Agbeko vs. Mares: The Bantamweight Tournament Final & Final & Undercard- SHOWTIME Boxing Saturday, Aug. 13 at 10pm

As the countdown begins for The Bantamweight Tournament Final, meet the two boxers who fought their way to the top of the class: Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares. Saturday August 13th at 10pm ET/PT The highly anticipated 12-round world title matchup between New York-based Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs) of Accra, Ghana, and Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs) of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., by way of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, was originally scheduled for April 23, but was postponed when Agbeko was injured moments after arrival at Los Angeles International Airport during fight week.

Agbeko vs. Mares: The Bantamweight Tournament Final Video;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GONVP2jZww

Tournament Final & Undercard

Undefeated lightweight rising star Luis Ramos Jr., (19-0, 8 KO’s), of Santa Ana, Calif., and

“Dangerous” David Rodela (15-4-4, 6 KO’s), of Oxnard, Calif., also participated in Thursday’s workout in preparation for their 10-round lightweight bout on the Aug. 13 non-televised undercard. Undefeated and heralded prospect Carlos Molina (14-0, 7 KO’s) of Norwalk, Calif., participated in the workout and will face an opponent to be named in an eight round junior welterweight bout.
The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All will take place on Saturday, August 13, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. The event is promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona.



♔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.

Ten Boxers Claim U.S. Olympic Team Trials Titles in Mobile

A full week of boxing culminated in final round competition on Friday at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Men’s Boxing in Mobile, Ala. The champions bracket winners faced off with the challengers bracket victors in 10 bouts of action. The challengers bracket winners were looking to stay alive in the tournament with a victory while the winners bracket athletes hoped to seal their Olympic Trials titles on Friday night.

Eros Correa (San Jose, Calif.) won the first title of the night in his bout with challengers bracket winner Santos Vasquez (Sparks, Nev.). The bout was closely contested throughout with Correa holding a slim 14-12 edge with one round of boxing remaining. He doubled his lead over the final three minutes to win a 22-18 decision and the light flyweight title.

Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) became the first boxer to win three straight U.S. Olympic Team Trials titles on Friday night. Warren defeated a game Shawn Simpson (Chicago, Ill.) by a 31-18 margin in their second match-up of the week. Warren led by only two points after the first round but began to build on his lead as both boxers looked for openings in their opponent’s defense. Warren led 14-9 after the second, but both boxers’ hands really began to fly in the final stanza. Despite Simpson’s best efforts, he couldn’t impact Warren’s date with history and the two-time Olympian moved one step closer to becoming the first U.S. boxer ever to compete in three Olympic Games.

The champions bracket winning streak continued in the bantamweight division as Joseph Diaz, Jr. (El Monte, Calif.) punched his ticket for Azerbaijan with a close 17-14 victory over O’Shanique Foster (Orange, Texas). The two were tied at nine with one round remaining and Diaz outscored Foster by a three-point margin in the last round to win the final decision and the bantamweight crown.

Jose Ramirez (Avenal, Calif.) joined the first three winners bracket champions in earning a victory on Friday night. Ramirez defeated 2008 Olympian Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) in their lightweight showdown to advance to take the gold medal. He led by a small one-point margin after the opening stanza and pushed his lead to six after two. Ramirez held on over the final three minutes to take a 21-16 victory and the lightweight title.

In the light welterweight division, one of the biggest surprises of the tournament claimed an Olympic Trials title. The United States Marine Corps’ Jamel Herring (Coram, N.Y.) won the gold medal with a 15-10 decision over Pedro Sosa (Bronx, N.Y.). After a close first round, Herring moved out to an 11-7 lead after two rounds. Sosa couldn’t overcome his deficit and Herring won a 17-14 final to claim the light welterweight title.

Errol Spence (Desoto, Texas) won the sixth title of the night in his bout with Amir Imam (Albany, N.Y.). Spence grabbed a three-point advantage after one and extended it to a 17-12 lead with one round of boxing remaining. He held on to his five-point edge over the final three minutes to win a 24-19 decision and win the welterweight gold medal.

Middleweight Jesse Hart (Philadelphia, Pa.) won the most convincing bout of the evening action in his rematch of the 2010 National Championships finals with Luis Arias (Milwaukee, Wis.). Hart came flying out of the gate before Arias could find his rhythm and took a 16-3 lead after two rounds. He didn’t leave any room for doubt, extending his lead over the final three minutes to win a 21-6 decision and the middleweight title.

The champions bracket continued to roll in the light heavyweight division with Marcus Browne (Staten Island, N.Y.) winning his showdown with Siju Shabazz (Las Cruces, N.M.). The trend of close first rounds returned in the light heavyweight class. Browne took a small one point advantage after the opening round and fully grabbed the momentum in the second, enjoying a 12-7 lead with one round remaining. Shabazz made it interesting in the third, pulling to within two but he couldn’t take the lead and Browne won a 14-12 final decision.

Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) won his second straight U.S. Olympic Team Trials championship in convincing fashion in his bout with Joseph Williams (Bronx, N.Y.). Hunter wasted no time getting on the score board, scoring 13 points in the first round to take a commanding 13-3 lead. He held a 21-10 advantage after the second round and went on to win a 28-17 final decision to claim his second straight Olympic Team Trials.

Lenroy Thompson (Lenexa, Kansas) made the night a clean sweep for the champions bracket with a victory over Laron Mitchell (San Francisco, Calif.). Mitchell kept the bout interesting, applying pressure to the moving Thompson. Thompson held a 15-6 lead after the second round and pushed it to a 21-9 final decision to win the super heavyweight championship.

All of tonight’s winners must qualify internationally through the 2011 AIBA World Championships, September 22-October 10 in Baku, Azerbaijan in order to compete in London. The light flyweight through light heavyweight division boxers will need to finish in the top ten while the heavyweight and super heavyweight athletes will have to finish in the top six to officially punch their tickets for London. As all of the champions bracket winners won tonight’s bout, there won’t be any bouts on Saturday.

USA Boxing President Harold Adonis announced Joe Zanders as the Olympic Team Head Coach earlier this week and Zanders enjoyed the chance to meet his team first hand in Mobile.

♔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.

U.S. Olympic Team Trials Final Round Results

U.S. Olympic Team Trials Final Round Results
108 lbs: Erros Correa, San Jose, Calif., dec. Santos Vasquez, Sparks, Nev., 22-18

114 lbs: Rau'shee Warren, Cincinnati, Ohio, dec. Shawn Simpson, Chicago Ill., 31-18

123 lbs: Joseph Diaz Jr., El Monte, Calif., dec. O'Shanique Foster, Orange, Texas, 17-14

132 lbs: Jose Ramirez, AvenaI, Calif.., dec. Raynell Williams, Cleveland, Ohio, 21-16

141 lbs: Jamel Herring, Coram, N.Y., dec. Pedro Sosa, Bronx, N.Y., 15-10

152 lbs: Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas dec. Amir Imam, Albany, N.Y., 24-19

165 lbs: Jesse Hart, Philadelphia, Pa., dec. Luis Arias, Milwaukee, Wis., 21-6

178 lbs: Marcus Browne, Staten Island, N.Y., dec. Siju Shabazz, Las Cruces, N.M., 14-12

201 lbs: Michael Hunter, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. Joseph Williams, Queens, N.Y., 28-17

201+ lbs: Lenroy Thompson, Lenexa, Kansas, dec. Laron Mitchell, San Francisco, Calif., 21-9

♔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.

Keisher McLeod- Wells aka "Fire", The Boxing Diva is featured in Sister 2 Sister Magazine (August Issue)

Get your copy of Sister 2 Sister Magazine (August Issue) today. Keisher McLeod- Wells aka "Fire", The Boxing Diva is featured on pages 56 & 57 with full story in the, "Who Do She Think She Is?" section. I feel very honored to be recognized in such an established and wonderful magazine, that mostly cover Afro American celebrities. Special thanks to Craig Spruill who reached out to me and conducted the interview (in which he did not get credit for), he believed and recognized my talent and what I had to offer to the sport of Woman's Boxing. He is wonderful.

Just as I share my success with my friends, family, and fans, I would like to share the stumbles I come across also in my career too. I did not win my fight this past Saturday for the NY State Championship. I lost to a very close split decision to a re-match against Melissa McMorrow (defending champion). We are now 1-1 with one another and the final re-match is in negotiation now. Thanks to everyone who has been very supportive of my career. I wanted to share this quote with everyone. "It's not how many times I fall down in life that define me, it's how many times I get up that do”.

♔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.

"PUNCHIN AT THE PARADISE" RETURNS FRIDAY AUGUST 19TH FEATURING MICHAEL PEREZ LIVE ON TELEFUTURA'S "SÓLO BOXEO TECATE"

"PUNCHIN AT THE PARADISE" RETURNS FRIDAY AUGUST 19TH FEATURING MICHAEL PEREZ LIVE ON TELEFUTURA'S "SÓLO BOXEO TECATE" THE BRONX'S FAST RISING UNDEFEATED PROSPECT EDDIE GOMEZ TO SEE ACTION IN TELEVISED CO-FEATURED BOUT

On Friday August 19, Golden Boy Promotions and Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing will team up to present the latest installment of the "Punchin at the Paradise" fight series. The card, which will feature a number of both Golden Boy and Star Boxing prospects, will be broadcast live on TeleFutura's "Sólo Boxeo Tecate." Headlining the event will be Newark's fast-rising Puerto Rican prospect Michael "The Artist" Perez (13-0, 7KO's) squaring off against an opponent to be determined in a ten round lightweight match-up.

Michael Perez photo by; Keisha Morrisey

Also featured will be undefeated Bronx prospect Eddie Gomez (5-0, 4 KO's) who will see action in a six round bout against an opponent to be determined in the co-main event on "Sólo Boxeo Tecate."

"We are excited to return to the Bronx to co-promote the August 19 'Sólo Boxeo Tecate' show with Star Boxing for the great boxing fans of New York," said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. "In the main event, we have a very talented, young, undefeated fighter in Michael Perez, who always attracts his loyal New York-area fan base to see his thrilling all-action boxing style. We are also proud to bring Bronx prospect Eddie Gomez home to fight in front of his hometown fans for the first time in his professional career."

♔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 August 20

Massachusetts native Chris Traetti to square off with unbeaten Edwin Rodriguez the main event of Broadway Boxing on August 20 from Mechanics Hall 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.

Wach KOs Mcbride, Ayala wins title‏

Wach KOs Mcbride, Ayala wins title‏;
By Michael Natalino
All photos by Keisha Morrisey

Friday evening, June 29th, 2011, Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports lived up to its commitment of “keeping the class in boxing” with an old-school fight card that showcased a wide variety of gifted fighters. All of the combatants lived up to their potential, producing a night of theatre that left boxing fans in awe.

Undefeated Heavyweight Mariusz Wach (25-0, 13 KOs) of Bergen, NJ, lived up to his reputation as one of the most viable forces in the Heavyweight division, with his fourth-round destruction of Kevin McBride (35-10-1, 29 KOs) of Brockton, MA, that earned him the vacant WBC International Title. Wach, calm, cool, and collected from the opening bell, consistently hit McBride with left jabs and right hands to the body. The only demonstration of offense from McBride that seemed to impact Wach was a right-hand followed by an elbow that caused blood to spew out of Wach’s ear. This injury only seemed to anger Wach, who retaliated with a vicious over-hand right that knocked McBride unconscious at 2:25 of the fourth round. This knockout kept McBride on the canvas for minutes after the fight, forcing him to be carried out of the arena on a stretcher.

In the final bout of the evening, New Haven, Connecticut’s Elvin Ayala (24-5-1, 11 KOs) continued his winning streak with a masterful display of ring generalship against Darrick Fendley (18-6, 11 KOs) of Gary, Indiana. Early on, the allusive Ayala never allowed the durable Fendley to get close enough to land punches of any significance. In the later stages of the fight, where it seemed as if Findley was beginning to find range, Ayala opened a cut over his opponent’s eye, and began to pour on blistering over-hand rights and combinations keeping Findley even further at bay. For his efforts, Ayala picked up a unanimous ten-round decision, along with the WBC USNBC Title.

In opening action, Worcester, Massachusetts’s Jose Torres stepped in the ring to make his pro-debut against last minute replacement Josh Harris (8- 5, 6 KOs) of Akron, Ohio. From the opening the bell, Torres initiated the action, peppering Harris with stiff jabs, followed by several crushing right hooks and a vicious body attack. Torres continued this non-stop onslaught the majority of the four rounds, continuously wobbling Harris throughout the bout. In the end, Harris’s methodical pressure and experience turned out to be too much for the green Torres to handle. Harris landed a massive hook at the end of the fourth, which instantly floored Torres, forcing the referee to bring the fight to a halt at 2:23 of the round.

In Welterweight action, Jonathan Vazquez (4-0-1, 3 KOs) of New Bedford, MA, and Agustine Mauras (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Lawrence, MA, had the opportunity to resume their amateur rivalry in a Rock em’, Sock em’, Somebody’s 0 must go battle. Mauras put the pressure on early, swarming Vazquez with consecutive punches to the body, along with left-hooks to the head. Vazquez countered effectively with upper-cuts and body shots of his own. Midway through the fight, just when it looked as if Mauras’ pressure was about to take control, Vazquez responded with straight right hands that snapped Mauras’ head back. The conclusion would be two fighters standing toe-to-toe, with the ending result a majority four-round draw with scores of 39-37, 38-38, and 38-38.

Edwin Soto (7-0-1, 3 KOs) of New Haven, CT, kept his undefeated streak intact with an impressive TKO victory over Michael Denby (3-11-4, 2 KOs) of Felton, DE. Soto assumed control from the beginning, landing numerous punches to the body and head, until the final blow, a crunching left hook to the liver, forced the halt at 2:26 of the third round.

Super Middleweight Greg McCoy (3-3, 1 KO) of New Haven, CT, ended his losing streak with a hard fought unanimous decision over Ralph Johnson (0-2) of Worcester, MA. Johnson’s awkward style confused McCoy in the early stages of the fight, even staggering him at times. Midway through the third, McCoy began to find success with right-hand body shots that stopped Johnson in his tracks. These shots allowed McCoy to rally in the fourth, assuring a unanimous four-round victory.

Also in Super Middleweight action, Keith Kozlin (6-2-1, 4 KOs) of Warwick, RI, and Reynaldo Rodgriguez (5-2-1, 2 KOs) of Woonsocket, RI, squared off in a match that was a candidate for “fight of the night”. The first two rounds resembled a game of chess, with each fighter trying to set up the other. The action began to heat up in round number three, with both fighters landing precise left hooks. The action would ignite even further in the fourth, when both fighters hit the canvas within twenty-seconds of each other, but managed to regroup, standing toe-to-toe in the middle of the ring before the bell sounded. The intensity of this fight, along with the strong will these fighters demonstrated, brought the crowd to its feet, but left the judges confused. The result...a six-round majority draw, with scores of 40-36, Kozlin, and 38-38 from the two other judges. This decision left the fans and fighters craving a rematch.

As we moved on to the Middleweight division, Thomas Falowo (4-0, 4KOs) of Pawtucket, RI, made short work of Russ Niggemeyer (2-3, 2 KOs) of Hilliard, Ohio. Falowo boxed aggressively in round one, forcing Niggemeyer to bob-and-weave, never able to mount any offense. In round two, Falowo would close the gap early, knocking Niggemeyer to the canvas in the opening of the round. As Niggemeyer tried to get back to feet, he stumbled back down to the canvas, forcing the referee to stop the fight forty seconds in.




The flashy pride of Poland, heavyweight Artur Szpilka (7-0, 5 KOs) of Wielczka, Poland, showed a dazzling display of speed and power, dismantling David Williams (6-5-1, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia, PA, at 1:53 of the first round. The Polish fans in attendance went wild as they saw their native son knock his foe to the canvas. There is no doubt that this young, knock-out sensation has a bright future in boxing ahead of him.

In a special attraction, former multi-world champion, Jose Antonio Rivera (41-6-1) of Worcester, MA, used his cagey veteran skills to out-box and out-class the game Paul Mpendo (7-8-4, 3 KOs) of Portland, Oregon, in battle of Light Middleweights. Rivera started off slow, allowing Mpendo to appear to be in the fight, but by round six, it was apparent that he was in complete control, as his body-shots and over-hand rights landed with precision and power. Rivera walked away with a unanimous eight-round decision, earning scores of 79-73 and 80-72.

It is unforgettable nights of boxing such as these that keep a century-old profession alive and well in today’s fast changing world.

♔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 LEGEND ERIK "EL TERRIBLE" MORALES, TOP CONTENDERS JESSIE VARGAS & JOSESITO LOPEZ SEPTEMBER 17 "STAR POWER" UNDERCARD

ERIK "EL TERRIBLE" MORALES, JESSIE VARGAS and JOSESITO LOPEZ held a press conference in Los Angeles to officially announce Morales' battle with former World Champion Jorge Barrios for the vacant WBC Super Lightweight title and Vargas vs. Lopez which will be part of the "STAR POWER: Mayweather vs. Ortiz" mega-event taking place on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.

"STAR POWER" is a mega-event taking place on Saturday, Sept. 17 from two world-class cities with three world titles at stake. Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz will face off in a 12-round fight for Ortiz's WBC Welterweight World Title from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. Canelo Alvarez and Alfonso Gomez will battle in a 12-round fight for Alvarez's WBC Super Welterweight World Title from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif. Also live in Las Vegas, will be Erik Morales vs. Jorge Barrios in a 12 round fight for the vacant WBC Super Lightweight World Title and an opening fight featuring undefeated rising star Jessie Vargas against top contender Josesito Lopez. The mega event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, DeWALT Tools and AT&T. Alvarez vs. Gomez is presented in association with Canelo Promotions. "Star Power: Mayweather vs. Ortiz" will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. 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.

Photo Credit: Tom Casino / SHOWTIME

From left to right: Joseph King Kong Agbeko and Abner Mares pose together at their announcement press conference in Las Vegas.

International Boxing Federation (IBF) Bantamweight Champion Joseph King Kong Agbeko and undefeated rising star and World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver 118-pound Champion Abner Mares participated in a media conference call on Tuesday to discuss The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All taking place on Saturday, August 13, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs), of Accra, Ghana, will defend his IBF title against the fast-rising, Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. by way of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, in the tournament final. Mares’ WBC Silver bantamweight belt will also be on the line.

The world championship fight is promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and is sponsored by Corona.

JOSEPH KING KONG AGBEKO:

“I would like to thank SHOWTIME for the new date which is Aug. 13 due to my injury. I thank my promoters too at Don King Productions for waiting for me to heal and to get ready for this fight. I’m so looking forward to this fight and thanks to God for it is finally coming off and I’m ready for it.

“This is a very big fight. Everyone is watching and people will know after you win this fight that you are the best in the world. That’s what I strive to achieve in my career: to be the best in the world at this weight class and then move on to the next one.”

What was the difference in the first time you fought Yonnhy Perez and the second?

“Well, in the first fight I don’t think I had a lot of time to prepare for the fight. I came into the ring slow and started out that way. That first fight just did not go well for me due to a few issues. So I came back and was able to do better the next fight.”

Did you fear after suffering your sciatic injury that your career might be finished?

“When I had the injury the only thing that I was worried about was the fight that I had coming up. I knew definitely that it wouldn’t affect my career. My main concern was disappointing every one because I knew I couldn’t fight. I knew everyone was counting on me. All my fans and family in Ghana were depending on me. I didn’t want to let anyone down.”

Was there ever any indication on why you had the sciatic injury you suffered?

“Yeah, they said it could really happen to anyone because of the time that the flight was delayed at the airport and the time I spent not moving on the plane for the six hours from New York to L.A. It doesn’t happen every day but the people at the hospital knew because they are so close to the airport. It does happen to people sitting on a plan for a long time.”

Did it affect your preparation for this fight?

“Yes, I think since I had to start all over again. I took some time off but then I was able to come back and I’ve been working on my speed and everything else for this fight.

“I’ve been on conference calls for SHOWTIME before and this is definitely the most relaxed one because I wasn’t asked a lot of questions. So I was very relaxed because I didn’t have to answer a lot of questions. This fight has been very hyped and I’m hoping to come out the winner on Aug. 13.”

ABNER MARES:

“We are getting close to this fight that I’ve been waiting for for quite some time. The fight got cancelled back in April and now we’re less than 13 days away. I’m ready to do this.”

What’s more important in this fight, winning the tournament or winning the world title?

“I think they are both important. For me it would be my first title so it has big significance but the SHOWTIME Tournament is also important because you have faced two of the greatest bantamweights out there so for me winning this tournament it means you’ve only beaten the best. You can take pride in knowing you beat only the elite fighters in their prime in your weight class.”

How do you compare Agbeko and Yonnhy Perez?

“Well, Agbeko and Yonnhy have two different styles. I had a draw against Yonnhy in a fight a lot of people thought I won. He was the world champion at the time. If anything I won in that fight because I learned a whole lot. And I was able to show that in my next fight against Vic Darchinyan. They are both such different fighters. The only similar thing is that I was fighting for the IBF title against Yonnhy and now I’m doing it again. So I definitely don’t want to lose or have a draw in this fight.”

What was your reaction when the April fight was called off?

“At the moment I heard that the fight might be cancelled and that there might be another opponent I was happy, but I was not mentally happy. I was getting ready for a world title fight and whoever stepped in it would not be for a world title. Just another 12-round fight. Yeah, I was ready and yeah it might make sense and I could have gone the 10 or 12 rounds with whoever they put in there but I was kind of mentally disappointed. So I didn’t want to take that risk. I had more to lose than to win so saying that, the whole camp just decided to wait for Agbeko. He made it to the finals and it’s only right to fight him for the SHOWTIME Bantamweight title.”

Are you aware of the fact that you have the chance to become Golden Boy’s first homegrown fighter to start your career with them and win a world title? What does that mean to you?

“It means a whole lot to me. I’ve said this before: Golden Boy is not just my promoter but also my family. I get along with everyone so well. From Monica (Sears) to David (Itskowitch), the entire staff. We go out to lunch and outside the ring everyone is so nice and just like family. So winning this fight I’ll be the first Golden Boy fighter to start from scratch and become world champion so that would mean a whole lot for me. And I know it would mean a whole lot to Golden Boy Promotions. We’re a big happy family and we would all win that night.”

Have you had to change much in your preparation since the fight was called off to now?

“I’ve had to change everything, even sparring partners and the place we were training. Once the fight was cancelled I said let’s move on. I took three weeks off and didn’t think about boxing at all. Then I got right back in the gym and the first thing we did was to plan a trip to Guadalajara and we trained out there for three weeks. It was something different. I wanted a whole new environment. Just changed everything. I didn’t want the whole team over again for another three months. That helped a lot. Now we are in a different gym here in Santa Fe Springs which is really nice. The people and the atmosphere are great. I’ve actually had fans come over here to watch me train and talk to me and I’ve never had that before. We changed everything and I’m very happy it went so quick.”

If you win this fight, will you be the best in the division?

“This tournament is made up of the best bantamweights. A lot of fighters had the opportunity to get in it and some chose not to for whatever reasons. We definitely deserve to be called the best bantamweight out there. There are a lot of great and top pound-for-pound bantamweights out there. After this fight we should be called the best then after this, other fights can be made. Let’s do it. But I think myself and Agbeko have proven that we are here and we will fight anyone and we should be recognized as the best.”

Did you change your approach or game plan since the cancellation?

“No, not really. Same game plan. I had a lot of people ask me since he got injured, am I going to do it differently now? No. If I did that that would only make me think he was not fully healthy and that he wasn’t going to perform the same. I know he had the back problem and it’s all cured and I think mentally he knows it’s cured so I don’t want to think about it again.”

How do you stay motivated after such a let down as the cancellation was?

“As a fighter in my young career I’ve already been through so many ups and downs that maybe a veteran hasn’t even gone through yet with my detached retina, with this fight being cancelled and with me getting a draw in my first world title. But, you know, it only makes me stronger. It only motivates me more. Things happen for a reason. When I saw Agbeko at the podium the next day and he was limping I was actually thinking it was such a freak thing that I was glad it hadn’t happened to me. Things happen. It happened. I took off with my family for vacation for three weeks and I’ve come back stronger. I was able to go back to Guadalajara where I’m from and I had a great camp and it went by so quick. The preparation I’ve had for this fight was just fun and the same emotion and focus and will to become a world champion.”

Was your camp better than it was for the April fight?

“I’m honestly going to say, yes, it was.”

What was your initial reaction to the cancellation?

“I just felt bad. My parents always taught me not to feel sorry for the guy on the boxing side but I generally felt bad on the human side. He just looked like an old guy limping with the cane. I thought, man, this could be the end of his career. It was like me with my detached retina and when they told me my career could possibly be over. Plus, I have some family members who have had the same injury and they told me it was really painful so I just felt bad for Agbeko. That’s why we gave him a second chance and we thank God he’s better and that he can continue what he loves doing and that’s boxing.”

♔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.

T h e N a t i o n a l G o v e r n i n g B o d y f o r O l y m p i c - S t y l e B o x The Winners Bracket Finalists Stake Their Claim in Mobile‏

Two exciting bouts in the lightweight division highlighted a strong night of boxing on Monday at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Men’s Boxing in Mobile, Ala. Two-time National Champion Jose Ramirez (Avenal, Calif.) was pushed to the limit in his bout while 2008 Olympian Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) came back from a deficit in his bout with 2011 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist Toka Kahn Clary (Providence, R.I.)

Ramirez took on 2011 USA Boxing National Championships bronze medalist Kenneth Sims, Jr. (Chicago, Ill.) in his second bout of the tournament. The bout was close from the opening bell to the final second, but only one boxer could emerge victorious. Ramirez pulled out a 23-22 decision over Sims to advance to a final round match-up with Williams. The 2008 Olympian advanced to his second straight winners bracket final with a 30-25 win over Kahn Clary.

Shawn Simpson (Chicago, Ill.) and Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) will face in the flyweight winners bracket final following victories by both boxers. Simpson won a 16-12 decision over Oscar Cantu (Kingsville, Texas) while Warren took a 29-18 victory over Stephon Young (St. Louis, Mo.).

Amir Imam (Albany, N.Y.) officially announced his intentions in his new welterweight division with a commanding 40-10 victory over Arturo Trujillo (Easton, Pa.) in the winners bracket semifinal. Three-time national champion Errol Spence (Desoto, Texas) will face Imam on Wednesday following his 13-5 victory over Bryant Perrella (Lehigh Acres, Fla.).

In light heavyweight action, Marcus Browne (Staten Island, N.Y.) claimed an 11-8 decision over 2010 National Champion Jeffery Spencer (Fort Carson, Colo.) to join 2011 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist Jerry Odom (Bowie, Md.) in the light heavyweight winners bracket championship bout.

Lenroy Thompson (Lenexa, Kansas) took down the towering Dominic Breazale (Alhambra, Calif.) in their super heavyweight match-up. Thompson took a 16-7 decision over Breazale and will look for his third straight victory in a match-up with Andrew Shepherd (Fort Carson, Colo.).

All of the winners brackets boxers will be off on Tuesday with the challengers bracket competing in 20 bouts on Tuesday evening.

Monday Evening Results
114 lbs/challengers bracket: John Franklin, Fort Carson, Colo., dec. Gabriel Montoya, Cheyenne, Wyo., 28-14

114 lbs/challengers bracket: Emilio Sanchez, Pacoima, Calif., dec. Adam Lopez, San Antonio, Texas, 30-23

114 lbs/winners bracket: Shawn Simpson, Chicago, Ill., dec. Oscar Cantu, Kingsville, Texas, 16-12

114 lbs/winners bracket: Rau'shee Warren, Cincinnati, Ohio, dec. Stephon Young, St. Louis, Mo., 29-18

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Louis Cruz, Bronx, N.Y., dec. Damon Allen, Philadelphia, Pa., 12-11

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Erick DeLeon, Lincoln Park, Mich., dec. Toribio Ramirez, Bowling Green, Fla., 20-14

132 lbs/winners bracket: Jose Ramirez, Avenal, Calif., dec. Kenneth Sims Jr., Chicago Ill., 23-22

132 lbs/winners bracket: Raynell Williams, Cleveland, Ohio, dec. Toka Kahn Clary, Providence, R.I., 30-25

152 lbs/challengers bracket: Samuel Vasquez, Fort Carson, Colo., dec. Regis Prograis, Houston, Texas 26-10

152 lbs/challengers bracket: Willie Jones, Charlotte, N.C., dec. Luis Olivares, Glendale, Ariz., 11-9

152 lbs/winners bracket: Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas, dec. Bryant Perrella, Lehigh Acres, Fla., 13-5

152 lbs/winners bracket: Amir Imam, Albany, N.Y., dec. Arturo Trujillo, Easton, Pa., 40-10

178 lbs/challengers bracket: Shaborn Ryals, Capitol Heights, Md., dec. Robert Brant, Oakdale, Minn., 20-10

178 lbs/challengers bracket: Caleb Plant, Ashland City, Tenn., dec. Sean Bettencourt, Stoughton, Mass., 18-14

178 lbs/winners bracket: Jerry Odom, Bowie, Md., dec. Siju Shabazz, Las Cruces, N.M., 32-19

178 lbs/winners bracket: Marcus Brown, Staten Island, N.Y. dec. Jeffery Spencer, Fort Carson, Colo., 11-8

201+ lbs/challengers bracket: Laron Mitchell, San Francisco, Calif., dec. Donovan Dennis, Davenport, Iowa, 16-16 (84-79)

201+ lbs/challengers bracket: Jonathan Hamm, St. Paul, Minn., stopped O'Jayland Brown, Sacramento, Calif., RSC-1 (1:17)

201+ lbs/winners bracket: Andrew Shepherd, Fort Carson, Colo., dec. Brett Rather, Las Vegas, Nev., 25-15

201+ lbs/winners bracket: Lenroy Thompson, Lenexa, Kan., dec. Dominic Breazale, Alhambra, Calif., 16-7


Tuesday Bout Sheet

108 lbs/challengers bracket: Gregory Outlaw, Glendarden, Md., vs. David Carlton, Cincinnati, Ohio

108 lbs/challengers bracket: Santos Vasquez, Sparks, Nev., vs. Marco Rangel, Scottsdale, Ariz.

114 lbs/challengers bracket: Oscar Cantu, Kingsville, Texas vs. John Franklin, Fort Carson, Colo.

114 lbs/challengers bracket: Emilio Sanchez, Pacoima, Calif., vs. Stephon Young, St. Louis, Mo.

123 lbs/challengers bracket: Tramaine Williams, New Haven, Conn., vs. Joe Perez, Fountain, Colo.

123 lbs/challengers bracket: Joet Gonzalez, Glendora, Calif., vs. Luis Feliciano, Milwaukee, Wis.

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Toka Kahn Clary, Providence, R.I., vs. Erick DeLeon, Lincoln Park, Mich.

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Luis Cruz, Bronx, N.Y., vs. Kenneth Sims, Jr., Chicago, Ill.

141 lbs/challengers bracket: Michael Reed, Waldorf, Md., vs. George Rincon, Carrollton, Texas

141 lbs/challengers bracket: Duran Caferro, Helena, Mont., vs. Semajay Thomas, Chicago, Ill.

152 lbs/challengers bracket: Arturo Trujillo, Easton, Pa., vs. Samuel Vasquez, Fort Carson, Colo.

152 lbs/challengers bracket: Willie Jones, Charlotte, N.C., vs. Bryant Perrella, Lehigh Acres, Fla.

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Luis Arias, Milwaukee, Wis., vs. Chris Pearson, Trotwood, Ohio

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Edgar Alvarado, Jr., San Bernadino, Calif., vs. D’Mitrius Ballard, Temple Hills, Md.

178 lbs/challengers bracket: Siju Shabazz, Las Cruces, N.M., vs. Caleb Plant, Ashland City, Tenn.

178 lbs/challengers bracket: Shaborn Ryals, Capitol Heights, Md., vs. Jeffery Spencer, Fort Carson, Colo.

201 lbs/challengers bracket: Steve Geffrard, Boca Raton, Fla., vs. Robert Jekabson, Chicago, Ill.

201 lbs/challengers bracket: Andrew Tabiti, Las Vegas, Nev., vs. Joseph Williams, Bronx, N.Y.

201+ lbs: Dominic Breazale, Alhambra, Calif., vs. Jonathan Hamm, St. Paul, Minn.

201+ lbs: Laron Mitchell, San Francisco, Calif., vs. Brett Rather, Las Vegas, Nev.

Athlete Quotes

Jose Ramirez

“In comparison to last night’s fight I felt the same, I take every fight seriously. I knew this fight with Kenneth Sims Jr. was going to be a good fight, but I didn’t know how close.”

“I’m going to try and take advantage of the extra day off I get from winning and get my rest.

Errol Spence

“This was my third time facing Bryant Perella, so I already knew what I had to do to win. It was really important to win this one and keep the pressure off, now they have to beat me twice to eliminate me.”

“Tonight I used my ring generalship skills; I was a moving target and he couldn’t catch my rhythm.”

Jerry Odom

“The anticipation for this bout was extra motivation because we had fought before in the National PAL Championship and it was close - 7-6.”

“I was there mentally and that allowed me to beat Shabazz.”

“I’m so close to an Olympic spot, I’m expecting the best from my next opponents.”

“A victory like this gives me a lot of confidence. I’ve only been boxing four years ago, a lot of these guys have been working for this their whole life.”

Lenroy Thompson

“My performance could always get better, I’m going to go to the gym and work on a few things before my next fight.”

“It was a more physical fight then it had to be, but I had the confidence going in because I’ve been working with the Headbangers boxing club in Washington, D.C. and they’ve helped me a lot.”

“Having an extra day of rest will be nice, I’ve never had a day off before in a tournament.”

“In order to pull off these two wins to qualify I have to work hard, not make any mistakes, and be smart.” ♔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.