Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriguez returns home to Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts on August 20 for a special edition of Broadway Boxing‏

DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing series travels to Worcester, MA, for the third time in as many years on Saturday, August 20, 2011, with a spectacular night of fights to be held at the beautiful converted opera hall, Mechanics Hall. The main event features unbeaten hometown hero Edwin Rodriguez, returning to the ring after a seven month layoff.

Headlining the undercard is former WBA junior middleweight champion Joachim Alcine (32-2, 19 KOs), along with a heavyweight bout between unbeaten prospect Kelvin Price (10-0, 6 KO) taking on Worcester native Rashad Minor (4-1, 3 KOs) Also seeing action are a slew of local favorites: junior lightweight Ryan Kielczewski (10-0, 2 KOs), female heavyweight Sonya Lamonakis (5-0, 1 KO), super bantamweight Luis Rosa (7-0, 5 KOs), junior welterweight Gabriel Duluc (1-0, 1 KO) and heavyweight Keith Bianchini (2-1, 1 KO).

Worcester’s own super middleweight prospect Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (18-0, 13 KOs), 26, comes home in his return to the ring, ending a seven-month hiatus while he recovered from an injury he incurred in his last fight. Rodriguez is an exciting power-puncher, who is currently highly ranked by all the major sanctioning organizations, at #8 by the IBF and IBO, #11 by the WBA, and #13 by the WBC and WBO. His two biggest pro victories have come in his last two fights.

Appearing on ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” on January 14, Rodriguez won a hard-fought 10-round unanimous decision over Aaron Pryor Jr., at Mallory Square in Key West, FL, in which he had to overcome a shoulder injury, having suffered a torn rotator cuff as early as the second round. Two months earlier, Rodriguez dominated James McGirt Jr. over nine rounds before forcing the stoppage, in a bout televised by Showtime. The victory earned Rodriguez the WBC USNBC belt.

Former WBA junior middleweight champion Joachim Alcine, is a Haitian-born Canadian who is a technical boxer with a crowd-pleasing style. When he steps back into the ring on August 20, he’ll be ending a 13-month layoff, following a first round stoppage defeat to Alfredo Angulo, on July 17, 2010. After eight years as an amateur in which he acquired a record of 42-6, Alcine turned pro on May 28, 1999, with a TKO1 over Louis Bouchard in Montreal. He quickly gained a following by fighting on the undercard of popular Canadian stars and with local television airing his early fights; and in his 13th bout on May 25, 2002, Alcine was featured on Showtime’s “ShoBox: The New Generation,” outboxing the experienced Marcos Primera over 12 rounds for the IBA belt. He would go on to win several other fringe titles including the Canadian title, WBA Fedelatin, NABA, WBC International, and WBA Fedecentro belts, while defeating the likes of Stephan Ouellet, Carlos Bojorquez and Carl Daniels. On July 7, 2007, Alcine became the first to defeat the crafty Travis Simms to garner the WBA 154lb. crown. He defended it once with a 12th-round TKO over Alfonso Mosquera before losing it to Daniel Santos. Alcine had two comeback victories, winning decisions over Eric Mitchell in 10, and Christophe Canclaux in 12, prior to the Angulo defeat.

Sonya Lamonakis,a native of Greece, is a sixth-grade teacher at Harlem’s Family Academy, who trains at the famed Gleason’s Gym. A four-time New York Golden Gloves champion, Sonya turned pro with a TKO2 over Kasondra Hardnette at Mechanics Hall, on June 24 of last year. Lamonakis is an all-action fighter who attracts a lot of fans. Last time out, Sonya chopped down the towering Gigi Jackson to earn a four-round unanimous decision, on April 16 at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut.

Ryan Kielczewski, known as the “Polish Prince,” a junior lightweight from Quincy, MA, was a runner-up at the 2008 National Golden Gloves Tournament in the 125-pound division, and has since built a passionate following in the New England area since turning pro on August 6 of that year. After winning a unanimous six-round decision over Willshaun Boxley on a Broadway Boxing card at BB King Blues Club on February 9, Kielczewski last fought on April 16, winning an eight-round decision over Robert DaLuz at the National Guard Armory in Dorchester, MA.

Junior featherweight Luis Rosa,of New Haven, CT, is coming off a six-round majority decision win over Shawn Nichol, on June 18. His previous victory on April 16 was impressive as he stopped Joseliz Cepeda, a former amateur champion, in five rounds on the Berto-Ortiz undercard.

Heavyweight prospect Kelvin “Price is Right” Price, of Iberia, LA, turned pro, after a brief amateur campaign, in 2007, under the tutelage of Roy Jones Sr. Standing at 6’7”, Price is a powerful puncher, with five of his six knockouts coming in the first round. On May 15, 2010, Price scored his most noteworthy win, earning a six-round split decision over previously undefeated local favorite Tor Hamer, at Madison Square Garden. In his most recent bout, on April 8, Price decisioned Ija Flappingeagle in Laredeo, TX. On this card, he’ll take on Worcester’s Rashad Minor, who last fought at Mechanics Hall on June 24, 2011, winning a four-round decision.

Talented junior welterweight Gabriel DuLuc, of Worcester, will be looking to build on his last victory when he turned pro on a Broadway Boxing card on March 29, winning a four-round unanimous decision over Joel Alarcon, at BB King Blues Club.

Popular Worcester heavyweight Keith Bianchini, 2-1 (1 KO), is a corrections officer at Walpole state prison. He will attempt to rebound from a decision loss he suffered in July.

♔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.

KELLY PAVLIK SHOWTIME® CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS

Former World Middleweight Champion KELLY “The Ghost” PAVLIK, his trainer JACK LOEW and Top Rank president TODD DUBOEF participated in an international media conference call to discuss Pavlik’s upcoming homecoming fight on ShoBox: The New Generation on Saturday, Aug. 6, LIVE on SHOWTIME®.

Pavlik (37-2, 32 KOs), of Youngstown, OH, will headline a hometown fight card for the first time in nearly two years when he takes on DARRYL CUNNINGHAM (23-2, 10 KOs), of Detroit, at the Covelli Center in Youngstown, Ohio, in a 10-round super middleweight bout. Cunningham is riding a three-year, 16-bout winning streak.

The special Saturday edition of ShoBox: The New Generation is promoted by Top Rank and will begin at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Have you adjusted to super middleweight? Do you feel stronger at this weight?

PAVLIK: “I really do. Making 160 was just impossible anymore. I’m never going to be able to see 160 again. In this new class we’re not killing ourselves to make weight. Now, as we’re getting ready, we can prepare more on boxing and more on the opponent and worry about that stuff rather than how we’re going to lose weight. I’m really happy with this weight class.”

Kelly, can you talk a little bit about your last fight. Did you feel the difference in the weight class?

PAVLIK: “You know, I really didn’t notice the weight. That wasn’t a factor in the fight. Timing was. I knew when he was going to punch before he did and I just had a hard time with the timing of that. That’s why we wanted to come back right after that fight just to make sure the timing was sharp. As far as the weight, no, I don’t think that played a big factor at all. You got to remember I was coming down from 195 walking into camp so I was probably walking around heavier than Lopez was.”

In that fight you got hit more than you did in a lot of your fights. Was that because of your timing?

PAVLIK: “I think so. It was hard to pick up on the punches. I went back and watched the film and I looked a little jittery in there. I was punching a little bit too much, even more than I had against a power puncher like (Edison) Miranda. There were a lot of things that we’ve been studying. But we got through it after a 13-month layoff.”

Is it common for you to watch tape of yourself?

PAVLIK: You know, I never really did do that. But at this stage in my career I think it’s important that we did start doing it. You can learn a lot more that way, too.”

Jack, how important was it for you to look at the tape from the Lopez fight to point out to Kelly the things he did right and the things he did wrong

LOEW: “I think it’s very important. I’ve done it all the way through. Kelly wasn’t a big film watcher but I’ve always watched our previous fights and then come back to Kelly and tell him what I thought he did wrong and what he should correct. It was very important – we got to move forward, we can’t move back.”

Can you talk about Cunningham’s strengths and weaknesses?

PAVLIK: “If you give him momentum or you let him come forward, he likes to throw a lot of punches, big shots. If you put pressure on him, he likes to go backwards – he goes straight backwards. We’ve seen a lot of that. I think our game plan for this fight is to fight like we always had earlier on. Put the pressure on him and not come straight, not head first but side to side angles, keep the punches moving and land some of the big shots.”

Is this a dangerous fight for you and how do you expect it to go?

PAVLIK: “You know what? Any fight is a dangerous fight, especially if you don’t take it seriously. If you’re looking past him that can be a dangerous fight. At this point in his career this could be his last big name. He is 36 years old so I think he’s going to come in hungry and wanting to win more than anything. So any fight like that is a dangerous fight. I think I’ve faced a lot more dangerous fighters in my career though.”

Jack, do you have any problems or worries about it?

LOEW: “I have all the confidence in the world in Kelly. But like Kelly said, anytime you go in there with another professional fighter there’s always danger. He has everything to gain and nothing to lose so he’s going to go all out. This is an opportunity for him to make a name for himself. We picked a left hander because we’re looking at things past this and what people have been mentioning but we’re not looking past Darryl Cunningham.”

Is the upcoming potential fight against southpaw Lucian Bute the reason you guys decided to face a southpaw in this fight?

LOEW: “Absolutely. It wasn’t so much a southpaw that looked like Bute, we just needed a southpaw. Being off 13 months if we hadn’t taken a fight like this it would be almost another six months before we took a fight like Bute. I didn’t think that was good. We’re looking at the big picture down the road but we’ve done nothing but concentrate on Darryl Cunningham.”

What is your opinion of Lucian Bute? Have you watched much of him?

LOEW: “Absolutely. I already have film on him. I’ve been watching it. He’s the whole package – he goes upstairs, he goes downstairs. He can move from side to side. But his chin is questionable. Obviously Librado Andrade should have won that first fight. How is he going to react when a big super middleweight like Kelly hits him on his chin? We’ll see what happens and we’re going to have to be 110 percent prepared for a guy like that.”

Is that (Bute) the fight you’re looking at in the fall if you get pact Cunningham on Aug. 6?

PAVLIK: That’s the big name and we want to fight big names. Whether it’s Bute, Froch, whatever the big name is. Big fights are key for me. I don’t want to finish my career off fighting meaningless fights. I want to go in there and get a chance to get the title back and defend it a couple of times.”

Do you have any thoughts on Bute?

PAVLK: “I think he’s a very good fighter. Obviously he is. There are some things questionable about him. I think he’s probably one of the best body punchers in the sport today by far, but I think he has pretty good boxing ability too. I don’t think he’s as talented overall as (Sergio) Martinez as far as movement and slickness. He’s got the whole package but I think everyone will see when I go into that fight that it’s going to be a different Kelly Pavlik. I’m hungry. I want the title back.”

How do you expect the hometown fans to support you this time?

PAVLIK: “You know what, I’m not sure. I’m hoping they are. Word is it’s going pretty good right now. There’s a lot of people still saying they’re going to get their tickets. Mainly, you expect a walkup crowd in Youngstown, that’s one of the big things, too. I’m going to do my thing, I’m going to put on a great show, I’m going to fight as hard as I can. Whatever happens as far as that part comes, my true fans, and I’m sure there’s a lot, they’ll be in for a real treat.”

Kelly, are you excited about coming back home and fighting?

PAVLIK: “Actually, I am. It’s always good to fight back home. Who knows when the next time will be so you make the best out if it when you get the chance.”

Kelly, a lot of fighters mention how much pressure there is to fight at home. Can you talk about the plusses and minuses about that?

PAVLIK: “Earlier in my career, there was a lot of pressure. I think with all the experiences I’ve had and all the stadiums I’ve fought in against the opponents I’ve fought, I have the experience now. I’ve been there and done that so the pressure doesn’t really get to me. The fans can sometimes act as your second wind and give you more motivation to go out and put on a better show. Not to try and go out for a kill, but you fight a smart game plan and you just have a little more drive in you.”

How are you recapturing the old Kelly Pavlik?

LOEW: “I think the training regimen, the brutal training regimen where you go in there to get that natural strength and cardio and everything else, that’s something that we’re going to get back to and that’s going to be a key.”

How much of the old Kelly Pavlik are you seeing in training and can he bring that same ferocity at that level as a super middleweight?

LOEW: “He’s going to have to. It’s not a matter of can he do it; he’s going to have to. That’s what got him the middleweight championship of the world – his relentless worth ethic, he’s relentless in the ring, coming forward, throwing punches. He has to come forward and he has to come forward with angles and he has the throw punches. He has to get that hunger back. I’ve seen a lot of it so far. We’ve put this together in kind of a short amount of time so I’m expecting a very good Kelly Pavlik on the 6th and I expect him to knock this kid down and if not knock this kid down I expect him to back him up and I expect him to stop him. That’s what I’m looking for. I want to take a week or so off after this fight and I want get right back into it and get ready for what’s next. I think it’s very important for us to get back to the way we used to do things for the Taylors, the Mirandas. I think it’s very important for the type of fighters he wants to fight in the super middleweight division.”

Is Kelly punching harder than he was?

LOEW: “I don’t think that’s possible, but he’s punching hard.”

Kelly had a nice left hook in the Lopez fight. Was that something you worked on or added?

LOEW: “He’s left handed so he’s always had a great left hand. But everybody that he touched with his right hand he knocked out so we never really had to come back with the left hook too much. But I think that’s a very important part of it. Instead of just worrying about that big one-two bomb we can always come back with something or even lead off with it. I think it’s always been there, it’s just a matter of finally putting it all together.”

Are you guys going to have to box more now that you’re moving up in weight?

PAVLK: “I don’t think so. With my size and my height I’d be a good size light heavyweight. As far as super middleweights, there’s not too many big powerful punchers at super middleweight. You have some guys that are strong and have some pop in their punch but not any that are knocking guys out a lot.”

What about Bute saying, “I can beat this guy”?

PAVLIK: “He’s a slick fighter, first of all. That gives me more of a motivation because people always pounded it and they still do, ‘Oh, he can’t fight a guy side-to-side.’ I want to prove them wrong. Second of all, he’s a great fighter. I want the big names. I want to win the world title. I want to fight the best and be the best.”

♔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.

Agbeko-Mares Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All

Just steps away from where all the action will take place one month from now at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Joseph King Kong Agbeko and Abner Mares took part in a spirited press conference Thursday at Muse Hall.

The press conference was well attended by a group of Las Vegas’ finest boxing media who heard from both fighters and their camps and promoters, including the legendary Don King, who waved flags for both Ghana and Mexico while heaping praise on Agbeko.

International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight champion Agbeko takes on undefeated rising star and World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver 118-pound titleholder Mares in The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All on Saturday, Aug. 13, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

“With the type of fight this will be, it's proper for this fight to be at a place called Hard Rock,” King said.

Here are what the fighters and their promoters had to say on Thursday:

Joseph King Kong Agbeko:

“I had my first fight in Vegas at Hard Rock and won by KO. I'm happy to be back.

“I want to thank Abner Mares and his team for their patience. It's going to be a great fight.

“I thank SHOWTIME for this tournament. It will make me the best 118-pounder in the world when I win on Aug. 13.

“My prediction is that the announcer will say "And STILL IBF bantamweight champion of the world...

“I love fighting boxers over fighters because boxers use their brain. This will be a good fight.

“I know that we have both fought Vic (Darchinyan) and Yonnhy (Perez). He survived that but he will not survive me.

Abner Mares:

“I expect nothing but tough fights at this point in my career. It helps me prepare better. Against Vic (Darchinyan), I fought a war. I'll do whatever I need to do.

“In December, I had to change my plan because of the cut (on my head). Depending on how the fight goes over the first few rounds, I'll adjust. I plan to box more this time but you never know.

“It would mean everything to get the IBF world title. Knowing you're the world champ, that's everything.

“It was frustrating at the time the first fight was called off. I was at the peak of my training and I can't lie, I'm human and I was very frustrated. It destroyed me a little bit, but then I regrouped and the more mature Abner prevailed. It's Joseph's health and that's serious. I'm glad he's better. I saw him at the press conference before the fight in April and he was weak and limping. I felt bad and realized that could have been me.

“I took three weeks off after the fight was called off and took my family vacation but I went right back to the gym when I got home and now I feel just as ready as last time, ready to be a world champ.

“Never in my short life did I think that I'd be sharing the stage with Don King. This is incredible.

“I want to be Mexico's 20th world champion. I made my dream come true when I went to the Olympics in 2004 and now I will make my dream come true of becoming a world champion.

“Thanks to SHOWTIME for showcasing me. Many people know who I am because my last two fights were on SHOWTIME.”

Don King, Agbeko’s Promoter:

“It's always a pleasure to be in Las Vegas. Thanks to Ken Hershman who chose to endure and conquer. This is more than a fight. It will be dedicated to W.E.B. DuBois. He died in '93 in Ghana and now the mantle has fallen on Joseph Agbeko. DuBois said in the 20th century color line is the biggest problem in America and now, King Kong will come down and beat on his chest and the elephants will come running. Mares will be Poncho Villa and Agbeko will win for his Ghanaian people. This is a fight for unity, solidarity and togetherness.

“I like Mares but it's going to be a day for Joseph. You've got to be there on the scene. If you can't, check it out on the screen. This fight is a statement. We're part of history, and sorry Abner, to be a part of history, one must be sacrificed.

“Not only did Agbeko defeat something I can't pronounce (Sciatica) but he will defeat Abner Mares this August 13 and we'll be going on to better things.

“This is a great tournament. SHOWTIME has been a vanguard for fighting for what is right.”

David Itskowitch, Golden Boy Promotions COO and Mares’ Promoter:

“I'm excited about this event, the Final of The Bantamweight Tournament.

“The first round was a great one and Saturday, Aug. 13, live on SHOWTIME at The Joint, we'll have a great ending. Tickets are very reasonable, starting at $25. You can get tickets at the Hard Rock box office and Ticketmaster.com.

“When Abner wins this fight on Aug. 13, he will be the first fighter to have his pro debut all the way through winning a world championship with Golden Boy. It's been quite a journey. I'm proud to know him. He is a family man and an example for all athletes. He got here by winning a great knock-down, drag-out fight against Vic Darchinyan and the Final should be just as exciting.

“The Joint is a great place to see a fight. It's a fun spot. There’s not a bad seat in the house.

“This fight would not be happening without SHOWTIME. I want to thank Ken Hershman. We hit a bump in the road with this tournament but Ken stuck with it. He has a lot of experience in persevering like he has in the Super Six. Thanks to Gordon Hall, David Dinkins (Jr.), Chris DeBlasio and the entire team that kept everything together.”

♔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.

Tito's Back - Evans vs Ortiz At UFC 133‏

UFC 133 Evans vs Ortiz on Pay-Per-View - Sat. August 6

Main Card

Evans vs Ortiz

Belfort vs Akiyama

Hallman vs Ebersole

Rivera vs Philippou

MacDonald vs Pyle

Prelims

Hamill vs Gustafsson

Mendes vs Yahya

Menjivar vs Pace

Hendricks vs Pierce

Brown vs Phan

Natal vs Bradley

♔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.

Coyle comes home for Royal Rumble in Castlebar

County Mayo's Henry "The Western Warrior" Coyle returns home next month when he challenges for the WBF Light Middleweight title against Italy's Elio Cotena at the Royal Theatre, Castlebar on Friday, August 12th.

The Chicago based Geesala native will headline a bill which also features Dublin's undefeated Patrick "The Punisher" Hyland and a host of local talent on the undercard including an Irish title tilt for unbeaten Westport native Finbarr Eade and an eagerly anticipated all Mayo duel between John Waldron and Michael Sweeney.

Coyle says he's determined to make it a night to remember for his home fans and a night to forget for Cotena. "I've been part of a couple of big nights of boxing already here in Castlebar on the undercard to Bernard Dunne and Andy Murray so it's great now to headline a bill at home and in a world title fight.

"The Royal Theatre is a fantastic venue and it's brought some of the worlds biggest entertainers to Mayo and hopefully this will be a night for the people of Mayo to savour as well. I've been training hard in Chicago because I was hoping that something big like this would come up.

"My last fight was in May but after that it was straight back in the gym. I've had to break training camp to come back home for the press conference but it will be straight back to business again in Chicago when I get back and then the countdown will really be on to fight night."

The tagline for the event is "The Night the West will be won" but Cotena is promising to spoil the party by taking the WBF title back to Italy and it's hard to argue with his bloodlines. His grandfather, also Elio Cotena represented Italy at the 1968 Olympics before going on to win the European Featherweight title as a professional and his grandson is determined to emulate his namesake's success.

"He's got fighting pedigree in his blood so you have to respect that and his achievements to date," admitted Coyle. "He recently won the IBF Mediterranean title up at Middleweight and I've watched that fight but I will let my trainer, Sam Colonna and my Dad study it in a bit more detail and I'm sure they will come up with the right game plan for the fight to make sure that the WBF title gets a new home in Mayo."

Father and manager Gerry is hopeful that next months bout could be the start of some big nights of boxing in Mayo. "This will be a huge night for Geesala and Mayo," said Coyle Senior. "We're very confident that it will sell out quickly. The interest already has been phenomenal and the support we've had locally has been unbelievable. The fight will be on the same weekend as the Geesala Festival and there will be a huge crowd of people home for that from the US and the UK and they have always been great supporters of Henry right from his amateur days. There is a terrific undercard as well with some of the best in the west in action so hopefully it will be a famous night for Mayo and the first of many more.

"We are determined to build on this and we have already had talks with some of the big name world champions from the US and they have indicated that they would come to Ireland to fight Henry so that's what we're looking at for down the road. That's all for the future though, the only thing Henry is looking at now is winning that WBF world title against Cotena and that will open the doors to even bigger fights and bigger nights."

Another man looking ahead to bigger fights and bigger nights is unbeaten Dublin featherweight Patrick "The Punisher" Hyland who will be bidding to extend his perfect record to 24 and 0 in Castlebar with an international opponent expected to be confirmed shortly. The Tallaght native is fresh from wining the WBF Featherweight title in Dublin last month with an impressive shutout points win over Frenchman Philippe Frenois.

"I was delighted with my performance against Frenois and it was great to get 12 rounds in the bag against a good, tough opponent," said Hyland. "He had only been beaten before by some good names but I found it quite comfortable in there against him and he admitted to me afterward that I hurt him with both hands and said that in the end he was just happy to last the distance so I took that as a nice compliment. I know I belong at European and World level and that's what I want to prove from here on in."

A second Mayo man getting a title opportunity on the undercard will be Westport's Finbarr "The Rock" Eade who takes on Mickey Coveney in an Irish Super Featherweight title fight. Eade is unbeaten in six pro fights but will be taking on by far his toughest challenge to date when he takes on London based southpaw, Coveney.

"It will be a big step up for me but I've nothing to lose and it's a huge opportunity to get to fight for an Irish title so close to home," said Eade. "Coveney is an excellent fighter, he's not a typical southpaw, he's short and aggressive and likes to stand there and have a fight so I'm sure it should make for a great fight. He put in a great effort against Patrick Hyland when he challenged for the featherweight title but he's been up at super featherweight since then so maybe he feels more comfortable there. My goal this year was to get an Irish title fight so I'm delighted now that my chance has come and I know I'll have great support on the night."

Another clash featuring plenty of local interest on the undercard will be an all Mayo affair with Michael Sweeney and John Waldron meeting in an eagerly awaited Light Heavyweight bout. Both are coming off Irish title defeats with Sweeney having lost out on a close points decision for the Irish Cruiserweight title in March while Waldron was stopped by Ciaran Healy in the first defence of his Irish Light Heavyweight title in Castlebar last November.

"This is a fight that's been talked about in Mayo for years now," said Sweeney "It was supposed to happen a few times in the amateurs and then when we went professional but for whatever reason it's never actually happened so I'm delighted it's happening now. It's a fight I've always wanted and it's a great fight for Mayo and the West in general because although we're both Mayo men originally I'm based in Galway and John lives in Roscommon now so I'm sure there will a huge interest across Connaught in the fight."

The winner will force themselves to the head of a queue for a shot at the Irish Light Heavyweight title and Waldron is determined that Sweeney will prove a stepping stone en route to regaining his old belt. "I'm desperate to make up for my last performance in Castlebar, everyone that knows me knows that wasn't the real me in the ring that night.

"If I'm honest I took the fight lightly and I ended up losing the weight too quickly on the last week and it left me drained in the ring. Winning the Irish title maybe made me a little complacent but that's gone now and if Michael Sweeney thinks he's getting in the ring with the same John Waldron who lost the Irish title then he's in for a big shock. Once I win this fight then I want to get Healy back in the ring and reverse that result and get the Irish title back."

♔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.

STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL PRESENT:Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson - THIS Saturday on SHOWTIME!‏

This Saturday, two MMA legends will collide!
FEDOR EMELIANENKO and DAN HENDERSON


STRIKEFORCE® and M-1 Global, in advance of the upcoming STRIKEFORCE® and M-1 GLOBAL PRESENT: FEDOR vs. HENDERSON card scheduled for Saturday, July 30 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill., as well as women’s bantamweight champion Marloes Coenen and top contender Miesha Tate

On Saturday, July 30 from Hoffman Estates, Ill., legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko makes his highly anticipated return to the cage when he takes on former Olympic wrestler Dan Henderson. The Russian-born Emelianenko, a former PRIDE® heavyweight champion, is looking to topple one of the best American MMA fighters and show the world that “The Last Emperor” is again ready to make a run to the top. Also a former PRIDE champion, current STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight champion, Henderson is on a mission to derail one of the best heavyweights of all time.

The evening of fights presented by Strikeforce and M-1 Global also features:Marloes Coenen vs. Miesha
TateRobbie Lawler vs. Tim Kennedy
Paul Daley vs. Tyron Woodley
Scott Smith vs. Tarec Saffiedine

Watch footage from the early days of both legends before their long awaited matchup.

Saturday, July 30, at 10pm ET/PT on SHOWTIME

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uTqLIYsD9Y

♔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.

“Fire & Fury” Official Weigh-In BEIBUT SHUMENOV vs. DANNY “The Bronx Bomber” SANTIAGO

Friday night’s “Fire & Fury” championship boxing card at South Point Casino Hotel, presented by KZ Event Productions in association with Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chagrin Promotions, Guilty Boxing, Solo Boxeo Tecate and South Point Hotel Casino

RAVSHAN HUDAYNAZAROV (14-0, 12 KOs), WBA FEDALATIN Welterweight Champion, Las Vegas, NV

HECTOR MUNOZ (19-5-1, 12 KOs), Challenger, Albuquerque, NM

GAYRAT AHMEDOV (16-0-1, 11 KOs), WBA International Light Heavyweight Champion, Las Vegas

BILLY BAILEY (11-11, 4 KOs), Bakersfield, CA

LONNIE SMITH (13-2-2, 9 KOs), Las Vegas, NV

EDUARDO ARCOS (16-4-1, 13 KOs), Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

RAMON MONTANO (17-9-2, 2 KOs), Las Vegas, NV

JUAN SUAZO (7-4-3, 5 KOs), Tucson, AZ

MEDZHID BEKTEMIROV (5-0, 5 KOs), Houston, TX

CHAD DAVID (3-8, 0 KOs), Phoenix, AZ

JOEL DIAZ (4-0, 3 KOs), Palmdale, CA

ESTEBAN NICHOL (3-1, 3 KOs), Denver, CO

WHEN: Thursday, July 28, 2011 – 6 PM/PT (On Scale)

WHERE: Del Mar Lounge, South Point Hotel Casino, 977 Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV
♔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.

Tyson Fury Punches Out Heavy Duty ratings‏

TYSON Fury proved on Saturday night that he's not only the new star of World boxing after winning the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles but also a major ratings puller for Channel 5.

Channel 5 executives were left thrilled by 6ft 9' Fury's sensational performance in the victory over Dereck Chisora at Wembley Arena which attracted a peak audience figure of 3m viewers - demonstrating once again the appeal of boxing to the public.

British and Commonwealth champion Fury is now ready to become a global star with not only Channel 5 but American broadcasters eager to screen his future fights.

Fury's promoter Mick Hennessy believes the victory over Chisora is just the start of a great journey for the 22-year-old right to the top of world boxing.

Hennessy said: "The figures for Channel 5 were fantastic and I have to give great credit to Channel 5 because they listened to me and they believed in me when I told them about Tyson, unlike other broadcasters.

"When I promoted the World title fight between Carl Froch and Jean Pascal the figures were roughy 2.9m and that was a World title on ITV with a big build-up.
This is just the start for Tyson, he's a winner in the ring and he's a winner with the public sitting at home wanting to see a proper fighter and a guy who has the charisma to entertain them.

The future is looking very bright for Tyson, we want him to win the Irish title next and then the European title and Channel 5 now have the opportunity to bring those fights to an even bigger audience. Nobody in British boxing is getting this amount of people watching their fights. Towards the end of the fight it recorded the highest veiwing figures and was the most watched program on British television."

Watch all of the action from Wembley Arena on Channel 5 On Demand.
http://www.channel5.com/shows/boxing-live-british-heavyweight-title/episodes/live-boxing-tyson-fury-v-dereck-chisora

♔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.

Two worlds collide McBride set to face Polish giant for WBC International heavyweight titleWach, McBride battling for heavyweight supremacy‏

Two former Olympians are prepared to stand toe-to-toe Friday, July 29th, 2011 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in a heavyweight title bout that could move the winner one step closer to boxing’s ultimate prize.

Undefeated Mariusz Wach (24-0, 12 KOs), who competed for his native Poland in the 2004 Olympics, will face former world-rated contender Kevin McBride (35-9-1, 29 KOs), a participant for Ireland in the 2002 Summer Games, in the 12-round main event of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Heat Wave” show at Uncasville, Conn., with the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) International heavyweight championship on the line.

This heavyweight showdown is the first of two title fights July 29th; Elvin Ayala (23-5-1, 11 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., will battle former two-time world champion Israel “Pito” Cardona (36-10, 28 KOs) of Hartford in the 10-round co-feature for the vacant WBC U.S. National Boxing Council (USNBC) middleweight title, a belt once held by former world champions Paul Williams and Lamont Peterson. Tickets for “Heat Wave,” which are priced at $40, $65 and $105, are on sale starting today and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254 or Ticketmaster at 1.800.745.3000.

The WBC International title is equally prestigious; among the former champions in the heavyweight division are: current World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Organization (WBO), International Boxing Organization (IBO), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and The Ring Magazine champion Wladimir Klitschko, a two-time WBC International title-holder who beat David Haye this past Saturday in a heavyweight unification bout; Oliver McCall, who upset Lennox Lewis in 1994 to win the WBC world title; and former WBC world champion John Ruiz, who is famous for his trilogy against Evander Holyfield that included one win, one loss and a draw. David Tua, who beat Tony Tucker in 1997 for the WBO title, also held the WBC International belt early in his career, along with former WBC world champion Oleg Maskaev.

Since the inception of the WBC International title in 1987, nine of its 16 champions have gone on two win a major world title, a success rate of 56 percent.

“This is as good as it gets in heavyweight boxing,” said Burchfield, who recently signed Wach to a multi-year promotional agreement in conjunction with Global Boxing Promotions. “Unlike some of the recent world-title bouts in this division that failed to live up to the hype and ultimately disappointed the sport and its loyal fans, this will be a true heavyweight war.

“Some of the best heavyweights in boxing history have held this prestigious title, and that tradition will continue July 29th at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena. Mariusz is looking to carve his niche as the future of the heavyweight division, but Kevin is a cagey veteran with a ton of experience and will not back down without a challenge. This is what boxing needs – two hard-hitting heavyweights willing to take risks and leave it all in the ring. We’re proud to bring this fight to the fans who’ve been craving a real heavyweight showdown, and we’ve got an unbelievable undercard with tremendous national and local talent as well.”

Aside from becoming the youngest super heavyweight to compete in the Olympics, McBride is more famously known for ending Hall of Famer “Iron” Mike Tyson’s career in 2005. The two fought at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., with McBride scoring a sixth-round knockout over the former undisputed heavyweight champion. McBride, who was born in Clones, Ireland, but now lives in Dorchester, Mass., retired after losing to Andrew Golota in 2007 before returning to the ring three years later. He recorded his 35th win by beating Franklin Egobi in 2010 and recently lost a unanimous decision to former cruiserweight world champion Tomasz Adamek, who will face Vitali Klitschko for the WBC heavyweight title in September.

This will be McBride’s third attempt at beating a Polish fighter – Golota and Adamek were born in Warsaw and Zywiec, respectively – though Wach represents a unique challenge. At 6-foot-7 ½ and 250 pounds, Wach is much bigger than Golota and arguably stronger than Adamek, who only has two knockouts in six fights since making the jump from cruiserweight to heavyweight. For both fighters, this title bout represents a preview of what the winner could see if he eventually steps into the ring with one of the Klitschko brothers; both Vitali and Wladimir are taller than 6-6 and routinely fight between 240 and 250 pounds.

Wach, 31, hasn’t fought since Feb. 19 in Newark, N.J., when he knocked out Jonathan Haggler in the third round to capture the WBC Baltic heavyweight title. Among Wach’s other notable wins are a fourth-round knockout win over Galen Brown on Nov. 12, 2010 in Lincoln, R.I., and a seventh-round TKO win over Eric Boose in July of 2008 on ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights” at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.

With knockout victories in each of his last four fights, Wach represents a serious threat in the heavyweight division. He is currently training in North Bergen, N.J., and working with the well-known duo of Juan and Carlos De Leon. Juan De Leon formerly trained undefeated heavyweight “Baby” Joe Mesi while Carlos De Leon is a former four-time cruiserweight world champion.

♔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.

Boxing Sensation Hector Camacho Jr. Steps Back into Ring Saturday Night‏

This Saturday night in Atlanta world renowned middleweight boxer Hector Camacho Jr. (53-4-1) will return to the ring as he continues to embark on his journey of winning the title. As he prepares for the underdog Shakir Ashanti (16-11), Camacho Jr. keeps his main goal in sight.

“I can’t look past a fighter like Ashanti, because he comes in to play the spoiler role,” said Camacho Jr. “I have to be live and sharp. These are the kind of fighters that you have to let them know right away that they have no business in the ring with me. If you allow a fighter like Ashanti to stick around and believe he has a chance then you’re in for a long night.”

Going into this fight Camacho Jr. is confident that his training regime and work ethic will help him emerge the victor.

“I have worked hard to train for this fight, focusing on using my speed and experience to my advantage in setting up my attack,” said Camacho Jr. “I plan to win the fight using my ring smarts and experience.”

Camacho Jr. won his only other fight of 2011, and has gone an impressive 9-1 over his last 10 bouts. Looking forward, Camacho Jr. plans to drop down in weight following this bout to make a run at the welterweight championship.

“I want to focus on making the welterweight limits and starting going after the champions at that weight class,” said Camacho Jr. “There are some of the top fighters at that weight, and if I want to make an impact on my way to the championship, that is the way to do it.”

Outside of the ring Camacho Jr. has been working with his team in orchestrating a charity event for Harlem. Camacho Jr. is looking to host a boxing exhibition to spread awareness of gang and drug violence affluent in communities and raise money to help local schools.

“It is important to stay involved with my community, and to give back to the kids,” said Camacho Jr. “After this July 30 fight I plan to focus my efforts and helping out as much as possible and making a difference wherever I can.”

♔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.