Donovan "Da Bomb" George visits NYC‏

On Wednesday, February 15, Donovan "Da Bomb" George (22-1-1, 19KO's) took a break from training camp and visited New York to promote his upcoming 10-round super middleweight showdown against fellow top-rated contender Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriguez (20-0, 14KO's). Rodriguez-George, being billed as "Bombs Away", will be shown live on HBO on the upcoming March 17, St. Patrick's Day card taking place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden featuring Middleweight champion Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez defending his crown against Ireland's top-rated contender Matthew "Mack the Knife" Macklin live on HBO. The card entitled, "THE REAL Middleweight Championship - Get Your Irish Up", ispromoted by DiBella Entertainment, and will be aired live on HBO's "World Championship Boxing" beginning at 10PM ET/7PM PT.

George's first stop was a press conference hosted by Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment, at the popular Irish pub Jack Demsey's in midtown Manhattan. In addition to George, Irish-American undercard fighters such as Seanie Monaghan (12-0, 8KO's), Thomas Hardwick (4-0, 2KO's), Kevin Rooney Jr. (3-1, 1KO) and Danny McDermott (9-3-2, 4KO's) were also in attendance.

After the initial presser, the Chicago-native George, who is half Greek and half Irish, headed to the heavily Greek-populated area of Astoria, Queens, where he participated in another press conference/meet-and-greet at the Grand Café where a large number of Greek media outlets and high profile politicians, including the Republic of Cyprus Consulate General Koula Sophianou, were in attendance encouraging the Greek community to come out and support George on March17.

LOU DIBELLA (DiBella Entertainment)
I want to thank everyone for coming out and for everyone who is involved in what is going to be a terrific event from top to bottom on March 17, St. Patrick's Day at Madison Square Garden. This is going to be a tremendous undercard highlighted by the co-feature bout of the evening, televised live on HBO, matching two very exciting super middleweight contenders Edwin Rodriguez and Donovan George.

As a promoter, my main objective is to avoid "stinkability" match-ups and put on exciting and compelling fights for the fans and that is exactly what you have in both the co-feature and main event on March 17. You have never seen Sergio Martinez, Matthew Macklin, Edwin Rodriguez or Donovan George in a bad fight, and as a true boxing fan, these are the types of cards you want to see. The atmosphere at the Garden, on St. Patrick's Day, is going to be electric, and we are just very excited to be able to bring this great event here to New York City.

Some fighters' styles just mesh, and that is exactly what you have with Edwin vs. Donovan. Knowing both of these guys, I am predicting that someone is going to get knocked out in this fight. I am expecting these guys to walk across the ring and start throwing bombs from the opening bell. This is going to be a good old-fashioned barnburner.

There is a lot of talent and lot of good fights to be made right now at 168. The winner of this fight moves right into the mix and is legitimate challenger for any of the world champions out there right now.

In addition to the great co-feature and main event on HBO, the untelevised undercard is featuring a number of exciting fighters including Seanie Monaghan, Tommy Hardwick, the "O' Danny Boy" match-up with Danny O'Connor taking on Danny McDermott and, of course, my assistant Kevin Rooney Jr., who will have his famous father Kevin Sr. working his corner.

Seanie is one of the most exciting fighters to watch in New York right now. He has an army of fans that keeps growing, and while he might not ever pop up on anyone's pound-for-pound list, neither did the late great Arturo Gatti. Seanie and all of these guys give it their all each time out, and we couldn't be happier to have them on this card.

DONOVAN GEORGE
I'm happy to be here in New York. I hear that the fight fans here are awesome so I am really looking forward to the fight. I was supposed to fight here three years ago but, unfortunately, it fell through. I am so excited, this is a huge opportunity. Blood and guts, I am going to lay it all on the line. I am here to fight. People are saying that I am a long shot in this fight and that I am not as polished. I am not going to be disrespectful or talk negatively about Edwin since he is not here. He is a great fighter, I am going to come in tiptop shape for this fight. This is my opportunity, this is my shot I have been waiting for. I am either going to come out victorious or you are going to have to carry me out on my shield. I am fighting for a reason, I have a lot to prove. I am going to be a machine on March 17 and put on a great show for everyone.

LEON MARGULES (Warriors Boxing - George's Promoter)
I have been working with Don for almost three years now, and he has been so much fun to work with. He is a hellacious puncher who gets better every fight. He is still young and coming into his own and we expect a great performance out of him on March 17.

Edwin and Don will fight anyone, they are fighters. They know each other, they respect and like each other, but neither guy likes to go to the scorecard so we are expecting a great fight. It is great to be here in New York working with Lou and great to be back on HBO.

MIKE MICHAEL (Cestus Management - George's Manager)
Donovan is a great fighter and also a great guy. I fell in love with him the first day I saw him. It has been a long road, but we have finally got to the point where we are going to do what we are supposed to do. We are going to win this fight and move on with our career. It is a dream come true for us to have this fight and join the long list of great fighters who have fought at the Garden.

For those who consider Donovan an underdog, I am telling you that he is live, he is real, and on March 17, there will only be one bomb left standing and that is Don "Da Bomb" George.

The card entitled, "THE REAL Middleweight Championship - Get Your Irish Up", ispromoted by DiBella Entertainment, and will be aired live on HBO's "World Championship Boxing beginning at 10PM ET/7PM PT.

♔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.

Matthew Macklin warns Sergio Martinez: The Irish are coming!‏

Former world title challenger Matthew Macklin has a message for St Patrick's Day opponent and lineal middleweight champion Sergio Martinez - "the Irish are coming!" Macklin, 29, attempts to unseat Martinez from his throne in the 160lb weight class on March 17 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and is calling on Irish fans from all over the world to support him at the ground dubbed; The World's Most Famous Arena.

Mack the Knife on the podium. Credit: Ed Diller/ DBE

Prior to 2011, Macklin - a former Irish, British and European champion - had fought predominantly on the domestic and continental circuit. One fight last summer, though, propelled him into international stardom as he took on long-reigning Super WBA middleweight titlist Felix Sturm in Cologne, Germany.

Macklin (28-3-0, 19ko) took the fight to Sturm, fought constantly from the opening minute to the last and was largely expected to receive a deserved decision victory on points, however, on all three judges' scorecards he was on the losing side.

Despite the controversial defeat, Macklin had made a name for himself and the performance itself was perceived - by Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment - to be worthy of adding him to his own stable of fighters and matching the England-born Irishman with his premier boxer; Maravilla Martinez (48-2-2, 27ko).

"As I have done throughout my entire career I will go up a notch for this fight," said Macklin this week. "Sergio is going to bring the best out of me and I am very confident in my mind that I will be the new middleweight champion come March 17.

He continued: "Fighting at The Garden on St Patty's Day - it's going to be like I'm fighting in Dublin. The Irish are coming from all over the world to see this [and] the atmosphere is going to be electric!

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

Providing the co-support to Macklin and Martinez's main event is technically-savvy Andy Lee, a product of Emanuel Steward's renowned Kronk Gym set-up in Detroit and, like Macklin, a pugilist cut from Irish cloth. Lee is a fast-rising contender in the middleweight division and enjoyed a breakout 2011 as he stopped Craig McEwan in a thrilling Celtic War in March, won a one-sided decision over tough journeyman Alex Bunema in May, before avenging his only defeat by boxing smart and overseeing Brian Vera with ease in October.

On the St Patrick's Day undercard, Lee (27-1-0, 19ko) is currently without an opponent, but has the fists and experience to compete for a world title later in the year - something promised to him by promoter DiBella. "I want to thank Lou for letting me showcase myself on this show," Lee said.

"There is nothing more I can wish for then to have this opportunity to fight at MSG on St Patrick's Day. I consider myself as a serious contender and I hope to get my title shot in 2012. I'm not sure who my opponent is going to be yet, but I promise you a good St. Patty's Day beating."

♔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.

Massachusetts native Chris Traetti to square off with unbeaten Edwin Rodriguez the main event of Broadway Boxing on Aug 20 in Worcester, Mass.

It will be a battle for home state supremacy on August 20 when Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez puts his unbeaten record on the line in the main event of Broadway Boxing from Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts. Rodriguez (18-0, 13 KOs), a Worcester native, will battle another local favorite, Chris Traetti (10-2, 6 KOs), who hails from just down the road in Quincy.

Traetti certainly won’t be scared by anything the unbeaten Rodriguez throws his way when they square off in the ring. Traetti is an active member of the US Air Force Reserves, who was stationed in Iraq from December, 2004 through May, 2005. Even now, Traetti spends his weekdays stationed at an Air Force base in Chicopee, Mass. before hitting the gym at night to prepare for Rodriguez.

“When I was deployed, there were days when I didn’t want to be there. I was in the worst place in the world, working 12 to 14 hour days, sleeping in a tent, and I had no home to go to,” said Traetti. “It puts things in perspective. Some days I don’t want to go to the gym, but then I think to myself ‘if that is the worst thing I have to do today, I am pretty lucky.’”

Since last June, when Rodriguez last stepped into the ring in his hometown, he has hit the road to score the two biggest wins of his career, a ninth round stoppage of James McGirt, Jr. to capture the WBC USNBC super middleweight title last November and a ten round decision over top-10 ranked super middleweight Aaron Pryor, Jr. in January. Traetti believes that those wins add weight on Rodriguez’s shoulders to perform that may pave the way to an upset.

“There is definitely going to be a big crew coming from Quincy, but it is still his homecoming” said Traetti. “If I lose, I go from 10-2 to 10-3 and I’ll get another fight because I promote my own shows. If he loses, there goes the world title shot. All the pressure is on him, and that is pretty liberating for me as a fighter.”


♔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.

FROCH NOTCHES EMPHATIC VICTORY IN FIRST U.S. TITLE DEFENSE;WILL RETURN TO ENGLAND UNDEFEATED AND STILL WORLD CHAMPION;GREEN FLOORS DE LEON, JR.

MASHANTUCKET, Conn.– Carl Froch (25-0, 20 KOs) remained undefeated Saturday evening after a stellar comeback performance that had a near sell-out crowd of 3,726 on their feet when he knocked out former undisputed middleweight Jermain Taylor (28-3-1, 17 KOs) to retain the World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight world title on SHOWTIME®.

"The Cobra" survived the first knockdown of his career and ended his biggest fight to date in emphatic fashion to retain his WBC 168-pound strap.


In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature scheduled for 10-rounds, Allan Green (28-1, 20 KOs) impressed the crowd with his astonishing power after when he knocked down Carlos De Leon, Jr. (21-3-2, 14 KOs) three times in the second round before scoring a fourth and night-ending knock down.

In the second round, a vicious left hook was the beginning of the end for De Leon. In all, four knockdowns forced the referee to stop the fight.

The evening of fights, presented DiBella Entertainment and Hennessy Sports, emanated from MGM Grand Theater at MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Conn.

Froch, of Nottingham, England, had something to prove Saturday night, not only to the American audience, but to the naysayers who hadn’t given him credit as a world class champion. Taylor, of Little Rock, Ark., wanted to show the boxing world that he still had the heart, the skills and composition of the champion he once was.

With both coming out strong, Taylor outshined Froch and sent him to the canvas with a hellacious overhand right in the third round; the first time Froch has ever been down in his career. Froch recovered and was able to find his rhythm as he pressed the action in the middle rounds.

At the start of the 12th and final round, Froch felt that he needed a knockout to win the fight. And that is just what he got. Froch dropped Taylor using his solid jabs and strong right hand and, while Taylor was able to recover, he never fully regained his legs. At 2:46 of the 12th round after sustaining a flurry of monstrous punches, referee Michael Ortega stepped in and held a defenseless Taylor.

After the fight Froch said, “My trainer (Rob McCracken) told me I needed a big round in the 12th. He was right. You saw it, everybody saw it. I’m the champ.”

Regarding the stoppage, Froch said, “You could see he was badly hurt and not defending himself. He was not even looking at me at the end. It was a great decision by the referee. I had to make a statement on American soil and I did just that.”

Taylor respectfully called for a rematch after the fight when he said, “I want a rematch. He came over here and he really is a warrior. I know he’s got a good heart. I put 110% in the gym but he stayed with it and worked it.”

Asked whether he agreed with the stoppage Taylor replied, “He thought it was time to stop it so he stopped it. My hat is off to the ref.”

Green, of Tulsa, Okla., established his jab and firm right hand as soon as the fight began. After continuing to beat and overpower him, Green set up a lead right in the second round followed by a large left hook that sent De Leon to the canvas for the first of four knock downs in the round. Never truly recovered, De Leon continued to take a beating until the referee halted the fight at 1:06 of the second round.

After the fight Green said “I was here to make a statement. I was here to serve notice to Jermain Taylor and Carl Froch. I mean no disrespect but I want the winner of this fight. Lucian Bute is sitting here. I want these guys.”

Referring to the left hook that proved to be the beginning of the end for De Leon, Green said, “I kept coming with my right. I knew once he got brave I would come over with the left. I was able to set it up and finish. No one can handle this power. It looks like I hit him with the Hammer of Thore.”

See you at the Fights.
Thanks for your time.

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©®™2007, 2008 All rights reserved

BERTO VS URANGO TO BE OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED AT NYY STEAK‏

HOLLYWOOD, FL,– The day before the New York Yankees make their debut in their new home in the Bronx, two of boxing’s heaviest hitters – Andre Berto and Juan Urango - will enter the new Yankee Stadium to announce a May 30th event that is destined to produce more big shots than a home run derby.

A 2004 Olympian for Haiti, Andre Berto (24-0, 19 KOs) is one of boxing’s rising young stars, a status he owes to his incredible talent and crowd-pleasing style. Unbeaten as a pro, Berto parlayed wins over Norberto Bravo, Cosme Rivera, David Estrada, and Michel Trabant into a 2008 title shot against Miguel Angel Rodriguez and Berto made the most of his opportunity, stopping his foe in seven rounds to win the WBC welterweight title. The 25-year old has since defended his title with wins over Steve Forbes and Luis Collazo, and he plans on adding a third defense to his record against Urango.

One of boxing’s hardest punchers, pound for pound, Juan “Iron Twin” Urango (21-1-1, 16 KOs) has struck fear into the hearts of opponents ever since his pro debut in 2002. Since then, he has won the IBF junior welterweight title twice, with his only setback coming via decision to Ricky Hatton in 2007. The Monteria, Colombia native bounced back from that defeat with four straight wins, the most recent coming over Herman Ngoudjo in January in a bout that earned him his second world title. Now he chases after bigger game in the welterweight division.

This event is presented by DiBella Entertainment and Seminole Warriors Boxing and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:45 pm ET / 6:45pm PT.
See you at the Fights.
Thanks for your time.

Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1

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Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com

©®™2007, 2008 All rights reserved

'The Contender' Winner Sergio Mora Media Workout in Los Angeles Next Wednesday, May 28‏

‘THE CONTENDER’ WINNER SERGIO MORA MEDIA WORKOOUT, WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, AT 11 A.M. PT
At Latin Snake Training Gym, Montebello, California

WHO: Winner of the inaugural season of The Contender Sergio Mora

WHAT: Sergio Mora will participate in an open media workout as he winds down preparations for the biggest fight of his career against Vernon Forrest (40-2, 29 KOs) for his WBC Super Welterweight title Saturday, June 7 on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the west coast).

Mora (20-0-1, 5 KOs), of Los Angeles, Calif., won The Contender television series on Oct. 15, 2005 with an entertaining and hard-fought split decision over Peter Manfredo, Jr. The fight with Forrest is exactly what Mora has been aiming for and should prove to be his toughest challenge to date.

As part of a world championship doubleheader on SHOWTIME, the evening will kick off when Carlos Quintana (25-1, 19 KOs) looks to defend his newly acquired WBO welterweight belt against the boxer he dethroned, the previously unbeaten Paul Williams (33-1, 24 KOs). The Quintana-Williams bout is a rematch of a WBO welterweight title fight that Quintana won in a shocking upset on Feb. 9, 2008.

The fights are promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and Fight Nite, LLC, in association with Tournament of Contenders, LLC, DiBella Entertainment and Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with Northeast Promotions. It will emanate from Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.

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