Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Martin Castillo, former WBA super flyweight world championOPEN MEDIA GYM WORKOUTS
In anticipation of the separate world title bouts on February 16th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV on the undercard of the Kelly Pavlik vs. Jermain Taylor rematch (The Epic Battle Continues) Martin “EL GALLITO” Castillo and Jose Navarro will hold open media gym workouts on Tuesday, February 5th at the South El Monte Community Gym at 12noon.
Former World Boxing Association super flyweight champion Castillo will face off against current World Boxing Organization super flyweight champion Fernando Montiel while three time world title challenger Navarro will battle current World Boxing Council super flyweight champion Cristian Mijares on the HBO-PPV televised undercard.
The Kelly Pavlik vs. Jermain Taylor rematch (The Epic Battle Continues) is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Top Rank Inc. The 12-round rumble will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View on Saturday, February 16th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas beginning at 9p.m. (EST) / 6p.m. (PST). The bout will take place at a catch weight of 166 lbs. as Taylor exercises the rematch clause in his contract from the original Pavlik fight.
Tickets are priced at $600, $400, $300, $200 and $100 are on sale at MGM Grand Arena Box Office. Tickets will also be sold at all Las Vegas Ticketmasters locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Macy's West at the Fashion Show Mall, and Ritmo Latino.) Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000 or MGM Grand 800-929-1111. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com
Martin Castillo, former WBA super flyweight world champion, Jose Navarro, three-time super flyweight world title challenger, Rudy Perez, trainer of Martin Castillo, Frank Perez, trainer of Jose Navarro, Frank Espinoza, manager of Martin Castillo.
INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE, HDNET FIGHTS TEAM UP TO TELEVISE FIRST THREE IFL EVENTS OF 2008 LIVE Events From Las Vegas, New Jersey and Connecticut
NEW YORK– The International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI) and HDNet Fights today announced an agreement to televise the first three IFL events of 2008 live, beginning with the Friday, February 29 card from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. HDNet Fights will also air the April 4 card live from the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., and the May 16 event from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Each two hour show will carry a minimum of five of the eight fights on the card, including no fewer than two championship fights. This is the latest partnership between the IFL and HDNet, which began with the December 29, 2007, IFL Championship event from Mohegan Sun. “We are very pleased to be able to offer our fans around the country these next three events live and in HD,” said IFL President and CEO Jay Larkin. “The quality of our broadcasts is second to none, highlighting the outstanding athletes and exciting bouts as we start 2008 in Las Vegas, live on HDNet.” “The first event we did with the IFL was a great success, and we are very pleased to be able to expand that relationship into the first quarter of 2008,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “HDNet Fights Presents: The IFL is a fantastic addition to MMA action on HDNet.” The Feb. 29 card will be the first in the IFL’s new camp vs. camp format, with Ken Shamrock’s Lion’s Den meeting Matt Lindland’s Team Quest, and Mario Sperry’s World Class Fight Center against Xtreme Couture. The night will also feature three individual championship defenses, with lightweight titleholder Ryan Schultz, who defeated previously unbeaten Chris Horodecki for the belt, meeting John Gunderson, middleweight champ Matt Horwich, a surprise winner over Benji Radach, defending his crown against Ryan McGivern of Miletich Fighting Systems, and heavyweight champ and Las Vegas native Roy Nelson battling Fabiano Scherner. The two hour show will air live on HDNet at 11 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. PT. About HDNet HDNet Fights (www.hdnetfights.com) is one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the country. Founded by Mark Cuban, HDNet Fights promotes, produces and airs over 24 live MMA events annually for broadcast on HDNet. HDNet Fights is unique as a unifying force in the MMA industry partnering with leading promoters, including M1, Sportfight, IFL, Ring of Combat and others to offer the quality match-ups and productions that MMA fans demand. Founded in 2007, HDNet Fights is led by CEO Andrew Simon while company operations are handled by Dallas MMA legend and former UFC champion, Guy Mezger. HDNet (www.hd.net) is the home for HDNet Fights and is the leader in offering live MMA broadcasts and the leading news and information show for MMA fans, “Inside MMA”. In addition, HDNet provides viewers with the best in original news, sports, music and entertainment programming. From “Dan Rather Reports”, to championship sports coverage from the NHL, NASCAR and Major League Soccer to “Guys Night In” every Friday and the HDNet Concert Series every Sunday, HDNet offers great programming with the world’s best picture quality. Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager and COO Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Bright House Networks, Charter Communications, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliate companies. For more information visit www.hd.net. If you don’t already have HDNet, call your local cable, satellite or video provider and order it today! 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.
SecondsOut Radio: Suszannah Warner, Alicia Ashley, Ronica Jeffrey,Jill Diamond, and Women's Boxing
On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, at http://www.secondsout.com/radio/,host Eddie Goldman focuses on the state of women's boxing. We spoke with NABF strawweight champion Suszannah Warner (http://www.myspace.com/destiny_warner) (8-6, 2 KOs), who won a four-round unanimous decision in a non-title fight over the previously-unbeatenBecky Garcia (5-1, 3 KOs), Friday, Feb. 1, at the Fort McDowell Casinoin Fountain Hills, Arizona. There were two women's fights on Star Boxing's "Punchin' at the Paradise 8" card at the Utopia Paradise Theater in the Bronx, New York, which was held Thursday, Jan. 31. Right after her fight, we spoke with Alicia Ashley (http://www.myspace.com/aliciaslickashley)(14-7-1, 1 KO), who won an eight-round unanimous decision on that card over Brooke Dierdorff (4-2-1, 3 KOs) to win the vacant NABF women's super bantamweight title.
We also spoke with former New York City Golden Gloves champion, super bantamweight Ronica Jeffrey (http://www.myspace.com/ladypantha), who won her pro debut, also on that card,with a four-round unanimous decision over Karen Dulin, also making her pro debut.
And we spoke with Jill Diamond (http://www.myspace.com/neverhitalady), NABF Women's Division Chair, a member of the WBC Championship Committee, and the World Boxing Cares Chair, about the state of women's boxing today.
It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register togain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/,and listen, learn, and enjoy. Thanks, Eddie Goldman No Holds Barred bloghttp://nhbnews.blogspot.com/ No Holds Barred podcasthttp://nhbnews.podomatic.com/ No Holds Barred on MySpacehttp://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Mitchell Rose book review from critically acclaimed boxing writer Ryan Songalia
People remember Mitchell Rose for his unexpected knockout of then-undefeated media magnet Butterbean. Rose's autobiography "Mike Tyson Tried To Kill My Daddy" is a brutally honest account of a man leading his step by trial and error, while overcoming odds with the fighting spirit he developed in the tough streets of Brooklyn, New York.
Not once in his memoirs does Rose ever claim to be without fault. Rose recalls incidences of delinquency, drug use, street violence, as well as his career as a crack dealer. He tells the story like a man who is not ashamed of his past having accepted it as the road that led him to self-actualization. Vividly he describes his lust for something more, transcending Lafayette Gardens projects with the only tools he had as a teenager, through infamy.
Rose uses his first hand perspective to analyze, just as much as he narrates the world and circumstances that he was exposed to in Brooklyn's inner city. He allows the reader into a world that is seldom accurately portrayed in media in a way that people of all walks can identify with on a common human thread. Not just touching on fisticuffs, Rose delves into the cultural clashes and societal ills that he confronted daily in a manner that lends dignity to his environment.
The detail Rose goes into depicts the maturation of a boy, into a man-child, then finally into a man. It was through boxing that Rose transitioned through life stages. And it was through boxing that Rose finally rose above his ghetto restraints to see a world larger than the urban squalor that once imprisoned him.
The story apexes with Rose's quick washout of Eric Esch AKA Butterbean, the gargantuan slugger who had yet to meet adversity until he ran into Rose's straight one-twos. What most attracts the boxing fan is what follows, as Rose chronicles his struggle to make a living as a black-listed "spoiler", a journeyman who upsets stars. It is a story rarely heard by fans, but is stunningly portrayed by Rose's firsthand perspective.
Throughout, Rose remains true to himself and rarely shies away from candor. "Mike Tyson Tried To Kill My Daddy" is a story that many can relate to, and all can enjoy.
NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Bob Meyrowitz
NO HOLDS BARRED: Bob Meyrowitz and YAMMA Pit Fighting On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Bob Meyrowitz, whose new mixed martial arts league, YAMMA Pit Fighting(YPF), will be debuting Friday, April 11, 2008, at the Trump Taj Mahalin Atlantic City, New Jersey, with a pay-per-view show. Bob is theformer CEO of Semaphore Entertainment Group, which produced theoriginal, classic UFC events from 1993 to 2001. Among the topics Bob discussed were the format of tournaments andmasters super fights which will be used in this organization;incorrect speculation about their new fighting surface; how they planto persuade viewers to buy their pay-per-views; the lack ofunderstanding by many of the early, classic UFC events; his opinion ofthe present-day UFC and the quality of their fighters; some of thenewer MMA organizations; the need to produce stars; the reasoningbehind and history of the marketing strategy of the early UFC's,including the use of humor; how a pro boxer would do in MMA; therelation of the early UFC's to various state athletic commissions; theexperience with the New York commission and politicians in 1996 and1997; the importance of ring girls; and more. To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link below and just press theplay button on the player: http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-02-04T08_49_47-08_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 athttp://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download. The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician IanCarpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/). NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by: Art of War (http://www.artofwarlive.com), the undisputed arenafighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment,producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information,check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com (http://www.artofwarlive.com). IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world'sfirst professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check outtheir regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your locallistings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, athttp://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html. Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up themixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year.For more news and info, check out their web site,GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/). BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for allBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more. Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage ofBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well aslifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. GladiatorMagazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com(http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/). FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews,and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martialarts. Thanks, Eddie Goldman No Holds Barred bloghttp://nhbnews.blogspot.com/ No Holds Barred podcasthttp://nhbnews.podomatic.com/ No Holds Barred on MySpacehttp://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Paterson, NJ welterweight Henry Crawford replaces Wolak
Unbeaten junior middleweight Pawel Wolak (19-0, 13 KOs) has pulled out of the February 9th 'Night of the Rising Stars' show at the Park Theatre in Union City, New Jersey. “He is not 100%,” states Ivan Edwards, manager of the Polish born fighter.
Pawel Wolak and Ivan Edwards
“We are hoping to have him back in action in the very near future.” Wolak will be replaced by Paterson, NJ welterweight Henry Crawford (17-0-1, 8 KOs) as the main event of the evening. "I am excited to be the main event on February 9th and I plan on showing everyone in attendance my skills, Tuesday, January 29
states Crawford."
Henry Crawford
Promoter: John Lynch : Pound for Pound Promotions
Tickets 100,75 ,50 ,35 dollars tickets going fast
Pawel Wolak and Ivan Edwards
“We are hoping to have him back in action in the very near future.” Wolak will be replaced by Paterson, NJ welterweight Henry Crawford (17-0-1, 8 KOs) as the main event of the evening. "I am excited to be the main event on February 9th and I plan on showing everyone in attendance my skills, Tuesday, January 29
states Crawford."
Henry Crawford
Promoter: John Lynch : Pound for Pound Promotions
Tickets 100,75 ,50 ,35 dollars tickets going fast
Paragon's Plans to Keeppunchin; Sechew "Iron Horse" Powell and Allan "Sweetness" Green on February's ESPN Card
February 29's "Friday Night Fights" broadcast from the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, Louisiana, featuring IBF #1-rated Sechew "Iron Horse" Powell (23-1, 13 KOs) and IBF and WBO #14-rated Allan "Sweetness" Green (26-1, 18 KOs) in dual main events, will mark the culmination of a lengthy group effort to bring world-class professional boxing to Central Louisiana.
Sechew "Iron Horse" Powell
"I think it's huge we're sponsoring a major televised boxing event," says Linda Bordelon, Vice-President of Public Relations for the Paragon. "I know the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe is tremendously proud of getting to this point. They fought hard for this; they deserve it and we're all thrilled to have it."
Known as the "Pearl of Louisiana", the Paragon was constructed on Tunica-Biloxi Tribe land in 1994 and has quickly expanded to a sprawling 1,000,000 + square-foot resort that rivals anything Las Vegas can offer. With cypress trees and live alligators in its newly constructed eight-story glass atrium, over 2000 slot machines, the full complement of gaming tables, three hotel towers, a top-rated golf course and seven restaurants among its many amenities, the Paragon has turned a once-rural area into one of the country's newest hot spots.
So what does a casino traditionally do once it's all dressed up? It goes out for a night of world-class boxing.
David Rivas, Director of Political Affairs for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe as well as the first independent Native American boxing promoter in history, says that while the Paragon has hosted boxing in the past, this amazing coup to stage a major event started with a call to Louisiana-based husband-and-wife boxing promoters Mickey and Kerry Daigle of Keeppunching Entertainment.
"Kerry is a dear friend of mine. When they asked me who I thought could handle the boxing program for the Paragon, I recommended Keeppunching immediately. Mickey and Kerry are honorable people."
The Daigles began their Paragon tenure by putting on well-attended shows featuring local favorites such as Blake "Candyman" Prevost and "The Fighting Marine" Kasha Chamblin.
Then one day came word that a televised date, originally to be hosted by "The Contender" series of promotions, was suddenly available. Through some quick moves, Keeppunching was able to put together this sensational card and make the fight happen at the Paragon.
Kerry Daigle, KPE Director of Boxing to his wife Mickey's role as promoter, says it took some fast maneuvering.
"When I heard that The Contender had other plans, I spent hours on the phone coming up with an idea for a blockbuster show. When I had a plan put together, I called up my good friend Leon Margules (Head of Florida-based Warrior's Boxing) and together with Allan Green's promoter Tony Holden, we approached ESPN and finalized arrangements for this incredible double-main-event evening, one of the best nights of boxing that will be seen on ESPN this year."
Bordelon calls the big show a "coming out party," for the Paragon and for Louisiana boxing. "We're looking forward to having folks around the country find out about our outstanding facilities. In the Mari Center (Mari means "gathering" in the Tunica Biloxi Tribal language) there are only 2200 seats, so when you sit in this newly updated facility, it's like being at a very intimate gathering, but with all the modern technology and features that a much larger facility would have: great lighting and wonderful sound. The exposure through ESPN is wonderful for us. This will encourage people who have never visited Marksville to come and enjoy everything you could want from a top casino resort and the best southern hospitality on the planet to go with it."
When the bright lights go up and the cameras roll that February Friday night, one of the big winners will be the group who were able to collectively put it all together. While Las Vegas is known as the world's champion of top-level boxing, a hungry, young contender has emerged in Marksville, Louisiana.
And they're working hard on taking Vegas's title away some day.
Tickets are on sale now, priced at $100 Ringside (Limited Seating) and $40 (Reserved Stadium Seating) and can be obtained through www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the Paragon Casino Resort at 1.800.WIN.1.WIN. For more information on the upcoming show, go to www.keeppunching.com. To visit the fabulous Paragon Casino go to www.paragoncasinoresort.com.
Sechew "Iron Horse" Powell
"I think it's huge we're sponsoring a major televised boxing event," says Linda Bordelon, Vice-President of Public Relations for the Paragon. "I know the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe is tremendously proud of getting to this point. They fought hard for this; they deserve it and we're all thrilled to have it."
Known as the "Pearl of Louisiana", the Paragon was constructed on Tunica-Biloxi Tribe land in 1994 and has quickly expanded to a sprawling 1,000,000 + square-foot resort that rivals anything Las Vegas can offer. With cypress trees and live alligators in its newly constructed eight-story glass atrium, over 2000 slot machines, the full complement of gaming tables, three hotel towers, a top-rated golf course and seven restaurants among its many amenities, the Paragon has turned a once-rural area into one of the country's newest hot spots.
So what does a casino traditionally do once it's all dressed up? It goes out for a night of world-class boxing.
David Rivas, Director of Political Affairs for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe as well as the first independent Native American boxing promoter in history, says that while the Paragon has hosted boxing in the past, this amazing coup to stage a major event started with a call to Louisiana-based husband-and-wife boxing promoters Mickey and Kerry Daigle of Keeppunching Entertainment.
"Kerry is a dear friend of mine. When they asked me who I thought could handle the boxing program for the Paragon, I recommended Keeppunching immediately. Mickey and Kerry are honorable people."
The Daigles began their Paragon tenure by putting on well-attended shows featuring local favorites such as Blake "Candyman" Prevost and "The Fighting Marine" Kasha Chamblin.
Then one day came word that a televised date, originally to be hosted by "The Contender" series of promotions, was suddenly available. Through some quick moves, Keeppunching was able to put together this sensational card and make the fight happen at the Paragon.
Kerry Daigle, KPE Director of Boxing to his wife Mickey's role as promoter, says it took some fast maneuvering.
"When I heard that The Contender had other plans, I spent hours on the phone coming up with an idea for a blockbuster show. When I had a plan put together, I called up my good friend Leon Margules (Head of Florida-based Warrior's Boxing) and together with Allan Green's promoter Tony Holden, we approached ESPN and finalized arrangements for this incredible double-main-event evening, one of the best nights of boxing that will be seen on ESPN this year."
Bordelon calls the big show a "coming out party," for the Paragon and for Louisiana boxing. "We're looking forward to having folks around the country find out about our outstanding facilities. In the Mari Center (Mari means "gathering" in the Tunica Biloxi Tribal language) there are only 2200 seats, so when you sit in this newly updated facility, it's like being at a very intimate gathering, but with all the modern technology and features that a much larger facility would have: great lighting and wonderful sound. The exposure through ESPN is wonderful for us. This will encourage people who have never visited Marksville to come and enjoy everything you could want from a top casino resort and the best southern hospitality on the planet to go with it."
When the bright lights go up and the cameras roll that February Friday night, one of the big winners will be the group who were able to collectively put it all together. While Las Vegas is known as the world's champion of top-level boxing, a hungry, young contender has emerged in Marksville, Louisiana.
And they're working hard on taking Vegas's title away some day.
Tickets are on sale now, priced at $100 Ringside (Limited Seating) and $40 (Reserved Stadium Seating) and can be obtained through www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the Paragon Casino Resort at 1.800.WIN.1.WIN. For more information on the upcoming show, go to www.keeppunching.com. To visit the fabulous Paragon Casino go to www.paragoncasinoresort.com.
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