★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience©®™

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Return of Antonio Tarver, Abner Mares vs. Eric Morel, STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix Final Victor Ortiz vs. Andre Berto II

SHOWTIME^® SPORTS SPRINGS FORWARD

WITH HEAVY-HITTING BOXING & MMA SCHEDULE

On Friday, March 16, ShoBox: The New Generation returns with a doubleheader from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. In the 10-round main event, unbeaten lightweight Omar Figueroa (14-0, 11 KOs), of Weslaco, Texas, meets Ramon Ayala (23-2, 11 KOs), of Mexico. Super bantamweights Randy Caballero (13-0, 7 KOs), of Coachella, Calif., and Jose Luis Araiza (29-5, 20 KOs), of Mexico, will mix it up in the 10-round co-feature.

On the Friday, March 23 edition of ShoBox, unbeaten sensation Diego Magdaleno (21-0, 7 KOs), of Las Vegas, returns in a 10-round super featherweight bout against an opponent to be named. In the co-feature, undefeated junior welterweight prospects Yordenis Ugas (11-0, 5 KOs), of Cuba, and Johnny Garcia (11-0, 8 KOs), of Holland, Mich., will square off in an eight-rounder from Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Ariz.

Then, on Saturday, April 21, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT), former bantamweight world champ Abner Mares (23-0-1, 13 KOs), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. by way of Guadalajara, Mexico, will make his super bantamweight debut against former flyweight kingpin Eric Morel(46-2, 23 KOs), of Madison, Wisc., by way of San Juan, Puerto Rico, in a 12-round bout. The telecast will also include a 12-round WBA Bantamweight Super Championship fight between champ Anselmo Moreno (31-2-1, 11 Kos) of Panama City, Panama, against Tijuana’s David De La Mora (24-1, 17 KOs). Plus, preliminary bouts will be televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

STRIKEFORCE mixed martial arts returns to the network on Saturday, May 19, with the championship fight in the STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix – Heavyweight Tournament. The final will match Josh Barnett (36-5), of Seattle, Wash., against Daniel Cormier (9-0), of San Jose, Calif. A full card, complete with preliminary fights on SHOWTIME EXTREME, will be announced by STRIKEFORCE in the coming weeks.

The following Saturday, May 26, former undisputed light heavyweight champ Antonio Tarver (29-6, 26 KOs), of Tampa, Fla., will face a top cruiserweight prospect he critiqued while serving as expert analyst on ShoBox, Lateef Kayode (18-0, 14 KOs), of Los Angeles, in the 12-round main event.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will wrap up its spring schedule the way it started it – with a sensational and highly anticipated rematch between two of boxing’s most talented and exciting fighters. Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KOs), of Ventura, Calif., will try to rebound from his loss to pound-for-pound champ Floyd Mayweather while Andre Berto (28-1, 22 KOs), of Winter Haven, Fla., will look to avenge the only loss of his career when the two square off in a 12-round welterweight bout on Saturday, June 23. In the co-feature, veterans Humberto Soto (54-7-1, 34 KOs), of Los Mochis, Mexico, and Lucas Matthysse (30-2, 28 KOs), of Trelew, Argentina, will square off in a junior welterweight bout. Plus, additional preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

(ANDRE BERTO, VICTOR ORTIZ AND ANTONIO TARVER PHOTOS BY; Keisha Morrisey)

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

Intercontinental Titles On The Line In Kiev This Weekend‏

Two World Boxing Federation Intercontinental title fights are set for
Saturday March 17 at the Fitnessclub Sportlife in Kiev, as undefeated
Ukrainians Vitali Kopylenko and Vasyl Tarabarov clash for the vacant
Middleweight crown, and Timur Akhundov faces Hungarian Arpad Vass for the vacant Featherweight title.

Switzerland-based Vitali Kopylenko, 16-0 (7), will be in his first
championship bout as a professional, and will fight in his country of
birth for the first time since his professional debut in 2008. Tarabarov,
22-0-1 (8), on the other hand has several title fights under his belt.

Vasyl Tarabarov was born in Smolensk, Russia in 1981, but later relocated
to Ukraine and made his professional debut at nineteen years of age. In
2002 he captured Youth and Intercontinental titles in only his eights paid
bout, and the following year he added another regional strap to his
collection.

In 2006 Tarabarov won the Ukrainian national title, and while it has only
amounted to four fights since then he is now determined to win his fourth
championship and rejuvenate his career with a victory over his 28-year-old
countryman on March 17.

Timur Akhundov, 12-2-1 (4), will also, just like his opponent, be going
for his first professional title in the co-feature. After a rough start to
his career where he went 4-2 in his first six outings, he has since gone
undefeated in ten bouts, facing tough veterans such as Andrei Kostin, Suat
Laze and Mamed Yadgarov.

Arpad Vass, 8-3 (6), from Budapest is a live underdog against Akhundov,
and is a dangerous opponent with his considerable punching-power. His tree
losses came against Luke Wilton (9-2-1), former European title-challenger
Andriy Kudryavtsev (37-9), and former British and Commonwealth champion
Stephen Smith (12-1), so he has been in with championship caliber boxers
before.

The Kopylenko vs. Tarabarov and Akhundov vs. Vass WBF Intercontinental
title double-header will be promoted by Oleg Bruskov, and is shaping up tobe an interesting night of boxing in the Ukrainian capital.

Middleweight John Thompson Looks To Extend Unbeaten Streak April 18

On April 18 at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, super middleweight John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson will be looking to extend his unbeaten record to 7-0 as he steps into the ring against Jamond Bourgeois.

Since turning pro last June, Thompson has been active in his young career, fighting three times to conclude 2011 and three to begin the new year. In the ring he has shown the poise and experience of a fighter with triple the amount of fights he has, and Thompson attributes it to an extensive amateur career.

“I’ve been boxing since I was four years old,” said Thompson. “As an amateur I had 111 fights and won nearly every amateur title out there.”

With two knockouts in six wins, Thompson feels his biggest weapons are his speed and his brain.

“When you first get in the ring, 9 times out of 10 you know something about your opponent, but for the time you might not know anything about him, you have to be able to adapt. I am very good on judgment and character, as far as from what I feel when I’m in the ring. When round 1 starts I have everything in my head that’s going to happen.”

Thompson recently signed with First Round Promotions, and anxiously looks to move forward with them in his career. The 23-year-old Newark native eats, sleeps and breathes boxing, and is working toward a goal of fighting for a title within the near future.

“I am happy to sign with First Round Promotions,” said Thompson. “It is a great opportunity to get myself out there, and for people to see me and acknowledge my boxing presence. Having the chance for people to see me is a blessing.”

Going forward in 2012 Thompson looks to remain active inside the squared circle. “I look at the way I have been progressing, and I see myself fighting for a title by the end of this year. And within two years I think I’ll be fighting for a world title.”

“I want to thank everybody for all their support,” said Thompson. “This is not for me, this is for everyone else. I want to show people that it is possible for anyone to make it. In life you have to take the initiative and go for it.”

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Matthew Macklin Training Diary‏

With less than 1 week to go to his mega fight with World Middleweight Champ, Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez at Madison Square Garden on St. Patrick's Day Matthew Macklin has updated his website with part 2 of his training diary: http://matthewmacklin.ie/training-diary-part-2/

The card which will be aired live on HBO's "World Championship Boxing is entitled, "THE REAL Middleweight Championship - Get Your Irish Up", features Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez (48-2-2, 27KO's) defending his middleweight crown against Ireland's Matthew "Mack the Knife" Macklin (28-3, 19KO's). The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and will be shown live on HBO beginning 10PM ET/7PM PT.

Boxing360 undefeated prospects Vitaliy Demyanenko and Bryan Acaba return to the ring March 17 at Ballys in Atlantic City‏

(photo of Ayi Bruce By; Keisha Morrisey)

Pound 4 Pound Promotions features Boxing360's undefeated prospects, Russian welterweight, Vitaliy Demyanenko (19-0, 12 KOs), and Brooklyn New York's Bryan Acaba (2-0), on March 17, 2012, at Ballys Park Place Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.

Demyanenko returns to the ring against Ayi Bruce (21-5, 13 KOs) in an eight-round bout that will be the co-feature to Farah Ennis vs. Dion Savage. Acaba will box an opponent to be announced.

The heavy-handed Demyanenko is a former PABA and WBO Asia Pacific welterweight champion. In his last fight, Vitaliy scored a second round knockout against Walter Sergio Gomez (22-9-1, 11 KOs) at the Red Square in Moscow, Russia.

Said Demyanenko from his training camp in Las Vegas, "I've made my way to America to show everyone here that I'm ready to take on the best challenges. Ayi Bruce is a tough fighter that will push me to great limits. I'm confident in my boxing ability to come out victorious and will give the fans a great fight. I'm looking forward to my ring return on March 17 in Atlantic City."

Demyanenko comes from a boxing bloodline as his father, Viktor Demyanenko represented the USSR, winning a silver medal in the lightweight division at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Soviet Union. Demyanenko will seek to continue his undefeated winning streak as he marches toward a world title in the welterweight division.

Eager to get back in the ring, Acaba states, "I'm ready to go against whoever they put in front of me. I'm always in the gym prepared to face last-minute opponents. I'm excited to be fighting in Atlantic City and I'm going to put on a good show for the fans."

Monte Barrett Set To Become “King of New Zealand” Read more: http://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/monte-barrett-set-to-become-king-of-new-zealand/#

When Monte “Two Gunz” Barrett defeated David Tua last year in the Tuamanator’s back yard Down Under, it looked like the future was rosy for the New York heavyweight boxing veteran.

Alas, things haven’t worked out quite as Barrett [35-9-2, 20 KOs] had planned.

After two exciting fights with the New Zealand native (the first resulted in a controversial draw in Atlantic City in 2010), Barrett had hoped to cash in on a lucrative third bout, but that hope has now been dashed by Tua’s unofficial retirement from the sport.

Barrett has also soured on Tua personally after his name was dragged through the mud with the results of a post-fight drug test last year supposedly showing him testing positive for a banned substance.

The test results ultimately amounted to nothing because of the time it took (over 3 months) for them to be made public, and also because of other procedural irregularities.

Even if Tua were to change his mind on retirement, Barrett tells Boxing Insider that he’s no longer interested in making it a trilogy “because of the way Tua handled the drug test.”

“He could have called me, he has my number, instead of calling me a cheater and a loser in the press,” Barrett, who maintains his innocence in the matter, explains.

Barrett famously called Tua an over-emotional “Queen of New Zealand” while talking to Boxing Insider after the drug test fracas broke out, a quote which was plastered across many major publications in Tua’s homeland.

Tua had been in line for a title shot against a Klitschko brother had he defeated Barrett, yet Barrett has earned no such opportunities after beating Tua once officially, and twice in reality (even Tua admitted he lost their first encounter in Atlantic City).

Instead, Barrett had to sit and watch as Wladimir Klitschko destroyed the totally undeserving Jean Marc Mormeck of France. Undaunted, however, Barrett hopes now to get some measure of revenge on Tua by going to his homeland and becoming the major heavyweight attraction there. He is even toying with the idea of taking up New Zealand citizenship.

“Tua is the Queen of New Zealand, so I figure I’ll be the King,” the always quotable Barrett says.

First up in this royal crusade is a defense of Barrett’s Oriental and Asia Pacific titles against previous Tua victim Shane Cameron (28-2, 21 KOs) on May 31 in New Zealand. Cameron has been fighting at cruiserweight since his 2009 loss to Tua, and has reeled off five straight wins. While Barrett says he “doesn’t feel any pressure to knock out Cameron the way Tua did” (a brutal second round KO), he also notes that his opponent “is susceptible to a lot of punches” and “they’re the punches that I throw.”

“I won’t say which ones,” Barrett slyly adds.

Barrett is now working with a new trainer, Buddy McGirt, and says preparations for the Cameron fight are already underway and “going great.” Should he emerge victorious against Cameron, Barrett may find his regal status Down Under being challenged by none other than local rugby superstar Sonny Bill Williams (5-0, 3 KOs).

A neophyte in the boxing ring, the muscular Williams, 26, nevertheless captured the New Zealand Professional Boxing Association heavyweight title in February with a win over Clarence Tillman.

“I’ll fight [Williams] if they want to see it,” Barrett laughs.

“They say he has million dollar abs.

“I can’t wait to punch him in the gut so he will never want to put on a pair of boxing gloves again. He’ll go back to playing soccer or rugby or whatever for the rest of his life, having nightmares about that punch to the gut.”

Orlando Salido Vs. Juanma Lopez II

World Boxing Organization (WBO) Featherweight World Champion Orlando “Siri” Salido defends his title against the man he dethroned, former world champ Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, onSaturday, March 10, LIVE on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast), from Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Salido (37-11-2, 25 KOs), of México, won the WBO title on April 16 on SHOWTIME when he scored an eighth round TKO over the heavily favored Lopez. Salido successfully defended the title on July 23 in Mexico against Kenichi Yamaguchi via 11^th round TKO.

Lopez (31-1, 28 KOs), of Puerto Rico, is eager to avenge the only loss of his career and win back his crown. The exciting and all-action Lopez has knocked out 87 percent of his opponents and is a two-division world champion.

In the co-feature, undefeated No. 1 featherweight contender Mikey Garcia (27-0, 23 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., will face former featherweight title challenger Bernabe Concepcion (31-4-1, 17 KOs), of Metro Manila, Philippines, in a 10-round featherweight bout. Preliminary bouts will be televised LIVE on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Here are what the fighters had to say on Wednesday:

JUANMA LOPEZ:

“This fight is going to be a war. Orlando, you had a good night last year – but I want my title back. I let you wear the belt for 11 months but I’m bringing it back to where it belongs on Saturday.

“I have had a great preparation for this fight and I’m very confident. I never gave excuses about my last fight with Salido. He won. He knocked me out, fine. I don’t make excuses; I fight. If the ref didn’t stop the fight when he did last time, I’d still be fighting.

“Saturday is a great card with a lot of good prospects. Garcia vs. Concepcion is a really good fight and I’m glad that it will be on SHOWTIME, along with mine. Mikey is one of the most intelligent fighters around. He has great ability. And Bernabe is a tough guy. He dropped me in our fight a couple of years ago so I know.”

ORLANDO SALIDO:

"Entering the first fight, I had some doubts but now I have beaten Juanma and I know I can beat him again. I am 1000 percent sure I can win. I’ve been in the gym preparing and I know what to expect. Even though I won last year, I still have something to prove. In the ring, we have a score to settle.

“I don't have much to say, that’s not who I am. It’s the press that said Juanma made excuses. To me, it doesn’t matter either way. My job is the same on Saturday night no matter what.”

MIKEY GARCIA:

“My fight with Concepcion is a tough fight. It’s a dangerous fight and it means everything to me. If I want my title shot, I need to win. There has been talk about me fighting the winner of Lopez and Salido. I want my chance. I hope to fight the winner of Saturday night’s fight for the belt before the end of the year.”

“I’m thankful for the reception I’ve received in Puerto Rico. It’s my first time here and I like it very much. I’m really looking forward to Saturday’s match. I’ve put in a lot of hard work because the fight is so important to me.”

BERNABE CONCEPCION:

“I'm excited for fight night on Saturday against Garcia. I came to Puerto Rico once before (in July 2010 to fight Lopez). Thank you to the promoters and all the fans for having me back but I hope for a different result this time.”

Mike Tyson Prepares For Las Vegas One-Man Show Debutt

“Mike Tyson: UNDISPUTED TRUTH — Live on Stage” is scheduled for a one-week run starting April 13th at the MGM Grand Hollywood Theater. The LA Times reports that the MGM Theater may decide to extend the run if the show proves to be a hit.

The show will feature Mike Tyson telling stories about his personal life and his career. The show will also feature live music and video clips of Tyson in the ring. Randy Johnson, who created “Elvis the Concert” and “One Night With Janis Joplin,” worked with Tyson to create the script for the show. Johnson said that Mike Tyson’s one-man show will be similar to William Shatner’s “Shatner’s World: We All Just Live In It,” with scripted monologues and video clips.

Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/201123/mike-tyson-prepares-for-las-vegas-one-man-show-debut/#tftdvFP7zTWv28jU.99
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

Bellator 60; Joe Warren vs. Pat Curran

Bellator featherweight champion Joe Warren defends his title against top contender Pat Curran. Also on the card is the Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinals. Eight fighters are participating, including stand-outs like Marlon Sandro and Mike Corey. The undercard will kick off at 6:00 PM CST. You can also view the main card live on MTV2 starting at 7PM CST.

CES prepares to launch epic boxing tripleheader with three-city tour in March

Three shows, nine days, one world-class promoter – brace yourself this month for an amazing ride through the dynamic world of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports. Spanning nine days between March 22^nd and 30^th, CES will promote three live boxing events in three cities, starting with the official launch of its 2012 Thursday Night Fight Series at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I., on Thursday, March 22^nd, continuing Saturday, March 24^th with a spectacular heavyweight event at the Resorts Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., and culminating with the return of ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” on Friday, March 30^th at the Foxwoods Resort Casino’s MGM Grand Theater in Ledyard, Conn., featuring two nationally-televised title bouts.

“Anyone who thinks boxing is dead should take a look at what we’re doing this month,” Burchfield said. “This sport is alive and well thanks to the loyal fans who pack arenas on a weekly basis, and our tripleheader this month will be no exception.

“We’ve got three dynamic shows in a nine-day span, not simply for the sake of promoting shows, but to provide boxing’s most loyal fans with the best and brightest this sport has to offer. Anyone can run a handful of shows in a short amount of time, but only a world-class promotion can bring you three standout cards featuring an eclectic mix of established veterans and up-and-coming talent.

“There’s truly something for everyone on this tripleheader, and we’re thrilled to not only reestablish our presence at familiar venues such as Foxwoods Resort Casino and Twin River, but to be breaking new ground at the breathtaking Resorts Hotel & Casino as well. This is a landmark stretch for Classic Entertainment & Sports and there’s no one we’d rather share it with than you, our loyal fans.”

These next three events feature an array of television-friendly showstoppers, world-ranked contenders, up-and-coming prospects and household names, starting with Providence, R.I., super middleweight Vladine Biosse (11-1-1, 6 KOs), a former two-time winner on “Friday Night Fights,” and New Bedford, Mass., welterweight Jason “School Boy” Pires (22-4-1, 9 KOs), both of whom will be in action March 22^nd at Twin River.

On March 24^th, undefeated Mariusz Wach (26-0, 14 KOs) of North Bergen, N.J., the World Boxing Council (WBC) International heavyweight champion who’s now ranked No. 6 in the world among heavyweights, will defend his title against hard-hitting veteran Tye Fields (49-4, 44 KOs) of Alberta, Canada (by way of Missoula, Mont.); and former world-rated light heavyweight Joey “K.O. Kid” Spina (26-1-2, 18 KOs) will return to the ring for the first time in a year in a half to face Jerson Ravelo (20-5, 12 KOs) of Newark, N.J., a former participant on “The Contender” reality television series.

Not to be outdone, the March 30^th Foxwoods show will feature two dynamic bouts, including Philadelphia native “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy (21-1-1, 11 KOs) – ranked No. 4 in the WBC – defending his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) lightweight title against No. 11-ranked “Dangerous” Dannie Williams (21-1, 17 KOs) in the 10-round main event. New Haven, Conn., native Elvin Ayala (24-5-1, 11 KOs), ranked No. 16 in the WBC, will defend his WBC U.S. National Boxing Council (USNBC) middleweight title against Hector Camacho Jr. (53-4-1, 28 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature. Both fights will air live on ESPN2 beginning at 10 p.m. ET.

The March 24^th heavyweight spectacular in Atlantic City will also be distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH Network and Avail-TVN for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.

“To have these shows available for nationwide and worldwide viewing is a major plus,” Burchfield said. “Our fan base continues to expand with each event as we attract viewers from multiple countries. The CES brand has grown tremendously in the past few years, and it’ll continue to develop during this unparalleled stretch. The possibilities are endless, and we’re only getting started.”

(Photos of Mariusz Wach and Jerson Ravello by Keisha Morrisey)

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Saturday, March 10, 2012