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Monday, July 30, 2012

Marcus Browne Suffers First Round Loss at the 2012 Olympic Games‏

Team USA suffered its first loss of the 2012 Olympic Games on Monday as light heavyweight Marcus Browne (Staten Island, N.Y.) fell to Damien Hooper of Australia in opening round action. The bout was closely contested throughout, but Hooper pulled out the win with a third round surge, claiming a 13-11 victory.

Browne threw the first punches in the contest, looking to find his rhythm but the place was slow throughout the first three minutes of action. The American boxer held a 3-2 lead after one round, and entered the second trying to extend it. The output from both boxers remained slow in the second round and the two boxers added three points a piece to their totals, giving Browne a one-point lead entering the final round Hooper came out swinging in the third and his efforts gave him the lead and a 13-11 decision, eliminating Browne from the tournament.

“I didn’t listen to my corner. My corner said to take it to him. I did it for a little bit but not the whole round. I had a one-point lead and that’s really nothing. I definitely waited too long,” Browne said. “My corner told me more speed, less power and I didn’t listen but this isn’t a set back, it’s a learning experience.”

“Despite the loss, Browne, one of the U.S. team’s vocal leaders isn’t going to return home early. “I’m going to stay here and support my team,” Browne said.

Light welterweight Jamel Herring (Coram, N.Y.) will look to start a new U.S. winning streak tomorrow afternoon in his bout with Kazakhstan’sDaniyar Yeleussinov.

U.S. Result

178 lbs/81 kg: Damien Hooper, AUS, dec. Marcus Browne, Staten Island, N.Y./USA, 13-11

Marcus Browne quotes

“I was a little bit nervous. He never hurt me.”

“We train hard for all comers.”

“I wasn’t really bothered too much by his long reach.”

“I could have used my speed a little bit more. That’s what my corner told me in the last round but I didn’t listen. They said more speed, less power.”

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Evans delights crowds with win‏

It was sensational at the ExCeL as the boxing event at the London 2012 Olympic Games went into its second day. The much anticipated Lightweight (60kg) and Welterweight (69kg) categories showcased some of the most talented boxers on the planet and the action did not disappoint.

Kicking off proceedings in the first of the six Lightweight (60kg) bouts in the afternoon session was the exciting Dominican Republic's Wellington Arias Romero against orthodox Eduar Marriaga Campo. It was the southpaw who started brightly, throwing lots of punches with the straight left hitting its target several times. A bit of showboating by the Dominican and the clever use of the jab saw him once again score heavily with that straight left. Arias Romero's superior technique continued to have his Colombian opponent on the back foot in the final round as he recorded an impressive 17:8 victory.

It was an all-African affair when Ahmed Mejri of Tunisia and Benin's Shafiq Chitou came together in the ring. Chitou looked lively in the early exchanges, connecting with a good left hook but as the round progressed, the orthodox Mejri just soaked up the pressure and picked his spots to edge it. It was more of the same as the somewhat erratic Chitou failed to hit his target and the southpaw had to again concede the round to the measured Mejri. The crowd was cheering loudly for Chitou but his opponent's effective counter-punching saw him suffer a 16:9 defeat.

When asked about the support he received from the crowd, Chitou replied, "It was great, I have never experienced an atmosphere like it". And on his preparations before the Games, the 27-year-old decorator added, "I have to thank AIBA for inviting me to train with the Road to London program, it was a wonderful opportunity for me to give a good account of myself here at the Olympic Games, I will never forget it".

Puerto Rican Felix Verdejo Sanchez, the winner of the AIBA American Olympic Qualifying Event Rio 2012, showed his class against the inexperienced 20-year-old Juan Huertas Garcia from Panama in the third bout of the day, putting in a polished performance that saw him prevail 11:5.

27-year-old fifth seed Gani Zhailauov of Kazakhstan, a bronze medallist at the AIBA World Boxing Championships Baku 2011, faced the speedy Thai Saylom Ardee in a fast and furious contest that had had the crowd up on its feet. Peppering each other with loads of punches; it was the orthodox Thai who took the first round after giving his opponent a bloody nose. It was compelling viewing as Zhailauov battled back with some powerful punches to level the scores after round two. The spectators were treated to a real boxing feast in the final round as both fighters went for it. When the winner was announced, there was heart-break for 26-year-old Ardee as the victory was given to Zhailauov on count back with 12:12 the final result.

The capacity crowd was then introduced to the Seychelles' 19-year-old Andrique Allisop, who had also taken part in the three-week AIBA Road to London training program in Cardiff in the build-up to London 2012. The young pretender was pitted against the experienced 27-year-old Jai Bhagwan and his youthful exuberance counted against him as the orthodox boxer from India effectively counter-punched the onrushing teenager throughout. In the end, it was Bhagwan who progressed after winning 18:8 and he will now face Zhailauov in the next preliminary, looking to make it third time lucky after having lost to the Kazak in their previous two meetings.

Allisop was realistic about his performance, saying, "I learnt a lot, he moved better than me and was more economical with his punching and I need to now raise my game. I am young and have just moved up to Lightweight so I will be back in four years a much better boxer. Training in Cardiff with the Road to London program was also a real eye-opener for me".

Chinese 29-year-old Qiang Liu put in a clinic against Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Luke Jackson from Australia, increasing the pressure in each round with swagger and class, using clever movement and devastating combinations as he emphatically won 20:7. The crowd really got behind the entertaining orthodox fighter who really impressed. A late bloomer, Liu has only really come to the fore in the last year or so. His next opponent will be the AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Yasnier Toledo Lopez.

On facing the Cuban in the next round, Qiang Liu declared, "I have studied him a lot; he is very fast so I will need to have strong defences and counter-punch".

In the first of the six Welterweight (69kg) bouts of the session, tough Moldovan southpaw Vasilii Belous had the measure of Selemani Kidunda from the first bell, using his jab and his reach to keep his opponent at bay before unloading some devastating straight one-twos. Rocking the 28-year-old from Tanzania several times as he recorded a 20:7 victory, University World Champion Belous will be in confident mood when facing the top seed from Ukraine Taras Shelestyuk in the next phase of the competition.

The experience of Mongolia's Tuvshinbat Byamba really shone through in his battle with 24-year-old Yannick Mitoumba Mbemy from Gabon. Quality footwork and a thunderous overhead right were the signature moves by the 25-year-old and the man from Gabon just could not contain the classy Byamba. Efficiently smooth, the Mongol was imperious in every department as he prevailed in style 17:4.

Flamboyant Frenchman Alexis Vastine, part of the victorious Paris United team in the World Series of Boxing first season, looked to make his punches do the talking against the compact 20-year-old Patrick Wojcicki. The orthodox Vastine often looks more concerned with style rather than substance but knowing that the German represented quite a dangerous opponent, he knuckled down and did the business over three rounds to win 16:12. It was a very entertaining fight between the 25-year-old soldier from Normandy and the German prospect.

"I under-performed in Beijing four years ago after having put too much pressure on myself, so this year I want to enjoy the Olympic experience and take one fight at a time. Next up for me is Mongolia's Byamba, who is a top class boxer, so I will need to box clever once more".

Powerful Custio Clayton is still developing as a fighter but has been in fine form of late. Coached by Daniel Trepanier, Clayton is said to have a very bright future and proved he has big credentialsafter triumphing 12:8 against Mexico's talented former AIBA Youth World Champion Oscar Molina Casillas, a silver medallist at the AIBA American Olympic Qualifying Event Rio 2012.

The highlight of Australia's Oceania Champion Cameron Hammond's bout was a devastating right that forced Moustapha Abdoulaye Hima to take a standing eight count midway through the second round. It was a pulsating contest between two relatively untested boxers at this level. In the third, the Australian stepped up a level to take control of proceedings against the 20-year-old from Niger to move deeper into the competition with a well-earned 13:6 victory. He now faces Clayton for a place in the quarter-finals.

Great Britain's reigning European Champion Freddie Evans raised the roof at the ExCeL when he made his way to the ring for the ultimate contest of the afternoon session. The orthodox fighter from Cardiff faced the lightening quick Algerian Ilyas Abbadi and put on a real show for the vocal spectators out to support the home boxer. It was tight but the Brit's superior shot making saw him score points with several penetrating combinations. Evans showed quality defensive skills too as the Algerian looked to make up his five point deficit in the third. The Welshman even took time to entertain the crowd with a few shuffles before throwing some hard combinations. The orthodox Brit comfortably won 18:10 and will now face third seed and the man who defeated him at the AIBA World Boxing Championships last year, Lithuania's Egidijus Kavaliauskas.

On his next opponent, Evans said, "When I lost against him in Baku, I was not focused. His style suits me so this time there will be no mistakes".

Taylor comes through stern test to progress‏

The fast and furious boxing action at the London 2012 Olympic Games resumed at the ExCeL with the remaining first preliminary bouts of the Lightweight (60kg) and Welterweight (69kg) categories in the evening session.

There was not a single available space left in the arena as the crowd gathered in anticipation for the first of the six Lightweight contests which pitted the tall Josh Taylor from Great Britain against the explosive Brazilian Robson Conceicao. The British southpaw started off well, moving with assurance around the ring andconnecting with some clever left hooks to take the first round. The native of Scotland grew in confidence in the second and was clearly lifted by the loud cheers of the partisan crowds, mixing his shots to great effect as he hit his target with a couple of hard jabs and a penetrating right hook. Soaking up the pressure from the 23-year-old Brazilian, Taylor survived a late flurry to triumph 13:9, to the delight of the supporters. He will now face third seed and 2009 AIBA World Champion Domenico Valentino for a place in the next phase of the competition.

Taylor was beaming after his win, saying, "I had a game plan and I stuck to it, I thought it was very close but with the crowd behind me, I was buzzing".

Stocky 20-year-old Lithuanian Evaldas Petrauskas' aggressive style really applied the pressure on Hungary's Miklos Varga from very early on in their contest. 24-year-old Varga, part of the Italian World Series of Boxing Franchise which won the WSB Team Trophy this season, was strong, landing some quality shots himself but he just could not contain the unrelenting assaults of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games winner. Petrauskas, who was at the Road to London three week training camp in the build-up to these Games, is one that no one will want to face after his resounding 20:12 victory.

Sixth seed Fatih Keles of Turkey shaded the first round against the confident Algerian Abdelkader Chadi of the Paris United WSB Franchise. The tactical 22-year-old Keles' defensive master class had 2008 Olympian Chadi in trouble in the second, catching him with some deft counter-punches to score high in the second. In the end, the classy Turkish orthodox fighter comfortably won 15:8 and moved into the second round of the preliminaries where he will lock horns with the hard-hitting Petrauskas.

It was very tentative between Uzbek southpaw Fazliddin Gaibnazarov and Yhyacinthe Mewoli Abdon in the first round with both seemingly unwilling to get caught by the other. It livened up in the second as each boxer took turns trying to make the breakthrough, but it was the Uzbek 21-year-old who connected with solid punches to take a three point advantage over the taller Cameroon boxer coming into the final round. Gaibnazarov was light on his feet in the third, gliding away from his onrushing opponent before planting some good left hooks on his way to a 11:6 success.

It was an intriguing match-up between France's WSB Paris United star Rachid Azzedine and teenage American sensation Jose Ramirez. Sporting bright yellow shoes, the US orthodox fighter went toe-to-toe with the Frenchman, ten years his senior, and came out on top in the first round after alternating body and head shots to great effect. It was an explosive fight as both boxers battled it out in the centre of the ring and it was once again Ramirez who just shaded it as his speed told. The crowd were really enjoying this one with punches being thrown by both fighters from all angles. The American orthodox rocked Azzedine with a couple of vicious straight lefts but the Frenchman retaliated with some hard punches of his own to take the final round but it was Ramirez who progressed with a narrow 21:20 win.

The American reflected on his success by declaring, "I am happy with my performance, it was tense, I was nervous in the beginning and just wanted to do well for the team. We are a young squad and we are all hoping to do really well". On the shoes, he laughed, "I just like the colour, you know when you look good, you feel good".

In the last of the Lightweight (60kg) bouts, tall orthodox South Korean Soonchul Han looked comfortable against 25-year-old Mohamed Eliwa of Egypt. Using his height and reach advantage throughout their contest to win each round comfortably and inflict a 11:6 defeat on his opponent. Hun will now battle the accomplished Belarusian second seed Vazgen Safaryants for a place in the quarter-finals.

It was then the turn of the Welterweights (69kg) to take to the canvas and first up was the clash of the heavy-hitters, 28-year-old Brazilian Myke Ribeiro de Carvalho and Errol Spence from the United States. It was the young American southpaw who took the initiative early on with some effective jabs, before effectively working the body in the second as the experienced Ribeiro de Carvalho looked rattled and devoid of ideas. Spence looked dangerous on route to a 16:10 victory; he will now lock horns with India's Krishnan Vikas in the second round of preliminaries.

There was a huge cheer for 25-year-old Adam Nolan when he entered the arena, with a huge number of Irish supporters having travelled to support their compatriot. The tall southpaw was pitted against Carlos Sanchez Estacio and began on the front foot, hounding down his opponent before looking to inflict damage with the straight one-two. The Ecuadorian packs some power in his punches and caught Nolan with several hard overheads but the Irishman's clever use of the jab saw him take all three rounds and prevail 14:8.

Nolan rejoiced at his victory by saying, "It felt unbelievable to be out there. I did not perform to my best but the Olympics are after all my first major tournament, so I will get better".

A high-intensity bout between China's Qiong Maitituersun and 25-year-old southpaw Andrey Zamkovoy enthralled the crowd from the first bell with the Russian straight out of the blocks and landing with some hard shots. The Chinese winner of the AIBA Asian Olympic Qualifying Event Astana 2012 showed tremendous resilience in the face of the onslaught, managing to connect with punches of his own. Zamkovoy's height and power made the difference in each round as he booked his place in the next phase of the competition by triumphing 16:11.

The 23-year-old South African with a growing reputation, Siphiwe Lusizi, controlled his bout with the inexperienced Iraqi Ahmed Abdulkareem Ahmed, hitting his target with some good combinations before reverting to some slick counter-punches as Ahmed came forward. The southpaw looked at ease, dominating each round to cruise to a 17:13 victory. Much sterner tests now await Lusizi.

With a vocal team supporting him, Ecuador's Gabriel Maestre Perez began brightly versus Amin Ghasemi Pour of Iran. The 25-year-old Perez will have been pleased with his performance as he landed some punishing left hooks and generally dominated proceedings against his inexperienced opponent. The Ecuadorian had the measure of his rival to win 13:8 and book his place in the next round where he will face Lusizi.

Closing the day's action were Japan's 24-year-old Yasuhiro Suzuki and the 2008 Beijing Olympian Moroccan orthodox Mehdi Khalsi. There was nothing to separate the two as they traded blows throughout the first two rounds. The Japanese southpaw went on the offensive in the third as he trailed his rival by a single point, firing several one-twos to claw his way back to claim a hard-fought 14.13 win.

Tomorrow sees the Men's Fly (52kg) and Light Heavyweights (81kg) take to the canvas over twenty bouts divided over two sessions.

Petrauskas opens with victory in London‏

AIBA Road to London boxers continued to impress at the ExCeL, and none more so that Lithuania's Youth Olympic Games winner and AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships silver medallist Evaldas Petrauskas who showed his aggressive side against Hungary's Miklos Varga to claim the win.

European Championships bronze medallist Varga, of the Dolce & Gabbana Milano WSB Franchise, could not handle the power and determination of Petrauskas who won the first two rounds 6:4 before stepping up another gear in the final third to record a resounding 20:12 victory. The promising young Lithuanian was invited by AIBA to train as part of the Road to London Program international camp and he looked in great shape in his opening contest in the British capital.

Colombia's Panamerican Youth Championships bronze medallist Eduar Antonio Marriaga Campo, who turns 20 only later this year, met Dominican Republic's AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Wellington Arias Romero in the first preliminary round. But unfortunately the AIBA Road to London participant could not get to grips with the experienced Dominican who recorded a 17:8 victory. The young Colombian will now be looking towards Rio 2016.

Benin's Shafiq Chitou was also at the training camp in Cardiff and made his Olympic debut in an all-African affair against Tunisia's All Africa Games winner Ahmed Mejri. Chitou was involved in the AIBA Road to Milan Program three years ago and showed great heart in his fight in London but unfortunately was defeated 16:9 in his Lightweight (60kg) contest.

Talented Juan Antonio Huertas Garcia became the first boxer from Panama to participate in the Olympic Games since 1992. Influenced by his compatriot, Irving Saladino, who claimed Panama's first ever Olympic gold medal by winning the long jump in Beijing, Huertas has been dreaming of London for the last four years. After the three-week Road to London training camp in Cardiff (Wales), he felt ready to take on the World but Puerto Rico's Panamerican Youth Champion Felix Verdejo Sanchez was in sublime form and won their contest 11:5.

Seychelles' Indian Ocean Islands Games winner Andrique Allisop celebrated his 19th birthday just before the Games and was delighted to be involved in the AIBA Road to London Program. Despite just having moved up to Lightweight, Allisop was proud of his performance against Jai Bhagwan. Despite the loss, he had learnt a great deal and was looking forward to coming back stronger in four years.

Gabon National Champion Yannick Audry Mitoumba Mbemy was also in the Welsh capital in preparation for London 2012. He stood no realistic chance of progressing against Mongolia's experienced Asian Championships bronze medallist Byamba Tuvshinbat but he was delighted with the whole experience.

Cameroon's African Championships silver medallist and All Africa Games bronze medallist Hyacinthe Abdon Mewoli was a real handful for Uzbekistan's world class AIBA World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Fazliddin Gaibnazarov, and made his country proud.

Team USA Moves to 4-0 in Olympic Action with Victories by Jose Ramirez and Errol Spence‏

The U.S. Olympic Boxing Team pushed its undefeated to streak to four on Sunday night with lightweight Jose Ramirez (Avenal, Calif.) and welterweight Errol Spence (Desoto, Texas) both claiming first round wins at the ExCel Centre. Ramirez pulled out a 21-20 decision over France’s Rachid Azzedine and Spence closed the night for Team USA with a 16-10 win over Brazil’s Myke Carvalho de Ribeiro.

Ramirez was the first American boxer to compete in Sunday’s evening action, facing veteran and World Series of Boxing champion Azzedine. The 19-year-old looked to get started early in the bout, and enjoyed success late in the round. He trapped Azzedine on the ropes and landed some strong shots at the conclusion of the opening round and held a one-point lead after the first. Both boxers continued to let their hands go in the second but Ramirez did not relinquish his lead, pushing his advantage to two with three minutes of boxing remaining. Azzedine attempted to dent Ramirez’s slim lead in the final round but he wasn’t able to do so and Ramirez won the 21-20 final decision. He moves on to a Thursday match-up with Fazliddin Gaibnazarov in his second round bout.

“There were some nerves coming in, being my first Olympics and being my first bout of the tournament,” Ramirez said. “Now, I feel like I shook those nerves out and hopefully I can just be me in the next bout and let my punches flow better, be smoother inside, and stay smart.”

Spence took the ring just 30 minutes later in a bout with Carvalho de Ribeiro, and it was clear early on that he was the superior boxer. The Dallas native got through his first day jitters and a bit of ring rust, controlling the pace throughout the contest. He took a 5-3 lead after one and the Brazilian boxer looked to combat Spence with several dirty tactics in the second round. The referee took a point from Carvalho de Ribeiro in the second for pushing Spence’s head down repeatedly and Spence held a 12-7 advantage at the end of two. He stayed to the game plan in the third round, winning a 16-10 final decision and pushing the American winning streak to four.

“The Brazilians have a style just like us. They fight like Americans and I was kind of getting used to his style. I wanted to use my jab and pick up the pace. I saw him get a little bit tired so I wanted to keep the pressure on him,” Spence said. “The first one is always the toughest one because you have the butterflies and I haven’t fought since March. I haven’t fought in awhile, at least five months. So to get the first one out of the way, and get my feet wet is good.”

Spence will return to the ring on Friday in a second round match-up with Krishan Vikas of India.

Light heavyweight Marcus Browne (Staten Island, N.Y.) will be the only U.S. boxer competing in Monday’s action as he faces off with Australia’s Damien Hooper at 3:45 p.m. London time (10:45 p.m. ET).

U.S. Results

132 lbs/60 kg: Jose Ramirez, Avenal, Calif./USA dec. Rachid Azzedine, FRA, 21-20

152 lbs/69 kg: Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas/USA dec. Myke Carbalho de Ribeiro, BRA, 16-10

Jose Ramirez Quotes

“I didn’t feel a strong hit from him. I know he landed a couple punches and I know I gave away some points that I shouldn’t have. I am still very blessed and thankful that I got the decision. He was a great opponent and it was a great fight. There were a lot of fans here coming to support both of us. It was a big honor to put on a good show.”

“I was just more excited and once I got to the front of the ring and saw the people, a little nerves came in. I was just excited. I was actually talking to my family while I was getting ready through skype. I was very blessed that there’s wifi. I was just trying to think the fight out in my head and stay relaxed and confident. The nerves did come in but I wasn’t really thinking about my opponent too much.”

“There’s always a lot of nerves and tension. You go in there a little tense. I had a lot of motivation knowing that a lot of people are watching. It tenses your body up a little bit. I’m very glad that Team USA is doing so well and overall we are going to take that to the top and go as far as we can go. We are a young team but we’re very hungry.”

“I just like the color (of his boxing boots). It stands out. If you look better and you feel good, you’ll probably fight better. I wanted the gold for the gold medal as well.”

Errol Spence Quotes

“You have to stay focused, it comes with the game, some people just fight like that (with dirty tactics) and you have to stay focused and keep going to the game plan and doing what you’re doing and what you and your coaches worked on.”

“I could hear my teammates and I heard my father and my mother screaming. It does a lot, it is a big momentum booster. It keeps me going and keeps me throwing punches because I heard them rooting for me.”

“I’m not surprised (by the strong American start). We worked really hard in training camp. Everyone has a certain game plan they’re following and as long as we stick to the game plan, we will be fine.”

“I’ve been running a little bit earlier here, I run with the team. We do team runs in the morning.”

“Yes, it’s a team that’s really close. We’ve been in camp for awhile together and we’ve known each other for awhile too so that helps. We are all on the same page, we are all focused and we all have the same goal.”

“It helps a lot when you’re a little bit tired and you hear your teammates cheering you on, telling you come on, come on and your mother and father in the crowd. It’s just a big boost and it gets you going.”

“The nerves are gone but you still have a little nerves there because you’re fighting in the Olympics. We are all relaxed and we are all very focused and focused on the task at hand. We are just going to keep pushing and keep the momentum going and keep it going as the bouts progress.”

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Hurricane Collado on course for World rated Merdov‏

Irish based Cuban Alexei “The Hurricane” Collado looks set for a stiff final exam ahead of what he hopes will be a World title shot later this year. The former World Junior Amateur Champion wants to get his hands on a World title in the professional ranks and believes that World rated Ukrainian, Stanyslav Merdov is the last obstacle standing in his way. The two men clash at The Royal Theatre, Castlebar on Friday, August 17th on the undercard of Henry Coyle's WBF Light Middleweight title defence against Marcelo Rodriguez and Collado will be looking to steal the show.

Merdov is rated eleventh at featherweight by the World Boxing Association and just last November he pushed boxing's longest reigning World Champ all the way when he lost a close points decision to Indonesia's Chris John.

John has held the WBA Featherweight title since 2003 and has made 16 successful defences but he was pushed all the way by Merdov when they met in Australia last year. The Ukrainian has since bounced back with a win and now is set to take on Collado in what should prove to be an acid test for Cork based 24-year-old.

"I want a big win to prove that I am ready for a World title fight," declared Collado. "Merdov has just challenged the longest reigning World Champion in boxing and only missed out on a close points decision so he is the perfect test for me. I want to give a performance that will make the World Champions sit up and take notice because I would jump at a fight with any of them."

Collado has so far racked up 15 straight wins in the pro ranks with all but one of those coming inside the distance. Previous victims have included former World Champion, Felix Machado, former World title challenger, Cristian Faccio and then World rated Franklin Varela and now Collado wants to add Merdov to that list.

However the Ukrainian has his sights set on another World title tilt. The Donetsk native was a talented amateur regularly featuring on the Ukrainian national team alongside the likes of Wladimir Klitschko and Andriy Kotelnyk while his reputation in the professional ranks has never been higher following his impressive challenge to John on away ground.

"Collado has a nice record but this fight has come too soon for him. Cubans are great amateurs do they not always make great professionals and I will expose him. I am a big, strong, hard punching featherweight and I really believe I can finish this fight by knockout. I proved against Chris John that I am up there with the best boxers in the world. I want another world title fight and a win over a good prospect like Collado should present me with that opportunity."

Next months card also features the return of Cavan's Andy Murray as he looks to get back to winning ways following his points defeat to European Champ Gavin Rees in Cardiff last year. Murray faces Argentina's Sergio Priotti in a scheduled 8 round contest.

The undercard will have plenty to interest local fight fans as well with an intriguing all Connaught middleweight clash between Galway's Alan Donnellan and Roscommon's Darren Cruise. At the age of 39 Sligo's long time Irish amateur stalwart Stephen “Block” Reynolds is something of a late comer to the pro ranks but having enjoyed a debut win on Belfast at the weekend the heavy hitting cruiserweight is set for his second pro outing on the Castlebar card. Also in a local derby two Ballyhaunis boxers will punch for pay for the first time on the card - against each other welterweights Michael Waldron and Brandon Peake face each other on their professional debuts in an all Mayo affair.

Broadway Boxing coming to FIGHT NOW TV Aug. 2 featuring unbeaten IBO super middleweight champion Thomas Oosthuizen

DiBella Entertainment's popular "Broadway Boxing" series is coming to FIGHT NOW TV TM - America's only 24-hour combat sports and entertainment channel - on August 8, live from the famed Roseland Ballroom in midtown Manhattan.

FIGHT NOW TV will air three fights, starting at 10:00 p.m. ET, and highlighted by the 12-round International Boxing Organization (IBO) super middleweight title fight between undefeated defending champion Thomas "Tommy Gun" Oosthuizen(19-0-1, 13 KOs) and challenger Rowland Bryant (16-1, 11 KOs).

"We are very excited to bring the ever popular 'Broadway Boxing' series, not only to our FIGHT NOW TV viewers in America, but also worldwide via our Ustream powered broadband player to all markets (subject to certain blackout restrictions) for a special price of $4.95 (USD)," said FIGHT NOW TV Co-Founder & General Manager Mike Garrow. "Lou DiBella and his team always deliver great cards under the 'Broadway Boxing' banner and this one on August 2 is no exception. A great night of boxing will shine on Broadway."

South African southpaw Oosthuizen is one of the hottest 168-pound fighters in the world, ranked No. 4 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and The Ring Magazine, as well as No. 13 by the World Boxing Association (WBA). His most notable wins have come against Marcus Johnson, Serge Yannick, Francisco Sierra, and Aaron Pryor Jr.

At stake for Oosthuizen against Bryant, in addition to the IBO crown, is a potential world title fight later this year against IBF champion Carl Froch. Bryant, fighting out of Altamonte Springs, Florida, is coming off an impressive technical knockout victory in the third round over three-time world title challenger Librado Andrade.

"Making Broadway Boxing available live on the internet is something that I have long been interested in," said promoter Lou DiBella. "New technologies are developing everyday that are giving us the opportunity to broadcast our sport on a much wider horizon. I am thrilled to finally begin our efforts on Broadband, starting with this terrific show on August 2nd, featuring who we believe to be a superstar in the making in 'Tommy Gun'. Not only will the fans in New York have the opportunity to see him, but because of our collaboration with Fight Now TV, he can be seen by fans from all over the world."

Unbeaten WBC Continental Americas light heavyweight champion "Irish" Seanie Monaghan (14-0, 9 KOs) will be showcased in the 10-round co-feature versus veteran George Armenta (14-9, 11 KOs). The wildly popular Monaghan has a rabid fan-base in Long Island, New York.

There will also be an additional six-round fight, participants to be determined, televised on FIGHT NOW TV.

"Airing Broadway Boxing live on a growing 24/7 network like Fight Now TV really helps expand our market," said promoter Lou DiBella. "The internet has been something that I have long been interested in. New technologies are developing everyday and this arrangement with Fight Now TV also gives us the opportunity to broadcast our sport on a much wider horizon. I am thrilled to finally begin our efforts starting with this terrific show on August 2nd, featuring who we believe to be a super-star in the making in 'Tommy Gun.' Not only will the fans in New York have the opportunity to see him, but because of our collaboration with Fight Now TV, he can be seen by fans from all over the world."

FIGHT NOW TV is available on Cablevision channel 464 as part of the iO Sports & Entertainment Pak!

About FIGHT NOW TV: With offices in New Jersey, Las Vegas and Toronto, FIGHT NOW TV is a cross-platform media company that creates and distributes content through its television, video on demand, and online outlets.

Founded by Channel Zero, Inc. and media entrepreneur Mike Garrow, FIGHT NOW TV launched last year as the first and only 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week combat sports channel in the nation. The network's mandate is to bring the best battles, fiercest fights and stunning knockouts to America. FIGHT NOW TV caters to fight fans of every genre, giving them a front row seat to compelling coverage of MMA, boxing, wrestling/grappling, Muay Thai, kickboxing and other combat sports. FIGHT NOW TV is the place for the best analysis, live and current events, documentaries and news coverage of the biggest PPV events and match-ups from around the globe.

FIGHT NOW TV has also enlisted one of the fight game's biggest names to join its camp, including five-time UFC champion and MMA legend Randy Couture, who serves as both spokesperson and analyst for the channel.

340 BOXING CHAMPS TAPPED FOR MARTINEZ TRAINING CAMP‏

The boxing world is calling the upcoming face-off between Sergio Martinez and Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. “one of the biggest fights of the year,” and starting Monday, the territory’s 340 boxing champs – John Jackson, Julius Jackson and Samuel Rogers – will be in the middle of the action.

An HBO Pay-Per-View event, the bout has been scheduled for September 15th at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, All three of the territory’s champions have been tapped to prep Martinez for the match, and will be leaving at 1:20 p.m. Monday for Oxnard, California and weeks of intense training.

340 Boxing officials confirmed the details Thursday and added that Julius Jackson, especially, has been eyed to be a Martinez sparring partner because of his similar style to Chavez, Jr.

“This is the kind of opportunity we have been dreaming of, and we surely won’t disappoint,” an excited Jackson said Thursday. According to the numbers, approximately 14,000 tickets have already been sold for the fight, leaving only a mere 5,000 seats still available.

“We anticipate a great deal of media coverage as a result of this super match,” 340 Managing Partner Jose Rosario added Thursday. “This is anticipated to be one of the biggest boxing matches of the year and we are proud to have been given the opportunity to give our boxers this kind of exposure.”

The Man With The Iron Fists

This is maybe one of the better Comic-Con 2012 interviews with RZA about The Man With The Iron Fist that I've seen so far. It's a nice 10+ minutes long and he covers a lot of ground. I like that it's jut RZA talking without a single word from whomever was interviewing him.

He talks about the making of the film, the process, his inspirations for it, working with high-caliber actors like Russell Crowe, working withing Hollywood studio boundaries, the crazy fight scenes that sent several people to the hospital every week, the film's soundtrack, which I thought was one of the more interesting revelations he makes.

"The same way that this cast is diverse... it's the same thing with the music," he says in the interview.

The soundtrack will include tracks from: The Black Keys, Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa, My Chemical Romance, Chinese Cantopop (Cantonese pop music) singer Sally Yeh, composer Howard Drossin, some Wu-Tang originals, which he said were gutted and re-orchestrated; also he says that Stax Records jumped on-board and handed over several famous songs from their library, by the likes of soul singer/song writer William Bell, Isaac Hayes, blues vocalist Mabel John, and others; and he took all these songs, stripped them down, and re-orchestrated them.

"It's a great ride!" he says. You can feel his excitement for the soundtrack, which he says will be released commercially, but didn't mention a date. I'm looking forward to hearing it.

The Man With The Iron Fist was one of S&A's 2012 upcoming films we're excited about.

The film will be out in the USA on November 2.

♔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 PARTNERS WITH ONE PUNCH FITNESS TO OPEN YOUTH BOXING FACILITY‏

Find A Dream—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—has announced that they have partnered with One Punch Fitness in Myrtle Beach and have opened up a new youth facility.

One Punch Fitness contains 1,400 square feet with a designated boxing area complete with state-of-the-art equipment, as well as cardio and weight machines throughout.

“We are excited to have Find A Dream here,” said Pete Guthy, former professional boxer and co-owner of One Punch Fitness. “I’ve known Don Steele (Board member of Find A Dream) for a long time, and we have always been about supporting charities. I love boxing and love sharing it with other people, especially if it is going to help kids stay out of trouble. There are a lot of temptations out there nowadays, and boxing will teach kids dedication and discipline and keep them from going down the wrong road in life.”

Find A Dream’s program will be available to local youth on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m., and all day Saturday and Sunday. The program will include the fundamentals of boxing and core strength and conditioning. Additionally, One Punch Fitness will open up their 6 p.m. boxing class on Thursday to the Find A Dream kids.

“We are honored to be working with One Punch Fitness,” said Rod Ricciardi, co-founder of Find A Dream. “Pete Guthy is a class act and the facility is perfect for what we want to bring to Myrtle Beach. Our mission is to provide the local youth with an outlet to learn the basics of boxing while working towards their goals in life.”

In addition to former boxer Don Steele, Find A Dream’s all-star team also includes former Olympic Gold Medalist Ray Mercer, former world champion Bobby Czyz, Hector Camacho Jr., and several other professionals.

On going forward with Find A Dream, Ricciardi continues, “What we are trying to do is help kids of any age and bring positive influence into their lives. We are trying to do it through boxing, martial arts and music, to instill in them discipline and structure. We know that we are not going to be able to help everybody because they’re going to have to want to help themselves, but even if we can make a small difference, that’s what we are trying to do, with as many people as possible.
♔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.

HBO 24/7 Dawson vs. Ward debuts on August 25th

HBO Sports, known for its innovative, award-winning productions, sets the stage for the September super middleweight title fight between Andre Ward and Chad Dawson with the documentary special 24/7 ROAD TO WARD/DAWSON debuts SATURDAY, AUG. 25 (midnight-12:30 a.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates: Aug. 26 (11:00 a.m.), 27 (12:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., midnight), 30 (2:45 a.m.) and 31 (7:30 p.m.), and Sept. 1 (10:30 a.m., 12:20 a.m.), 4 (1:55 a.m.), 6 (1:30 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) and 8 (11:15 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Aug. 28 (4:15 p.m.) and 30 (10:30 p.m.), and Sept. 7 (10:30 p.m.)

The special will also be available on HBO On Demand® and HBO GO®.

24/7 ROAD TO WARD/DAWSON introduces fans to two of the world’s top ten prizefighters: undefeated Oakland native Andre Ward (25-0, 13 KOs) and New Haven, Conn. product Chad Dawson (31-1, 17 KOs), who will meet in a 12-round title showdown, to be presented on Saturday, Sept. 8 on HBO. The 30-minute special offers an inside look at the preparations as the best fighters from 168-pound and 175-pound divisions head toward their intriguing confrontation.

“World Championship Boxing®: Andre Ward vs. Chad Dawson” will be presented from the Oracle Arena in Oakland Saturday, Sept. 8 (9:45 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO.

The executive producer of 24/7 ROAD TO WARD/DAWSON is Rick Bernstein; senior producer, Dave Harmon; coordinating producer, Bentley Weiner; producer, George Jakovic; writer, Aaron Cohen. Liev Schreiber narrates.

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