PHILADELPHIA MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER TO HONOR BERNARD HOPKINS IN CELEBRATION OF HIS HISTORIC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP WIN

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter honored newly crowned WBC and Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard Hopkins today for his championship win over Jean Pascal which took place May 21.

The mayor presented Hopkins with a Liberty Bell replica and made a proclamation saluting Hopkins and acknowledging his history making accomplishment of becoming the oldest world champion in the history of boxing. Bernard Hopkins, WBC and Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Champion

Photo Credit: Maxwell Brown/ City of Philadelphia

"The 'Rocky' movies are an inspiration to the blue collar workers of this city. Rocky used what he had to make the best of it, which is what I had to do. I played jacks like they were aces and I made something out of nothing.

"Where we are standing right now, is where I train. It is where I started.

"I have run those steps [of the Philadelphia Museum of Art] for many years, even last month [in preparation for the Pascal fight].

"It means a great deal to me to be honored where I train. This is where I have come all of my life.

"I lost my first fight at the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia. I lost a four round fight and I didn't let that stop me from continuing on in my career.

"I invested in my life...people ask, 'What is your secret?' They are waiting for me to say 'I am that good,' but I am here because I invested in myself and made a determination not to get caught up in the high life of being a celebrity.

"You have to have good health to have a fighting chance. You have to treat yourself like a temple."

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter

"Let's give it up for Bernard Hopkins, the new Light Heavyweight World Champion. He had some challenges as a teenager. He found himself on the wrong side of the law, but in prison, he found faith in himself and in boxing. This is the real reason why Bernard Hopkins is a champion.

"The heritage of great boxing in Philadelphia is proudly being carried on by Bernard Hopkins.

"Even more than these accomplishments, his life is a lesson to all of us. It is never too late to do something great. It is never too late to change your life.

"Philadelphia is a city of second chances, and we are proud to honor Bernard Hopkins."

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Council for Unity’s 2008 Champion for Children Gala

Boxing promoter Lou DiBella, President and CEO of DiBella Entertainment and Diane Garnick, an Investment Strategist for Invesco, have been selected as honorees for the 2008 Council for Unity Champions for Children Gala. The gala will take place at 6pm on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at The Lighthouse Chelsea Piers.



The mistress of ceremonies will be Law and Order SVU’s Tamara Tunie, who plays medical examiner Dr. Melinda Warner. Other special VIP participants include New Jersey State Senate President Richard Codey and 1997 Nobel Prize Winner in economics Dr. Robert C. Merton, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at the Harvard Business School.

Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment in May of 2000 as a full- service sports and entertainment company, while maintaining its presence in the world of boxing. Mr. DiBella is the President and managing partner of the San Francisco Giants’ class AA minor league baseball affiliate, the Connecticut Defenders. He recently appeared in the Sylvester Stallone boxing film “Rocky Balboa” (2006) as the fight promoter who stages Rocky’s return to the ring. DiBella is currently a producer on the film “Love Ranch” which is being directed by Academy Award winner Taylor Hackford and stars Academy Award winners Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci.



Diane Garnick directs the Global Investment Solutions and Research Team at Invesco. She has published hundreds of reports that focus on portfolio construction, volatility, corporate actions, equity indices, exchange trade funds, futures, options, accounting and taxation. Ms. Garnick is the founder of The Ladies in Red, a charitable organization focused on charities geared towards solving issues faced by underprivileged children and women throughout the world.

Event sponsorship ranges from $25,000- $50,000 for President’s Circle table, $10,000 for Patron table, $5,000 for host committee table, and $500 per person. For tickets call 212.701.9440 or for more information on the Council for Unity please visit their website at www.councilforunity.org. The Council for Unity is a qualifying tax-exempt organization as described in section 501C (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Proceeds from this event will enable the organization to continue its vital work on behalf of young people.

The Council for Unity is a not-for-profit children’s charity that has been resolving issues of safety, bias, bullying, and gang violence in schools and communities over 30 years. The Council is known for successfully reaching the unreachable child, and actively helps over 80,000 young people every day. Their mission is to empower young people, individuals, and groups with the skills necessary to promote safety, unity and achievement in schools and communities. The Council for Unity is located at 50 Broadway, Suite 1503, New York, New York 10004.