From the sweet science to the silver screen, Roberto Duran to be immortalised in film

Boxing has always made for great drama. And in the history of the sweet science, there are few fighters who can match Roberto Duran’s flair for the dramatic. Whether he won or lost, a Duran fight was an event that transcended boxing and crossed cultural boundaries. Now, executive producer David Schuster is combining those elements to finally bring the Duran story to the silver screen…
Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions and Scott Pardo Films are in development to produce a feature film on Duran, the former five-time world champion from Panama. The film is based on Christian Giudice’s book, Hands of Stone: The Life and Legend of Roberto Duran.

"Roberto Duran is one of the greatest boxing champion in history," said Schuster. "We are proud to be making this contribution to the rich genre of boxing films."

In addition to Winner Take All and Scott Pardo Films, Jeff Waxman (co-producer of Acadamy-Award winning The Fighter, and Law Abiding Citizen and executive producer of the soon to be released Mirror Mirror) and Tony Grazia (21 and Over and Narc) are partnering to produce this legendary boxing tale.

This is Schuster’s third boxing offering. In 2009, he produced A Fighting Chance, a documentary on the journey of Cuban boxers. He also executive produced last year’s critically acclaimed Off Broadway play, Kid Shamrock, based on the life and career of former middleweight contender Bobby Cassidy.

"There are few athletes as compelling as fighters and their stories are as real as it gets," said Schuster. "I’ve loved the sport of boxing my entire life. So being able to tell these stories is a dream come true for me. Scott Pardo has written a fantastic script based on Cristian’s book. This movie is going to be as powerful as a Duran right hand!"

♔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.

No Holds Barred: George Kimball and the State of Boxing‏

On this audio edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman pays tribute to the noted sports and boxing journalist George Kimball (http://www.georgekimball.com).

After a long battle with esophageal cancer, George Kimball passed away Wednesday, July 6, at age 67, in New York.

While many reminiscences are being written about his life, we are focusing on his contributions to the battle for boxing reform. The lead boxing writer for the Boston Herald for 25 years, George was one of the few newspaper reporters who helped launch the Boxing Writers' Rankings Poll in 2000, and remained a registered voter in it until its demise some years later. We also read comments about his passing from Howie Sirota, who founded the Boxing Writers' Rankings Poll.

On October 18, 2008, we conducted an interview with George in Atlantic City before the Bernard Hopkins-Kelly Pavlik fight. We discussed the book he had just written, Four Kings: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing (http://www.mcbooks.com/bookstore/product_details.php?id=739). This marvelous book traced the intertwined careers of Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Roberto Duran. We spoke with him right after he had participated in a forum on the book with trainer Emanuel Steward, promoter Bob Arum, and announcer Larry Merchant.

We also discussed with him why such an era of so many great rivalries can't happen today, why media coverage of boxing is harder to do today than it was in the past, the changed role of publicists, the decline of newspapers, the Internet and television and the future of boxing, and more. As part of our tribute to him, we replay that interview on No Holds Barred.

♔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.

A STAR IS BORN ON SHOBOX AS CABALLERO OUTCLASSES MOLITOR FOR IBF AND WBA TITLES; SHOWTIME To Replay Decisive Bout Nov. 26 at 11 p.m. ET/PT on SHO 2

Former world champion Roberto Duran, who like Caballero hails from Panama, was on hand to show his support to Caballero Friday night.

RAMA, Ontario, Canada– In a one-sided fight from the beginning, Celestino Caballero outclassed previously unbeaten Steve “The Canadian Kid” Molitor, registering a TKO just 52 seconds into fourth round to become the 122-pound International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Association (WBA) world champion Friday on SHOWTIME’s ShoBox: The New Generation.

Caballero of Colon, Panama, improved his record to 31-2 while Molitor drops to 28-1.

The 12-round world-title unification fight was the first ever to take place in Canada and the first on ShoBox. Orion Sports Management presented the historical scrap from Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario, Canada.

Molitor, from nearby Toronto, Canada, seemed lost from the very beginning. Caballero on the other hand wasted no time moving in on his opponent and throwing combination after combination. Forced into the ropes, Molitor was never able to find his rhythm.

Stephane Larouche, Molitor’s trainer, cried out in frustration between the third and fourth rounds, imploring Molitor to get it together: “This is not Steve Molitor tonight,” he screamed. “This is not you.”

In the fourth round, Caballero sent Molitor down with a right uppercut to the left side of the face. Molitor was able to beat the count but soon found himself up against the ropes. Caballero charged forward once more, landing four consecutive shots before the glassy-eyed hometown hero fell.

Referee Luis Pabon halted the action at 52 seconds into the fourth round and declared Caballero the unified champion by TKO.

“Molitor was outmuscled and outclassed” said Steve Farhood, ShoBox analyst. “This was the first real fight of Molitor’s career and he failed miserably.”

Molitor knew he had let his hometown fans down. “I couldn’t get off tonight. He was the better man. I felt tight going in and I just want to apologize to my fans.”

Caballero knew he was in control the entire fight. “I saw the knockout coming,” he said. “I saw his legs so I worked hard to keep going and get it.” What’s next for him? Caballero voiced his opinion saying, “The most important thing now is to keep unifying. I call every champion to come and face me.”

Nick Charles called the action from ringside with boxing historian Farhood serving as expert analyst. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

“ShoBox: The New Generation” will return on Dec. 5, 2008, when the hard-hitting South American welterweight champion Luis Carlos Abregu will face his toughest test yet against the much more experienced and established David Estrada.

Friday’s bout will re-air as follows:

DAY CHANNEL

Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT
SHOWTIME 2

For more information on ShoBox: The New Generation and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, including complete fighter bios, records, related stories and more, please go to new SHOWTIME website at http://sports.sho.com/

About ShoBox: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically-acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. The growing list of fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Leonard Dorin, Scott Harrison, Juan Diaz, Jeff Lacy, Ricky Hatton, Joan Guzman, Juan Urango, David Diaz, Robert Guerrero, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Malignaggi, Kendall Holt and Timothy Bradley.

Showtime Networks, Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

See you at the Fights and Thanks for your time.

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

©®™ 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

SecondsOut Radio: Cristian Mijares, Vic Darchinyan, George Kimball on the Four Kings

On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman discusses the present and past of boxing, and its present and past champions. This coming Saturday, November 1, there will be a title unificationbout in one of boxing's most exciting and talented weight classes, the super flyweight division (115 pounds). WBA and WBC champion Cristian Mijares (35-3-2, 13 KOs), of Gomez Palacio, Mexico, will face IBF champion Vic Darchinyan (30-1-1, 24 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. This fight will be telecast live on Showtime in the U.S. We spoke with both Cristian Mijares and Vic Darchinyan on a media conference call this past week about what to expect in this fight. Boxing is also a sport in which you can live simultaneously in thepresent and the past, and sanely, too. A new book by veteran boxing writer George Kimball transports us back into the past by tracing theintertwined careers of Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler,Thomas Hearns, and Roberto Duran. The book is entitled Four Kings:Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing(http://www.mcbooks.com/bookstore/product_details.php?id=739). We spoke with George Kimball about his book and the past, present, andfuture of boxing, right before the Oct. 18 Bernard Hopkins-KellyPavlik fight in Atlantic City, and after he had participated in aforum on the book with trainer Emanuel Steward, promoter Bob Arum, andannouncer Larry Merchant. It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register togain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/,and listen, learn, and enjoy.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.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

US Olympic Alternate Danny O’Connor; Now a true professional boxer

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.– With his successful pro debut now behind him, 2008 U.S. Olympic first alternate Danny O’Connor is hoping to stay busy as well as further adjust to fighting longer rounds with smaller gloves and no headgear.

In front of a large crowd of his enthusiastic fans and escorted into the ring by a Irish bagpipe player, O’Connor turned in an impressive performance against on September 17 in Manchester (NH), using a devastating body attack en route to stopping Jose Guerrido at 1:55 of the second round, when Guerrido’s trainer – former two-time world champion Aaron Davis – threw in the towel.

“It turned out to be like me and my coaches envisioned it,” O’Connor reflected. “All of the hard training paid off. I felt good in the ring. I was a little too anxious going for the early knockout and didn’t show all of the ability I have. I’m a big body puncher. I love banging the body because it slows down the opponent and leaves open holes for my shots. That’s what happened.

“I did feel a lot of pressure fighting in front of so many of my fans and family, as well as Leon (Margules, Seminole Warriors Boxing executive director) coming up from Florida to watch me fight for the first time. But I’ve always fought well under pressure and I settled right down. It’s going to take a little while to get used to fighting with smaller gloves, but I liked fighting without head gear, and didn’t really get into the longer rounds. Punching felt different with 8-ounce gloves, but it’s something I’ll quickly adapt to. I did feel naked fighting without a shirt. I like fighting as a professional better than as an amateur.”

The 23-year-old O’Connor, fighting out of Framingham (MA), won this year’s US Future Stars National Championship, in which he was named Most Outstanding Boxer, as well as the National Golden Gloves Tournament, both in the 141-pound light welterweight division. Danny’s most notable victory as an amateur was a dominating victory, 23-3, against eventual 2008 Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz, of the Dominican Republic, on May 29 in a USA-Dominican Republic dual meet in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

“I really couldn’t have asked for a better result,” O’Connor’s co-manager (with Rob Valle) and head trainer David Keefe remarked. “He wasn’t hurt at all and threw some great body shots, which will serve him well as he moved up. I’m also very happy with the promotional pick we made with Leon and Seminole Warriors Boxing.”

Among the celebrities watching O’Connor’s pro debut were legendary boxers Roberto Duran and Tommy Hearns, who won the same National Golden Gloves light welterweight title in 1977 as Danny did this year, Hall of Fame trainer Angelo Dundee, and members of he pop group “Boys Like Girls.” Keefe’s brother John for the is a drummer for gold-record selling “Boys Like Girls” and the band has supported Danny.

For more information about Danny O’Connor go to www.dannyoconnorboxing.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