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Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Don King Quits Juan Diaz; Diaz’s Attorney Fred Levin Quit Undefeated Lightweight Champion in February, Promoter Decides to Follow Suit .....


Don King Quits Juan Diaz; Diaz’s Attorney Fred Levin Quit Undefeated Lightweight Champion in February, Promoter Decides to Follow Suit by Abandoning Star Boxer after Saturday’s Match

CANCUN, MEXICO—Boxing promoter Don King made a surprise announcement on Wednesday that he will no longer represent undefeated unified lightweight world champion Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz after his match on Saturday with Nate “Galaxxy Warrior” Campbell in Cancun, Mexico.

King has represented Diaz since September 2006, and it is highly unusual for the world’s greatest promoter to give up on a star client without an attempt to keep him in his stable of fighters.

King is in Cancun presenting a world championship doubleheader on Saturday featuring the first world heavyweight championship ever staged in Mexico when World Boxing Council champion Oleg Maskaev defends his title against WBC interim champion Samuel “The Nigerian Nightmare” Peter as well as Diaz facing Campbell, the International Boxing Federation No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger.

King made the announcement at the final press conference for the event, named “History in Cancun.” With principals from Saturday’s fight card assembled in front of the media, King read passages from a February resignation letter from Diaz’s attorney Fred Levin addressed to Diaz’s manager Willie Savannah.

“It has come to the point where I can no longer in good conscience represent Juan Diaz,” Levin wrote, lamenting the fact that he had only spoken to Diaz on one occasion.

The highly respected and successful lawyer added: “Willie, I’ve been practicing law for almost 47 years. I have never had a client complain about anything that I have done in the practice of law until now.”

King echoed Levin’s sentiments, noting that he, too, is enduring a barrage of complaints from Savannah while Diaz’s career continues to skyrocket.

“Juan Diaz and Willie Savannah seem to be doing just fine,” King said. “Juan was lucky to make $100,000 for a fight before he came to me. He made $2 million in his first year with me and I arranged for him to fight for two more world titles, which he won. He’ll make another $800,000 on Saturday night.

“It seems to me that Juan has been doing his job inside the ring and I’ve been doing my job as his promoter outside the ring. I’m still trying to figure out what it is Willie’s not getting when looking back upon one of the best financed and most successful career progressions I have ever been part of.”

King then announced his resignation.

“I bring this up to you today because, like Fred Levin, I have made a decision to no longer promote Juan Diaz after Saturday’s fight. And it’s not because I wouldn’t like to continue to work with Juan. It’s for the same reason the esteemed Fred Levin quit. I will no longer work with Juan’s manager Willie Savannah.”

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Throwdown Industries To Become IFL's Official Energy Drink, Fight Gloves and Ring‏


NEW YORK– The International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI) and Throwdown Industries today announced a multi-year partnership, making Throwdown “The Official Energy Drink, Fight Gloves and Ring” of the IFL. Throwdown Industries is a leading provider of MMA fight gear, cages, rings, training centers and the Official Energy Drink of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Cott Corporation (NYSE:COT; TSX:BCB), is the world's largest retailer brand soft drink provider. The deal began Friday, February 29 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas and will continue with all IFL events in 2008 and 2009. “We are very pleased to be able to add one of the growing brands in the industry in Throwdown to the IFL family,” said IFL CEO Jay Larkin. “The extensive marketing that an industry giant like the Cott Corporation, one of the legends in the consumer packaging industry, will put behind this gives us a very strong position to grow our brand and our athletes into the future.” “Throwdown and Cott add credibility and excitement to the sport of MMA through its products, services and partnership with the IFL and other fight leagues, firmly entrenching Throwdown’s global leadership position in supporting MMA” added Throwdown President Mike McIntyre. Throwdown and Cott will implement an extensive activation platform at retail and at IFL events, using IFL athletes, coaches and brands in consumer promotions and a multimedia campaign. They will also support the partnership on IFL broadcasts in the United States on FSN and HDNet, as well as in Canada on Fox Sports Canada and worldwide in the over 70 countries IFL program is currently carried on a weekly basis. The activation plan will launch around the IFL’s next event on Friday, April 4, at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. About Cott Corporation Cott Corporation is one of the world's largest nonalcoholic beverage companies and the world's largest retailer brand soft drink provider. The Company commercializes its business in over 60 countries worldwide, with its principal markets being the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Mexico. Cott markets or supplies over 200 retailer and licensed brands, and Company-owned brands. Its products include carbonated soft drinks, sparkling and flavored waters, energy drinks, sports drinks, juices, juice drinks and smoothies, ready-to-drink teas, and other non-carbonated beverages. The company website is www.cott.com. The brand names referenced in this press release are trademarks of Cott Corporation, its affiliated companies, our customers, or other third parties. About Throwdown Throwdown™ Energy drink is unique in the energy category. Throwdown is a credible, respected brand that has a high level of efficacy with the impact/action sports consumer. “The Throwdown consumer has a mentality of never giving up, putting it all on the line, and pushing toward until they achieve their goal and live under the mindset that to “conquer without risk, is to triumph without glory™”. Classic and Rampage Punch – both available in regular and sugar-free formats -- are scientifically designed for those who want to “Throwdown” by providing double the energy than the average drink in this category. Throwdown Rampage Punch™, the signature flavor of Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, was created specifically for him as he loves punch and loves to punch. About the IFL International Fight League™ (IFL) has its headquarters in New York and offices in Las Vegas. For more information about IFL, please see: www.ifl.tv. ---“So much of a professional athlete's success depends upon not necessarily the play itself but how he deals with... always saying how you deal with good, is just as important as how you deal with bad.”- Brett Favre
Catch the IFL on FSN Sundays at 5 p।m. and LIVE on HDNet on April 4 and May 16 boxing entertainment fight sports mixed martial arts special events sports worldwide

In Celebration of Womans History Month, My Christ Entertainment in association with McKoy Joubert presents; Virtuous Woman

In Celebration of Womans History Month, My Christ Entertainment in association with McKoy Joubert presents; Virtuous Woman