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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Joey Hernandez, Bermane Stiverne Ready to Headline Casino Miami Jai-Alai Boxing Event In Miami On Saturday Night

Joey Hernandez, Bermane Stiverne
Ready to Headline
Casino Miami Jai-Alai
Boxing Event In Miami On Saturday Night; First Boxing Card At Historic Boxing Venue After $87-Million

Casino ExpansionDon King hosted the final press conference today before Saturday’s first boxing card at the new and improved Casino Miami Jai-Alai that will feature WBC United States super welterweight champion Joey “Twinkle Fingers” Hernandez (20-1-1, 11 KOs) against Shakir “The Assassin” Ashanti (16-12, 4 KOs), from New Bern, S.C.

“It’s great to be fighting in my hometown on Saturday,” Hernandez said. “I grew up watching and attending fights here at Miami Jai-Alai. I was always a big fan of boxing and never more than here in Miami.”

Ashanti says he is up to the challenge against Hernandez.

“I’m a former Marine and war veteran, so I come to fight,” Ashanti said. “I was born in blood, pain and struggle. I am a warrior.”

An important heavyweight fight was added to the card with WBC No. 1-ranked contender Bermane “B-Ware” Stiverne (21-1-1, 20 KOs), from Miami, facing Willie Herring (13-10-3, 4 KOs), from Orlando.

“I have fought in Florida before but never in Miami,” said the WBC’s top-ranked heavyweight. “I grew up here and my brother played football at University of Miami. It’s really great to be having my friends and family come see me fight.”

Brazilian light heavyweight knockout artist Marcus “Happy” Oliveira (22-1-1, 22 KOs), from Sao Paulo, will face hard-punching spoiler Adam “Atom Bomb” Collins (11-5, 8 KOs), from Portsmouth, Ohio, while another light heavyweight, Azea “Haitian Hitman” Augustama (12-1, 7 KOs), from Miami, will take on 23-year-old Grover Young (6-6-1, 3 KOs), from Memphis, Tenn.

“I am happy to be fighting in the United States,” Oliveira said. “I am from Brazil and have fought there and in other places, but this is the best country in the world. South Florida has very large Brazilian population and they will all be out to support me.”

“I want to show that I am one of the best and I want to become a world champion.”

Augustama, like Stiverne, is a Haitian fighting out of Miami.

“My Haitian fans are looking forward to being here at Miami Jai-Alai on Saturday night to see me fight. I always come to fight and I’m excited after signing with Don King. I will impress him and my fans.”

Raw Fighter Quotes

Joey Hernandez (20-1-1, 11 KOs. Fighting Shakir Ashanti): It’s great to be fighting in my hometown on Saturday. I grew up watching and attending fights here at Miami Jai-Alai. I was always a big fan of boxing and never more than here in Miami.

I like to put on a good show. You can’t get up and get a drink of water when I fight because you never know what’s going to happen. I look forward to defeating Shakir Ashanti on Saturday and pleasing all my South Florida fans.”

Shakir Ashanti: (16-12, 4 KOs. Fighting Joey Hernandez): “I only know one way to approach anything I do. I work hard and give it all I’ve got. I’m a former Marine and war veteran, so I come to fight. I was born in blood, pain and struggle. I am a warrior.”

Bermane Stiverne: (21-1-1, 20 KOs. WBC No. 1 contender fighting Willie Herring): “I have fought in Florida before but never in Miami. I grew up here and my brother played football at University of Miami. It’s really great to be having my friends and family come see me fight. Many have never seen me fight in person. They will be an inspiration for a big win.

Marcus Oliveira: “I am happy to be fighting in the United States. I am from Brazil and have fought there and in other places, but this is the best country in the world. South Florida has very large Brazilian population and they will all be out to support me.

I want to show that I am one of the best and I want to become a world champion.”

Azea Augustama: “My Haitian fans are looking forward to being here at Miami Jai-Alai on Saturday night to see me fight. I always come to fight and I’m excited after signing with Don King. I will impress him and my fans.”

♔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.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

"Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto" Behind-The-Scenes Press Tour Video Hits The Web‏

Boxing fans can now go behind the scenes of the "Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto" press tour as a three-part video series produced chronicles each stop of the three-city tour. The tour, which made stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico, New York City and Los Angeles between February 27 and March 1, officially announced the May 5 mega-fight between undefeated Seven-Time World Champion Floyd Mayweather and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Miguel Cotto.

Find out what really goes on before, during and after the press conferences and hear from the fighters, the fans and the crew as they embark on this one-of-a-kind promotional journey."Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto" will take place Saturday, May 5 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.

Puerto Rico: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grdgwUjy5ec

New York City: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkq6igkAu1Q

Los Angeles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LknSgeJoPl8

"Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto" is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. The 12-round WBA Super Welterweight World Championship fight will take place Saturday, May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Canelo vs. Mosley is presented in association with Canelo Promotions and Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions.

HBO's Emmy®-Award-winning all-access series "24/7" premieres an all-new edition when "24/7 Mayweather/Cotto" debuts Saturday, April 14 at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The four-part series will air for three consecutive Saturday nights before the finale airs the night before the super welterweight championship showdown in Las Vegas.

THOMAS “CORNFLAKE” LAMANNA PREPARES FOR APRIL 27 BOUT AT MAYWEATHER BOXING CLUB

Undefeated Jr.Middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna has trekked out west and will prepare this week at the Famous Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas for his bout April 27^th at Resorts in Atlantic City.

LaManna, 7-0 with five knockouts of Millville, NJ will be making second trip to the Mayweathers Boxing Club and is looking forward to working with the world class talent that is currently in the gym.

“From what I have been reading that besides Floyd, some of the best fighters in the world are in the gym”, said LaManna

“There are a lot of fighters in my weight class there as well. I know that just being there will raise my game to another level”

“I want to thank Frank Stea for facilitating this opportunity and the fans will see me put on a great show on April 27th”

LaManna’s opponent has yet to be named for the six round bout.

The main event will feature the USBA Light Heavyweight championship between Omar Sheika and Yusaf Mack.

ATLANTIC CITY NATIVES MUHAMMAD AND DE LA PAZ TO SEE ACTION ON APRIL 18TH IN NEWARK

Two of the finest prospects from Atlantic City will be on display on Wednesday night April 18^th as undefeated Qa’id Muhammad and Joel De La Paz will be featured in separate bouts at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, New Jersey

The show is promoted by Gabe LaConte’s First Round Promotions & Greg Cohen Promotions

Muhammad, 6-0 with five knockouts is one of the best prospects in the lower weight divisions as the former Olympic alternate has shown explosive power and will be looking for a big year under new co-manager Vito Mielnicki.

The twenty-two year old Muhammad will take on Steve Johnson (7-4, 4KO’s) of St. Joseph, Missouri. Johnson holds a victory over highly regarded Victor Valenzuela (8-1).

Muhammad, along with fellow Atlantic City native, Gabriel Pham are promoted by First Round Promotions

Pham will be fighting on April 14^th at Ballys in Atlantic City.

De La Paz, twenty-seven years old, will be returning to the ring after a sixteen month layoff has been chomping at the bit for his ring return.

“Everything is fine and I am excited to return and have a big victory”, said De La Paz.

De La Paz recently hooked up new manager Rich Masini

“Rich has been great and I know he will keep me active”

De La Paz’ will take on tough spoiler Fitzgerald Johnson (2-6, 1 KO) of Ashoboro, NC

In the eight round main event, Richard Pierson (10-2, 7 KO’s)of Paterson, NJ will take on Joshua Snyder (9-6-1, 3KO’s) of Berlin, MD

Undefeated Super Middleweight John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson (7-0,2 KO’s) of Newark NJ will take on Jamond Bourgeois (4-1, 1 KO) of Harvey, LA

Tommy Rainone (17-4, 4 KO’s) of New York will take on Josh Hammock (9-8, 6 KO’s) of Fort Smith, Arkansas in a six round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Mike Concepcion of Newark will make his pro debut against Dan Morales (0-4) of Albany, NY in a four round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Aaron Kinch (2-0-1, 1 KO) of Newark, NJ will take on Dennis Benson (1-1, 1 KO) of Norfolk, VA in a four round Heavyweight bout

Leandro Acevedo of Newark, NJ will make his pro debut when meets Marcus Clay (0-1) of Baton Rouge, LA in a four round Super Middleweight bout.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Don King Boxing Card at Casino Miami Jai-Alai Featuring Miami’s Joey “Twinkle Fingers” Hernandez On Saturday, April 14

Don King Boxing Card at Casino Miami Jai-Alai Featuring Miami’s Joey “Twinkle Fingers” Hernandez
On Saturday, April 14

Part of Historic Miami Venue’s Grand Opening of $87-Million Expansion

Don King Productions will present the first boxing event at Casino Miami Jai-Alai on Saturday, April 14 to celebrate completion of their $87-million expansion. The card will be headlined by local favorite and World Boxing Council United States super welterweight champion Joey “Twinkle Fingers” Hernandez (20-1-1, 11 KOs) against Shakir “The Assassin” Ashanti (16-12, 4 KOs), from New Bern, S.C.

An international undercard with South Florida appeal will include Brazilian light heavyweight knockout artist Marcus “Happy” Oliveira (22-1-1, 22 KOs), from Sao Paulo, and Miami light heavyweight Azea “Haitian Hitman” Augustama (12-1, 7 KOs).

Reserved and general admission tickets priced from $10 to $75 are on sale now and can be purchased at or by calling toll free by phone at (866) 468-3399.

“I am very excited to be returning to Miami Jai-Alai with a great card to celebrate their expansion into full-fledged casino gaming,” promoter Don King said. “Dan Licciardi and everyone at Casino Miami Jai-Alai should be proud of their beautiful new multi-million dollar expansion.”

Miami Jai-Alai first opened in 1926 and has enjoyed a proud tradition in boxing since the 1960s. They earned the moniker “Mecca of Miami” in the sport after having staged numerous world championship matches—including events featured on both HBO and SHOWTIME. With construction complete, the venue now becomes Casino Miami Jai-Alai with new restaurants, bars and over 1,000 Las Vegas-style slot machines adjacent to the existing fronton where jai-alai continues to be presented live.

“Our official grand opening for the expansion will take place on Saturday,” Casino Miami Jai-Alai Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dan Liccardi said. “We thought April 14 would be a great time to treat our customers to another Don King boxing card. It’s an exciting time for us, and boxing has been a part of what we do for decades, so we added it to our celebration lineup.”
♔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.

Girl’s Just Want To...Fight!

2012 seems to becoming quite a defining year for Women’s Boxing in the UK, not only will it be an Olympic sport for the first time at the London 2012 Olympics and the female pro boxing is beginning to take off here at long last, but there’s also a thriving female White Collar scene.

Photos and Report by Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro

A fair amount has been already been written on the Amateur and Pros, but not that much on the real grass roots scene, so with that in mind I spent a little time with a group of girls training at the legendary TRAD TKO Boxing Gym, in London’s East End, for a White Collar event that takes place at the Troxy in Limehouse this coming Friday.

Before we get to the Women, let’s backtrack to the beginning of the White Collar Boxing phenomenon , which first saw the light of day in 1988.

The whole sport came about after New York attorney Dr. Richard Novak challenged Dr. David Lawrence to a competitive boxing contest, not for money, but purely to test their newly developed boxing skills.

The contest took place at the World famous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New York, whilst there is no record of who had won, both gentlemen seemed content with the result and promptly went out to dinner to celebrate the birth of a new sport.

Word quickly spread and soon there were regular events taking place in the World financial districts, from London to New York and Sydney to Singapore it seems that every week there was at least one White Collar show taking place somewhere.

Ok, now let’s get back to date. This Friday’s event, titled ‘This Is It’, is promoted by the Bad Boy Promotions organisation, which coincidentally is run by female promoter Chrissy Morton.

As if to prove the popularity of White Collar boxing ‘This is It’ is crammed to the gills with fights, twenty three bouts in all, three of which are all female bouts. That’s quite impressive when you consider that the biggest of the pro boxing shows feature around fourteen bouts on the card.

Chrissy, who has been spearheading White Collar Boxing in the Capital makes no apologies for her desire to encourage more women to take up the sport.

“Myself being a Woman and my promoting a White Collar show I like to have the girls there as well.

It makes me feel good when the girls can go out and get stuck in as good as the men, that’s why I’m so pleased that Marianne (Marston) is now helping us, by training our girls as well as having two of her girls on the show.

Marianne’s a pro boxer and trains girls at the TRAD TKO, since she’s been helping the girls they have come along in leaps and bounds, I expect the girls fights to be some of the best of the night.

Hopefully one day in the future there will be enough girls boxing so that we can have a show on equal terms, with half the bouts being girls ones.”

Chrissy’s star female boxer is Tiffany Simons, a postal team leader who has had four fights to date and will be also fighting on the Troxy event..

“I used to do kick boxing when I was younger” explained Tiffany, “Then I stopped all kind of exercise and I got a bit fat and lazy.

I then decided I wanted to get into something and I saw the advertisement in the Metro for Bad Boy Promotions and that’s how it all started.”

Tiffany then spoke on what it was like to be one of those pioneering females taking part in a White Collar event, “The first fight was a little bit awkward actually, because there was only myself and another girl that were at the club.

Unfortunately she was a lot lighter than me so it was more of an exhibition than a proper fight.

It was good because you got to move around and experience being in a ring in front of a crowd, which was a good starting point.”

Being fully aware that both Amateur and Professional female boxers struggle to find opponents here, I wondered if it was the same for White Collar.

“As I said for the first fight it was just the two of us,” Tiffany said before continuing, “The second time there were a lot more girls.

I think because we took part in the first one it kind off promoted girls in boxing and then when we went back to the gym to continue training there was like twelve girls that joined, which was really good and meant that everybody got a fight and there was a lot more girls on the night.

Then it fluctuated, it sort of dropped off, but then we moved here and again we’ve got more girls as there was already a thriving girls class, and now we have more girls training than at any time previously, it’s really good.”

Tiffany then explained what it was like when she started training for her first fight.

“I know it’s hard for girls to get involved, but for myself it was quite easy because I’m quite determined. I must admit that the first time I went to the gym it was just all boys there, blokes should we say there, which did feel a bit awkward.

I kind of used to put myself in a corner out of the way and do my own thing and kind of keep my head down really, but everybody starts talking and because everybody was doing White Collar you get to realise that for a lot of the blokes it was their first time as well, so they like wanted someone to talk to.

I suppose for them it is unusual to see a girl doing boxing, so it interests them. It was a kind of transition for myself that was easy, everybody was in the same position so you’ve got a bond there already and I think once they’ve actually seen you sparring and they’ve seen you training they realise you not there for fun and you are taking it as seriously as they are.

Chrissy really kind of puts us at the forefront, she really encourages us, which is really good and I think for her she would always love to have more girls. Obviously it’s an unusual thing. On my first fight she did a couple of press releases because girl fighting is quite unusual, girls in boxing is quite unusual. As I said each time I’ve done a show there have been more and more girls doing it and it’s kind of generating interest and showing that girls can do it just as well as boys, maybe not as strong but we still take it seriously and we want to do just as well.”

Turning her attention to the amateur and pro disciplines Tiffany continued enthusiastically, “I think it’s brilliant, absolutely brilliant, that Women’s boxing is at the Olympics this year, it can only do the sport good especially for us girls involved in the sport as it goes to show that when we put our mind to it we can achieve it.

I think it’s excellent, and the fact that more women are accepted into the sport is a good thing. Anything that encourages people to get fit, healthy and motivated is worthwhile.

I mean boxing for me is good for the mind and it’s a brilliant way of keeping fit and I don’t think it should just be for blokes, it’s a sport for everybody.

Whilst I haven’t yet been to a female pro fight, I think it’s brilliant that there has already been a female fight in London this year. I think that women's boxing isn’t as well promoted as male boxing, I think that’s the only thing is if people got behind it but I suppose the problem is getting the media interested but men dominate the sport so they take more of an interest, I think that’s where things need to change, it should be about boxing not whether it’s girls or blokes fighting.

I know there’s a lot of women that campaign for women’s boxing but again it’s still really hard to be accepted, you can tell that just by the fights that they televise, you never see a women’s fight and it’s never promoted in the same way, you’ll never see the equivalent of a big David Haye fight if it was a women’s fight.

They say that behind every great man, is a great woman and we’ll just bring ourselves to the forefront and show everyone what we can do now.

It’s good and if more and more women get involved in boxing it’s going to keep it alive, which is good.”

The TRAD TKO is a proper old school East End Boxing gym, not exactly the kind of place you would expect to be pioneering Women’s boxing. This is the gym that has some of the oldest of old school coaches, Johnny Eames and Jimmy Tibbs, and is where World Champions are bred, Graham Earl, Tony Oakey and Kevin Lear are just a few of their old boys and the class of 2012 includes such stars as Colin Lynes, Kevin Mitchell, Billy Joe Saunders and Leon Williams.

However initial impressions are very, very deceptive as the TRAD TKO is also home to not one but two female pro boxers, Marianne ‘Golden Girl’ Marston and Areti ‘The Master’ Mastrodovka.

Marianne, who was the first female boxer to be be signed to the TRAD TKO team by Johnny Eames, is not just a fighter, she also trains female boxers at the gym and created the first Women’s Boxing Classes series in the UK.

Marianne spent three years being trained in America by some of the biggest names in sport, initially with legendary Heavyweight Champion of the World Smokin’ Joe Frazier and his son Marvis.

After the Frazier’s landmark North Philadelphia gym closed it’s doors in 2008 Marianne moved to Percy ‘Buster’ Custus’ James Shuler Memorial Gym in West Philadelphia, where she was invited to join two time IBF Cruiserweight World Champion Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham’s newly formed professional squad and was coached by Steve, Shar’ron Baker and occasionally Steve’s fight coach the esteemed Naazim Richardson.

With that kind of pedigree, it seems out of place that Marianne would put so much time in to help complete novices learn to box. Marianne’s answer came as a complete surprise.

“I had already started boxing training before I went to America, but it was virtually impossible to get taken seriously here” Marianne said before continuing, “When I returned to London in 2009 nothing had changed, in fact it may have got worse. I approached a few London boxing gyms but none accepted women, the one that did, All Stars, said I they only offer Boxercise to Women.

I was so angry, I mean I had a fight contract in America yet here in the UK I couldn’t even find somewhere to train, let alone a proper training team.”

Things did change for the Norwich born blonde, as she explained, “Eventually I found a gym near London Bridge, the owner signed me but after all his promises I was mainly left to train on my own and the only fight he could get me was on his own show, which I comfortably won.

One good thing came from my time there though, I got to set up the first Boxing Classes specifically for Women, which became very successful and I still run them today at three London gyms, three sessions here at the TRAD TKO, two a the Tokei gym in Southwark and a single class at the Ringtone Gym in Euston.

The biggest boost, to both my career and classes, came after I moved to the TKO, Johnny (Eames) not only took me seriously but also encouraged me to develop a Female Boxing squad, both recruiting boxers as well as developing them through my classes.

I now have a core of around ten girls, with six competition ready, two of them, Kim and Elli, will be fighting on Friday on Chrissy’s White Collar show.

They’re both very dedicated, and already showing the signs that they are ready for a higher level of competition, but I’m happy for them to start out with a White Collar fight as this will get them used to fighting in front of an audience without the pressures that come from competing in the amateurs.

Saying that both KIm and Elli, as well as Jo, are ready for the amateurs. In fact after this show I will encourage them all to join the newly affiliated TRAD TKO Amateur Boxing Club.

Whilst the amateur head coach will become their official trainer I will be very much involved in their development as well as assist in their training.

Hopefully once other gyms see that we have a female squad they will follow suit, as the only way Women’s boxing will progress is if more gyms take TRAD TKO’s lead and actively provide Boxing training for Women.”

One of Marianne’s boxers that will be fighting at the Bad Boy Promotions event is Eloise ‘Elli’ Shepherd, who like Marianne found that it was virtually impossible to be taken seriously when she first decided to take up boxing.

“Yeah this will be my first fight and I can’t wait.

The thing about boxing is that when you first start out it’s quite hard as a woman to find someone that will take you seriously and train you to a good standard.

That’s the nice thing about Marianne, she’s been through it herself so knows what it’s like. She doesn’t have any expectations and actually takes the time to teach you to box, which is really good.

I was at an amateur gym before going to Marianne’s classes at the TRAD TKO Gym, but I was just left to get on with it, you know they would just leave me on my own to get on with it.

A couple of the guys there did spend some time with me but there was such a turnover with trainers than there was no consistency. They didn’t take me seriously as I wasn’t at a competitive level, none of them took me seriously, that’s why I am so pleased to have found Marianne’s class.

After my previous experience I was very surprised at the level of attention Marianne gives us. She teaches us all aspects, defensive boxing as well as offensive boxing, which is quite important if you don’t want to get your face smashed in. “

Elli then turned her attention to her opponent oand the fight, “It’s quite funny that the girl I will be fighting also trains here. We get on and everything but I don’t know how much of that is ‘oh I wonder what she’s doing’

There’s a big height difference, she’s a lot taller, which is good for me as it gives me access to the sternum, as well as perfect for me for uppercuts and that.

I’ve got a few family and friends coming to watch. My dad’s coming, he’ll probably get rowdy when I fight.

I’m getting a lot of support, my boyfriend’s been doing pads with me, and helps out and stuff. It’s just my mum that’s a bit cautious about it, she’s not coming as she’s a bit nervous for me, she says “I don’t want to see you get hit’.

Now just got my final preparations and then I’m ready to fight. I can’t wait, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Elli Shepherd’s opponent on Friday will be Legal assistant Elli Tatton-Brown, who decided to give boxing a try after watching a friend box on Chrissy’s previous event.

“This will be my first fight and I am really looking forward to it.

There’s a great atmosphere here at the gym, we all get on really well and help each other, us girls stick together even though some of us are fighting each other. I’ll be fighting the other Elli here, so it’s me, big Ell, against little Ell.

Training’s been great, exhausting, some long hours, it’s good and pays off though.

I’ll have a lot of friends, family and people from work coming to cheer me on so I want to put on a good fight for them.”

Veterinarian Kimberley Anley, Marianne’s other boxer taking part in the Bad Boy show on Friday, also didn’t face the problem of being taken seriously on her desire to box, as her introduction to the sport was through Marianne’s classes at the TRAD TKO gym.

As such Kim, who Marianne has described as a natural, and someone that will progress easily through the amateurs, kept fully focused on her upcoming bout against former Team GB High Jump star Ayamba Akim when she spoke.

“I’m really looking forward to my fight against Ayamba, I can’t wait.

There a bit of gym rivalry going on, Marianne trains me and Ayamba is being trained by one of the guy coaches here, which adds to things.

I’m definitely going to make Marianne proud. I know I’ve got the best trainer, Marianne spends far more time with us and training has been brilliant.

The more I do the fitter and faster I am, yeah I’m loving it, I’m spending more time here at the gym than I do at home at the moment.

I can’t wait for Friday, I’m going to win, definitely.”

With such an upsurge in those taking part, thanks mainly to the efforts of people like Chrissy Morton and Marianne Marston, Women’s Boxing looks like it’s here to stay, which can only be good for the sport.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Bellator CEO Confirms Next Women’s Tournament at 125; Names Some Fighters

Immediately after the post-fight presser for Bellator 63 in Uncasville, Connecticut, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney confirmed that the promotion’s next women’s tournament would be held in the 125 pound division and that several of the ladies competing have already been decided on.

“I think that’s where the next one is going to be,” “Jessica Aguilar is looking to fight at 125. We already spoke to [Megumi Fujii] and she wants to do it…. Lisa Ellis-Ward is another one we’ll have to see about. If you look at her performance in her last fight with Jessica Aguilar, she looked really good in a loss against one of the better women out there.”

Among the women Rebney mentioned were being considered for the tournament was young up and comer Jessica Eye, who will face Aisling Daly at Bellator 66 at the end of the month. Presumably, the winner of that bout will be among the women to enter the bracket.

While the weight division for the tournament is confirmed and the major players are already being lined up, exactly when the next big women’s tournament will take place is still up in the air. There are currently several factors at play that influence the timing of the single-elimination tourney, not the least of which being the impending changeover from Bellator’s current broadcasting home at MTV-2 to other VIACOM owned channel Spike TV.

Read more about the women of 125 pounds and a potential Spike debut after the jump.

Bellator’s first season on Spike, scheduled for early 2013, was among the possible dates Rebney cited for the 125 pound female tournament debut. However, as attractive a first impression as such a debut would be, especially with the recent overall boost women’s MMA has gotten in the public image, the date itself is far from confirmed.

“[The tournament] is coming, it’s just a matter of where it will find itself,” said Rebney.

The state of the current and only female Bellator title holder, Zoila Gurgel, may also be a contributing factor to the timing of the tournament. A series of unfortunate events, culminating in a serious knee injury she sustained in October, has kept Gurgel inactive since her first and only fight for the organization after claiming the belt. The mere mention of Gurgel’s layup was enough to prompt a mournful sigh from the Bellator CEO. While Rebney did not discuss the champion sitting on the shelf any further, it has been Bellator practice in the past to know the state of its title holders before starting the next tournament bracket in that division.

A local undercard athlete by the name of Munah Holland made her first appearance as a Bellator 125 pound fighter that same night, scoring a brutal comeback knockout in the second round against Marianna Kheyfets. While a tournament spot would typically be reserved for more well-known ladies such as Ellis-Ward, Fujii, and Aguilar, with some space still open Holland has not yet been eliminated as a possibility.

Canadian Sensation Tony Luis Returns April 7!

Unbeaten junior welterweight phenom Tony “The Lightning” Luis makes his highly anticipated return to the squared circle when he battles Hungarian veteran Ferenec Szabo Saturday, April 7 at the Claude-Robillard Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Luis, the current WBC Continental Americas Junior Welterweight champion, is a perfect 13-0 as a professional with 5 wins by way of knockout. In his most recent bout in October 2011, Luis demolished Alejandro Barrera in 1 round to capture the aforementioned WBC Continental title. The 24 year old, who is one of Canada’s brightest young stars, recently trekked to Cuba for an intense training camp with the island’s top prospects.

“Cuba was a great experience for me,” said Luis, a Cornwall, Ontario native who stopped three of his last five foes. “I was amazed by how talented their amateurs are. Those guys are better than a lot of seasoned pros without question. Going there and getting great work in the gym will definitely have me ready for Szabo, who I know has fought some very good fighters.”

The Luis-Szabo showdown serves as the 8 round co-feature on a card promoted by Ali Nestor Charles’ UGC Boxing Promotions.

Ocasio-Sosa Rematch Headlines Power Productions’ “Philly Barn Burner III”!

Greg Robinson’s Power Productions returns to the National Guard Armory Friday, April 20 with an action-packed card loaded with local talent.

Headlining “Philly Barn Burner III” is the highly-anticipated rematch between popular Philadelphia based lightweight Angel Ocasio and Camden, NJ’s Jason Sosa. In their first meeting on January 13, Ocasio, 6-0-1 (1 KO), and Sosa, 4-1-2 (1 KO), fought a crowd-pleasing bout that ultimately ended in a draw.

“I’ve been training hard for over a month getting ready for this fight and we still have (a month until fight night),” said Ocasio, who is one of the biggest ticket sellers in the City of Brotherly Love. “I’m not going to leave it up to the judges to declare me the winner!”

Sosa, who doesn’t share the same sentiments as Ocasio, has his own outlook on the rematch.

“He got lucky in our last fight. I got a cut early in that fight and I was concerned the fight might be stopped, so I took it easy. But this time luck can’t save him. I’m excited to be fighting for a title so early in my career and I’m going to take advantage of the opportunity. I know without a doubt that I’m better than him and I’m going to be looking for the knockout quick and early.”

Ocasio-Sosa is scheduled for eight rounds and in addition to bragging rights, the winner claims the vacant USBC championship.

In the co-feature, bantamweight prospect Miguel Cartagena of Philadelphia puts his perfect 4-0 record on the line when he battles rugged New York based Mexican Jose “Chilli” Rivera in a six rounder. Cartagena, who stopped three of his four opponents, won the 2009 National Golden Gloves tournament and is considered one of the east coast’s brightest young talents. Rivera, 3-5-2, has never been knocked out, going the distance with hard-hitting foes Jonathan Gonzalez and Qa’id Muhammad, while battling former amateur standout Raul Lopez to a draw.

In separate bouts, Tim Witherspoon Jr. and Isiah Seldon, both sons of former heavyweight titlists, will look to impress what expects to be a sold out crowd. Joining Witherspoon Jr. and Seldon on the talent-laden undercard are heavyweight sensation Joey Dawejko, Brian Donahue, Georgiy Guralnik and Saud “Kid Grady” Clark.

“This is going to be a phenomenal show from top to bottom,” stated Robinson. “We have some of the top young talent in Philly on this card and the Ocasio-Sosa rematch all under one roof. April 20 will definitely be a great night for the fans!”

Fight Night of Champions

Everybody come out and show there love and support for all the fighters. This isnt a sport that anyone can do. It takes alot of hard work and dedication to make it in this sport. Champions East is putting on another Fight Night of Champions for the world to see local talent and talent from alot of other states and countries. Come out and support.

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