PROVIDENCE– CES stable-mates Jason “Big Six” Estrada and “Awesome” Aaron Williams are planning coming out parties Friday night (April 4) on the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights card, “Heavy Hitters,” promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES), live from Twin River Events Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island.
2004 U.S. Olympian Estrada (11-1, 2 KOs) fights former NABO/NABA/WBC Continental Americas heavyweight champion Lance “Mount” Whitaker (32-4-1, 27 KOs) in the 10-round main even, while 21-year-old Williams (16-0-1, 11 KOs) also faces his stiffest test to date, ex-NABO cruiserweight title-holder Andre “Tombstone” Purlette (40-2, 35 KOs), in the 8-round co-feature.
The 6’ 8” Whitaker has beaten former world champions Oleg Maskaev and Al “Ice” Cole, as well as previously undefeated Robert Davis (22-0), and 2-time world title challenger Monte Barrett.
“I don’t care if he’s 6’ 8” because we’re not playing basketball,” the 27-year-old Estrada said. “(Mike) Tyson proved height doesn’t matter in heavyweight boxing. I have the kind of hand speed Whitaker’s never seen before. I fought a taller boxer in the amateurs - a 6-9 Cuban - and I beat him in Cuba. I’ll be putting pressure on him from the start. I’ll be going forward and he’ll be going backwards. I’m going to keep beating him to the punch. I’ll out-hustle him. I’m younger, stronger faster, quicker and more motivated. Fighting on ESPN2 in the main event is one more step I need to take. This is my moment. I’ve been waiting for this chance.”
Purlette may have more than twice as many knockouts as Williams has had pro fights, but the prodigy is far from intimidated. “I’ve known him a long time,” 9-time U.S. national amateur champion Williams noted. “We’ve sparred back in the day. He’s going to come to fight and it’s going to be a very interesting fight – youth versus a veteran. Fans are going to see a young, fast kid moving up in the cruiserweight ranks in Aaron Williams. Fighting on ESPN2 in the co-feature means a lot to me. Not only am I an ESPN-caliber fighter, I am also getting closer to being a main event fighter.”
The great Rocky Marciano will be posthumously inducted into the CES Ring of Honor in a special ceremony with his brother, Peter, accepting on behalf of the Marciano family. Marciano (49-0) fought 28 times in Providence, winning 24 by knockout.
Former Brown University football star, Super Bowl champion New York Giants linebacker/special team player Zak DeOssie, will also be honored.
Providence’s dangerous light heavyweight Joey “KO Kid” Spina (21-1-1, 15 KOs) takes on Quebec Boxing Council champion David Whittom (10-5-1, 6 KOs) in a 6-round bout. Also on the undercard is light heavyweight “Irish” Joey McCreedy (7-1, 5 KOs) versus “Hurricane” Henry Mayes (6-5-1, 4 KOs) in a 6-rounder, Russian super middleweight Andrey Nevsky (4-0, 3 KOs) against Fitzgerald Johnson (1-3, 1 KO), and flyweight Isander Beauchamp (4-0, 1 KO) tangles with pro debuting Rob Bell. Exciting Philadelphia super lightweight “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy (10-0-1, 6 KOs) has been added to the card.
Tickets for “Heavy Hitters” are priced at $35.00 (ADA stage seating only), $40.00, $50.00, (Bronze), $75.00 (Silver), $100.00 (Gold) and $150.00 (Jimmy’s Platinum Club) and are available to purchase by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going on line at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Twin River Event Center (100 Twin River Road, Lincoln, RI), or any TicketMaster location. Contact CES (401.724.2253/2254/www.cesboxing.com) or Twin River Events Center (877.82.RIVER/ www.twinriver.com) for more information. Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7 PM/ET.
(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Heavy Hitters.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied at all times by an adult and they must enter through the West entrance.)
Saturday, April 5, 2008
CHICAGO'S 8 COUNT PRESENTS THE ODEUM RUMBLE ON APRIL 11TH
CHICAGO, IL- World class professional boxing returns to the Chicagoland area on Friday, April 11th as Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, presents THE ODEUM RUMBLE, an action packed evening at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park.
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 the Odeum Sports and Expo 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.
Headlining THE ODEUM RUMBLE is 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.
Said Pesoli, “This is a terrific battle between two tough Mexican fighters. Luciano and Carlos have been in great fights in Chicago and out of town and our fans are in for a tremendous matchup between these two warriors. They’ve both recently been involved in very close decision losses and have a lot at stake by facing each other in this crossroads bout."
Heavy handed Luciano “EL GALLO MICHOACANO” Perez, 15-7-1 (13KO’s) has been a Chicago fan favorite since making his pro debut almost five years ago. In his last major fight in Chicago, the 29 year old Perez engaged in a bloody battle with Francisco Rincon at the Aragon Ballroom which had the huge crowd of Chicago fight fans on their feet from start to finish. Although bleeding badly and behind on the scorecards, Perez rallied in the last two rounds to win a memorable split decision.
Most recently Perez battled former world champion Carlos Baldomir over ten rounds on November 23rd in Cabazon, California in a bout broadcast on SOLO BOXEO. Although almost knocking out Baldomir in the third round and continuously rocking him in the middle rounds, Perez came out on the short end of a majority decision.
The 24 year old Molina, a native of Patzcuaro, Mexico now living in Chicago brings a record of 9-4-1 (4KO’s) into the bout with Perez. Molina is perhaps best known for his two evenly fought battles with highly regarded prospect Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.. which ended in a draw on December 16, 2005 and a majority decision loss on February 18, 2006.
In his last major fight, Molina battled with unbeaten prospect Mike Alvarado in a bout broadcast on SOLO BOXEO on February 16, 2007. After the eight round war was over, the packed house at Cicero Stadium was positive that Molina had won only to be overruled by the judges who handed Alvarado a very slim majority decision win.
The co-main event of the evening features unbeaten lightweight prospect David “EL TORRITO” Torres in an eight round bout. The Washington State resident brings a record of 19-0 with twelve knockouts into his first Chicago area bout. More information on this bout will be announced shortly.
In a special six round middleweight attraction, Chicago fan favorite Andrzej “THE POLISH PRINCE” Fonfara will look to continue his five bout winning streak as he squares off against Los Angeles based veteran Manny Castillo. The 20 year old Fonfara, 9-1 (3KO’s) has continued to impress Chicago fight fans since turning professional in June 2006. The 34 year old Castillo will have the experience advantage in the bout having faced Diego Corrales, Mickey Ward, Ahmed Santos and Juan Carlos Rubio over his sixteen year career which compiles a record of 13-15-3 (5KO’s).
Also featured on THE ODEUM RUMBLE undercard is fast rising, unbeaten Chicago based prospect Ivan Popoca. The hard swinging Popoca, 5-0-1 (5KO’s) has won three in a row, avenging the only blemish on his record by knocking out Guadalupe Diaz in his most recent bout on February 15th at Cicero Stadium.. More information on this scheduled five round welterweight bout will be announced soon.
Making his pro debut is mixed martial arts veteran Terri Martin of Chicago. In a scheduled cruiserweight four rounder, Martin will battle fellow newcomer Ricardo Upchurch of Mansfield, Ohio.
The full bout card for THE ODEUM RUMBLE is
Luciano Perez vs. Carlos Molina, eight rounds, junior middleweights
David Torres vs. TBA, eight rounds, lightweights
Andrzej Fonfara vs. Manny Castillo, six rouds, middleweights
Ivan Popoca vs. TBA, five rounds, welterweights
Terri 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 this event 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
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 the Odeum Sports and Expo 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.
Headlining THE ODEUM RUMBLE is 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.
Said Pesoli, “This is a terrific battle between two tough Mexican fighters. Luciano and Carlos have been in great fights in Chicago and out of town and our fans are in for a tremendous matchup between these two warriors. They’ve both recently been involved in very close decision losses and have a lot at stake by facing each other in this crossroads bout."
Heavy handed Luciano “EL GALLO MICHOACANO” Perez, 15-7-1 (13KO’s) has been a Chicago fan favorite since making his pro debut almost five years ago. In his last major fight in Chicago, the 29 year old Perez engaged in a bloody battle with Francisco Rincon at the Aragon Ballroom which had the huge crowd of Chicago fight fans on their feet from start to finish. Although bleeding badly and behind on the scorecards, Perez rallied in the last two rounds to win a memorable split decision.
Most recently Perez battled former world champion Carlos Baldomir over ten rounds on November 23rd in Cabazon, California in a bout broadcast on SOLO BOXEO. Although almost knocking out Baldomir in the third round and continuously rocking him in the middle rounds, Perez came out on the short end of a majority decision.
The 24 year old Molina, a native of Patzcuaro, Mexico now living in Chicago brings a record of 9-4-1 (4KO’s) into the bout with Perez. Molina is perhaps best known for his two evenly fought battles with highly regarded prospect Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.. which ended in a draw on December 16, 2005 and a majority decision loss on February 18, 2006.
In his last major fight, Molina battled with unbeaten prospect Mike Alvarado in a bout broadcast on SOLO BOXEO on February 16, 2007. After the eight round war was over, the packed house at Cicero Stadium was positive that Molina had won only to be overruled by the judges who handed Alvarado a very slim majority decision win.
The co-main event of the evening features unbeaten lightweight prospect David “EL TORRITO” Torres in an eight round bout. The Washington State resident brings a record of 19-0 with twelve knockouts into his first Chicago area bout. More information on this bout will be announced shortly.
In a special six round middleweight attraction, Chicago fan favorite Andrzej “THE POLISH PRINCE” Fonfara will look to continue his five bout winning streak as he squares off against Los Angeles based veteran Manny Castillo. The 20 year old Fonfara, 9-1 (3KO’s) has continued to impress Chicago fight fans since turning professional in June 2006. The 34 year old Castillo will have the experience advantage in the bout having faced Diego Corrales, Mickey Ward, Ahmed Santos and Juan Carlos Rubio over his sixteen year career which compiles a record of 13-15-3 (5KO’s).
Also featured on THE ODEUM RUMBLE undercard is fast rising, unbeaten Chicago based prospect Ivan Popoca. The hard swinging Popoca, 5-0-1 (5KO’s) has won three in a row, avenging the only blemish on his record by knocking out Guadalupe Diaz in his most recent bout on February 15th at Cicero Stadium.. More information on this scheduled five round welterweight bout will be announced soon.
Making his pro debut is mixed martial arts veteran Terri Martin of Chicago. In a scheduled cruiserweight four rounder, Martin will battle fellow newcomer Ricardo Upchurch of Mansfield, Ohio.
The full bout card for THE ODEUM RUMBLE is
Luciano Perez vs. Carlos Molina, eight rounds, junior middleweights
David Torres vs. TBA, eight rounds, lightweights
Andrzej Fonfara vs. Manny Castillo, six rouds, middleweights
Ivan Popoca vs. TBA, five rounds, welterweights
Terri 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 this event 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
YAMMA Pit Fighting Statement; Pat Smith will replace Gary Goodridge in the YAMMA Pit Fighting “Masters Superfight” against Eric “Butterbean” Esch
YAMMA Pit Fighting has announced that Pat Smith will replace Gary Goodridge in the YAMMA Pit Fighting “Masters Superfight” against Eric “Butterbean” Esch in Atlantic City on April 11, 2008. Goodridge was forced to withdraw from the event after losing a fight in South Korea on March 30, 2008 in what has been determined a knockout. This rendered Goodridge ineligible to fight on April 11 by the New Jersey Athletic Commission, which requires 30 days of inactivity following a KO.
Pat Smith was previously slated to fight Oleg Taktarov in the event.
Patrick Smith, an American mixed martial artist and professional kick boxer, gained notoriety in the early days of the UFC with his commanding wins in several memorable fights, including his defeat of Ninjitsu practitioner Scott Morris in UFC 2. The Denver, Colorado native stands 6 ft 2 in tall and weighs 230lbs., and has won five of his last six MMA fights.
The updated fight card for the April 11th event is as follows:
MASTERS SUPERFIGHTS (Two Five-Minute Rounds)
Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov VS. Mark “The Titan” Kerr
Butterbean VS. Pat Smith
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
Pat Smith was previously slated to fight Oleg Taktarov in the event.
Patrick Smith, an American mixed martial artist and professional kick boxer, gained notoriety in the early days of the UFC with his commanding wins in several memorable fights, including his defeat of Ninjitsu practitioner Scott Morris in UFC 2. The Denver, Colorado native stands 6 ft 2 in tall and weighs 230lbs., and has won five of his last six MMA fights.
The updated fight card for the April 11th event is as follows:
MASTERS SUPERFIGHTS (Two Five-Minute Rounds)
Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov VS. Mark “The Titan” Kerr
Butterbean VS. Pat Smith
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
NO HOLDS BARRED: Jay Hieron, Wagnney Fabiano, Bob Meyrowitz, YAMMA Preview, IFL Review
NO HOLDS BARRED: Jay Hieron, Wagnney Fabiano, Bob Meyrowitz, YAMMA Preview, IFL Review
http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-04-05T14_20_06-07_00
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews the IFL mixed martial arts card held Friday, April 4, at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and previews the debut show of YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts this coming Friday, April 11, at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Right after their fights, we spoke with two of the IFL champions, 170-pounder Jay Hieron and 145-pounder Wagnney Fabiano, about their successful title defenses Friday night. Hieron, a former Div. I college wrestler at Hofstra, scored a TKO win over Mark Miller with a ground-and-pound attack, winning at just 2:10 of the first round. Fabiano, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and expert, scored a first-round knockout of Shad Lierley in just 37 seconds, landing a beautiful straight left-right hook combination that put him away.
This coming Friday, April 11, the much-anticipated and already controversial debut show of YAMMA Pit Fighting takes place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This will be an all-heavyweight show, with two Masters’ Superfights and a one-night, eight-man tournament. This card will also be shown live on pay-per-view.
To get the latest on this card and clear up some of the mysteries about this show as well as some of the confusion being spread by some so-called media members, we spoke directly this past Thursday afternoon with Bob Meyrowitz, a co-founder of the UFC and now the man in charge of YAMMA Pit Fighting.
To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).
Make sure to check out my regular weekly boxing show SecondsOut Radio, at http://www.secondsout.com/radio/. On this week's edition, we speak with Joseph Agbeko, the IBF bantamweight champion, and Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko (25-1, 22 KOs) was not widely known to the boxing world before his title fight Sept. 29, 2007, with then-IBF bantamweight champion Luis Perez. Most of his fights had been in Africa against opponents who were nowhere near being world-ranked. But that did not stop Agbeko from pulling the upset and dethroning the veteran Perez with a seventh-round TKO. We discussed with Joseph Agbeko his background as a fighter and his plans for his next fight. We also recently spoke with Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, at the kickoff news conference to announce the April 19 fight between two champions, light heavyweight king Bernard Hopkins and super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe. We spoke with him about this fight, and also about the plans of Golden Boy Promotions to enter the worlds of soccer (football) and mixed martial arts. Also, we discuss the narrow view of much of the boxing media towards combat sports, their failure to understand other real combat sports such as mixed martial arts and wrestling, and their fawning over the staged pro "wrestling" spectacle, which has left so many of its participants prematurely dead. It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/, and listen, learn, and enjoy.
Make sure to check out my regular articles on the ADCC News at http://www.adcombat.com and on FightBeat.com at http://fightbeat.com.
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.
IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.
Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).
BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).
FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/
No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/
The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/
No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Enjoy!
http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-04-05T14_20_06-07_00
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews the IFL mixed martial arts card held Friday, April 4, at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and previews the debut show of YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts this coming Friday, April 11, at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Right after their fights, we spoke with two of the IFL champions, 170-pounder Jay Hieron and 145-pounder Wagnney Fabiano, about their successful title defenses Friday night. Hieron, a former Div. I college wrestler at Hofstra, scored a TKO win over Mark Miller with a ground-and-pound attack, winning at just 2:10 of the first round. Fabiano, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and expert, scored a first-round knockout of Shad Lierley in just 37 seconds, landing a beautiful straight left-right hook combination that put him away.
This coming Friday, April 11, the much-anticipated and already controversial debut show of YAMMA Pit Fighting takes place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This will be an all-heavyweight show, with two Masters’ Superfights and a one-night, eight-man tournament. This card will also be shown live on pay-per-view.
To get the latest on this card and clear up some of the mysteries about this show as well as some of the confusion being spread by some so-called media members, we spoke directly this past Thursday afternoon with Bob Meyrowitz, a co-founder of the UFC and now the man in charge of YAMMA Pit Fighting.
To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).
Make sure to check out my regular weekly boxing show SecondsOut Radio, at http://www.secondsout.com/radio/. On this week's edition, we speak with Joseph Agbeko, the IBF bantamweight champion, and Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko (25-1, 22 KOs) was not widely known to the boxing world before his title fight Sept. 29, 2007, with then-IBF bantamweight champion Luis Perez. Most of his fights had been in Africa against opponents who were nowhere near being world-ranked. But that did not stop Agbeko from pulling the upset and dethroning the veteran Perez with a seventh-round TKO. We discussed with Joseph Agbeko his background as a fighter and his plans for his next fight. We also recently spoke with Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, at the kickoff news conference to announce the April 19 fight between two champions, light heavyweight king Bernard Hopkins and super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe. We spoke with him about this fight, and also about the plans of Golden Boy Promotions to enter the worlds of soccer (football) and mixed martial arts. Also, we discuss the narrow view of much of the boxing media towards combat sports, their failure to understand other real combat sports such as mixed martial arts and wrestling, and their fawning over the staged pro "wrestling" spectacle, which has left so many of its participants prematurely dead. It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/, and listen, learn, and enjoy.
Make sure to check out my regular articles on the ADCC News at http://www.adcombat.com and on FightBeat.com at http://fightbeat.com.
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.
IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.
Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).
BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).
FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/
No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/
The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/
No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Enjoy!
Matyushenko, Fabiano, Hieron Retain Titles at IFl New Jersey
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.– International Fight League titleholders Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko (Belarus), Wagnney Fabiano (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Jay “The Thorobred” Hieron (Freeport, N.Y./Las Vegas) each retained their respective titles at the IFL event at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. in front of 5131 spectators this evening. Matyushenko weathered a strong first round by Jamal “The Suit” Patterson (Jersey City, N.J.), then punished the challenger with a series of right hands before the bout was stopped with 30 seconds left in the second round. Fabiano, known for his world-class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expertise, stunned Shad Lierley (Seattle) with a solid punch just 37 seconds into the first round to record the KO.
Hieron dominated the entire round against Mark Miller (Chicago), finishing the round with a ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in for the TKO. In the camp vs. camp competition between Miletich Fighting Systems and American Top Team, LC Davis (Kansas City, Mo.) of MFS scored a knockout of Rafael Dias (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) with just seconds remaining in the third round of a very competitive featherweight bout. ATT’s welterweight Emyr Bussade (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) won a second-round submission via kneebar over Jesse Lennox (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). The light heavyweight bout between Carmelo Marrero (Douglasville, Pa.) and Mike Ciesnolevicz (Williamstown, Pa.) was ruled a no contest when a cut from the head of Marrero from an inadvertent head butt would not stop. In addition to Matyushenko vs. Patterson, in the bouts between Midwest Combat and Renzo Gracie Academy, Gracie’s Jim Miller (Sparta, N.J.) scored a unanimous decision over Bart Palaszewski (Wonder Lake, Ill.) in a highly entertaining lightweight bout; Brad Blackburn (Olympia, Wash.) turned around a welterweight bout in which he was trailing with a third-round KO over Delson Heleno (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The night started with a non-title bout between light heavyweights, with IFL veteran Alex Schoenauer (Las Vegas) claiming a split decision over Brendan Barrett (Tuckerton, N.J.). In another non-title bout, Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (London, Ontario) scored a narrow but unanimous decision over Nate Lamotte (New Hampshire). IFL East Rutherford, N.J.Friday, April 4, 2008 Non-Title Bouts205 lbs.: Alex Schoenauer (Las Vegas) def. Brendan Barrett (Tuckerton, N.J.) via decision (split) after three rounds155 lbs.: Chris Horodecki (London, Ontario) def. Nate Lamotte (New Hampshire) via decision (unanimous) after three rounds American Top Team vs. Miletich Fighting Systems145 lbs.: LC Davis (Kansas City, Mo.) def. Rafael Dias (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) via KO (strikes), 3:56, 3rd170 lbs.: Emyr Bussade (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) def. Jesse Lennox (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) via submission (kneebar) 1:25, 2nd205 lbs.: Mike Ciesnolevicz (Williamstown, Pa.) vs. Carmelo Marrero (Douglasville, Pa.), no contest Midwest Combat vs. Renzo Gracie Academy155 lbs.: Jim Miller (Sparta, N.J.) def. Bart Palaszewski (Wonder Lake, Ill.) via decision (unanimous) after three rounds170 lbs.: Brad Blackburn (Olympia, Wash.) def. Delson Heleno (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) via KO (strikes), 1:50, 3rd Championship Bouts 205 lbs.: Vladimir Matyushenko (Belarus) def. Jamal Patterson (Jersey City, N.J.) via TKO (strikes), 3:35, 2nd145 lbs.: Wagnney Fabiano (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) def. Shad Lierley (Seattle) via KO (punch), 0:37, 1st170 lbs.: Jay Hieron (Freeport, N.Y.) def. Mark Miller (Chicago) via TKO (strikes), 2:10, 1st 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. Visit www.image.net for photographs from the bout
Council for Unity’s 2008 Champion for Children Gala
Boxing promoter Lou DiBella, President and CEO of DiBella Entertainment and Diane Garnick, an Investment Strategist for Invesco, have been selected as honorees for the 2008 Council for Unity Champions for Children Gala. The gala will take place at 6pm on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at The Lighthouse Chelsea Piers.
The mistress of ceremonies will be Law and Order SVU’s Tamara Tunie, who plays medical examiner Dr. Melinda Warner. Other special VIP participants include New Jersey State Senate President Richard Codey and 1997 Nobel Prize Winner in economics Dr. Robert C. Merton, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at the Harvard Business School.
Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment in May of 2000 as a full- service sports and entertainment company, while maintaining its presence in the world of boxing. Mr. DiBella is the President and managing partner of the San Francisco Giants’ class AA minor league baseball affiliate, the Connecticut Defenders. He recently appeared in the Sylvester Stallone boxing film “Rocky Balboa” (2006) as the fight promoter who stages Rocky’s return to the ring. DiBella is currently a producer on the film “Love Ranch” which is being directed by Academy Award winner Taylor Hackford and stars Academy Award winners Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci.
Diane Garnick directs the Global Investment Solutions and Research Team at Invesco. She has published hundreds of reports that focus on portfolio construction, volatility, corporate actions, equity indices, exchange trade funds, futures, options, accounting and taxation. Ms. Garnick is the founder of The Ladies in Red, a charitable organization focused on charities geared towards solving issues faced by underprivileged children and women throughout the world.
Event sponsorship ranges from $25,000- $50,000 for President’s Circle table, $10,000 for Patron table, $5,000 for host committee table, and $500 per person. For tickets call 212.701.9440 or for more information on the Council for Unity please visit their website at www.councilforunity.org. The Council for Unity is a qualifying tax-exempt organization as described in section 501C (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Proceeds from this event will enable the organization to continue its vital work on behalf of young people.
The Council for Unity is a not-for-profit children’s charity that has been resolving issues of safety, bias, bullying, and gang violence in schools and communities over 30 years. The Council is known for successfully reaching the unreachable child, and actively helps over 80,000 young people every day. Their mission is to empower young people, individuals, and groups with the skills necessary to promote safety, unity and achievement in schools and communities. The Council for Unity is located at 50 Broadway, Suite 1503, New York, New York 10004.
The mistress of ceremonies will be Law and Order SVU’s Tamara Tunie, who plays medical examiner Dr. Melinda Warner. Other special VIP participants include New Jersey State Senate President Richard Codey and 1997 Nobel Prize Winner in economics Dr. Robert C. Merton, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at the Harvard Business School.
Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment in May of 2000 as a full- service sports and entertainment company, while maintaining its presence in the world of boxing. Mr. DiBella is the President and managing partner of the San Francisco Giants’ class AA minor league baseball affiliate, the Connecticut Defenders. He recently appeared in the Sylvester Stallone boxing film “Rocky Balboa” (2006) as the fight promoter who stages Rocky’s return to the ring. DiBella is currently a producer on the film “Love Ranch” which is being directed by Academy Award winner Taylor Hackford and stars Academy Award winners Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci.
Diane Garnick directs the Global Investment Solutions and Research Team at Invesco. She has published hundreds of reports that focus on portfolio construction, volatility, corporate actions, equity indices, exchange trade funds, futures, options, accounting and taxation. Ms. Garnick is the founder of The Ladies in Red, a charitable organization focused on charities geared towards solving issues faced by underprivileged children and women throughout the world.
Event sponsorship ranges from $25,000- $50,000 for President’s Circle table, $10,000 for Patron table, $5,000 for host committee table, and $500 per person. For tickets call 212.701.9440 or for more information on the Council for Unity please visit their website at www.councilforunity.org. The Council for Unity is a qualifying tax-exempt organization as described in section 501C (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Proceeds from this event will enable the organization to continue its vital work on behalf of young people.
The Council for Unity is a not-for-profit children’s charity that has been resolving issues of safety, bias, bullying, and gang violence in schools and communities over 30 years. The Council is known for successfully reaching the unreachable child, and actively helps over 80,000 young people every day. Their mission is to empower young people, individuals, and groups with the skills necessary to promote safety, unity and achievement in schools and communities. The Council for Unity is located at 50 Broadway, Suite 1503, New York, New York 10004.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
RIP FROSTY; Wayne Frost of the "Rock Steady Crew"
B-BOY LEGEND "FROSTY FREEZE" ORIGINAL MEMBER OF ROCK STEADY CREW PASSED AWAY. FROSTY WAS A DEAR COMRADE OF MINE, AND HE'LL BE VERY MISSED IN MY HOOD AND IN THE WORLD OF REAL HIP HOP... FROST WE LOVE YOU MY BROTHER.
Hip-Hop is mourning the passing of another legend today, as news spreads of the passing of pioneer B-Boy Frosty Freeze, who died yesterday (April 3) at the age of 44. The former Rock Steady Crew vice-president, born Wayne Frost, died in Manhattan following a prolonged illness, though details of his medical battle remained unclear. “Frosty, within Hip-Hop, Frosty represents one of the last representations of what original B-Boy style was when the dance first started,” RSC’s leader Crazy Legs told AllHipHop.com. Though funeral arrangements have yet to be confirmed, Crazy Legs expects the services to be held as early as Tuesday. Frosty Freeze’s life will be celebrated at the Rock Steady Crew’s 31st Anniversary, set to take place in New York July 24-27. “Those who know me well know that when it’s time to do something, I’m gonna pick the biggest spotlight to shine on Frosty.”
For the full story log on: http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2008/04/04/19591380.aspx
Hip-Hop is mourning the passing of another legend today, as news spreads of the passing of pioneer B-Boy Frosty Freeze, who died yesterday (April 3) at the age of 44. The former Rock Steady Crew vice-president, born Wayne Frost, died in Manhattan following a prolonged illness, though details of his medical battle remained unclear. “Frosty, within Hip-Hop, Frosty represents one of the last representations of what original B-Boy style was when the dance first started,” RSC’s leader Crazy Legs told AllHipHop.com. Though funeral arrangements have yet to be confirmed, Crazy Legs expects the services to be held as early as Tuesday. Frosty Freeze’s life will be celebrated at the Rock Steady Crew’s 31st Anniversary, set to take place in New York July 24-27. “Those who know me well know that when it’s time to do something, I’m gonna pick the biggest spotlight to shine on Frosty.”
For the full story log on: http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2008/04/04/19591380.aspx
Holly Holm vs. Mary Jo Sanders; Fresquez Productions revised bouts sheet; “Finally” June 13 PPV show; Eileen Olszewski vs Carina Moreno
Holm-Sanders headlines “Finally” PPV in greatest female boxing show ever
June 13 at Isleta Casino & Resort in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE – The two best female boxers in the world, Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm and Mary Jo Sanders, headline the June 13th “Finally” pay-per-view event (10 PM/ET-8 PM/MT) – the greatest collection of women fighters on one show in history – live from Isleta Casino & Resort in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Fresquez Productions, Inc.-promoted “Finally,” produced and distributed by Integrated Sports, will be available for live viewing on cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, TVN and DirecTV for a suggested retail price of only $24.95.
Albuquerque favorite Holm (21-1-2, 6 KOs), recognized as the No. 1 welterweight in the world, takes on the world’s No. 1 middleweight, Detroit icon Sanders (25-0, 8 KOs), in the 10 round main event for the vacant International Female Boxers Association (IFBA) junior middleweight title.
“Holly and Mary Jo are fighting for the right to be called the top pound-for-pound female fighter in the world today,” promoter Lenny Fresquez said. “This show is the all-time best ever for female boxing with five No. 1 fighters, based on independent rating groups, starting with Holly and Mary Jo, along with the No. 1 featherweight (Jeannine Garside), junior lightweight (Chevelle Hallback, and strawweight (Careno Moreno). Add a pair of No. 2 rated fighters (flyweight Eileen Olszewski) and (junior flyweight Hollie Dunaway), plus a No. 3 (junior flyweight Wendy Rodriguez);
‘Finally’ is featuring eight fighters - all rated among the world’s top 3 - in four world title fights shown worldwide on pay-per-view.”
The most punishing, action-packed fight could turn out to be the 10-round co-feature for the IFBA lightweight title between WIBA & IBA junior lightweight title-holder Chevelle “Fists of Steel” Hallback (26-5-2, 11 KOs), fighting out of Tampa (FL), and WIBA featherweight champion Jeannine “G9” Garside (7-0-1, 3 KOs), of Ontario (Canada).
IBA junior featherweight champion Wendy Rodriguez (18-4, 3 KOs), of Los Angeles, faces WIBF-GBU/WIBC minimumweight title-holder Hollie “Hot Stuff” Dunaway (21-6, 10 KOs), from (Van Buren) Arkansas, in a 10-round strawweight title fight.
WBC 2007 Fighter of the Year, WBC mininumweight champ Carina “La Reina” Moreno (17-1, 5 KOs), of Watsonville (CA), squares-off against newly crowned WIBA flyweight title-holder Eileen “The Hawaiian Mongoose” Olszewski (5-0), fighting out of New York City by way of Honolulu, in a 10-round title fight for the IFBA junior flyweight crown. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Eileen “The Hawaiian Mongoose” Olszewski
Tickets, priced at $50.00, $100.00, $150.00, $200.00, $350.00 and $500.00, go on sale March 18 at the Isleta Casino and Resort box office, www.tickets.com or at Fresquez Productions, Inc. (508.884.7484). For more information go to www.fresquezproductions.com or www.holmvssanders.com. Doors open at 5:30 PM/MT, first bout 7:00 PM/MT, first televised bout 8:00 PM/MT.
© 2007, 2008 Keisha Morrisey all rights reserved
June 13 at Isleta Casino & Resort in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE – The two best female boxers in the world, Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm and Mary Jo Sanders, headline the June 13th “Finally” pay-per-view event (10 PM/ET-8 PM/MT) – the greatest collection of women fighters on one show in history – live from Isleta Casino & Resort in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Fresquez Productions, Inc.-promoted “Finally,” produced and distributed by Integrated Sports, will be available for live viewing on cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, TVN and DirecTV for a suggested retail price of only $24.95.
Albuquerque favorite Holm (21-1-2, 6 KOs), recognized as the No. 1 welterweight in the world, takes on the world’s No. 1 middleweight, Detroit icon Sanders (25-0, 8 KOs), in the 10 round main event for the vacant International Female Boxers Association (IFBA) junior middleweight title.
“Holly and Mary Jo are fighting for the right to be called the top pound-for-pound female fighter in the world today,” promoter Lenny Fresquez said. “This show is the all-time best ever for female boxing with five No. 1 fighters, based on independent rating groups, starting with Holly and Mary Jo, along with the No. 1 featherweight (Jeannine Garside), junior lightweight (Chevelle Hallback, and strawweight (Careno Moreno). Add a pair of No. 2 rated fighters (flyweight Eileen Olszewski) and (junior flyweight Hollie Dunaway), plus a No. 3 (junior flyweight Wendy Rodriguez);
‘Finally’ is featuring eight fighters - all rated among the world’s top 3 - in four world title fights shown worldwide on pay-per-view.”
The most punishing, action-packed fight could turn out to be the 10-round co-feature for the IFBA lightweight title between WIBA & IBA junior lightweight title-holder Chevelle “Fists of Steel” Hallback (26-5-2, 11 KOs), fighting out of Tampa (FL), and WIBA featherweight champion Jeannine “G9” Garside (7-0-1, 3 KOs), of Ontario (Canada).
IBA junior featherweight champion Wendy Rodriguez (18-4, 3 KOs), of Los Angeles, faces WIBF-GBU/WIBC minimumweight title-holder Hollie “Hot Stuff” Dunaway (21-6, 10 KOs), from (Van Buren) Arkansas, in a 10-round strawweight title fight.
WBC 2007 Fighter of the Year, WBC mininumweight champ Carina “La Reina” Moreno (17-1, 5 KOs), of Watsonville (CA), squares-off against newly crowned WIBA flyweight title-holder Eileen “The Hawaiian Mongoose” Olszewski (5-0), fighting out of New York City by way of Honolulu, in a 10-round title fight for the IFBA junior flyweight crown. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Eileen “The Hawaiian Mongoose” Olszewski
Tickets, priced at $50.00, $100.00, $150.00, $200.00, $350.00 and $500.00, go on sale March 18 at the Isleta Casino and Resort box office, www.tickets.com or at Fresquez Productions, Inc. (508.884.7484). For more information go to www.fresquezproductions.com or www.holmvssanders.com. Doors open at 5:30 PM/MT, first bout 7:00 PM/MT, first televised bout 8:00 PM/MT.
© 2007, 2008 Keisha Morrisey all rights reserved
Floyd KO's "Big Show"; "Money" Talks at WrestleMania XXIV, Triple Threat Match: Randy Orton def. John Cena and Triple H (Orton retains WWE Title)
Floyd KO's "Big Show"; "Money" Talks at WrestleMania XXIV,
By: Louie Dee
ORLANDO, Fla. – At WrestleMania XXIV, Floyd Mayweather put his “money” where his mouth was, running his professional record to 40-0 with a shocking knockout of the 7-foot, 441-pound Big Show.
While he may not have come through on his promise to break the mammoth’s jaw, he did, in fact, shock the Citrus Bowl-record crowd of 74,635 WWE fans and millions more watching around the world on pay-per-view by felling Big Show like a giant redwood. The victory, however, didn’t come without a bit of chicanery.
Mayweather’s initial strategy of “you can’t hurt me if you can’t catch me” worked for a while, but just like the proverbial tortoise and the hare, The World’s Largest Athlete won that race in the end. After finally catching The Greatest Fighter in the World, Big Show clobbered his much smaller challenger, seemingly toying with the welterweight champion. The 7-footer brutalized Mayweather with chops, body shots and stomps to the arm. The WBC welterweight champion tried to fight back with a sleeper, but when Big Show dropped him once again, Mayweather’s entourage decided enough was enough.
One of Floyd’s handlers pulled him from the ring, and the group attempted to escape. But like a Velociraptor chasing down guests at Jurassic Park, Big Show hunted down “Money” and dragged him back the ring – manhandling several of Mayweather's corner men in the process.
That wasn’t the last Big Show would see of the entourage, however, as one took advantage of the “Anything Goes” stipulation by introducing a chair into the proceedings. The 7-footer thwarted his efforts thanks to a thunderous chokeslam, but when “Money” tried to capitalize by using the chair himself, Big Show wrapped his massive hands around Mayweather’s 24-inch neck.
Unfortunately, that left his nether regions unprotected. One swift kick to the little “Big Show” stopped The Largest Athlete in the World in his tracks, and that was all the opening “Money” needed. Wielding the chair like a mighty club, Mayweather cracked the Goliath once, twice, three times in the head. With Big Show reeling, the welterweight champion dropped his right glove and snatched a chain with brass knuckles on it from around one of his fallen comrade’s necks. Sliding them on his already lethal right fist, “Money” wound up and slugged Big Show straight in the jaw.
The WWE Superstar dropped like an imploded building, and our fans in the Citrus Bowl sat in hushed silence as referee Scott Armstrong made the count. When it reached 10, the Citrus Bowl erupted in boos as Mayweather celebrated career knockout No. 26.
While it’s bad enough that Big Show failed on his promise to end Mayweather’s career, what could be worse is the backlash he might receive from his own peers. Normally one of the most feared men in the WWE locker room, how will Big Show be received now that he’s lost to a man who is literally half his size?
Floyd Mayweather showed the world at WrestleMania why he is a six-time champion in five different boxing weight classes. In doing so, he proved the old adage that it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog – especially when that dog has his whole pound helping him out.
See Exclusive live video footage from Wrestlemania's XXIV, New York City Press Confrence, at the Hardrock Cafe, featuring Floyd Mayweather and Big Show and more at Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience videos http: www.youtube.com/ElEmpress1
© 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
By: Louie Dee
ORLANDO, Fla. – At WrestleMania XXIV, Floyd Mayweather put his “money” where his mouth was, running his professional record to 40-0 with a shocking knockout of the 7-foot, 441-pound Big Show.
While he may not have come through on his promise to break the mammoth’s jaw, he did, in fact, shock the Citrus Bowl-record crowd of 74,635 WWE fans and millions more watching around the world on pay-per-view by felling Big Show like a giant redwood. The victory, however, didn’t come without a bit of chicanery.
Mayweather’s initial strategy of “you can’t hurt me if you can’t catch me” worked for a while, but just like the proverbial tortoise and the hare, The World’s Largest Athlete won that race in the end. After finally catching The Greatest Fighter in the World, Big Show clobbered his much smaller challenger, seemingly toying with the welterweight champion. The 7-footer brutalized Mayweather with chops, body shots and stomps to the arm. The WBC welterweight champion tried to fight back with a sleeper, but when Big Show dropped him once again, Mayweather’s entourage decided enough was enough.
One of Floyd’s handlers pulled him from the ring, and the group attempted to escape. But like a Velociraptor chasing down guests at Jurassic Park, Big Show hunted down “Money” and dragged him back the ring – manhandling several of Mayweather's corner men in the process.
That wasn’t the last Big Show would see of the entourage, however, as one took advantage of the “Anything Goes” stipulation by introducing a chair into the proceedings. The 7-footer thwarted his efforts thanks to a thunderous chokeslam, but when “Money” tried to capitalize by using the chair himself, Big Show wrapped his massive hands around Mayweather’s 24-inch neck.
Unfortunately, that left his nether regions unprotected. One swift kick to the little “Big Show” stopped The Largest Athlete in the World in his tracks, and that was all the opening “Money” needed. Wielding the chair like a mighty club, Mayweather cracked the Goliath once, twice, three times in the head. With Big Show reeling, the welterweight champion dropped his right glove and snatched a chain with brass knuckles on it from around one of his fallen comrade’s necks. Sliding them on his already lethal right fist, “Money” wound up and slugged Big Show straight in the jaw.
The WWE Superstar dropped like an imploded building, and our fans in the Citrus Bowl sat in hushed silence as referee Scott Armstrong made the count. When it reached 10, the Citrus Bowl erupted in boos as Mayweather celebrated career knockout No. 26.
While it’s bad enough that Big Show failed on his promise to end Mayweather’s career, what could be worse is the backlash he might receive from his own peers. Normally one of the most feared men in the WWE locker room, how will Big Show be received now that he’s lost to a man who is literally half his size?
Floyd Mayweather showed the world at WrestleMania why he is a six-time champion in five different boxing weight classes. In doing so, he proved the old adage that it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog – especially when that dog has his whole pound helping him out.
See Exclusive live video footage from Wrestlemania's XXIV, New York City Press Confrence, at the Hardrock Cafe, featuring Floyd Mayweather and Big Show and more at Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience videos http: www.youtube.com/ElEmpress1
© 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
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