Sunday, July 15, 2012

Biosse preps for Canadien slugger‏; All in a day’s work, Biosse continues preparation for July 19th return despite last-minute opponent swap

The opponent has changed, but Vladine Biosse’s preparation for his highly-anticipated return to the ring next Thursday remains as diligent as ever.

Fresh off his dominant win over Joey Spina in May, Biosse (13-1-1, 6 KOs) will face Saskatchewan, Canada super middleweight Mike Walchuk (9-5, 2 KOs) on Thursday, July 19^th, 2012 in the eight-round main event of “Built To Last,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I.

“To me, being in the gym is like breathing, so if I’m not in the gym, I’m not breathing,” Biosse said. “I never stop training, whether I have a fight coming up or I’m just looking to get in the gym. That’s what I do. That’s what I love doing.

“I don’t believe in not training. Some guys take two or three weeks off after a fight. I don’t believe in that at all. I took a week off [after the win over Spina] to enjoy myself and my family, and then I got right back in the gym.”

After winning just one of his previous three fights, Biosse burst back onto the scene with a dynamic performance against Spina six weeks ago at Twin River. Now he’s looking to take another step forward against Walchuk, who has fought at various weights his entire career, ranging from middleweight (160 pounds) to as high as light heavyweight (175). Next Thursday’s clash against Biosse will be Walchuck’s first fight since October.

“Obviously, you want to have the right opponent at the right time, so the more time you have the more you learn about how to break him down so you can plan your strategy,” Biosse said, “but I’m a fighter, and that’s the name of the game.

“Sometimes, these things happen, and that’s what we’re dealing with right now. It is what it is. I’ll take this next step forward and do what I have to do. I’m a fighter; it’s my job to be prepared.”

Though he hasn’t had the luxury of preparing for the same opponent throughout the duration of his training camp as he did prior to the Spina fight, Biosse is treating next week’s fight the same way he treats all the rest. The goal, regardless of the opponent, is to win in dominant fashion and prepare for the next step.

“Every fight is a big fight. I don’t take any opponent lightly,” he said. “I made that mistake in the past and it cost me. Whether you’re losing a lot or you’re winning, you go to camp with the same mentality as if you were fighting for a world title.

“In my camp, I’m glad I have the right guys around me who really push me to be on that level, even on days when I just don’t feel right. From my manager, Quint Dow, to coach [Orlondo] Valles and Ray Oliveira, and all my teammates, they help me keep that edge. We don’t train as if we’re going into an easy fight. Every fight is a hard fight. That’s the way we train.”

♔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.

Find A Dream’s Stars Invited As VIP Guests To ESPN’s Friday Night Fights

Find A Dream’s Stars Invited As VIP Guests To ESPN’s Friday Night Fights

It was announced today that former boxing champions Ray Mercer and Bobby Czyz—Board Members of Find A Dream—have been invited as VIP guests to ESPN’s Friday Night Fights at Resorts Hotel Casino on July 27.

The renowned Resorts will be hosting ESPN’s acclaimed boxing series featuring the NABF Lightweight Title fight between Hank Lundy and Raymundo Beltran. Last month Resorts was all over the boxing map as they held the All Star Boxing Legends Gala Tribute Dinner, and continue to be recognized as the premier venue for fight sports in the Northeast.

Mercer and Czyz represented Find A Dream at the gala, and continue to remain active with their efforts of promoting awareness about the organization. Find A Dream is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that reaches out to community children and provides them a healthy channel to find and work towards fulfilling a dream.

“Resorts is a beautiful hotel and casino and is quickly establishing themselves as one of the most prevalent locations for boxing and MMA in Atlantic City,” said Rod Ricciardi, Founder of Find A Dream. “They go out of their way to help support Find A Dream and working towards achieving our mission, and we are honored to have our Board Members invited as VIP guests to ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.”

The full fight card is as follows:

· NABF Lightweight Title Fight- Henry Lundy vs. Raymundo Beltran (10)

· Super Middleweight- Richard Pierson vs. Farah Ennis (10)

· Bantamweight- Miguel Cartagena vs. Jose Rivera (6)

· Light Heavyweight- Frankie Filippone vs. TBA (6)

· Light Middleweight- Decarlo Perez vs. TBA (6)

· Super Middleweight- Derrick Webster vs. TBA (6)

· Light Middleweight- Thomas Lamann vs. TBA (6)

· Welterweight- Juan Rodriguez Jr. vs. TBA (4)

· Light Welterweight- Josh Mercado vs. Korey Sloane (4)

· Super Middleweight- Antowyan Aikens vs. TBA (4)

· Light Heavyweight- Joe Smith Jr. vs. TBA (4)

· Welterweight- Anthony Young vs. TBA (4)

Derrick Webster Returns to Action on July 27th‏

DERRICK WEBSTER RETURNING TO RING ON JULY 27TH
Undefeated Super Middleweight to Fight at Resorts in Atlantic City   Undefeated super middleweight Derrick "Take it to the Bank" Webster (13-0, 7 KOs) will look for his 14th professional victory later this month, returning to the ring on July 27th at Resorts Casino in Atlantic City as part of an ESPN Friday Night Fights card. Fresh off a trip to Las Vegas where he joined trainer Freddie Roach and the camp of WBC Middleweight Champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., Webster reflected on the past few months of his life as he waits to hear who he will face in his next bout.

Webster is the current BAM Middleweight Champion "The past few months have been interesting and educational," Webster remarked. "I wouldn't change any of it for the world. It has given me a lot more fire and has made me want to train a whole lot harder. I'm a person who has always had a lot of will, but this has given me even more will to want to win more excitingly."

Something that has been a regular occurrence throughout the career of Webster is not getting much time to train for specific opponents. Dates are booked weeks and often months before he knows who he will be fighting, and various challengers are brought to the table before someone signs the deal to scrap.

"My trainer, Denny Brown, tells me that if I just am who I am supposed to be in that ring, it doesn't matter who I'm fighting," Webster stated. "We train for the pressure, we train for the boxers, we train for awkwardness, and we train for the long haul.

Godfrey set for long-awaited return‏; Gettin’ back to basics, Cruiserweight Godfrey starting from scratch as he aims for another shot at a title

Matt Godfrey’s body might not heal as quickly as it used to after 23 professional fights, and certain injuries might linger longer than normal, but there’s no reason why the Providence, R.I., cruiserweight can’t contend for another shot at a world title.

“I’m 31 years young,” said Godfrey, who’ll fight in front of his hometown fans for the first time in five years on Thursday, July 19th, 2012 at Twin River Casino. “I still feel like a kid in this game even though I’ve been around for a while.”

Godfrey’s journey back to the top of the cruiserweight division begins next Thursday when he faces sturdy veteran Jesse Oltmans (10-3, 7 KOs) of Bartonsville, Pa., in the six-round co-feature of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Built To Last” show at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I.

Not only has Godfrey (20-3, 10 KOs) not fought in Rhode Island since 2007, he hasn’t fought at all in 13 months since losing to Lateef Kayode in California for the North American Boxing Association (NABA) and North American Boxing Federation (NABF) cruiserweight titles – the second of back-to-back losses for Godfrey, who also suffered a brutal, knockout loss to World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion Marco Huck 10 months prior to the fight against Kayode.

As Godfrey climbed higher and higher in the cruiserweight rankings, the layoff between fights became much longer as he and his camp plotted each step carefully in hopes of bringing the cruiserweight world title to Providence. Now it’s back to the drawing board, which means Godfrey simply wants to stay active before he makes his next run at championship glory.

“I got myself to the highest point where I fought for a world title, but I came up short,” Godfrey said. “Now I’m at a point where it’s do-or-die. I have to rebuild again and almost start from scratch. Over the past five years, I’ve been fighting nothing but iron once or twice a year, training for the best fighters in the world.

“To be honest, it’s a little humbling to be at a point where I have to start over again.”

Being back home might help ease the sting; it’s been five years since Godfrey last fought in Providence, defending his NABF cruiserweight title in a 10-round unanimous-decision win over Derrick Brown. At the time, he was undefeated at 16-0 and ranked No. 2 among cruiserweights by the World Boxing Council (WBC).

Over the next five years, Godfrey fought everywhere from North Dakota to Germany, successfully defending the title two more times before losing to Huck in 2010. The goal now is to get back to where he was that night in August of 2007, and the good news is he has time to make the right choices along the way considering his age and his health are still on his side.

“I can’t wait to feel the energy from the hometown fans,” he said. “I’m so used to being here as a spectator. I always hoped it would be me in that ring, and now it finally will be.

“I’m real happy. I can still run with the young guys and bang a few of them out in sparring. I work harder than all of them, so I don’t think it’s the last run for me. Boxing is in my blood. I’ve been doing this my whole life.

“I’ve been in situations recently where I’ve turned down fights because they weren’t right for me. Coming off back-to-back losses, I could’ve taken fights where one win would’ve put me right back in the hunt, but I’m a realist. I need to get back to basics.”

Perhaps the most pressing need is for Godfrey is to stick to the game plan once the bell rings. The Providence native admits he’s guilty of overthinking at times, particularly in his fights in Germany against Rudolf Kraj (2008) and Huck.

“All you have to do is be who you are and get in there and punch,” he said. “In some of these fights, I think too much. I wasn’t doing what I did to get to that point. I’d get to the big fight and be thinking things like, ‘Did that punch land? Did the judge see it?’ Guys would be throwing bombs and missing them, but the crowd is going wild, so I’m wondering if the judges thought it landed, so now I’m thinking, ‘Oh, man, I have to get that one back!’

“I was just overthinking.”

Fighting at Twin River, Godfrey should be more relaxed on July 19th, which will allow him to focus squarely on his step-by-step journey back to the top of the cruiserweight division. No timetable has been set – he’s playing it by ear, which helps alleviate some of the pressure.

“I don’t want to just win – I want to be dominant and look great,” Godfrey said. “In my eyes, I haven’t looked very, very good in a fight in almost two years.

“The lack of fights hasn’t helped, either. I haven’t had enough fights to work on some of the things I need to work on. It’s difficult to get better when you have such a long layoff. I’ve been knocked down so many notches that I don’t look at other fighters and say, ‘This is the guy I’m going to fight next.’ I know I’m a few fights away from even sniffing the Top 5 or Top 10 right now, so I’m just taking it one step at a time, one fight at a time.”

The road back to the top begins next Thursday in a familiar setting at Twin River, one Godfrey hopes will provide a much-needed boost against a dangerous puncher.

“You can always feed off that hometown crowd,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

♔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.

In search of a winner; Kozlin, Rodriguez clash again‏; Kozlin, Rodriguez lace ‘em up again in hopes of settling the score from previous fight

Keith Kozlin says there’s no way he didn’t beat Reynaldo Rodriguez the first time they fought last summer. His opponent disagrees.

The only logical solution is to fight again, which these two super middleweights will do Thursday, July 19^th, 2012 when they face off in a six-round intrastate showdown on the undercard of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Built To Last” professional boxing event at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I.

Their first fight in July of 2011 – a four-rounder – ended in a draw with both fighters trading knockdowns in the final round. Two of the judges scored it even at 38-38 while the other judge favored Kozlin by a score of 40-36. Now they’ll square off again, this time in a six-rounder, which could be the deciding factor.

“With two extra rounds the first time around, I would’ve at least won or knocked him out. I need those rounds,” said Rodriguez (6-4-1, 3 KOs), a Woonsocket, R.I., native. “I’m definitely in way better shape this time. I’m going to win. With the way I’m training, I don’t think it’ll even go six rounds.”

“[Six rounds] favors me in the long run,” countered Kozlin. “I wouldn’t say I’m a slow starter, but I pick up the pace as I go along. I have a work rate and love to stay busy. I throw a lot of punches. Whatever he brings, I’ll be ready for.”

Both fighters could use a win. After knocking out local favorite Richard “Bobo” Starnino in October, Rodriguez stepped outside of New England and lost back-to-back fights in Washington and California, while Kozlin (6-3-1, 4 KOs), a West Warwick native, hasn’t won since July of 2010 and is 0-2-1 in his last three fights, which includes a loss to Woonsocket’s Joe Gardner in November of 2010, a loss he had hoped to avenge on next week’s card.

“That’s the fight I wanted,” Kozlin said, “but I’ve kind of come to terms with the fact it won’t happen. He’s scared. I know that now. I just need a win. It would do a lot for me. Nobody wants to keep seeing me fight if I lose or get draws. They want to see wins, and they want to see knockouts.”

Kozlin’s confident he’ll come out on top based primarily on his workload over the past 11 weeks, which he admits was a problem prior to his first fight against Rodriguez.

“I saw he had gotten knocked out [against Greg McCoy] before he fought me, so I thought, ‘I can do that! I don’t have to train hard,’” Kozlin said. “I didn’t think it’d be a hard fight.

“I learned my lesson. I learned not to take anyone lightly. I wasn’t anywhere near my peak conditioning for that fight, but I am now and it’ll show.”

Yet regardless of his lack of training, Kozlin still thinks he won the first fight, especially since one of the three judges had him winning all four rounds despite the knockdown.

“He definitely did not win that fight. No way,” Kozlin said. “I got robbed real bad. The one upside he had was a flash knockdown, and then I knocked him down. I outworked him. He was running a lot, so I cut the ring off. I was the aggressor. All in all, it was a good fight, but I overlooked him. I won’t make that mistake again.”

“I thought I slipped, but they called it a knockdown,” Rodriguez said. “It was a good fight, and he’s a good fighter. I have nothing bad to say about him. Hopefully, this fight will be better and I’ll win this time, but, yeah, I think I won the first one. I put more pressure on him in the last 10 to 20 seconds of each round. I basically out-boxed him. I thought I won, but they called it a draw.”

Like Kozlin, Rodriguez is hoping a victory can launch the next stage of his career. The only catch is someone must win, otherwise we could be talking trilogy in the near future.

“This can open a lot of doors. That’s the way I look at it,” he said. “We’ll see on the 19^th.”

Reigning WBC USNBC middleweight champion Elvin Ayala will face John Mackey in the 10-round main event next Saturday at Mohegan Sun

‶The Lycan″ returns July 21st. Reigning WBC USNBC middleweight champion Elvin Ayala will face John Mackey in the 10-round main event next Saturday at Mohegan Sun.

Lettin’ it all out!; Vincent breaking out of her shell‏; With three fights under her belt, Vincent looking to take her career to the next level

Believe it or not, the Shelito Vincent who won each of her first three professional fights in dominant fashion was actually a toned-down version of the one we might see Saturday night.

“I’m starting to feel more comfortable in the ring,” said Vincent (3-0), who will put her undefeated record on the line Saturday, July 21st, 2012 against Ivana Coleman of Slidell, La., in a four-round bantamweight bout on the undercard of Jimmy Burchfield’s “The Fire Within” professional boxing show, presented by Classic Entertainment & Sports at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

“Everything is starting to come together. Expect to see a lot of great things coming.”

For Vincent – raised in New London, Conn., and now training in Providence, R.I. – one of the biggest hurdles was adjusting to her new life as a professional boxer, which began in October with a win over Karen Dulin.

Now she’s in search of her fourth consecutive victory under the promotional guidance of Burchfield, who is no stranger to the intricacies of women’s boxing; he helped guide Jaime Clampitt to two world titles during her 10-year career.

“[Signing a long-term contract] is something all of us girls want,” Vincent said. “I’ve always wanted Jimmy to support me. This is the team I’m going to be with for my whole career.”

Burchfield and the rest of the viewing audience next Saturday might witness Vincent’s best performance to date. Her comfort level has increased dramatically within the past nine months, and she’s finally broken out of her shell both in and outside of the ring, which could be bad news for Coleman.

“My last fight was my best fight,” said Vincent, who beat Carmen Cruz unanimously in March to improve to 3-0. “I just felt as though I was in a certain rhythm and everything came together. My combinations were good, I was coming up underneath – all the training and work I put into that fight brought out the best in me.

“Boxing is like anything else; the more you do it, the more comfortable you get. It was like that in the amateurs, too, and now I’m starting to get that same feeling as a pro.”

Coleman has never boxed professionally, but she has a 1-2 record in professional mixed martial arts, so Vincent is expecting the unexpected next weekend, something she’s prepared for in camp by sparring other mixed martial arts fighters.

“The thing I’ve noticed about them is everything they do is wide, whether it’s the way they punch, or their footwork – everything is wide, more so than boxers,” Vincent said. “I’ll try to use my jab and work off that, and just move around more.

“She has a good right hand and hits hard. A lot of times when I spar other MMA girls their feet are all over the place. They’re actually harder to spar with than someone who has boxing skills. They’re more awkward. That’s what I’m expecting.”

Vincent is also expecting tremendous fan support, which has become a theme at each of her professional fights. With a captivating background stemming from her rough childhood, she’s become an ally for troubled youth both in Connecticut and Rhode Island. After this fight, she’ll continue her tour of Connecticut schools, relaying her story to children to help make sure they don’t go through the same thing she went through growing up. She’s also participating in the World Boxing Council’s WBC Cares anti-bullying campaign.

“I love doing this in my spare time. I think it’s my calling,” she said. “I just love working with kids. I think it would’ve been such a big difference in my life I had someone to talk to growing up.”

Part of Vincent’s message is the need for discipline and structure, which she developed later in life through boxing. She turned the corner for good in 2008 and won a national Golden Gloves title before making her pro debut at the age of 32.

“The boxing kept me on track. It made me not afraid. It made me feel strong,” Vincent said. “It brings a lot of stuff out of me. Hitting the bag is like running. If you’re having a bad day, go to the gym, hit the bag and let it all out.

“It’s definitely been the most positive thing for me in my life. Like I always tell people, boxing saved my life.”

Vincent’s new life inside the ring is off to a tremendous start, and with Burchfield in her corner, the sky’s the limit. The female bantamweight division is wide open, and Vincent’s rise to the top could continue Saturday with another impressive performance.

“The ultimate goal is to get some belts and bring them back to CES and New London,” she said. “I want to make everyone in my city proud. To be the best, who doesn’t want that? That’ll be the best feeling in my life. I think I’ll get it – I know I will. I’ll make sure no one else works harder than I do.”

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Preview of Amir Khan vs Danny Garcia: Tonight at 11PM on HBO

AMIR KHAN VS. DANNY GARCIA live on HBO World Championship Boxing

Khan vs. Garcia, a 12-round unification fight for Khan's WBA Super Lightweight Super World Championship, Garcia's WBC Super Lightweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Khan Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Doors open on fight night at 3:00 p.m. PT and the first bell rings at 3:30 p.m. Khan vs. Garcia will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT in the United States and live on Sky Sports 1HD in the United Kingdom at 2:00 a.m. BST Sunday, July 15.

David Haye vs. Dereck Chisora Saturday July 14 2012 @ Upton Park, West Ham, London, UK TV: EPIXHD.com Time: 6pm ET

Mike Tyson in Mexico, By Gabriel F. Cordero

Mike Tyson in Mexico

By Gabriel F. Cordero

Former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson has arrived Mexico City as a guest of the Mexico Tourism Board and the WBC. Iron Mike will attend a gala dinner and be an honorary tourism ambassador as part of a campaign to promote tourism to Mexico. His Broadway debut in MIKE TYSON: UNDISPUTED TRUTH, directed by Academy Award nominee Spike Lee, starts July 31 at the Longacre Theatre.

CageSport XX: Loaded from end to end‏

When Brian Halquist put together “CageSport XX,” he followed the same plan that’s helped him earn the notation as one of the west coast’s top promoters; putting the fans first.

Halquist, along with his reliable staff, worked tirelessly on an exciting fight card slated for Saturday evening at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA.

A limited number of tickets are still available and can be purchased by going to ticketmaster.com or at the Emerald Queen box office.

Headlining the ten-bout event is a three round lightweight battle between Spokane, WA’s Sterling Ford, 15-4, and interstate rival James Marohl, 6-1, of Longview. Both fighters are on the cusp of landing a big fight and have been on a hot streak during the last few years, winning 11 of their last 12 fights combined.

Female standouts “Slick” Sally Krumdiak of Bellingham, WA and “Little” Patricia Vidonic will go toe to toe in the highly anticipated three round co-feature. Krumdiak and Medford, OR’s Vidonic fought most of the top fighters in and around the strawweight division. Both are regarded as upper echelon fighters and believe a victory will earn them a title shot.

Much like the main bouts, the supporting contests features talented combatants looking to move up the ladder. Unbeaten rising stars Cory Vombaur, Justin Harrington Gustavo Lopez and Shaine Jamie will all look to make waves in separate bouts. Additional matches include Jerome Jones, 4-3, against Byron Sutton, 5-3, along with a battle of unbeaten middleweights when Brent Knopp challenges Darrio Mobley.

“We’re putting our best foot forward with this card,” said Halquist. “The CageSport staff did a great job of making this exciting event a reality and I consider it extremely important for every fight to be one that the fans want to see. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, I’d definitely come out for fight night because you’re in for a real treat of incredible MMA fights!”

Former world champion, Female Fighter of the Year and CageSport veteran Miesha Tate is going to be at the fights as the evening’s special guest. A Tacoma native, Tate will be available for a meet and greet, photo ops and autographs throughout the evening for all ticketholders.

Former CageSport standout and Female Fighter of the Year Miesha “Takedown” Tate will appear at “CageSport XX” as a special cageside guest Saturday, July 14 at the Emerald Queen Casino in her hometown of Tacoma, WA.

A universally recognized top ten pound-for-pound fighter, Tate won both of her bouts under the CageSport banner by knockout and is amongst the most famous female martial artists in the world. In her most recent match Tate, 12-3, battled Rhonda Rousey in the main event of a Showtime card. Although she came up short against the unbeaten submission master, Tate earned worldwide recognition as the bout was one of the most viewed in Strikeforce history.

“Miesha is one of the most popular athletes in the area and an inspiration to many male and female MMA fighters,” said Brian Halquist, CEO of Halquist Productions and the creator of CageSport MMA. “I’m glad to have her back and she’s somebody I consider a dear friend.”

Tate will be available to all ticketholders for a meet and greet, photo ops and autographs throughout the evening.

The card is topped by a bout between Sterling Ford and James Marohl as well as a matchup between female superstars “Slick” Sally Krumdiak and “Little” Patricia Vidonic.

STRIKEFORCE®: ROCKHOLD vs. KENNEDY, World Championship Doubleheader tomorrow/Saturday, July 14, live on SHOWTIME®

All the fighters who will compete on a STRIKEFORCE^® World Championship Doubleheader tomorrow/Saturday, July 14, live onSHOWTIME^® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore., made weight Friday.

Luke Rockhold, who will defend his STRIKEFORCE middleweight title against Tim Kennedy in the main event, and Lorenz Larkin, who meets Robbie Lawler in a featured non-title televised fight, required two attempts at the scale. The live undercard fights on SHOWTIME EXTREME® begin at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The matchups and weights: Jorge Masvidal (156 pounds) vs. Justin Wilcox (155 1/2 pounds), Pat Healy (156 pounds) vs. Mizuto Hirota (156 pounds), Ryan Couture (155 1/2 pounds) vs. Joe Duarte (155 1/2 pounds), Jordan Mein (170 pounds) vs. Tyler Stinson (170 1/2 pounds) and Jason High (171 pounds) vs. Nate Moore (171 pounds).

Luke Rockhold will defend his STRIKEFORCE® middleweight title against Tim Kennedy in the main event of a World Championship Doubleheader this Saturday, July 14, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the Rose Garden.
In the co-feature scheduled for five rounds, Tyron Woodley and Nate Marquardt will clash for the vacant STRIKEFORCE Welterweight crown. Other matches on the SHOWTIME telecast: Lorenz Larkin vs. Robbie Lawler (middleweights) and Roger Gracie vs. Keith Jardine (middleweights).
The live undercard fights on SHOWTIME EXTREME® begin at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The fights: Jorge Masvidal vs. Justin Wilcox (lightweights), Pat Healy vs. Mizuto Hirota (lightweights), Ryan Couture vs. Joe Duarte (lightweights), Jordan Mein vs. Tyler Stinson (welterweights) and Jason High vs. Nate Moore (welterweights).

What STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker and the world championship competitors said Thursday:

SCOTT COKER

“When I look at this fight card from top to bottom this is an amazing card. Like I’ve said, look at the fights that are on SHOWTIME EXTREME; those fights could really be on the championship part of the card. So from top to bottom STRIKEFORCE is going to deliver another world class match up.’’

(Regarding the vacant welterweight title) “Nate Marquardt is an amazing fighter. If you’ve never seen him fight, he is a dangerous fighter. T-Wood (Woodley) is somebody who came up through the STRIKEFORCE organization on SHOWTIME. This is going to be his toughest test to date.”

LUKE ROCKHOLD

(On being a fighter in STRIKEFORCE and the fan’s reaction) “I’m fighting to legitimize myself and keep bettering myself and to prove to everyone that I am one of the best in the world. They need to realize how good we (STRIKEFORCE fighters) are and if they haven’t seen that then they don’t know what they are missing. STRIKEFORCE guys are going over to the UFC and they are killing guys over there.’’

TIM KENNEDY

“We both want to demonstrate that we are the best fighter in our division. We are going to step in there and go 25 minutes to prove that. What we say before we step in there is irrelevant.

“I think the best way for me to represent the military community is for me to win this fight.”

TYRON WOODLEY

“I think Nate has been around the block for a while. I think he brings a lot to the table. I think he is a well-rounded fighter. I think in this weight class he brings the most name recognition and more skills than the other guys. Most of the guys in the division I’ve already beat or I’ve beat someone who has beat them. I have no issue with him coming over and getting the title shot. ’’

NATE MARQUARDT

(About Tyron’s style) “As a fighter I respect his skills. He is a great wrestler and that’s what he does and that’s what he should be using in his fights. The thing is, we’re there to fight. So when you’re a wrestler your job is to fight. And if you are going to use wrestling that’s great and can be super exciting for the fans. If you can get that guy down and ground and pound that’s great, but if you are going take that guy down and hold him and wait for the decision, that’s a different thing.”

(Regarding what kind of a fight he is expecting on Saturday) “I am expecting to knock him out. This layoff has rejuvenated me and I’m ready to go. ’’

♔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.

QUOTES FROM TODAY'S AMIR KHAN VS. DANNY GARCIA FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE

QUOTES FROM AMIR KHAN VS. DANNY GARCIA FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE
AMIR KHAN, WBA Super Lightweight Super World Champion

"Training camp has been brilliant. It was a long camp, but we paced it well. We were very professional and smart with the way we did things. It was a 15-week camp and I enjoyed every second of it.

"I did make a lot of mistakes in my last fight [against Lamont Peterson], but it was a wakeup call. I learned a lot from that fight.

"We will win the title. We will take the WBC belt home to the U.K. It is a title I have always wanted.

"I have fans all over who have traveled to Las Vegas for this fight. A lot of them came over for my fight against Peterson too and it means a lot to me. The U.K. press shows me so much support as well and I am grateful.

"I will knock Danny Garcia out. I will take the world titles home. I know Danny didn't train as hard as me. I promise I will knock him out. That is the only way.

"[To Angel Garcia] I cannot wait until after the fight when we stand here and I have knocked your son out. He is going to see what a Pakistani British fighter can do. I cannot wait to get in there."

DANNY GARCIA, WBC Super Lightweight World Champion

"We had a great camp and great sparring partners. I am just ready to showcase my skills on July 14.

"My dad talked sh*t 23 times, and I backed it up 23 times. I am 23 and 0. Come Saturday, he will have talked sh* 24 times and I am going to back it up for the twenty-fourth time.

"It means the most when your team always supports you."

FREDDIE ROACH, Khan's Trainer

"We have had a great training camp. We are ready for this fight. We had to switch gears in opponents a little bit, but there were no major setbacks. Amir is in the best shape of his life.

"[To Garcia] Danny, I wish you luck, but I am not so sure about your dad!"

ASIF VALI, Khan Promotions

"Amir has worked hard, the team has been fantastic. He is ready to go. I have never ever seen Amir in this kind of shape.

"Whatever happened with Peterson is behind us. Now we have an opportunity to unify those belts.

"Amir Khan won a medal in the 2004 Olympics and in order to do something like that you have to go out and earn it. You have to make sacrifices, which is what Amir has done his whole career.

"We are very proud to say that the U.S.A. Boxing Team will be training in our gym in Bolton. As soon as Amir gets back from this fight he will be hosting them. Boxing in the Olympics is a big thing.

"It's going to be a fantastic fight. Tune in and watch because we are going to have the belts on the line and Amir is going to win.

"We wish the very best to team Garcia."

ANGEL GARCIA, Danny Garcia's Father/ Trainer

"This fight right here is going to be a spiritual fight. Spiritually, mentally and physically; it is going to come down to who is a greater spirit.

"Danny is on weight right now without struggling.

"Everybody on this team has been here from the beginning. We don't have changes. There's no place like home. When you move to another state you are doing yourself a disservice. If you are disciplined and you give your soul to this sport anything is possible.

"Khan is a superstar, but that's all he has. If he were American, nobody would care.

"This fight is going to show the world who is the boss. Danny is the boss.

"Khan has never faced a Latino like Danny. This is Latino blood. A nation. We are going to show the world who is the boss."

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

"This matchup [between Amir Khan and Danny Garcia] is a matchup that we don't see every day. We have two young champions who are at their peak. This is what really drives me, when you have two young fighters who are willing to fight anybody, when you are willing to fight the best, which is what boxing is all about.

"The fact that this is a unification is great, but these two fighters that we have here are fighting because they want to be great. They want to leave a legacy.

"Personally I am very proud and thrilled that Amir Khan is willing and able to go up against Danny and that Danny Garcia is willing and able to go up against Amir Khan. It has been a while since we have seen two young, strong fighters [fight each other] at their peak and I want to say thank you to them.

"I believe this fight is going to bring out the very best of Danny Garcia and the same goes for Amir Khan."

RICHARD STURM, President of Entertainment, MGM Resorts

"Mandalay Bay would like to welcome our partners at Golden Boy Promotions, HBO and the media and of course the fighters.

"Khan, who's known for his exceptional speed and skills showcased that talent perhaps his most accomplished victory - a knockout over Zab Judah nearly one year ago to date here at Mandalay Bay.

"Danny Garcia returns to Mandalay Bay for the first time in almost three years. With a win over Khan, he will extend his undefeated record to 24-0 in what will be an exciting bout Saturday night."

AMIR KHAN vs. DANNY GARCIA UNDERCARD FIGHTERS

FERNANDO GUERRERO, Rising Super Middleweight Star

"I think boxing is one of the hardest sports. Before we even get in the ring, I want to say to Amir, Danny and everyone else, good luck because I know how hard it is.

"It has been a long journey for me and I am loving it. I used to just work hard, but now I am learning how to work hard and love life.

"I want to prove to the world that there is no difference between me and the other talent on HBO and I am going to show it. I want everyone to be there to witness an electrifying card because I know it is going to be an electrifying show."

PHIL LO GRECO, Undefeated Welterweight Contender

"It is an honor and a thrill for me to be here.

"I am an Italian guy from Canada. Ever since I was a kid, it was my dream to fight in Las Vegas. It's a big responsibility to fight in Las Vegas.

"I fight for the Italian people, the Canadian people and now I am fighting for all of the hard core American boxing fans. I want to give them a good show and prove myself Saturday night."

J LEON LOVE, Undefeated Middleweight Prospect

"It is a pleasure to be on this card. We worked hard and this is going to be a great night of boxing."

JAMIE KAVANAUGH, Undefeated Lightweight Prospect

"This Saturday is going to be a great night of boxing.

"I have been sparring with Amir Khan and training with Freddie. I can't wait for Saturday night."

ABNER COTTO, Undefeated Lightweight Prospect

"I want you to know that I am a strong prospect. It is a pleasure to be on this card and pretty soon Puerto Rico will have another 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.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Anthony Mundine vs. Bronco McKart IBF North American Middleweight Championship Dmitry Sukhotsky vs Cornelius White IBF International Light Heavyweight

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE PPV Anthony Mundine vs. Bronco McKart IBF North American Middleweight Championship Dmitry Sukhotsky vs. Cornelius White IBF International Light Heavyweight Championship Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, NV ● Saturday, July 14, 2012 Live on WealthTV Pay Per View - 9 PM/ET 6 PM/PT

Three-time world champion Anthony Mundine makes US debut Saturday night on WealthTV PPV Australian targeting Mayweather.

Three-time world champion Anthony "The Man" Mundine (43-4, 25 KOs) makes his United States debut Saturday night (July 14), headlining the "When Worlds Collide" pay-per-view event, live from Pearl Theater at Palms Resort Casino in Las Vegas.

Mundine takes on tough veteran Bronco "Superman" McKart (54-9-1, 32 KOs), a two-time world champion, in the 10-round main event for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) North American Middleweight Championship.

The WealthTV PPV co-feature matches a pair of world-rated light heavyweights, Russian invader Dmitry Surkhotsky (18-1, 13 KOs) and Cornelius "Da Beast" White (19-1, 16 KOs), in a entertaining 12-round bout for the vacant IBF International title.

The "When Worlds Collide" PPV, presented by Millennium Events, Inc. in association with WealthTV, for live viewing at 9:00 PM/ET - 6:00 PM/PT on both cable andsatellite pay-per-view via Comcast, Time Warner Cable, AT&T U-Verse, Cox Communications, Verizon FiOS TV, Charter Communications, DirecTV, and many other carriers for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.

The Mundine vs. McKart fight started from a simple question asked earlier this year, in-house by WealthTV's boxing staff, regarding a viable opponent who could defeat Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

"After much debate with boxing experts and insiders," explained Charles Herring, president of WealthTV, "Mundine's name kept coming up. In late March, we aggressively pursued the WBA purse bid for the Mundine vs. Trout fight. Our representative went to Panama City with a substantial check in hand but the bid never went through. Our second attempt, however, was successful and we're pleased to be the network that is bringing this three-time world champion to the boxing capital of the world, Las Vegas, for his United States boxing debut.

"Mundine has to get past a highly-skilled boxer and proven veteran, Bronco McKart, before he starts thinking about a fight with Mayweather. McKart's in the best shape of his life and ready to take on Mundine. McKart's skills and legendary work ethic are quite impressive and we believe this has all the makings to be a Fight of the Year candidate. It's going to be war in the ring Saturday night as both fighters try to make strong statements."

Demonstrating its commitment to becoming a powerhouse in world-class, live professional boxing, the Mundine vs. McKart card represents WealthTV's fifth major live boxing event in the last nine months and its first pay-per-view event in the U.S.

"We're committed to providing top quality championship boxing to our viewers," WealthTV CEO Robert Herring commented. "We'll air exciting cards live on the network for free, yet when the purses get too large, we'll feature pay-per-view events. Our staff is quickly gaining boxing expertise and is focused on showcasing a major boxing event about once a month."

Mundine vs. McKart on WealthTV PPV

Fighting out of his native Australia, Mundine first captured the World Boxing Association 168-pound title in 2003, taking a unanimous 12-round decision fromAntwun Echols. The dangerous Australian recaptured the WBA super middleweight title in 2007, stopping in-country rival Sam Soliman in the ninth round. In his last fight on October 19, 2011, Mundine became the Interim WBA light middleweight champion by way of a 12-round unanimous decision over Rigoberto Alvarez.

Mundine's impressive resume includes victories against other even more notable opponents such as bitter arch-rival Danny Green, a former WBA light heavyweight champion, and current IBF middleweight world title-holder Daniel Geale. Three of Mundine's four career losses have been to world champions Mikkel Kessler, Manny Siaca and Sven Ottke.

McKart, fighting out of Munroe, Illinois, won the World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight crown in 1996, registering a ninth-round technical knockout of Santos Cardona. McKart added the International Boxing Association (IBA) title belt to his collection in 1997. The battle-tested McKart has defeated world champions Raul Marquez and Aaron Davis, as well as world title challengers Enrique Ornelas andAlex Bunema during the course of his 20-year professional career.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

FLOYD MAYWEATHER CONTINUES TO MAKE HEADLINES AS WINNER OF 2012 ESPY FOR BEST FIGHTER, HIGHEST PAID ATHLETE & PIONEER FOR DRUG TESTING IN BOXING‏

Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather's acclaim continues to soar in unprecedented fashion. Last night, he was crowned the 2012 EPSY winner for the Best Fighter category, making him a four-time champion of the coveted honor. The award, voted on by fans throughout the country, recognizes the fighter for his ring prowess and accomplishments, including his defeat of Miguel Cotto for the Super Welterweight World Championship on May 5 of this year.

The accolade is yet another indication of Mayweather's remarkably successful career as the seven-time world champion also reigns atop Forbes' highest paid athlete list, knocking Tiger Woods out of the top slot for the first time since 2001.

"The accolades Floyd receives for his hard work and dedication in the ring speak for themselves," said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. "He holds all of the pay-per-view records and is the highest paid athlete in sports today. Now he has another ESPY award to add to his long list of honors and recognitions. These are just more notches in his future Hall of Fame career."

With Mayweather at the helm of the 100 highest paid athletes, Forbes has assessed that "boxing is not dead" and states that "Mayweather has generated 9.6 million buys and $543 million in television revenue during his nine HBO PPV events." [Read the full article "Boxing Is Not Dead Yet"

In addition to accomplishing financial supremacy, Mayweather also dominated the world's top search engine Google as his name ruled sports searches during the month of May when Mayweather fought Cotto. The super fight accounted for three of the United States' top 10 trending sports-related queries on Google. Each of these queries trended higher than searches for any NBA player or team during the NBA playoffs.

Perhaps Mayweather's most crowning achievement is his role in instituting Olympic-style drug testing in boxing. He was the first fighter to require blood testing administered by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in order to face him in the ring. Mayweather is now seen as a trailblazer in the campaign to make the ring an even playing field. In the last few months alone, more than five boxers have tested positive for steroids who may not have been caught had it not been for the fighter's foresight and desire to clean up the sport, .

Above all else, Mayweather is grateful for his fans and supporters, without whom he would not have had the opportunity to reign supreme as the highest paid athlete list, win an ESPY or even pioneer drug testing in boxing. Mayweather sent a message to his fans via his Twitter account (@FloydMayweather) last night saying, "Thank you to all the fans who voted and helped me win at tonight's #ESPYs. Your continued support is appreciated."

Ellerbe continued. "Floyd has always recognized and thanked his fans for their support throughout his career. He knows that an athlete has to do his or her job to prepare their best and dedicate their lives to be great. But without the backing and enthusiasm of the fans, the victories would be bitter sweet. Floyd should be commended for his undeniable ability to draw attention to the sport of boxing, as well as his own career, as he has delivered amazing results each time he steps into the ring."

♔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.

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