one".

The diminutive Ghanaian Duke Micah and Jason Lavigilante of Mauritius, who were both at the AIBA Road to London II three-week training camp in the build-up to these Olympics, battled each other for the right to face the big Irish medal contender Michael Conlan in the next phase of the preliminaries. It was the orthodox Micah who looked the most assured, alternating cleverly between the head and the body with some swift one-two combinations to claim the first two rounds against his taller rival. In the third, the Ghanaian began to showboat but still the 20-year-old dominated the round to record a 18:14 victory and progress.

Micah was happy with his performance, declaring, "I felt good out there. Our President died last week so I am fighting for my country and for boxing in Ghana". On facing Conlan, he said, "I don't know him, I was only focused on the first bout but now I will study his fights. I know I have to raise my level so that is what I will do, you will see a stronger me in the next fight". When asked about his preparations for the Games, he added, "Road to London in Cardiff was a great experience for me and it is one of the reasons I won today".

A veteran of three AIBA World Boxing Championships, Thailand's 27-year-old Chatchai Butdee came into his fight against Eker Selcuk of Turkey as the overwhelming favourite. The Thai southpaw's speed and agility were just too much for the young Selcuk who could just not deal with the ferocity of his attacks. Selcuk, 20, who fought for the Istanbul Bosphorus WSB Franchise last season, had no response to the repertoire of shots being thrown at him, uppercuts, up to four punch combinations, it was a master class by the Thai who went on to triumph emphatically 24:10. No one will want to face Butdee after that sensational performance.

Cuba have one of the finest production lines of top class boxers in the world and their history speaks for itself, standing second only to the USA for boxing gold medals at the Olympic Games. 18-year-old Panamerican Games winner southpaw Robeisy Ramirez Carrazana showed his pedigree against the experienced Japanese Katsuaki Susa. Quick, agile, excellent footwork and precision punching, the southpaw really has it all. Ramirez Carrazana absolutely dictated proceeding in all three rounds against Kusa and eased to a comprehensive 19:7 win. Everyone will now be relishing the prospect of seeing the Cuban in action against Thailand's Butdee.

The crowd next enjoyed the confrontation between the tall Swede Salomo Ntuve and Kazakhstan's orthodox 21-year-old pocket-dynamo Ilyas Suleimenov in the last of the evening's Flyweight (52kg) bouts. With vociferous support in the arena, the Kazak started on the front foot, speedily moving inside to work Ntuve's body. With such a contrast in the athletes, it was a messy affair that Suleimenov came out on top in, winning 13:8.

The rising star from Azerbaijan Vatan Huseynli has really made a name for himself this year, qualifying for these Games after coming second at the AIBA European Olympic Qualifying Event Trabzon 2012 and also testing himself in the tough WSB with the Baku Fires. In the first Light Heavyweight (81kg) bout of the evening session, he faced the experienced 2008 Beijing Olympian Carlos Gongora Mercado of Ecuador, who also competed in the first WSB season with the American Los Angeles Matadors Franchise. Gongora took the early initiative, moving around Huseynli and hurting him with some good hooks in the first before repeating that tactic in the second to lead by three points with three minutes to go. Huseynli came back in the third with a couple of devastating straight rights that connected flush on Gongora's jaw, one of which the Ecuadorian southpaw had to take a standing eight count for. In the end, it was the 23-year-old Gongora who progressed with a 9:8 victory; he will now face Kazak fourth seed Adilbek Niyazymbetov.

27-year-old Jeysson Monroy Varela then made his entrance and faced the tough orthodox Iranian Ehsan Rouzbahani. The Colombian, a WSB first season competitor with the Mexico City Guerreros, controlled the opening exchanges with his jab and looked confident as he claimed the first round. Rouzbahani showed great heart as he turned aggressor in the second with a spirited display that saw him draw level on points at the end of the round. The 24-year-old Iranian was clearly in the ascendancy in the third and threw several good one-twos as a huge delegation of his compatriots cheered him on to a 12:10 victory.

Ukrainian dark horse Oleksandr Gvozdyk has already participated in two AIBA World Boxing Championships but is probably one of the lesser known boxers in his country's Olympic squad. The tall 25-year-old has matured in the last year and after a quality season with Dynamo Moscow in the WSB, he could be the surprise package in the Light Heavyweight (81kg) category in London. As strong as an ox and with a good tactical brain, the orthodox fighter really impressed as he skilfully dispatched the stocky BelarusianMikhail Daulhaliavets by winning all three rounds and record a convincing 18:10 win.

Bosko Draskovic from Montenegro began well in his bout with a solid round that saw him take an early three point advantage over Nicaragua's Osmar Bravo Amador. The man who was part of the first season Milano Thunder WSB squad somehow lost the initiative as his Nicaraguan rival completely turned the fight on its head with a flurry of punches from all angles in the second to claw his way back into the contest. Orthodox Bravo Amador was revitalised after his display that round and went on the rampage, unloading some ferocious hits on his opponent who had to take a standing eight count after catching one right on the nose. The Nicaraguan will now prepare to face Gvozdyk after coming back to prevail 16:11.

The experience of Germany's Enrico Kölling told against Christian Donfack Adjoufackof Cameroon in the last contest of the day as the orthodox unloaded several powerful right hooks to his opponent's chin. It was pretty much one way traffic as the German former Youth World Boxing Championships silver medallist kept up the pressure and dictated the pace of proceedings. The gap in international tournament experienced clearly told as Kölling, a veteran of two WSB seasons, inflicted a 15:6 defeat on Donfack Adjoufack. The German 22-year-old must now challenge number two seed and Algerian sporting icon Abdelhafid Benchabla for a place in the quarter-finals.

The fourth day of competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games will see the Men's Light Flyweights (46-49kg) and Light Welterweights (64kg) take to the ring in the first round of preliminaries.

Duke Micah showcases skills with victory in London‏

It was a good day for some of the boxers of the AIBA Road to London program with Duke Micah and Jordan's Ihab Mahmoud Darweesh Al-Matbouli both moving into the second round of preliminaries.

Jordan's first ever boxer to qualify for the Games, Arab Games winner Ihab Mahmoud Darweesh Al-Matbouli looked hungry as he led 5:3 after three minutes against Nigeria's All Africa Games silver medallist Lukmon Lawal. Al-Matbouli shined in the second part of the contest and advanced to the next round where he will now meet Cuba's current AIBA World Champion Julio Cesar La Cruz Peraza.

Kenya's Commonwealth Games silver medallist Flyweight Benson Gicharu Njangiruused up his new tactical skills learnt in Cardiff against his Egyptian opponent, 19-year-old AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Hesham Yehia Mehmoud Abdelaal. Both boxers were excellent during the bout but the Egyptian teenager prevailed.

Afghanistan's Ajmal Faisal was invited to London by the Tripartite Commission while AIBA then offered him training in the Welsh capital. Faisal is only able to train three-times a week in Kabul and was therefore delighted to be part of the Road to Dream initiative. France's AIBA World Championships bronze medallist Nordine Oubaali was just too strong for him but he did well against one of the medal contenders at Flyweight (52kg).

Two African AIBA Road to London members fought each other in the last 16 as Mauritius' Commonwealth Games silver medallist Jason Olivier Lavigilante and Ghana's Duke Akueteh Micah went head to head. Both boxers, born in 1991, went on the attack but it was Micah who stole the show as he claimed the victory.

Tajikistan's former Asian Games winner Jakhon Qurbonov was quarter-finalist in the last Beijing Olympic Games and was involved in both the AIBA Road to Baku Program and Road to London I. He started well against Tunisia's strong Yahia Elmekachari and used his height as a weapon but his rival moved better in the latter stages to prevail.

Colombia's light heavyweight No.1 Jeysson Antonio Monroy Varela also received the invite for Cardiff and in his fight he seemed comfortable early on against Iran's AIBA World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Ehsan Rouzbahani. The taller Monroy could not keep his short advantage and ended up on the losing side.

Nicaragua's Osmar Bravo Amador was class in his comeback victory against Montenegro's Mediterranean Games winner Bosko Draskovic. He overturned a first round three point deficit to win in style and caused the biggest surprise of the third day of competition.

Cameroon is one of the most developing countries in Africa so it was no surprise that Light Heavyweight and All Africa Games bronze medallist Christian Donfack Adjoufack trained in the Welsh capital before the Games. However Germany's AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships silver medallist Enrico Kolling was too strong for him as he lost his first bout in London.

Video: Mike Tyson talks Broadway show and bad lawyering

Tuesday night Mike Tysonopens up on Broadway. Over the weekend he opened up to ESPN’sJeremy Schaap.

MIKE TYSON: Teamming up with Spike Lee

Tyson talked to Schaap about the Spike Leedirected show but also about how the legal system failed him during the rape trial that would ultimately send him to prison.

The show is called “Mike Tyson: The Undisputed Truth.”

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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Notorious Boxer Mike Tyson's Solo Show, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth

Italian superstars take APB to another level‏

Duke Micah showcases skills with victory in London‏

Video: Mike Tyson talks Broadway show and bad lawyering