DAVID DIAZ ACES OPEN TRYOUT WITH CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS‏

CHICAGO, IL- In front of an overflow standing room only crowd of 21, 908, the largest of the season for the Chicago Blackhawks and a national TV audience, World Boxing Council Lightweight Champion David Diaz aced his “open tryout” with the team by scoring in the evening’s Shoot the Puck Contest between periods of the game featuring the Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks at the United Center.

From the blue line, Diaz was a little wide of the small hole on the United Airlines barrier in front of the net on his first two tries, but on his third attempt he drilled a wrist shot through the hole into the netting.

Said Diaz afterwards, “Being a diehard Blackhawks fan it truly was a thrill to be out on the ice. It felt good leaving my stick, I guess the minutes of practice I put in paid off” joked the Chicago native. Diaz was mobbed by well wishers and fans for pictures and autographs as he returned to his seat.

Diaz was on hand to promote his non-title ten-rounder against Ramon Montano, which will open the HBO Pay-Per View telecast of Marquez-Pacquiao II - UNFINISHED BUSINESS on March 15th.


Promoted by Top Rank Inc. and Golden Boy Promotions, in association with Romanza Boxing Productions and MP Promotions, Marquez-Pacquiao II will take place Saturday, March 15 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Marquez-Pacquiao II, priced at $600, $400, $300, $200 and $100, are on sale at the Mandalay Bay box office and at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Macy's West at the Fashion Show Mall, and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000 or Mandalay Bay (702) 632-7580. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com

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NO HOLDS BARRED: Mike Chapman on Frank Gotch Day and When Pro Wrestling Was Real‏

NO HOLDS BARRED: Mike Chapman on Frank Gotch Day and When ProWrestling Was Real On this special edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with noted wrestling historian and author Mike Chapman, who is the executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa (http://wrestlingmuseum.org/). April 3 marks the one hundredth anniversary of the world heavyweight wrestling championship match between Frank Gotch and George Hackenschmidt in Chicago. This match, won by Gotch, took place in anera when professional wrestling was still a real sport. To commemorate this anniversary, April 3, 2008, is being celebrated asFrank Gotch Day in Gotch's hometown of Humboldt, Iowa, and in Waterlooand at the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum(http://wrestlingmuseum.org/gotchday.htm). The Governor of Iowa, ChetCulver, has also declared April 3, 2008, as Frank Gotch Day statewide. In an in-depth discussion, we speak with Mike Chapman about the legendof Frank Gotch, how pro wrestling was largely real in Gotch's day and why it changed, what lessons can be learned for wrestling from this, the celebration planned for Frank Gotch Day, the Museum's co-sponsoring the annual WIN Magazine Memorabilia Show at the 2008 NCAADiv. I Wrestling Championship March 20-22 in St. Louis, and more. To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link below and just press the play button on the player: http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-03-08T04_42_16-08_00 You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it). You can also listen to it through the NO HOLDS BARRED blog, athttp://nhbnews.blogspot.com, and MySpace page, at http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews, also by pressing the play button on the player. Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes athttp://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download. The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician IanCarpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/). NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by: YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of theoriginal UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwideleaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixedmartial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it ISthe law. IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world'sfirst professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check outtheir regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your locallistings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, athttp://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html. Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up themixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year.For more news and info, check out their web site,GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/). BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for allBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more. Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage ofBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well aslifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. GladiatorMagazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com(http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/). FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews,and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martialarts. Thanks, Eddie Goldman No Holds Barred bloghttp://nhbnews.blogspot.com/ No Holds Barred podcasthttp://nhbnews.podomatic.com/ The Boxing Standardhttp://boxingstandard.com/ No Holds Barred on MySpacehttp://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
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Cage Rage 25, March 8: Shamrock-Berry and Haye-Maccarinelli, live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) in London

The legendary Ken Shamrock and Robert "Buzz" Berry will fight in the main event of "EliteXC Presents Cage Rage 25" tomorrow/Saturday, March 8, on SHOWTIME, in London.
The four-bout mixed martial arts event will be televised immediately following the world cruiserweight title unification fight between champions David Haye (WBC/WBA) and Enzo Maccarinelli (WBC/WBA) live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) in London.

CAPTION: Friday, in London, the legendary Shamrock weighed 216 pounds. Berry weighed 240 pounds (quotes below).

Weights for other SHOWTIME televised fights:

Jean Silva (144 pounds) vs. Masakazu Imanari (144 pounds)

Pierre Guillet (184 pounds) vs. Tom Watson (185 pounds)

Rob Broughton (282 pounds) vs. Neil Grove (273 pounds)

KEN SHAMROCK QUOTES:

"Competition. The minute you stop, your whole life changes and it's the thrill of competition that has kept me going. When you're done as an athlete, you have to know it, and I don't know it yet.

"There were a couple of times when I had injuries -- one to my knee, one to my shoulder -- when I thought I would be forced to quit. But rehab got me stronger and stronger every time. I have never imagined myself retiring.

"It's an honor to be considered a pioneer in this sport. And it is inspiring to see these young guys coming up to carry the torch.''

"I have a lot of respect for Ken Shamrock, but when it is fight time and the first bell rings, it's time to explode. I have to stay within myself; my strength is that I am an all around fighter and my power is my (main) strength."

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COUNTDOWN TO MARQUEZ-PACQUIAO II: Immediately following Maskaev vs. Peter

Another installment in the classic countdown series, Countdown To Marquez-Pacquiao II will feature profiles, analysis and forecasts for the second battle between two of the best fighters in boxing leading up to thier March 15th rematch in Las Vegas.


Airs after Maskaev vs. Peter on HBO. Check the schedule for details.

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Undefeated WBC No. 1-ranked super lightweight contender Timothy 'Desert Storm' Bradley made weight at 139 pounds for his off-TV elimination bout, but

The non-heavyweights weighed in today on the Mayan Riviera at an outdoor amphitheater at the Cancun Palace Hotel leading up to Saturday night's "History in Cancun" event (HBO 9:30 p.m./6:30 p.m.) being promoted by Don King Productions in association with Duva Boxing, One Punch Productions and Pepe Gomez Promotions.

Undefeated WBC No. 1-ranked super lightweight contender Timothy 'Desert Storm' Bradley made weight at 139 pounds for his off-TV elimination bout, but his opponent Jose Luis Castillo did not, so the match was scratched.

Alan Hopper
Don King Productions
Event Page: http://www.kevincalero.com/donking/event%5F3808/


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HEAVY - WEIGHTS - CANCUN‏; Oleg Maskaev vs. WBC interim heavyweight champion Samuel 'The Nigerian Nightmare' Peter

The heavyweights stepped to the scales for a ceremonial heavyweight weigh in at the beautiful Royal Hotel in Cancun tonight in preparation for the first heavyweight championship ever in Mexico on Saturday pitting WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev vs. WBC interim heavyweight champion Samuel 'The Nigerian Nightmare' Peter.



The fight will be televised live in the United States in an HBO World Championship Boxing doubleheader (9:30 ET/6:30 p.m. PT) that also includes undefeated WBA, IBF and WBO lightweight champion Juan 'Baby Bull' Diaz taking on IBF No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Nate 'Galaxxy Warrior' Campbell.

In an unusual occurrence, Jose Luis Castillo was invited by WBC President Jose Sulaiman to step to the scales after the heavyweights in advance of Friday's official weigh in for the lower-weight fighters.

He tipped the Toledos at 147 1/2 pounds and will need to make 140 pounds by Friday's weigh in to qualify for the scheduled WBC super lightweight eliminator against undefeated WBC No. 1-ranked contender Timothy 'Desert Storm' Bradley.

See weights attached.

Alan Hopper
Don King Productions
Event Page: http://www.kevincalero.com/donking/event%5F3808/

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NO HOLDS BARRED: David Haye, Enzo Maccarinelli, Big 12 Wrestling Coaches‏

NO HOLDS BARRED: David Haye, Enzo Maccarinelli, Big
12 Wrestling Coaches

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-03-06T20_50_22-08_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman previews what is happening in boxing and college wrestling this weekend, in particular focusing on the fight between David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli, and the 2008 Big 12 Wrestling Championship (http://www.big12sports.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/big12-wrestl-championship.html).

The top cruiserweight boxer in the world David Haye (20-1, 19 KOs) will have a title unification bout with Enzo Maccarinelli (28-1, 21 KOs) Saturday, March 8, at the O2 Arena in London, UK. It will be shown live both in the U.S. on Showtime and in the UK on Setanta.

We spoke with both David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli this week on a media teleconference call about this fight.

This weekend, many of the conference championships in college wrestling will take place. These are qualifiers for the 2008 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championship (http://www.stlouissports.org/wrestling/), which will be held March 20-22 in St. Louis, Missouri.

The 2008 Big 12 Wrestling Championship, featuring five of the top teams in the U.S., will be held Saturday, March 8, at the Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla.

We spoke with all five Big 12 wrestling coaches on a media teleconference call about the Big 12 Championship and the upcoming NCAA tournament. They are Mark Manning of Nebraska, Cael Sanderson of Iowa State, Jack Spates of Oklahoma, Brian Smith of Missouri, and John Smith of Oklahoma State.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).

Make sure to check out my regular weekly boxing show SecondsOut Radio, at http://www.secondsout.com/radio/. On this week's edition, we begin by reviewing the third, classic battle between WBC super bantamweight champion Israel Vazquez (43-4, 31 KOs) and former world champion Rafael Marquez (37-5, 33 KOs), which took place Saturday, March 1, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. After splitting the first two fights, Vazquez won the rubber match by split decision in an early Fight of the Year frontrunner. Next, we preview another fight which will also take place at the Home Depot Center. On May 3, Oscar De La Hoya (38-5, 30 KOs), in what he says will be the first of the final three fights in his career, will take on Steve Forbes (33-5, 9 KOs) at a catch-weight of 150 pounds. Both De La Hoya and Forbes were on a national media tour last week, and we caught up with them when they were in New York. It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

Make sure to check out my regular articles on the ADCC News at http://www.adcombat.com and on FightBeat.com at http://fightbeat.com.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.

IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.

Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).

BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).

FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman

No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/

No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/

The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/

No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews



Enjoy!

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Don't Miss The Battle of Britain This Saturday Night - only on Setanta‏

Last autumn, Setanta broadcast what was arguably the best fight on British soil when Joe Calzaghe defeated the Dane, Mikkel Kessler.

This weekend, Setanta, which is fast emerging as the new home of boxing will be broadcasting the Battle of Britain as Calzaghe gym-mate, Enzo Maccarinelli takes on David Haye in a Cruiserweight Unification bout at The O2 in London.

Bermondsey-born Haye has boasted that he will knock Maccarinelli out however the Swansea-fighter has said that he would prefer his fists to do the talking on Saturday night.

You will only be able to watch this fight Exclusively Live on Setanta and you won't miss a minute of all the build-up, the pre-fight hype as well as the best post-fight analysis.

The fight will not be available on pay-per-view so sign up now for just £9.99 a month.*

SIGN UP NOW FOR THE BEST FIGHTS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC

Setanta is not just boxing - it's the new home of the best live sport on TV including 46 Exclusively Live Barclays Premier League games, 60 Clydesdale Bank Premier League games, Exclusively Live UFC and coming soon, Capello's first competitive matches in charge of England, the Community Shield and the FA Cup.
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World Boxing Council Lightweight Champion David Diaz willhave an open tryout for the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, March 7

CHICAGO, IL- World Boxing Council Lightweight Champion David Diaz will take a break from preparing for his showdown with Ramon Montano to have an open tryout for the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night, March 7th at the United Center.

Diaz will test his shooting skills for the Blackhawks between the second and third periods of their contest against the San Jose Sharks.

Said Diaz, “This season the Blackhawks have been playing a terrific, physical brand of hockey. They called and invited me to the game this Friday and then we started talking about my chances of suiting up for the team down the stretch towards the playoffs. So Friday night is my opportunity to see if I can help them out a little bit” joked the passionate Chicago sports fan.

Diaz also hoped to address the team prior to the game to offer some fighting tips which should come in handy with the Blackhawks growing reputation as amongst the most aggressive teams in the league.

Diaz was taking in the hometown Chicago Bulls game on Thursday night as they squared off with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center. Earlier in the day he hosted an open media workout at Chicago’s JABB Boxing Gym.

Diaz’s non title ten round bout against Montano will open the HBO Pay-Per View broadcast of Marquez-Pacquiao II – UNFINISHED BUSINESS—on Saturday, March 15th at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Promoted by Top Rank Inc. and Golden Boy Promotions, in association with Romanza Boxing Productions and MP Promotions, Marquez-Pacquiao II will take place Saturday, March 15 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Marquez-Pacquiao II, priced at $600, $400, $300, $200 and $100, are on sale at the Mandalay Bay box office and at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Macy's West at the Fashion Show Mall, and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000 or Mandalay Bay (702) 632-7580. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com

boxing entertainment fight sports mixed martial arts special events sports worldwide

Hunky Dorys Fight Night - No Olympic regrets for McCloskey‏

It might be Olympic year but Paul McCloskey says he has no regrets about making the decision to switch to the professional code. Unbeaten in his 3 year pro career McCloskey headlines the Hunky Dorys Fight Night at the Letterkenny Leisure Complex on March 29th when he takes on former World Champion, Cesar Bazan.

The Dungiven southpaw just missed out on qualification for the last Olympics losing out on a contentious points decision when victory would have qualified him for Athens.

On that occasion Andy Lee was Ireland’s sole Olympic representative but 4 years on Ireland will have at least two boxers at this summer’s games in Beijing with both Paddy Barnes and John Joe Nevin having already secured Olympic berths. There is still one further qualifying tournament left giving Ireland’s amateur one last chance at securing their plane ticket to China.

McCloskey knows all about the pressure of Olympic qualification having just missed out in 2004. In an interview with the soon to be relaunched Irish-Boxing.com McCloskey said, “It’s disappointing that I never got the opportunity to go to the Olympics but I could have hung about in the amateur game for another 4 years and still not have qualified for this years games. There’s lot of politics in amateur boxing and I felt I won those qualifying bouts but the decisions didn’t go my way.”

McCloskey, 28 continued, “If I’d have waited until after Beijing to turn pro I would have been another 4 years older and the chances of turning pro and doing well would have been reasonably slim because obviously the older you are the harder it gets. It had been an ambition of mine to fight in the Olympics and I didn’t get it but that’s water under the bridge and you can’t dwell on the past.”

The Derryman’s sights are firmly focused on the future now and after a slow burning start to his pro career he’s relishing the opportunity of headlining his first ever-professional fight night later this month.

McCloskey, who turned pro in March 0f 2003 said, “For those first couple of years I was slightly inactive through no fault of our own. But in the last year things have really picked up thanks to Brian Peters and he’s really got the ball rolling for me.

“This time last year in Letterkenny I was fighting a journeyman and now I’m getting ready to fight a former world champion so I’ve come on quite a bit. But I’ve always felt I was ready for these kind of fights and it was just a matter of getting the opportunity.”

McCloskey will not have it easy though against former WBC lightweight kingpin Bazan who has twice as many knockout wins as McCloskey has had fight.

“I’ve looked at his record and it’s one hell of record with 46 fights, 9 losses and one draw,” said McCloskey. “Of the loses two of them were to Miguel Cotto and Jose Luis Castillo and they’re the only 2 guys to have stopped him. A lot of his other defeats were on split decisions and he’s knocked out 30 people so he clearly carries a bit of power in his hands. I’m going to be treating him with all the respect in the world and I’m training as if I’m fighting for a world title.”

The undercard for the Hunky Dorys Fight Night in Letterkenny features former World title challenger and British champion, Neil Sinclair, rising welterweight Stephen Haughian and Cuban heavyweight sensation Mike “The Rebel” Perez.

Another bout sees Irish Light Middleweight champion Ciaran Healy in a 10 round clash with former British title challenger Steve Conway.

Tyrone professional Damian Taggart also features alongside top amateur Luke Wilton from Belfast who will be making his pro debut.

Tickets for the Hunky Dorys Fight Night priced from €60 are on sale now from Ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets.

boxing entertainment fight sports mixed martial arts special events sports worldwide

TAVORIS CLOUD STORMS BACK TO CHICAGO ON MARCH 28TH‏

World ranked light heavyweight prospect Tavoris Cloud returns to Chicago on Friday, March 28th as he takes on Mike Wood in the twelve round main event at UNDISPUTED, an evening of world class professional boxing at the Aragon Ballroom presented by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING and A-TEAM Boxing along with Miller Lite.

The Aragon Ballroom is located at 1106 W. Lawrence Ave., adjacent to the corner of Broadway and Lawrence on the north side of Chicago. Tickets can be obtained in advance through Ticketmaster at 312-559-1212 or www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the 8 Count Productions’ office at 312-226-5800. Doors for this event will open at 7pm with the first bell scheduled for 8pm.

Tallahassee, Florida native Cloud, amongst the fastest rising stars in boxing, has impressively run his undefeated record to 17-0 with sixteen knockouts. Cloud ended 2007 with two of his most impressive performances, a fifth round knockout of Jose Luis Herrera on August 24th at the Congress Theatre and a third round stoppage of Jake Rodriguez on December 14th at Cicero Stadium, both of which can be viewed at Youtube.com

Cloud is currently world ranked # 12 by the WBA, #9 by the IBF and # 9 by the WBO.

Wood of St. Louis, Missouri brings a record of 19-6-1 (11KO’s) into the battle with Cloud and is riding a three bout winning streak. The scheduled twelve round bout will be for the USBA light heavyweight title.

Said Pesoli, “Tavoris is on the fast track to a world title bout in 2008. The Chicago fight fans have been very supportive of him and we’re very excited to bring him back on March 28th.”

The co-main event at UNDISPUTED features former Chicago Golden Gloves champion Louis “KNOCK” Turner, 11-1 (7KO’s), battling heavy handed Mexican veteran Jesus Valverde, 21-14-1 with sixteen knockouts, in a scheduled eight round middleweight bout.

In a special feature attraction Chicago based heavyweight Carl “IRON FIST” Davis will take on Rochester, New York’s Jermell Barnes in an eight round bout. Davis brings a record of 10-2 with eight knockouts into the bout with Barnes, 18-15-2 (4KO’s).

Also featured at UNDISPUTED is Chicago’s world ranked female boxing sensation, Rita “LA GUERA” Figueroa. The undefeated junior welterweight Figueroa, 10-0 with three knockouts, is scheduled in a six round bout.

More information on this card will be announced shortly.

Along with Dominic Pesoli's 8 Count Productions and A TEAM Boxing, UNDISPUTED is presented by Miller Lite and AeroMexico, Mexico’s premier airline travel headquarters.

The Master of Ceremonies for UNDISPUTED will be ring announcer Thomas Treiber.

8 Count Productions was started by Dominic Pesoli in 1998 and has consistently presented the highest quality professional boxing events in Chicagoland. In 2003, Pesoli along with former featherweight contender Mike Garcia opened JABB Boxing Gym, a 6,000 square foot venue dedicated to the finest Chicagoland boxers of all talent levels.

To view the seating chart and poster for this event or for more information on 8 Count Productions and JABB Boxing Gym, please visit www.8countproductions.com and www.jabbboxinggym.com

CREATING CONTENDERS SINCE 1998

Bernie Bahrmasel
Publicist/8 Count Productions
www.8countproductions.com

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Ladbrokes.com Fight Night - Tims set for Pro Debut

Ladbrokes.com Fight Night - Tims set for Pro Debut


Four time Irish amateur champion Ian Tims is ready to make his mark in the pro ranks. The hard hitting Dubliner will make his paid debut on the Ladrokes.com Fight Night at the National Stadium on March 22nd.

Headlining the bill is the much-anticipated middleweight clash between Irish middleweight champ Matthew Macklin and former World Champion Yori Boy Campas. However Tims debut will create a stir of it’s own as one of Ireland’s leading amateurs in recent years looks to make the switch to the professional code.

The Clondalkin native won back-to-back Irish senior heavyweight titles in 2006 and 2007 having successfully made the transition from light heavyweight. Now he’s hoping for further success as a pro.

“I think the professional game will suit me even more than the amateurs because of the longer distance,” said Tims. “Often when the final bell went in my fights I felt like I was only just getting my second wind.

“I’m the kind of boxer that likes to fight on the inside and the computer doesn’t really reward that in the amateurs. I’d sooner slug it out with someone then get on my toes and box and that probably cost me in the amateurs.

“I felt the time was right now to give the pro’s a shot. I’d achieved what I wanted to as an amateur and I just want to fight as often as possible in the pro’s and see where it takes me.”

Tims should have plenty of support for his debut having boxed out of the St. Matthews club in Dublin where he was trained by Bernard Dunne’s father, Brendan.

“Bernard has brought a real buzz back into boxing in Dublin and that’s part of the reason I decided to go pro because the opportunity is there now where as a few years ago it was that much harder to go professional in Ireland.”

Tims will be trained in the paid ranks by two time European Bronze medallist Phil Sutcliffe. The Dubliner has been sharpening up for his pro debut by sparring with Cuban heavyweight sensation Mike “The Rebel” Perez.

Perez, a World Junior champion as an amateur is based in Cork and his two fights to date have seen him rack up a pair of first round knockouts. Perez will also feature on the March 22nd card as well as having two further contests scheduled for March 29th (Letterkenny) and April 12th (Castlebar).

The March 22nd event also features a rematch between Andrew Murray and James Gorman for the Irish Light Welterweight title.

Tickets for the Ladrokes.com Fight Night at the National Stadium on March 22nd are priced from €60 and are on sale from Ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets.

boxing entertainment fight sports mixed martial arts special events sports worldwide

David Diaz; Undercard of "UNFINISHED BUSINESS", featuring the rematch of the epic battle almost four years ago between Pacquiao and Marquez

Chicago, IL- Chicago based World Boxing Council Lightweight Champion David Diaz is busy preparing to battle Ramon Montano on Saturday, March 15th at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

The Diaz/Montano bout will be broadcast on HBO Pay-Per-View on the undercard of "UNFINISHED BUSINESS", featuring the rematch of the epic battle almost four years ago between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez.

However, the collision course has been set for Diaz by his promoter, Top Rank Inc., to square off with boxing’s “Mexicutioner,” Manny Pacquiao later this year.

“I know the deal, if I beat Montano and Manny beats Marquez he’s going to move up to 135 to try and take my title. Good for him, I like the fact that he wants to fight for my title. If we both win on March 15th, I’ll be the first one to meet him at the post fight press conference to welcome him to 135. As far as I’m concerned they can officially announce the fight right then and there.”

“He wants to move up and try to continue collecting belts and I want to test myself against the very best and that’s what they call him. He beat Barrera twice, Morales twice, already has the draw with Marquez, beat Velasquez, Larios and Solis. He’s been on quite a run, if he beats Marquez on March 15th, maybe he’s the best fighter in boxing.”

Speaking about his bout with Montano, Diaz called it a priority first and foremost for him. “I’m sure Montano is preparing for the fight of his life, it’s his opportunity of a lifetime. As for me, when we touch gloves before the fight we’re going to do what we do and see who’s the better fighter. Bottom line is I know I must beat Montano to get a shot at Pacquiao.”

In regards to having the last seven months off since his win over Morales last August, Diaz said “The rest has been good, but I’m chomping at the bit here in Chicago. The cold weather and the snow we’ve had recently is both aggravating me and keeping me focused on Montano and March 15th.”

About his beloved Chicago Cubs who are in training camp in Mesa, Arizona, Diaz added, “I know a few of them want to come in for the fight. They were there when I beat Morales and at my other fights in Chicago. We’re in this together and they’re always welcome.”

The fistic debate about which fighter is the best finally will be settled when World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight champion JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ defends his title against three-division world champion MANNY PACQUIAO in a 12-round battle for pound-for-pound supremacy. Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, in association with Romanza Boxing Productions and MP Promotions, Marquez-Pacquiao II will take place Saturday, March 15 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Marquez-Pacquiao II,priced at $600, $400, $300, $200 and $100, are on sale at the Mandalay Bay box office and at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Macy's West at the Fashion Show Mall, and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000 or Mandalay Bay (702) 632-7580. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com

All-women’s pro boxing “Finally” pay-per-view event, featuring Holm vs. Sanders, June 13th live from the Isleta Casino & Resort in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE- Fresquez Productions, Inc. has scheduled a media tour to announce and promote its pay-per view event, “Finally,” featuring Holly Holm and Mary Joe Sanders fighting for the vacant IFBA junior middleweight championship, as well as Pound-For-Pound Supremacy, on June 13 at the Isleta Casino & Resort in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The media tour will kick-off with a press conference March 12 in Detroit, continue the following day in Albuquerque, and conclude March 15 in Las Vegas. “Finally” will be produced and distributed by Integrated Sports.

HOLLY HOLM; 6-Time World Champion, 3 Divisions, IFBA, IBA, WBC, WBA, & GBU Welterweight Title-Holder Albuquerque, New Mexico 21-1-2 (6 KOs)

MARY JO SANDERS 4-Time World Champion, 4 Divisions, IBA Middleweight Title-Holder
Auburn Hills, Michigan25-0 (8 KOs)

Damage control for hungry Manfredo vs. Benfield “Rumble at the River,” March 14 at Twin River Event Center, RI

PROVIDENCE– World super middleweight challenger “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo, Jr. (28-5, 13 KOs) is hungry again and planning to do some damage to Shane “The Irish Hitman” Benfield (17-1, 9 KOs) on March 14 in their 10-round main event, headlining “Rumble at the River,” part of “The Budweiser Night at the Fights,” at Twin River Events Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island.


Vinny Paz and “Irish” Micky Ward are serving as honorary captains of Team Italy and Team Ireland, respectively, for the Italian-Irish themed “Rumble at the River” pro boxing show, promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc., in association with Twin River, Budweiser and Tournament of Contenders.

Manfredo, 27, has starred on The Contender I reality television show, fought for the world title, and earned a healthy living in boxing. But something was missing after his loss by controversial stoppage to Joe Calzaghe for the world championship in Wales. “I’m hungry again,” Manfredo explained. “I didn’t really care about boxing last year. The (Jeff) Lacy fight woke me up. I realized I have to be mean, not trying to go in the ring to really hurt my opponent, but to do some damage. That’s what I plan to do against Benfield – take him out – and show everybody that’s who I really am. I love what I do. I don’t love the behind the scenes part of boxing, but in the real world it’s tough to take out your frustrations like you can in the ring. I’m the boss in the ring. We have the toughest job in the world; there are no guarantees in boxing, but I’m a fighter.

“I’d like to go back down to 160 (pounds) because I feel I’m too small fighting some of these guys. It’s not that I can’t fight at super middleweight, but I want to be the best I can, and I think that’s at middleweight. I only plan on boxing until I’m 30, so I have three years left to make one last run at aworld title. Let’s see how I do against guys my size. I’m not sure when I’ll be fighting at 160. I’m thinking maybe my next fight will be at 165. Benfield’s a big guy who fought as a cruiserweight.”

Since graduating from his role in The Contender I, Manfredo’s fought in Wales, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, but he enjoys fighting at home. “It’s the best,” Peter said about fighting in Rhode Island. “There’s no place like home. It’s all about being comfortable in your surroundings. At home, I have my family and friends, sleep in my own bed, eat food I like…..everything is comfortable. One of the reason’s Joe Calzaghe has been so successful is because all of his fights have been at home.”

Three-time world champion Jaime “The Hurricane” Clampitt (18-4-1, 7 KOs), fighting out of Cranston (RI) defends her IWBF lightweight crown against GBU junior welterweight title-holder Belinda “Brown Sugar” Larcuente (23-21-3, 9 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature. Twenty-one of Larcuente’s last 22 bouts, dating back nearly five years, have been against world champions, including 10 world title fights.

Mitch Matlock, Belinda “Brown Sugar” Larcuente and Melissa Hernandez


Stoughton (MA) cruiserweight Chris McInerney (9-1-1, 6 KOs) squares-off again versus former New England title-holder Tim “The Hammer” Flamos (19-4-1, 7 KOs), of Brockton, in a six-round rematch of a fight McInerney won by sixth round TKO last December.

Undefeated Russian middleweight Andre Nevsky (3-0, 3 KOs), of Worcester (MA), meets Eric Pinarreta (2-1, 2 KOs), of New Bedford (MA), in a four-round match. A pair of popular power-punchers, USBA No. 4 super middleweight Joey “KO Kid” Spina (20-1-1, 15 KOs), of Providence, and Lowell (MA) light heavyweight “Irish” Joey McCreedy (6-1, 4 KOs), are also on the undercard.

Undefeated Lynn (MA) flyweight Isander Beauchamp (3-0) faces Gabriel Cruz (2-1), while Providence junior welterweight Diego Pereira makes his pro debut. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Manfredo, Spina, Flamos and Pinarreta are on Paz’ Team Italy; Benfield, Clampitt, McInerney and McCreedy are captained by Ward on Team Ireland.

Tickets for “Rumble at the River” are priced at $35.00 (ADA stage seating only), $40.00, $50.00, (Bronze), $75.00 (Silver), $100.00 (Gold) and $150.00 (Jimmy’s Platinum Club) and may be purchased by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going on line at http://www.cesboxing.com/ or http://www.twinriver.com/, at the Twin River Event Center (100 Twin River Road, Lincoln, RI), or any TicketMaster location. Contact CES (401.724.2253/2254/www.cesboxing.com) or Twin River Events Center (877.82.RIVER/ http://www.twinriver.com/) for more information. Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7 PM/ET.(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Rumble at the River.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied at all times by an adult and they must enter through the West entrance.) -CES-

CONTACT: Bob Trieger, Full Court Press

Film Screening; ‘The Other Side Of Hip Hop - The Sixth Element’

The Original, The Most Conscious, The Best Going Strong Since 2001, For The People, By The People: Medgar Evers College Film & Culture Series
http://www.mec.cuny.edu/filmandcultureseries/

Presents the 'Brooklyn Homecoming Screening':‘The Other Side Of Hip Hop - The Sixth Element’, tells the story of long time Photo Activist Brother Ernie Paniccioli. Brother Ernie, as he is affectionately known by many, has been photographing the Hip Hop Culture since its inception. From the genesis when the culture did not have a name, it was simply something that young people created to have fun. From 1973 to the present Brother Ernie has been there, whether as an advocate for this culture that turned into a movement or speaking out against what is wrong with Hip Hop Brother Ernie has been front row center for it all.

Tonight we will have our opportunity to go upclose and personal with Brother Ernie
as we go inside his life, work in Hip Hop and his socio-political activism.

Joining us for this rich cultural experience will be Linque formerly of the Blackwatch movement,
Hip Hop Pioneer Kangol of UTFO, Dion Michael Ashman, Producer, Director and Writer of the ‘Other Side Of Hip Hop - The Sixth Element’ and the man himself Brother Ernie Paniccioli.Winner of the New York Big Apple Film Festival Best Documentary Film, 'The Other Side Of Hip-Hop showcases HIP-HOP from the beginning!
Featuring Chuck D., Afrika Bambaataa, MC Lyte, and many many others this film tells a full story!

For more info: www.OURGANG62.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2008
DOORS OPEN AT 6:15 P.M.
OPEN MIC HOSTED BY XYAYX MULTIMEDIA
BEGINS AT 6:30 PM.Program begins at:7:00PM
A live performance by Lin-Que, will precede the film
Founders Auditorium, 1650 Bedford Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225

Take the #2, 3, 4 or 5 train to the Franklin Ave. stop. The auditorium is between Crown & Montgomery Sts.

www.myspace.com/linquemusic and http://www.lin-que.com/

EDUCATING-ORGANIZING-MOBILIZING

Curtis "Showtime" Stevens will step into the ring at the Manhattan Center on March 6

Curtis "Showtime" Stevens
Bronx, NY- For the first time since signing a multi-year deal with Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing, Curtis "Showtime" Stevens will step into the ring at the Manhattan Center on March 6. Stevens will appear as part of the action packed under card which features a USBA Junior Welterweight title fight between "Mighty" Mike Arnaoutis vs. Harrison Cuello. Also, featured in the co- main event is fan favorite New Yorker Vinny Maddalone battling veteran Jeff Yeoman in an 8 round Heavyweight match up. Sports website www.GoFightLive.TV will web cast the entire event online.


One half of the famed "Chin Checkers", Brooklyn, NY native Stevens (17-2-1, 12KO's) is a throwback to the old days of boxing with his killer left hook and crippling body punching. Curtis presents a danger to anyone who stands opposite him in the squared circle. On this occasion, it will be journeyman, Thomas Reid (35-21-1, 13KO's) of Jackson, TN, who in his own right is not to be taken lightly. Stevens will have his hands full as he will be facing a fighter who has gone up against some of the best in the business. Taking on a who's who of the 175-pound realm, Reid has fought the likes of former WBC light heavyweight champion and Roy Jones Jr. conqueror Montell Griffin, WBO 175-pound titlist Julio Gonzalez, and light heavyweight contenders Elvir Muriqi, Yusaf Mack, and Prince Badi Ajamu.


The bout is scheduled for 8 rounds in the Super Middleweight division and promises to be an all action affair.

The balance of the exciting undercard will be announced shortly.

Tickets are fan friendly priced at $202 first row ringside, $102, $52 and $32 and are available at Ticketmaster.com or by calling (212) 307-7171 and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Additionally, tickets and exclusive VIP tables can be purchased directly from Star Boxing by calling (718) 823-2000 or by visiting http://www.starboxing.com

SPECIAL NOTE: ALL VIP TABLES ARE SOLD OUT FOR THIS EVENT
boxing entertainment fight sports mixed martial arts special events sports worldwide

NABF junior welterweight champion Frankie “El Gato” Figueroa now a promotional free agent

New York– NABF junior welterweight champion Frankie “El Gato” Figueroa is a promotional free agent after his deal with Seeno Group recently concluded. Figueroa’s manager, Sal LoNano, is entertaining offers from numerous promoters.


Figueroa (18-2, 13 KOs), who has moved back to the Bronx after living a year in Miami, is rated No. 10 by the World Boxing Council, as well as No. 13 and No. 14 by the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association, respectfully.

“Frankie is the reigning NABF champion, world-class fighter and a great kid,” LoNano said. “With a good promoter in his corner, he will become a world champion. We want to thank Attorney Tony Cardinale for the legal advice he gave us.”

U.S. Army veteran Figueroa currently is in Vero Beach (FL) training camp with his trainer, James “Buddy” McGirt, Sr., awaiting his next fight.

“Gato” also is the reigning WBC International Mundo Hispano welterweight and New York State light welterweight title-holder.

For more information about “Gato” Figueroa visit his web site at www.gatofigueroa.com.

CONTACT: Bob Trieger, Full Court Press
boxing entertainment fight sports mixed martial arts special events sports worlwide

VOTE NOW IN DECISION 2008: Club World Awards People's Choice Award!‏

HEAR THE MUSIC: www.beatportal.com/clubworldawards

VOTE: www.partystrands.com/club-world-awards

boxing entertainment fight sports mixed martial arts special events sports worlwide