April 11 Results: YAMMA

YAMMA PIT FIGHTING EVENT TO HOLD inaugural MIXED MARTIAL ARTS EVENT AT TRUMP TAJ MAHAL For the first time in over a decade, MMA returned to its origins by reviving the hugely popular tournament format, in which fighters participated in multiple fights in an attempt to capture the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion. Travis “The Diesel” Wiuff was crowned the first YAMMA Heavyweight Champion, outlasting seven other competitors. The event was comprised of an eight-man tournament and two ‘Masters Superfights,’ in which Pat Smith defeated Eric “Butterbean” Esch and Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov defeated Mark Kerr.

Top Rank Boxing Results April 11, Jesus Soto Karass, Henry Bruseles, Jason Cintron, Luis Del Valle, Jeremy Bryan, and Luis Castro; "FOTY" & WBC, TKO's

In the Main Event of a Top Rank Boxing live televised production, Jesus Soto- Karass now (20-4-3, 14 KO's) of Los Mochis, Mexico, battled with Chris Smith who now drops to (21-5-1, 13 KO's) of the West Indies Jamacai, in a 10 rounds Super Lightweight bout. Jesus Soto- Karass won the WBC Continental Americas Welterweight title. Jesus Soto- Karass father Jose Luis Soto-Karass is a former world champion, and currently works in his sons corner.

Jesus Soto- Karass enters the ring to face Chris Smith


Aaron Davis and Chris Smith after his loss to Jesus Soto-Karass


Jesus Soto- Karass after the defeat of Chris Smith in what has been coined by on media notable as candidate for the "Fight of the Year" nomination.


Henry Bruseles now (27-3-1, 15 KO's) of Gorabo, Puerto Rico won a split decision over Ben Tackie who now drops to (29-10-1, 17 KO's) of California, in a 10 round Super Lightweight bout. The referee for the bout was Eddie Cotton.

Henry Bruseles


Ben Tackie after his loss to Henry Bruseles


Jason Cintron now (8-1 KO) of Reading Pennsylvania, TKO'd in 1:37 seconds of the round 3, Gustavo Mejia who now drops to (2-2-1, 2 KO's) of Lawrence Kansas, in a Super Lightweight bout scheduled for 6 rounds.


Joey Gamache cornerman and Jason Cintron. Jason's older brother is Kermit Cintron, a professional fighter as well.


Luis Del Valle now (1-W/by KO) of Bayamon Puerto Rico, in his pro debut TKO'd, Ray Rivera who now drop to (1-1) of Morovis Puerto Rico, in round 3, 2:38 seconds of a scheduled 4 rounds Featherweight bout.

Luis Del Valle enters the ring in his pro debut to face Ray Rivera.


Ray Rivera after the defeat by Luis Del Valle


Luis Del Valle in the ring after the win over Ray Rivera


The legendary, Arturo "Thunder" Gatti and Luis Del Valle after his TKO of Ray Rivera


Jeremy Bryan now (4-0, 1 KO) of Paterson New Jersey stopped Gerardo Prieto who drops to (5-5-1) of Provo Utah. Referee Harvey Dock stopped the 4 round Super Lightweight bout in round 3, 2:18 seconds into the bout.

Jeremy Bryan


Jorge Diaz now (4-0, 3 KO's) of Jersey City New Jersey defeated Juan Guerrero who drops to (2-3, 2 KO's) of Maimi Florida in a 4 round Batamweight bout.

Jorge Diaz after his defeat of Juan Guerrero


Bantamweight female fighter Noriko Kariya (8-2-1, 2 KO's) attends the Top Rank Boxing Night, Friday April 11, 2008 live from the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City New Jersey.

Noriko Kariya


Super Bantamweight Tracey Harris Paterson (63-(43 KO's) 8-2, 1 KO) attends the Top Rank Boxing Night, Friday April 11, 2008 live from the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City New Jersey. Patersons record speaks for itself.

Tracey Harris Paterson


©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "El Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience all rights reserved

ESPN CLASSIC TO BROADCAST LIVE ADAMEK-BELL IN IBF CRUISERWEIGHT ELIMINATOR APRIL 19 IN KATOWICE, POLAND

TOTOWA, NJ– On Saturday, April 19, 2008, ESPN Classic will broadcast live the 12 round IBF Cruiserweight Eliminator between Tomasz Adamek (IBF #3) and O’ Neil Bell (IBF #7), it was jointly announced today by Main Events, Ziggy Promotions, Seminole Warriors Boxing, and KnockOut Promotion. The winner of this highly-anticipated cruiserweight showdown at the Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland will earn the IBF’s #1 mandatory position. ESPN Classic’s broadcast of the bout will begin at 6:00 pm ET.

Adamek (33-1, 22 KO’s) has stopped 15 opponents within the first three rounds. The 31-year-old Zywiec, Poland native captured the vacant WBC light heavyweight championship on May 21, 2005, when he decisioned Paul Briggs (W 12). He defended the title twice before losing to Chad Dawson on Feb 3, 2007 (L 12). Since moving to cruiserweight he is 2-0, 1 KO. Adamek is also recognized as the IBO Cruiserweight Champion.

Bell (26-2, 24 KO’s) is the former undisputed cruiserweight champion. The 33-year-old Atlanta, Georgian by way of Jamaica captured the undisputed crown on January 7, 2006, when he stopped defending champion Jean-Marc Mormeck (KO 10). Bell surrendered the undisputed title in his last bout on March 17, 2007, when he lost a decision in the rematch against Mormeck (L 12). Prior to the loss Bell had won 25 consecutive bouts.

“I am very excited about returning to my Polish homeland for this fight against Bell,” said Adamek. “Bell is a very good fighter, but I need to win this bout to get another title shot. I won’t let anyone stand in my way.”

“I look forward to this fight being the first step for me in recapturing the belts that rightfully are mine,” said Bell."

As an added bonus for fight fans, on April 19 at 12:00 am ET, ESPN Classic will air the May 20, 2005, vacant IBF Cruiserweight Championship bout between O’ Neil Bell and Dale Brown. Bell won the bout, and the title, by unanimous decision (W 12).

STRONG NUMBERS FOR DKP'S FIRST WEBCAST‏; Don King's first live Internet webcasting drew 400,000 page views, Spinks vs. Phillips/Alexander vs. Callist

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.— Don King’s illustrious promotional career ventured into cyberspace with his first-ever live webcast of a boxing event on DonKingTV.com on March 27.

As usual, his presence was felt when 400,000 total page views and 200,000 unique page views were recorded for his championship doubleheader featuring Cory Spinks vs. Verno Phillips and Devon Alexander “The Great” vs. Miguel Callist from Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

“I am delighted with the super-sensational response to my first webcast at DonKingTV.com,” King said. “I felt the timing was right for me to begin providing boxing matches on the Internet and the public’s response with more than 200,000 individual visitors logging on in 94 countries has confirmed that. It’s definitely the wave of the future and Don King Productions will be on the leading edge.”

© 2007, 2008 All photos by "El Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience all rights reserved

German education for Matt Godfrey‏

German education for Matt Godfrey



PROVIDENCE– NABF cruiserweight champion Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey (16-1, 9 KOs) has been boxing professionally for four years, after a lengthy amateur career, but his ring education reached another level last month in Germany, albeit in defeat.

As the No. 1 rated contender in the World Boxing Council, Godfrey was matched against No. 2 ranked Rudy Kraj in a 12-round WBC Title Eliminator to determine the WBC’s mandatory challenger to title-holder David Haye. Kraj won a unanimous 12-round decision by scores of 117-111, 116-113, and 115-113.

Fighters react differently to adversity, especially a first loss; they generally come back stronger than ever because of the experience or fold-up and end-up nothing more than a club fighter. The 27-year-old Godfrey says he’s learned valuable lessons about himself and boxing that will help make him a world champion in the not too distant future.

“I went overseas to fight Kraj in his backyard,” Godfrey said. “I got through a difficult fight and learned a lot that I hadn’t experienced in my first 16 pro fights. I proved that I can dig down and go 12 hard rounds. I also learned that I have to become a lot meaner and more aggressive. I can’t just rely on my boxing ability, being ‘Too Smooth,’ and just looking good in the ring. I need to bite down, push forward and take the fight away from my opponent – like Vinny Paz did – instead of just boxing around in the ring.”

“The loss wasn’t devastating to his career,” Godfrey’s manager Bret Hallenback explained, “as long as he’s learned and that depends on how he comes back. It’s too early to say right now, but it’s no more than one loss, and I strongly believe he learned a lot. One thing he learned is that he’s not invincible, which will put pressure on him in future fights. It was a huge eye-opener for him. Matt has to be aggressive and use the skills and power he definitely has. It was an education. He took a loss, not a beating, and I have no doubt that he learned a valuable lesson. We need to get him into a big fight to prove his last fight wasn’t the norm, but more of a fluke, and an education for him.”

Godfrey was second heavyweight alternate on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, compiling a 194-23 amateur record, including six national championships -- four open tournaments highlighted by the 2004 Everlast U.S. Championships, plus two in the Junior Olympics – as well as a Bronze medal at the 2001 Pan-American Games, Silver in all four of that year’s national major tournaments (National Golden Gloves, PAL (Police Athletic League), U.S. Championships and U.S. Challenge).

His most notable wins as a pro were devastating stoppages of highly-touted prospects Shaun George and Felix Cora, Jr. on national television of. Matt was riding high until he fought Czech Republic native Kraj in Germany.

“I was terribly disappointed with my first loss, but now I realize that all champions (not named Floyd Mayweather or Joe Calzaghe) lose at some point. It isn’t the end of the world, as long as you learn from a loss, and I’ve learned a lot. I know what I’m capable of and I just have to put it all together. I still believe I’m the best cruiserweight in the world. I can’t wait to fight again. I went back into the gym right away and I’ve been working as hard as if I was preparing for a fight. I want to fight the top guys, on television, and get back to where I belong.”

Once rated No. 1, Godfrey dropped to No. 7 after his loss, which surprised Godfrey’s promoter, Jimmy Burchfield (Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc.). “I don’t understand why he’s rated any lower than No. 3,” Burchfield noted. “He lost a close 12-round decision to the No. 2 guy and dropped all of the way to No. 7? I don’t get it. Matt won the championship rounds. He took over the fight but started off too slow and ended-up finishing just a little short. There’s no question that this experience is going to make him an even better fighter.”

Bob Trieger: Full Court Press

FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES ANTONIO TARVER & CLINTON WOODS, CHAD DAWSON & GLEN JOHNSON

IBO champion and former undisputed light heavyweight kingpin Antonio Tarver (26-4, 19 KOs), of Tampa, Fla., will challenge IBF 175-pound titleholder Clinton Woods (41-3-1, 24 KOs), of Sheffield, England, and undefeated WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (25-0, 17 KOs), of New Haven, Conn., will defend against former world champion Glen Johnson (47-11-2, 37 KOs) of Miami, by way of Jamaica, this Saturday, April 12, at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
TOM CASINO/SHOWTIME

Tarver, Dawson, Johnson and Woods --


Antonio Tarver (left) and Clinton Woods couldn't resist showing off their upper bodies during Thursday's final press conference at Tampa, Fla. Tarver and Woods will collide in one of two light heavyweight world title fights Saturday at the St. Pete's Forum on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).


Tickets for a doubleheader promoted by Gary Shaw Productions and AT Entertainment in association with Fight Academy are on sale at the McDonald's Box Office at the St Pete Times Forum and all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at (813) 287-8844 or 727-898-2100 or online at ticketmaster.com. They are priced at $27.75, $52.75, $102.75, $202.75, $302.75.

Limited ringside seats are available at $602.75. Limited VIP Packages are available at $1002.75. Prices do not include service charges. For dinner reservations, the night of the event, call 813-301-6926 or log on to ticketmaster.com. Parking passes are available at ticketmaster.com.

ANTONIO TARVER

“I’m glad to be here. If anyone has any doubt who’s the best light heavyweight, I will show them once again on Saturday night. I am delighted that Woods is here and sounds ready to fight.

“But like so many that fought me before him, his dreams and hopes will be dashed.


“This is a tremendous fight card, but my fight is the main event and if you want me to dissect all the reasons why and all the fighters on this card I will.


“There is only one true light heavyweight champion and that’s me. Everybody wants to see me fight Chad Dawson. He is a good fighter but he still has aways to go. I don’t think he’s looked so hot in his last couple fights.

“I’m strong as ever and ready to go. If you can’t be here live in Tampa, watch on SHOWTIME. This is going to be a great night for me, and a great night for boxing.’’


CLINTON WOODS

“I want to thank all involved for making this fight happen. I am very excited to be fighting a great champion like Antonio Tarver. It is a dream come.

“My conditioning is excellent. I’ve been in Florida training for 10 days and spent eight weeks in the gym in Sheffield before that, so I am ready for a war.

“For four of the top light heavyweights in the world to be on the same card makes for an historic event. I am proud to be part of it.

“Tarver can win the war of the words until he talks himself hoarse, but, come Saturday, when the real fight starts, my hands will do all the talking.

“I can’t see our fight going the distance, but I do see me definitely winning and retaining the IBF title and taking it back home to Sheffield.’’

CHAD DAWSON

“I have never been more anxious or ready for a fight. I am determined to make a statement and prove to everybody that I am the No. 1 light heavyweight in the world.

“I have done all that’s been asked, but I definitely feel I’m being underrated and not getting the respect I deserve. Some polls are flat out wrong for having some of the guys ranked ahead of me like they do. As far as I’m concerned all those polls are a farce.

“I have a lot of respect for Glen Johnson. He truly is a warrior and I know he is coming to win the world title again. I expect him to give it everything he has. I am prepared for an onslaught. But he is 39 and I’m just 25.

“Tarver has some nerve saying bad things about my fights. What he said riled me up and there’s nothing hardly that ever riles me up. I guess he hasn’t watched tapes of his last two fights.

“I want to express my gratitude to everybody for giving me the opportunity to showcase my talents. I definitely feel this is the fight card of the year.’’

Unbeaten WBC 175-pound champion Chad Dawson (left) and Glen Johnson square off after the presser.


GLEN JOHNSON

“I have been in a lot of world title fights, but this is my first in Florida and I plan to make it a memorable one for all concerned.

“I appreciate Chad Dawson giving me the opportunity. Most fighters, especially world champs, avoid me.

“I am ready for a great, tough fight that in my mind will be the most exciting of the night.

“I am in tremendous shape. I am ready to bring it like you won’t believe.’’

TWO WORLD TITLES AT STAKE…MIGUEL COTTO vs. ALFONSO GOMEZ and KERMIT CINTRON vs. ANTONIO MARGARITO ON APRIL 12 AT BOARDWALK HALL

Final Press conference in New York for this World Championship Double Header which will take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City and broadcast on HBO’s World Championship Boxing.

Bob Arum


Undefeated world champion Miguel Cotto defends his WBA welterweight belt on April 12 against Contenders’ star Alfonso Gomez. Cotto has beaten a quartet of former world champions in his last five fights – Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Paulie Malignaggi and Carlos Quintana – which has made him the most dangerous welterweight in the world. Gomez, in the biggest fight of his career on July 14, 2007, stopped Arturo Gatti in the seventh round and ultimately sent him into retirement.

Cotto-Gomez


Also featured on the card is IBF Welterweight Champion Kermit Cintron defending his title against former world champion Antonio Margarito. This will be Cintron’s chance to avenge his only professional loss which took place against Margarito at Caesars Palace on April 23, 2005.

Cintron-Margarito


Tickets, priced at $500, $300, $200, $100, and $50, tickets are available at the Boardwalk.



Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at ticketmaster.com.


© 2007, 2008 All photos by "El Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience all rights reserved

Best of both worlds" Boxing and MMA; Christy Martin returns vs Bonnie Mann April 12, live at the Richmond Coliseum

What's New on The Boxing Standard‏

What's New on The Boxing Standard We have a pair of new threads on our online journal of boxing, TheBoxing Standard (http://boxingstandard.com/), about this coming Saturday's double dose of title doubleheaders on HBO and Showtime. On HBO, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, two welterweight title fights will be featured. The undefeated WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (31-0, 25 KOs) will defend his title against the popular Alfonso Gomez (18-3-2, 8 KOs). Also, IBF welterweight champion Kermit Cintron (29-1, 27 KOs) will try to avenge the only defeat of his professional career when he fights Antonio Margarito (35-5, 25 KOs). Also on April 12, at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida, twolight heavyweight title fights will be featured on Showtime. The former undisputed light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver (26-4, 19KOs) will try to win another belt when he faces IBF light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods (41-3-1, 24 KOs). Also, one of the rising stars in boxing, WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (25-0, 17 KOs),will face former world champion Glen Johnson (47-11-2, 32 KOs). Here are the titles of our most recent articles: Are You Watching the Fight Saturday Night?(http://boxingstandard.blogspot.com/2008/04/are-you-watching-fight-saturday-night.html) April 12: Good, But Not The Best(http://boxingstandard.blogspot.com/2008/04/april-12-good-but-not-best.html) Intelligent comments, no matter how short or long, are more thanwelcome, so stop on by and join the discussion! 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© 2007, 2008 All photos by "El Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience all rights reserved

FOUR OF PHILLY’S BIGGEST SPORTS TALKERS TO GUEST RING ANNOUNCE THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE LEGENDARY BLUE HORIZON

PHILADELPHIA— In what is already shaping up to be a great night of boxing at The Legendary Blue Horizon, Four men who talk sports for a living, including two former NFL stars will join Philly’s number-one ring announcer, Larry Tornambe as guest ring announcers this Friday night.

Former Philadelphia Eagle and currant sports anchor of NBC-10 Vai Sikahema, Former Eagle and currant NFL Analyst for FOX Sports Brian Baldinger, ESPN ace-reporter Sal Paolantonio and former voice of Drexel Basketball Tom Mezza will fulfill lifetime dreams and entertain the crowd.

The card, promoted by Vernoca L. Michael and Blue Horizon Boxing Promotions Inc. will be headlined by a Heavyweight bout that turned into a grudge match between Joey Abell and Philly’s Maurice Wheeler.

Wheeler upped the ante on Thursday as at a press conference as Wheeler tried to get under Abell’s skin by mocking the knockout artist from Minnesota. Wheeler then gave Abell a box that was filled with some products that only woman use once a month.

Abell shot back and said he will do all the talking with his two fists on Friday night.

The ten-bout card will feature Philly favorites, Gee Culmer taking on Mustapha Johnson. Steve Chambers, Simon “One Punch” Carr and Swedish import Anders Holmberg will be featured on a packed undercard.

The card will begin at 7:30 pm and will be broadcasted all over the world on www.gofightlive.tv

Ticket prices for this great night of boxing are $200 for Queen Seating, $125 for Presidential seats, $65 for VIP, $55 for Ringside, and $45 for General Admission and can be purchased by calling The Legendary Blue Horizon at 1-215-763-0500 or by logging on to comcasttix.com. Doors open at 6:30 PM / 1st bout begins at 7:30 PM
The Legendary Blue Horizon is located at 1314 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, PA


For more information, log on to www.legendarybluehorizon.com

Unbeaten Super middleweight James McGirt, Jr.'s fight Friday night against Carlos DeLeon, Jr. on ShoBox, in battle between sons of former world champs

VERO BEACH, Florida– The marketing of unbeaten super middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr. (18-0, 9 KOs) spikes Friday night when the son of former world champion James “Buddy” McGirt fights in his first scheduled 10-round bout against the offspring another ex-world title holder, Carlos “Baby Sugar” DeLeon, Jr. (19-2-2, 12 KOs), in the 10-round co-feature on ShoBox, airing live from Miccosukee Resort in Miami.

Photo:credit Emily Harney


“I had an excellent training camp, about two months long, and I’m ready to go,” James said. “All of the hard work has been done. My dad (and head trainer) watched tapes of DeLeon. He’s told me what to do and what to watch out for. That’s the way we always do it. Nobody breaks down tapes and analyzes opponents better than my father. I don’t watch tapes; I just do what he teaches me. Working with Glen Johnson has been great for me. He brings a lot of experience to the table and a lot of pressure. I really liked the work.”

The fathers of McGirt and DeLeon were world champions at the same time in 1988. McGirt, Sr., who had a 73-6-1 (48 KOs) record as a pro, was a 2-time world champion in two weight classes (IBF light welterweight 1988, WBC welterweight 1991-93). Carlos “Sugar” DeLeon, Sr., 52-8-1 (32 KOs) as a pro, was a 4-time WBC cruiserweight champion (1980-82, 1983-85, 1986-88, 1989).

“Training has been good, no complaints,” Buddy McGirt remarked. “The best part was working with Glen Johnson. No matter who we fight, they can’t put pressure on like Glen Johnson. They offered to pay James to spar with Glen, but we did it for the experience. DeLeon is a good fighter. His specialty is a double left hook. The key is to nullify it.

“James’ strength and conditioning program has helped him a great deal. You can see the difference in his body, especially his legs. Plus, he’s maturing. I’ve put him in the gym with the best to test him, and James has gained a lot of valuable experience that way.”

McGirt, rated No. 26 by the WBC, is a southpaw originally from Brentwood, New York, now living and fighting out of Vero Beach, Florida. DeLeon, rated No. 29 by the WBC, is the reigning USNBC champion from Puerto Rico.

“Friday night is where we wanted to be (ShoBox in first 10-round fight),” McGirt’s manager Dennis Witherow explained. “We did this like a business plan with long range plans. We knew that it was going to take time to get there. A win in this fight will be a big leap towards where we want to get. Ideally, we’ll get a look at a top 15 or bigger name opponent. One different thing about James now is that outside of the ring he understands boxing is a business. He’s not a trash talker like other guys, preferring to let his hands do the talking, but he realizes he has to market himself. He’s been talking to kids in school, attending charity events, and he’ll be doing more things he really enjoys like that.

“James is proud of who he is. He is a true student of the art of boxing. He’s been educated in boxing his entire life. Not only has he learned how to be a good boxer, he knows when to box and throw certain punches, not just throwing ‘em at random. His strength is going to be the biggest surprise. His conditioning has always been great, but the conditioning and weights program he’s been on has made a huge difference.”

Part of McGirt’s marketing campaign includes a mission statement to become the first family in boxing to feature father-son world champions with the former working his natural son’s corner as head trainer when the latter captures a major world title. The McGirts want to make boxing history together and the next chapter starts Friday night on ShoBox.

NO HOLDS BARRED: YAMMA, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Kermit Cintron, Alfonso Gomez, Bob Arum, Emanuel Steward, Miguel Diaz‏

NO HOLDS BARRED: YAMMA, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Kermit Cintron, Alfonso Gomez, Bob Arum, Emanuel Steward, Miguel Diaz On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman previews the big combat sports weekend coming up Atlantic City, New Jersey. On Friday, April 11, at the Trump Taj Mahal, YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts makes its much-anticipated debut. There will be two Masters' Superfights and a one-night, eight-man single elimination heavyweight tournament. This card will be shown live on pay-per-view. The next night, Saturday, April 12, at Boardwalk Hall, a boxing card is headlined by two welterweight title fights. WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (31-0, 25 KOs) will defend his belt against Alfonso Gomez (18-3-2, 8 KOs), and IBF welterweight champion Kermit Cintron (29-1, 27 KOs) will try to avenge the only defeat of hisprofessional career when he fights Antonio Margarito (35-5, 25 KOs).This card will be shown in the U.S. on HBO and in the U.K. on SkySports. At a New York news conference Wednesday afternoon, we spoke with the four main fighters on this card: Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito,Kermit Cintron, and Alfonso Gomez. We also got comments from promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank, Cintron's trainer Emanuel Steward, and Cotto's cornerman and cutman, Miguel Diaz. To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link below and just press theplay button on the player: http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-04-09T20_23_03-07_00 You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking onthe 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 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 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 the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixedmartial 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'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 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 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

TWO WORLD TITLES AT STAKE; MIGUEL COTTO vs. ALFONSO GOMEZ and KERMIT CINTRON vs. ANTONIO MARGARITO ON APRIL 12 in Atlantic City on HBO’s WCB

World Championship Double Header which will take place at Boardwalk Hall Undefeated world champion Miguel Cotto defends his WBA welterweight belt on April 12 against Contenders’ star Alfonso Gomez.

Undefeated WBA Welterweight Champion Miguel Cotto and Alfonso Gomez face- off at the New York City Press conference.

Cotto has beaten a quartet of former world champions in his last five fights – Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Paulie Malignaggi and Carlos Quintana – which has made him the most dangerous welterweight in the world.

Miguel Cotto

Gomez, in the biggest fight of his career on July 14, 2007, stopped Arturo Gatti in the seventh round and ultimately sent him into retirement.

Alfonso Gomez


Also featured on the card is IBF Welterweight Champion Kermit Cintron defending his title against former world champion Antonio Margarito.

IBF Welterweight Champion, Kermit Cintron

This will be Cintron’s chance to avenge his only professional loss which took place against Margarito at Caesars Palace on April 23, 2005.

Antonio Margarito

Hunky Dorys Fight Night: Dunne set for battle on Western front‏

Hunky Dorys Fight Night: Dunne set for battle on Western front

Bernard Dunne is itching to get his hands on former World Champion Felix Machado. The Dubliner’s clash with Machado headlines this Saturday’s Hunky Dorys Fight Night at the Breaffy House Resort in Castlebar, Co. Mayo and Dunne will be out to put last August’s defeat to Kiko Martinez well and truly behind him.

“I’m in great form and my training camp has gone really well,” said Dunne. “I’m just very excited about the fight and looking forward to putting on a good performance.” Dunne however has been handed a tough task as he bids to return to winning ways against “El Macho” Machado. The 35-year-old Venezuelan was IBF Super Flyweight Champion from 2000 – 2003 and has a wealth of world title experience having campaigned in no less than 8 world title fights at both super flyweight and bantamweight.

Machado was promoted throughout that time by Don King and scored notable scalps over fellow world champions such as Martin Castillo, Mauricio Pastrana and Julio Gamboa during his 3 year title reign. Having fought in the U.S., Thailand, Panama, Argentina, Nicaragua and his native Venezuela coming to Ireland is unlikely to concern the laid back Machado.

Dunne is looking forward to pitting his skills against an opponent of the quality of Machado. “He’s a serious operator and a class act, you don’t win world titles unless you’re a very good fighter. I’ve seen a few of his fights and he’s a tall, rangy southpaw but I’ve fought southpaws before so that shouldn’t be a problem.”

Reflecting back on the loss of his European title to Martinez last August Dunne said, “I was disappointed for myself and disappointed for the fans. People pay good money to see a fight and they didn’t get much action that night but hopefully I can make it up this weekend.

Saturday’s Hunky Dorys Fight night at the Breaffy House Resort in Castlebar will give Mayo fight fans a chance to sample the excitement of professional boxing and in particular the atmosphere of a Bernard Dunne fight.

“Brian has had the idea of bringing the show on the road for quite a while now,” said Dunne. “It’s something new so hopefully the atmosphere that the fights used to generate at the Stadium and The Point will travel to Mayo.”

Another international 10 rounder on the card will feature Andrew Murray. The undefeated Cavan man has racked up 11 straight wins in the pro ranks and is also the reigning Irish Light Welterweight champion. He's been busy of late racking up two stoppage wins in the last 3 weeks and he'll aim to take a step up in class this weekend.

There will be plenty of local interest on the card to with Castlebar’s very own Keith Cresham making his pro debut and Ballinrobe’s Michael Sweeney looking to extend his unbeaten record. London based Galway native John O’Donnell also features.

Also in action is undefeated unbeaten Cuban heavyweight and former World Junior Amateur champion Mike “El Rebellio” Perez. Also making his debut on the card is hard hitting Limerick man Jamie Power while Polish fight fans are also catered for with Grzegorz Proksa in action against Venezuelan dangerman Jairo Alvarez.

Proksa is considered to be the best prospect to emerge from Poland in decades and has already racked up 13 straight wins.

The Hunky Dorys Fight Night will be broadcast live from the Breaffy House Resort on RTÉ TWO this Saturday night with coverage starting from 9pm.

YAMMA Pit Fighitng - Ricco Rodrigues, Mark Kerr and "The Yamma" Revealed‏

Los Angeles– Today YAMMA Pit Fighting (YPF), a new mixed martial arts (MMA) organization created by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) founder Bob Meyrowitz, announced details on the YPF surface called "The Yamma" and revealed the revised fight card for the organization’s first live pay-per-view event, which will air live from the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on April 11, 2008. MMA veteran and two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion Mark Kerr will fight in the ‘Masters Superfight’ against Oleg Taktarov. In addition, former UFC Heavyweight Champion and recent VH1's Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew participant Ricco "Suave" Rodriguez has been added to the eight-man heavyweight tournament. Tickets for the event can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Trump Taj Mahal Box Office. The live pay-per-view broadcast is available in the United States and Canada through In Demand Networks, TVN Entertainment, Bell ExpressVu, Viewer’s Choice Canada and Dish Network.

The YPF surface, known as “The Yamma,” is an evolution of the traditional fighting structure and is designed to keep the fighting more explosive and continuous. In today’s MMA matches, fighters rush their opponents in the quest for a takedown, and the fight often ends up on the ground and pushed up against the fence. The action often stalls there, and must be stopped and moved back into the center of the ring. The Yamma’s design is specifically aimed at stopping this break in the action. The Yamma is a circular pit, shaped almost like a bowl, with a circular flat bottom that rises up around the edge. In this ring, if a fighter is pushed backwards towards the fence, he moves up the lip, gaining both a height and leverage advantage over his opponent. From this position, the fighter on the lip can use gravity and leverage to reverse his opponent, and take the fight back into the center without a break in the action.

“There has been a lot of speculation about the Yamma; some people thought it would have a moving floor, spikes or even live alligators,” said Bob Meyrowitz, Rope Partners. “But the Yamma isn’t about flashy gimmicks; it’s about the evolution of a sport and how the traditional ring can be altered to accelerate that evolution. At its core, the purpose of the Yamma is to make MMA fighting more exciting for those who matter most - the fans.”

“The Yamma’s design is all about function,” said Scott Nagel, lead designer of the Yamma. “It works because of its sloped up edges and because there are no corners. If you are pushed back, you are pushed up – and what goes up is coming back down, probably in a way that causes the opponent a great deal of pain. It’s going to be much more exciting, much more continuous and have much more action.”

Mark Kerr, a Toledo, OH native, got his start in wrestling, where he was a high school state champion. At Syracuse University, Kerr was the Division I champion at 190 pounds in 1992 - Randy Couture, wrestling for Oklahoma State University, took second place. Kerr soon got into MMA, and had four impressive wins in the UFC, in which he was a two time heavyweight tournament champion. He then began fighting in Pride Fighting Championships in 1998. In 2003, HBO aired a documentary titled "The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Mark Kerr." The program chronicled the no-holds barred aspect of mixed martial arts and Ken Shamrock, Bas Rutten and Mark Coleman also appeared in the film. Kerr won his last fight against Steve Gavin on November 7, 2007. He stands 6 ft 3 in tall and weighs 236 lbs and has a record of 13-06-0.

Ricco "Suave" Rodriguez, a UFC/Pride/King of the Cage veteran, was born in San Jose, California and raised in Staten Island, New York. Rodriguez may be best known for defeating MMA mega-legend Randy Couture in 2002 at UFC 39 to win the UFC heavyweight title. He subsequently lost the title to none other than powerhouse Tim Sylvia. Rodriguez recently appeared on VH1's Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew and made a commitment to sobriety and returning to the MMA scene. Since returning to MMA, he has competed in four fights, winning two by TKO and losing two by decision. Rodriguez stands 6 ft 4 in tall and weighs 250 lbs and has a record of 27-7-0.

For the first time in over a decade, MMA will return to its origins by reviving the hugely popular tournament format, in which fighters will participate in multiple fights on their way to claiming the ultimate victory, the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion. The format will test the endurance and skill of each fighter, as victory in each round is rewarded not with extended rest, but with another fight. Tournament fighting has long been a huge draw for dedicated MMA fans due to the non-stop action provided by fight-after-fight formatting.


The April 11th fight card is as follows:

MASTERS SUPERFIGHTS (Two Five-Minute Rounds)

Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov VS. Mark Kerr

Butterbean VS. Gary "Big Daddy" Goodridge

8 MAN HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT (One Five-Minute Round & Championship is Three Five-Minute Rounds)

Marcelo “Pato” Pereira
Sherman Pendergarst
Ricco "Suave" Rodriguez
Tony Sylvester
Chris Tuscherer
Travis “The Diesel” Wiuff
Alexey Oleynik
George Bush

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster’s extensive network of 81 ticket centers throughout the Delaware Valley including Boscov’s, Marshalls and select West Coast Video and Gallery of Sound locations or call Ticketmaster’s convenient Charge-by-Phone service at 1-800-736-1420. For Online Information: www.ticketmaster.com


About Rope Partners

Rope Partners, formed by Bob Meyrowitz and Peter Kauff, have over a 20 year track record of pioneering successful ventures in the music, broadcasting and sports industries. This is illustrated by their successes with DIR Broadcasting (the largest independent radio syndication company), The College Television Network (the largest private television network in the United States), and Semaphore Entertainment Group (the originator and founder of the UFC).

For more information, visit www.yammapitfighting.com or www.myspace.com/yammapitfighting

Floyd Mayweather: Not Even Fighter of The Month

The Boxing Standard
Floyd Mayweather: Not Even Fighter of The Month

Super Lightweight Boxing Champion of the World, "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather and Wrestling star, the new super lightweight Hero Floyd "Money" Mayweather attends the WWE's Wrestlemania XXIV, New York City Press Conference to face "Big Show" Paul Wight, before both the main event this past March, and Floyd "Money" Mayweather's (MME) victory.


I just received my BWAA invite to their 2007 awards dinner on May 1, 2008. The second I saw Floyd Mayweather was voted "Fighter of The Year" by boxings finest, I threw the invitation out. Mayweather being voted FOTY is another layer of proof that todays boxing writers are more fans than anything else.

Miguel Cotto clearly faced and defeated better opposition than Mayweather did, not to mention he won more convincingly. Mayweather beat Oscar De La Hoya by split decision in 2007. The trouble with that is Oscar hasn't won a big fight since 2002, and has been a part-time fighter since 2004. Floyd followed the De La Hoya fight up with a 10-round TKO over undefeated Jr. welterweight, Ricky Hatton. In that fight, I had Mayweather up a point going into the final around. Other than the final blow Mayweather landed to end the fight, nothing else beyond him struggling with the limited Hatton will be remembered. On the other hand, Cotto stopped Zab Judah (who Mayweather had to come from behind to win a decision against in late 2006), and decisioned Shane Mosley, who beat Oscar De La Hoya in 2000 & 2003. For the record, I had Mosley over Cotto by a point.

Along with Cotto, Kelly Pavlik had a better 2007 than Mayweather did. Pavlik scored a pair of seventh round stoppages over hard hitting Edison Miranda and undisputed middleweight champ Jermain Taylor. Like Cotto, Pavlik fought two of the better fighters in the division in which they campaign. Compared to Mayweather, who chose a semi-retired fighter, and another who campaigns in a division beneath him.

I'm not going to take the time to compare Mayweather's body of work to other fighter of the year recipients, you do it, because it makes me ill when I do it. In closing, Floyd Mayweather being voted FOTY is another reason why boxing is sometimes hard to take serious and 90% of boxings finest writers should start covering hunting and fishing.


© 2007, 2008 All photos by "El Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications and Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience all rights reserved

David “EL TORRITO” Torres vs. Oscar “EL ARTISTA” Leon

CHICAGO, IL- An excellent lightweight bout has been added to THE ODEUM RUMBLE this Friday night, April 11th as undefeated lightweight prospect David “EL TORRITO” Torres will take on former world title challenger Oscar “EL ARTISTA” Leon, it was announced today by Dominic Pesoli, President of 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING.

THE ODEUM RUMBLE will be held at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center which is conveniently located 20 minutes from downtown Chicago at 1033 N. Villa Avenue in Villa Park and is easily accessible from the Eisenhower expressway in addition to toll roads 355 and 294. Specific directions and further information can be found on their website at www.odeumexpo.com

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling the 8 Count Productions box office at 312-226-5800. Doors will open on the night of the fight at 7pm, with the first bell at 8pm.

Said Pesoli about the Torres/Leon scheduled eight rounder, “David Torres is a very good prospect from the Tacoma, Washington area. He’s taking a real step up in competition by coming to Chicago to face a Columbian veteran like Oscar Leon.”

About the rest of the card, Pesoli stated “We’ve got seven terrific fights on this card, from top to bottom. It gives our fans an opportunity to see Luciano Perez who’s a longtime fan favorite in a real tough fight against Carlos Molina. Ivan Popoca and Andrzej Fonfara are both terrific prospects who are continuing to get better each time out.

And we’ve got new faces like Yusaf Mack and Torres along with MMA veteran Terry Martin and newcomer Juan Gonzalez who are making their pro debuts.

Our matchmaker, Jerry Alfano, has done another excellent job in ensuring that our fans get to see competitive, action packed fights.”

Long highly thought of as a top prospect in the Pacific Northwest, Torres comes into the battle with a record of 19-0 with 12 knockouts. The 29 year old is coming off a third round stoppage of Donnell Logan on March 1, 2008. In his only fight in 2007, he won a unanimous decision over lightweight division gatekeeper Robert Frankel on February 17th.

The more experienced Leon, from Cartagena, Columbia, sports a 27-7 record with eighteen knockouts over his twelve year career. In 2003, Leon faced world title holders Derrick Gainer and Chris John in successive battles, losing both by narrow split decisions. The 34 year old has fought in numerous countries including Indonesia, Panama, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa and Turks and Caicos Islands. This will be his first appearance in Chicago.

The full bout card for THE ODEUM RUMBLE is

Luciano Perez vs. Carlos Molina, eight rounds, junior middleweights

Yusaf Mack vs. Oscar Leon, eight rounds, light heavyweights

David Torres vs. Oscar Leon, eight rounds, lightweights

Andrzej Fonfara vs. Manny Castillo, six rounds, middleweights

Ivan Popoca vs. Trenton Titsworth, five rounds, welterweights

Terry Martin vs. Ricardo Upchurch, four rounds, cruiserweights,

Ikem Orji vs. Juan Gonzalez, four rounds, lightweights

Along with 8 Count Productions, THE ODEUM RUMBLE is presented by Miller Lite, TCF Bank and AeroMexico, the premier travel source in Mexico.

The weigh-in for this event will take place at 7pm on Thursday, April 10th at EL JIMADOR, 1600 N. Mannheim Road in Stone Park, just west of Chicago.

The Master of Ceremonies for THE ODEUM RUMBLE 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

"Fists A Flying" at the Aviator Results; Yuri Foreman vs. Saul Roman, Joshua Clottey vs. Jose Luis Cruz, Martin Wright vs.Artie Bembury

Undefeated Yuri Foreman won a unanimous 10-round decision over Saul Roman to take the NABF light middleweight championship Thursday night at Aviator Arena.



Super Welterweight Yuri Foreman



Foreman, from Brooklyn, improved to 24-0 and dropped his Mexican opponent to 28-4.

Joshua Clottey, from the Bronx, scored a TKO at the end of the fifth round of a scheduled 10-round bout against Jose Luis Cruz of Santa Ana, Calif.

Pawel Wolak Emmanuel Clottey and Super Welterweight Joshua Clottey



Clottey improved to 33-2 with 29 KOs. Cruz dropped to 34-3.

Welterweight Martin Wright w tko 3 Artie Bembury

Super Welterweights Chris Algieri w tko 3 Ken Dunham

Welterweight Anthony Lenk w pts 4 Bernel Ayers

Lightweight Argenis Mendez w pts 6 Oscar De La Cruz


Super Welterweights Mike Ruiz w tko 1 Bryan Mullis


See Exclusive live video interviews from this event at http://youtube.com/ELEmpress1
See; Joshua Clottey, Martn Wright, Luis Del Valle, Paulie Malignaggi, Joseph Agbeke ans more.

Special Guest In the House Included;
Paul "The Magic Man" Malignaggi, IBF World Junior Welterweight Champion


Sadam "World Kid" Ali, 2008 US Olympic Team Boxer member


Phillip Jackson Benson will compete in the 165-pound open final of the Daily News Golden Gloves on April 18 2008 at Madison Square Garden


Female Fighters Vanessa Greco and Keisher "Fire" McLeod-Wells


Female Fighters Melissa Hernadez, Ronica Jeffries and Belinda Laracuente


© 2007, 2008 All photos by "El Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience all rights reserved

UFC STAR TERRY MARTIN TO MAKE PRO BOXING DEBUT ON APRIL 11TH IN CHICAGO‏

UFC Star Terry Martin will make his professional boxing debut on Friday, April 11th at THE ODEUM RUMBLE, an evening of world class professional boxing at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park, presented by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING.

The Chicago born and raised 27 year old Martin, having established himself in mixed martial arts over the last five years with a record of 18-4 with ten knockouts and five submissions, will face Ricardo Upchurch of Mansfield, Ohio in a four round cruiserweight bout.

With a resemblance facially and in build to Mike Tyson, Martin has been able to not only build a successful mixed martial arts career but also is working towards his Doctorate at the Adler School of Professional Psychology. Previously Martin earned a BA in psychology from Northern Illinois University followed by the completion of his Masters degree at Concordia University.

The seven bout event is headlined by a terrific junior middleweight clash between Chicago based veterans Luciano Perez and Carlos Molina. The crosstown showdown between the Mexican natives is scheduled for eight rounds.

The full bout card for THE ODEUM RUMBLE is

Luciano Perez vs. Carlos Molina, eight rounds, junior middleweights

Yusef Mack vs. TBA, eight rounds, light heavyweights

David Torres vs. TBA, eight rounds, lightweights

Andrzej Fonfara vs. Manny Castillo, six rounds, middleweights

Ivan Popoca vs. TBA, five rounds, welterweights

Terry Martin vs. Ricardo Upchurch, four rounds, cruiserweights,

Ikem Orji vs. Juan Gonzalez, four rounds, lightweights

Along with 8 Count Productions, THE ODEUM RUMBLE is presented by Miller Lite, TCF Bank and AeroMexico, the premier travel source in Mexico.

The Master of Ceremonies for THE ODEUM RUMBLE will be ring announcer Thomas Treiber.

The Odeum Sports and Expo Center is conveniently located 20 minutes from downtown Chicago at 1033 N. Villa Avenue in Villa Park and is easily accessible from the Eisenhower expressway in addition to toll roads 355 and 294. Specific directions and further information can be found on their website at www.odeumexpo.com

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling the 8 Count Productions box office at 312-226-5800. Doors will open on the night of the fight at 7pm, with the first bell at 8pm.

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

NeuLion Packs a Punch with the IFL‏

Plainview, NY & New York – IPTV service provider NeuLion and the International Fight League (IFL) announce today a new partnership to deliver The IFL Network to fans worldwide. The International Fight League is one of the world’s premier Mixed Martial Arts fighting organizations, currently in its second year of operation. The new IFL Network brings fans closer to the action and is the next best thing to being ringside. The IFL Network is free to viewers and has already attracted many top advertisers. Through its iPTV service, NeuLion will also provide the IFL with complete billing services to support pay-per-view, registration, and future subscriptions. The IFL will be able to offer live events and video on demand showing the preparation fighters endure before going inside the ring. This announcement follows the successful launch of NeuLion iPTV networks for the National Hockey League, New York Knicks, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Toronto Maple Leafs regional sports network, New York Dragons, Cuban Baseball and others. “NeuLion Sport Networks continue to grow. We are excited to have the IFL as a new network and partner. It gives fans the opportunity to watch the best IFL content as never seen before. Consumers prefer to have a choice in watching sports on either the TV or the PC and that is something we specialize in, since our platform can deliver to either device,” said Chris Wagner, executive vice president and co-founder of NeuLion. “We have had some of our greatest success, both internationally and domestically, on the television and digital platforms, and partnering with an industry trailblazer such as NeuLion gives us another piece to the new media puzzle that others don’t have,” said IFL CEO Jay Larkin. “The future of MMA lies in growing the sport and telling the stories of our young and dynamic athletes and coaches, and this will be a great stage to further reach that goal.” The IFL Network is now live and can be accessed by visiting http://www.ifl.tv/Video.html. Viewers can watch high quality video right from their web browser and have the option of sharing videos through NeuLion’s syndication features. Other social networking IFL opportunities for online chat, text messaging, and Fantasy Fighters will be added to the service in the future. Leveraging NeuLion’s iPTV platform to broadcast content, the IFL Network is user friendly and can be accessed anywhere, anytime. The IFL Network features elements such as: What’s New, Behind the Ropes, Live Events, IFL on TV, Championship bouts and much more. The IFL is currently televised in the United States on Fox Sports Net and HDNet and in over 70 countries worldwide. This exciting video player caters to the growing fan base and gives consumers one central place to access all things IFL and watch the latest content not available anywhere else. To access the IFL Network please visit http://www.ifl.tv/Video.html and a complete media kit can be found at http://www.neulion.com/IFL. Log-on, put on your gloves and step inside the ring today. About NeuLion:NeuLion is an IPTV service provider that builds broadcasting networks operating over the Internet. By using the public Internet, content can reach viewers anywhere in the world. NeuLion customers are interested in reaching specific markets with a broadcast television and video streaming service or are broadband providers looking for new applications. NeuLion offers an end-to-end service that delivers content directly to the TV, PC or a variety of other consumer devices. Programming carried by NeuLion includes sports, religious networks, broadcast television from international providers and others. The technology used by NeuLion allows streaming video to be delivered at lower bandwidths than cable and satellite television signals without sacrificing picture quality. NeuLion’s service also allows Customers to have their own network. To learn more visit www.neulion.com 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. "But you know he’ll always keep movin’You know he’s never gonna stop movin’Cause he’s rollin’, he’s the rollin’ stone.And when you wake up it’s a new morning The sun is shining, it’s a new morningBut you’re going, you’re going home."- Gerry Rafferty, 'Baker Street' www.ifl.tv * Catch the IFL on FSN Saturdays at midnight and LIVE on HDNet on May 16

Ivan Popoca will return to the ring at THE ODEUM RUMBLE, a seven bout action packed card of world class professional boxing set for Friday, April 11th

Popoca, a native of Guerrero, Mexico, will be featured in a five round bout against fellow undefeated prospect Trenton Titsworth, it was announced today by Dominic Pesoli, President of 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING.

Tickets for THE ODEUM RUMBLE may be purchased in advance by calling the 8 Count Productions box office at 312-226-5800. Doors will open on the night of the fight at 7pm, with the first bell at 8pm.

The stay busy Popoca, 5-0-1 (5KO’s), who has fast become a Chicago crowd favorite with his all action fighting style, will be making his third appearance in 2008. In his last bout Popoca scored a stunning fifth round knockout of Guadalupe Diaz on February 15th at Cicero Stadium. This followed his devastating second round knockout of Richard Baldo on January 25th also at Cicero Stadium.

Titsworth, 2-0-1 (2KO’s) is coming off a four round decision against James Ventry on February 29th in Lemoore, California. The 24 year old Omaha native made his pro debut by knocking out Sean Wilson on November 3, 2007.

Speaking following a recent workout at JABB Boxing Gym in Chicago, the 26 year old Popoca said, “I’ve been in the gym training since shortly after my last fight in February. This is my year to make a move and I need to stay in solid shape at all times. I want to fight as often as possible.”

About fighting in Chicago, Ivan said, “The fans here are terrific and I’m very happy that they have come out to support me. I’m looking to put on a great performance next Friday night.”

Said Pesoli, “Ivan’s getting better with each fight. He’s been working diligently in his training and that’s paid off in his results. Titsworth is a tough undefeated kid that I’m sure will take the fight right to Ivan.” Popoca is a frequent training partner of WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz.

The seven bout event is headlined by a terrific junior middleweight clash between Chicago based veterans Luciano Perez and Carlos Molina. The cross-town showdown between the Mexican natives is scheduled for eight rounds.

The complete bout card for THE ODEUM RUMBLE is

Luciano Perez vs. Carlos Molina, eight rounds, junior middleweights

Yusaf Mack vs. Oscar Leon, eight rounds, light heavyweights

David Torres vs. Ernesto Zamora, eight rounds, lightweights

Andrzej Fonfara vs. Manny Castillo, six rounds, middleweights

Ivan Popoca vs. Trenton Titsworth, five rounds, welterweights

Terry Martin vs. Ricardo Upchurch, four rounds, cruiserweights,

Ikem Orji vs. Juan Gonzalez, four rounds, lightweights

Along with 8 Count Productions, THE ODEUM RUMBLE is presented by Miller Lite, TCF Bank and AeroMexico, the premier travel source in Mexico.

The Master of Ceremonies for THE ODEUM RUMBLE will be ring announcer Thomas Treiber.

The Odeum Sports and Expo Center is conveniently located 20 minutes from downtown Chicago at 1033 N. Villa Avenue in Villa Park and is easily accessible from the Eisenhower expressway in addition to toll roads 355 and 294. Specific directions and further information can be found on their website at www.odeumexpo.com

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

Hunky Dorys Fight Night – Bazan predicts McCloskey’s downfall

Hunky Dorys Fight Night – Bazan predicts McCloskey’s downfall



Former World Champion Cesar Bazan arrived in Letterkenny this week promising to wreck Paul McCloskey’s unbeaten record. The two men meet in the top of the bill on this Saturday’s Hunky Dorys Fight Night at the Letterkenny Leisure Complex and Bazan is brimming with confidence ahead of the clash.

The Mexican arrived in Letterkenny on Sunday to acclimatise after a gruelling 6 week training camp in the mountains near his native Mexico City.

“Everything has been great since I arrived in Ireland, the people have been very nice and it is a beautiful country. I have trained long and hard for this fight and I am in great shape. I had 4 fights in France earlier in my career so fighting and winning in Europe is nothing new to me.”

Bazan admits to knowing little about McCloskey or caring for his ever-growing reputation as one of the light welterweight division’s hottest prospects. “I never heard of Paul McCloskey until I was asked to fight him and I don’t think I’ll be hearing any more about him after this weekend either. I am only concerned with myself and my preparations.”

Now 33 Bazan captured the WBC Lightweight title in 1998 by beating Stevie Johnson. He made 2 successful defences before losing to Johnson in a rematch on a split decision but Bazan believes he’s still capable of recapturing his world title winning form.

His current record stands at 46 wins and 9 defeats but he disputes all but 2 of those losses. “Except for my losses to Miguel Cotto and Jose Luis Castillo all my losses have been controversial. Just look at my record and see how many split decisions have gone against me and in the other guys hometown. What does that tell you?

“I just hope I get a fair deal in Ireland but I don’t think there will be any doubt about the winner of this fight. I know I have the power to knock out McCloskey. I wish Paul McCloskey well in his career but he is not in my league. I have fought the best and beaten the best, McCloskey hasn’t beaten anyone so far.”

McCloskey insists that he’s undaunted by Bazan’s reputation. “His record is certainly impressive,” admitted the Dungiven southpaw. “He’s a puncher and has twice as many KO’s as I’ve had fights so you have to respect that. He’s also very durable and has only been stopped by big names like Miguel Cotto and Jose Luis Castillo. But having said all that I’ve been ready for fights like this for some time now so I’m looking to go in there and do an impressive job on this guy.”

The undercard will feature former World title challenger and British Champion Neil Sinclair. The power punching Belfast man is desperate to get back in to title contention but first he will need to get past durable Spaniard Juan Martinez Bas in Letterkenny.

Also on the undercard are a pair of reigning Irish Champions, Light Welterweight title holder, Andrew Murray and Light Middleweight kingpin Ciaran Healy. Murray has stepped in for the injured Stephen Haughian in what will be a quick return to action following a stoppage win on the Macklin – Campas undercard in Dublin last weekend.

Healy will be out for revenge in his 8 round contest with Pavel Lotah. The Latvian outpointed him over 6 rounds in Limerick last month so Healy will be looking to even the score in Letterkenny.

Also on the bill is undefeated Omagh prospect Damian Taggart and new pro Luke Wilton who will be making his first start in the paid ranks.

Cuban heavyweight Mike Perez has also been forced off the card with an injury suffered in last weekend's win at the National Stadium.

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

Unbeaten super middleweight prospect James McGirt Jr. fighting on ShoBox April 11 vs. Carlos DeLeon, Jr.

VERO BEACH, Florida– Unbeaten super middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr. (18-0, 9 KOs) squares-off with another son of a former world champion, Carlos “Baby Sugar” DeLeon, Jr. (19-2-2, 12 KOs), April 11 in the 10-round co-feature on ShoBox, live from Miccosukee Resort in Miami.

“Fighting on ShoBox means everything to me,” McGirt said. “It’s a stepping stone for my career and I’m very excited. I fought on ShoBox one other time, when I defeated Aaron Pryor’s son, Stephan. Every fight is a new chapter in my career, each one the biggest of my life. I know DeLeon is going to bring his ‘A’ game. I’ve got to be better than him, smarter than him in the ring. I know my father will be telling me to keep my right hand up.

“I’ve been working very hard, so going the distance (in his first scheduled 10 round fight) won’t be a problem, if I need to. It’s his first 10-round fight, too. My weight is right on and I’ve never been this close to the contracted weight so far out from a fight. I’ve been in the gym for so long, waiting for a fight since October, working regularly since right before New Years. For the past 2 ½ months I’ve been on a strength program, lifting weights, and I’ve bulked up a little. I’ve found a home at super middleweight.”

The fathers of McGirt and DeLeon were world champions at the same time in 1988. James “Buddy” McGirt, St., who had a 73-6-1 (48 KOs) record as a pro, was a 2-time world champion in two weight classes (IBF light welterweight 1988, WBC welterweight 1991-93). Carlos “Sugar” DeLeon, Sr., 52-8-1 (32 KOs) as a pro, was a 4-time WBC cruiserweight champion (1980-82, 1983-85, 1986-88, 1989).

“James is ready to take it to the next level,” McGirt's manager, Dennis Witherow, remarked. “We’ve had him on a strength-and-conditioning program. We saw a small difference in his last fight against (Jason) Naugler, but he had only been on the program for 30 days. This fight we expect to see a substantial difference. I think some people are going to be surprised by James’ strength. His boxing skills continue to get better, too. ‘Buddy’ knows boxing so well that he can even pick-out James’ natural skills and still make them better. He’s constantly on James to improve.

“We’re all excited about James fighting again on ShoBox. A win can get James a top 10 fighter next. He’s willing and deserves that, too. You can count on one hand the number of rounds James has lost. He wants to prove that he’s a premier fighter making a name for himself, not the son of a great fighter being protected. As James’ opponents are better, he gets better.”

McGirt, rated No. 26 by the WBC, is a southpaw originally from Brentwood, New York, now living and fighting out of Vero Beach, Florida. DeLeon, rated No. 31 by the WBC, is the reigning USNBC champion from Puerto Rico.

The McGirts are on a mission to become the first family in boxing to feature father-son world champions with the former working his natural son’s corner as head trainer when the latter captures a major world title.

ABELL STARTCHES DRASKOVIC IN TWO; PAVES THE WAY FOR TUSSLE WITH WHEELER

ABELL STARTCHES DRASKOVIC IN TWO; PAVES THE WAY FOR TUSSLE WITH WHEELER

Heavyweights headline at The Legendary Blue Horizon on Friday Night April 11th to be aired live on www.gofightlive.tv

PHILADELPHIA— after a one bout power outage, Joey “Minnesota Ice” Abell got back in the knockout column with a destructive second round knockout over Ratko Draskovic in less then two rounds on Thursday March 27 in Gothenburg, Sweden which now clears the path for Abell to return to his home away from home when he takes on Maurice Wheeler on Friday April 11 at The Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia.

This great night of action is promoted by Vernoca L. Michael and Blue Horizon Boxing Inc.

Abell dropped Draskovic at the end of round one and ended matters with a thudding jab that put Draskovic down and out at the beginning of round two.

Abell, 19-1 with eighteen knockouts will look for his eighth knockouts in nine Legendary Blue Horizon appearances when he takes on the crafty and experienced southpaw Wheeler.

Wheeler, 10-11-1 with one knockout will be making his sixth Legendary Blue Horizon appearance (3-2) and will have the hometown advantage as the Philadelphia native will attempt to the spring the upset.

This fight along with a packed undercard can be seen live all over the world on www.gofightlive.tv

The co-feature will be a Middleweight battle between Gee Culmer (13-1, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia and Anthony Little (7-10-1, 1 KO ) of Akron, Ohio in a eight round affair.

This is a ten bout card that features Steve Chambers (15-1, 4 KO’s), the Legnedary Blue Horizon debut of Simon “One Punch” Carr (4-1-1, 3 KO’s) and the pro debut of Sweden’s Anders Holmberg

Ticket prices for this great night of boxing are $200 for Queen Seating, $125 for Presidential seats, $65 for VIP, $55 for Ringside, and $45 for General Admission and can be purchased by calling The Legendary Blue Horizon at 1-215-763-0500 or by logging on to comcasttix.com. Doors open at 6:30 PM / 1st bout begins at 7:30 PM sharp.

The Legendary Blue Horizon is located at 1314 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, PA

For more information, log on to www.legendarybluehorizon.com

Edgar Santana will be appearing on the ShoBox series televised by Showtime on April 11th from Miami, Florida

Santana headed to Showtime in April!


Edgar Santana will be appearing on the ShoBox series televised by Showtime on April 11th from Miami, Florida. He will be facing Joseito Lopez 22-2 (13KO) of Riverside, CA in a 10 round Main Event.

© 2007, 2008 Keisha Morrisey all rights reserved