PHILADELPHIA'S DEMETRIUS HOPKINS STEPS IN TO FACE KENDALL HOLT FOR WBO Jr. WELTER TITLE

NEW YORK– Undefeated junior welterweight challenger Demetrius Hopkins (28-0-1, 11 KOs) will step in to face WBO 140-pound champion Kendall Holt (24-2, 13 KOs) in the main event of Saturday's special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation, live from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, (SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

Holt was originally slated to face former 140-pound champ Ricardo Torres in a rubber-match, but Torres withdrew from the fight on Monday.

"Torres really wanted to fight but he was ill during camp, missed some training and was not in the condition he needed to be in for a war like this," said Bruce Trampler, chief matchmaker for Top Rank.

Now, Holt will have his hands full with the undefeated Hopkins, the nephew of former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins. The 28-year-old Hopkins is in peak condition as he was originally scheduled to fight Germaine Sanders on the undercard of Saturday's bout. When he learned Torres pulled out, he jumped at the opportunity to fight for his first world title.

According to manager Cameron Dunkin, Hopkins, upon accepting the fight, went immediately into an intense, all-day training session and was unavailable for comment.

Dunkin said, "Demetrius had been training hard for his fight with Germaine, and he has redoubled his efforts. He knows he needs to lose three more pounds but he will be on weight by Wednesday. He has completely devoted himself to being ready for this fight.

"This is a fight that he has wanted for a long time," the manager continued. "His first world title fight; we have wanted this for a long time. I am excited and proud that he will get the chance on Saturday. This is what we've been waiting for."

A top contender at 140-pounds, Hopkins holds key victories over Steve Forbes, Ernesto Zepeda and Jesse Feliciano. With Hopkins hailing from Philadelphia, and Holt from Paterson, N.J., it is essentially a home-game for both fighters.

Remaining tickets are on sale for the event, which is promoted by Top Rank, Inc., for Boardwalk Hall in. Tickets at $200, $100 and $50 are available on www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-736-1420, or at any Ticketmaster outlet nationwide.

Nick Charles will call the action from ringside with Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst and Al Bernstein as ringside reporter. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing. ShoBox recently celebrated seven outstanding years on the air.

For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://sports.sho.com.

See you at the Fights and Thanks for your time.

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©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved

UNDEFEATED JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT JAMES MOORE WEIGHS HIS OPTIONS

UNDEFEATED JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT JAMES MOORE WEIGHS HIS OPTIONS



Undefeated junior middleweight James Moore, 15-0 (10 KOS), a native of County Wicklow, Ireland, who fights out of Queens, New York, is itching for a fight. He wants to continue the momentum that began with his sensational 10 round decision victory over the much more experienced J.C. Candelo of Colombia in the main event of the March 15th pre-St. Patrick Day’s show at Madison Square Garden’s WaMu Theater that was called “A Fistful of Shamrocks.”

“I have been saying for years that I want big fights,” said the 30-year-old Moore, a veteran of 314 amateur bouts and the former captain of the Irish national amateur team.

“By beating Candelo I proved that I am ready to move to the next level. I don’t want any more easy fights. The only way I’m going to move my career forward is by fighting the best possible opponents.”

Early in the week of April 21, Moore agreed to a bout with Ronald Hearns, 18-0 (14 KOS), the son of the legendary Thomas “Hitman” Hearns who fights out of Detroit. That fight was being looked at as the opening bout of an HBO tripleheader in June.

When HBO told promoters they were looking for more of a New York-themed show, Moore’s matchmaker, Bruce Silverglade, said that Moore would be willing to fight Pawel Wolak, a hard-punching Polish-American with a 20-0 (14 KOS) record, or Andrey Tsurkan, a native of Ukraine who was 25-3 (16 KOS) going into an April 25 bout in the Bronx against Jesse Feliciano. Wolak and Tsurkan both fight out of New York.

“James is willing to fight anyone in the world,” said Silverglade. “I keep getting inquiries from ESPN 2, Showtime and HBO. James and his team are very confident in his abilities. We are looking for high-profile opponents. I can assure that James is not the roadblock in any negotiations for a big fight.”

During a meeting at Walker’s restaurant, which is located on the corner of North Moore and Varick steeets in the Tribeca section of Manhattan on April 22, Moore emphatically stated that he is not only eager, but extremely willing to take on any fellow undefeated prospect, especially if the fight is televised on a major network.

“I’ve been fighting a long time and realize it is time to make my move,” said Moore, who has postponed putting his 22 foot Grady White boat in the water for the season because of the possibility of going to camp to prepare for a major fistic challenge.

“I truly believe that this is going to be my year. I am very happy with the outcome of my fight with Candelo, and I would love to follow it up with a victory over someone like Hearns. If that fight does not get made, it’s not going to because of me. I’m ready, willing and eager to fight him.”

CONTACT: Colleen Ashton, Premier Strategies & Communications, LLC

©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "El Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience all rights reserved