★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience©®™

Saturday, March 23, 2013

No Holds Barred: Fallon Fox‏

On this edition of IOC, speaks with MMA fighter Fallon Fox (http://twitter.com/FallonFox).

After winning her second pro fight by first-round knockout on March 2 on a Championship Fighting Alliance card in Coral Gables, Florida, Fallon Fox then gave interviews where she came out as a transsexual female. Born a male, she had gender reassignment surgery back in 2006, and the associated hormone therapy. Now 37, she is physically, mentally, socially, and legally a woman, and happy to be one.

A decade ago the International Olympic Committee devised guidelines for transgender athletes, and were followed by the NCAA for college sports in the U.S. The medical committee of the Association of Boxing Commissions in North America also developed a policy last year based on that of the IOC, although it is up to each individual commission to implement it.

Despite this seemingly being a settled issue in international sports, including the combat sports, her revelation of her status has been met with heated reactions, both from her many supporters as well as those opponents who have provided public displays of bigotry and ignorance.

We spoke with Fallon Fox by phone Friday about the ensuing controversy about her and her career.

"I really don't see why there should be a lot of hoopla about past gender status, but this is what it turned into," she said in this interview.

"It's frustrating, but I realize that in the end, I'm going to win."

She also patiently tried to explain her position to those who just are not educated on this issue.

Discussing her transition to becoming a woman, she said, "I did this to save my sanity."

As for the bigots and haters, "The people who have bigotry or hatred for me just don't know me. And if they knew me - if they really, really, really, really knew me - then they wouldn't fear and they wouldn't hate."

We also discussed her licensing situation with the Florida and California commissions. She explained that contrary to some reports, she does have a license to fight, and as a woman, in Florida. She also posted on her Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/FallonFoxofficial) a copy of what looks like a license which was sent to her by the California commission. You can judge for yourself if she is in the right in believing that this was actually a license and not simply a receipt, as a California official has claimed. That commission is currently reviewing, once again, her application, and is expected to grant her a fighter's license shortly.

She thus is entirely justified when she said, "I've done nothing wrong."

We also discussed her training and background since her transition, including her earning a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and competing in IBJJF and NAGA grappling events, and the ADCC Trials. She has been training since 2008 in MMA, mainly at the Midwest Training Center, in all the disciplines needed for MMA.

Also to answer her critics and to educate those who remain uneducated, she explained how she has much lower testosterone than those who were born with a full female anatomy, as well as less bone density and muscle mass than she had previously.

And we discussed when her next fight might take place, what she needs to work on in her young MMA career, for which organizations she would like to fight, a new documentary film called "Game Face" about her and other LGBT athletes being made by filmmaker Michiel Thomas, and much more.

♔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.

No Holds Barred: An Hour With Lenne Hardt

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again speaks with the legendary and iconic world champion of ring announcers, Lenne Hardt (http://www.lennehardt.com).

Living in Tokyo, and an announcer for many years with both the Pride and Dream MMA promotions, Lenne will be racking up a lot of frequent flyer miles as she heads to two shows in two different countries.

On Saturday, March 23, she will be plying her trade at the Glory 5 kickboxing show in London, England, headlined by the Remy Bonjasky-Tyrone Spong fight. This will be the first kickboxing card at which she is an announcer.

Then, on Friday, April 5, it's back to Asia for the ONE FC: KINGS AND CHAMPIONS MMA show at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, headlined by ONE FC lightweight champion Kotetsu Boku defending his title against Shinya Aoki.

We spoke with Lenne Hardt by Skype Wednesday (Tuesday New York time) about these upcoming events.

Speaking about the tremendous growth of ONE FC, the largest MMA promotion in Asia, she said in this interview, "They are the new Pride. They're the new Dream."

We discussed how she approaches preparing for her role as an announcer, her careers as an announcer and as an entertainer, what she has learned about cultural differences between people around the world, how sport brings many diverse people together, a comparison of the outfits worn by ring girls in different eras and countries, and much more.

♔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.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Has Paulie Malignaggi Plateaued? By Chris Cella

(Photo By; Keisha Morrisey)

Through his 36-fight career, now going on his 13 year as a professional boxer, Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi has thrown hands with some of the best fighters in the world, and has worked his way to retaining the current WBA World Welterweight Title.

Since getting stopped by Amir Khan back in 2011, Malignaggi has since won his last five fights, and recently has been looking to return back to action to defend his belt.

There was some noise made about him battling an aging, yet former champion in Shane Mosley, but it fell through. Then the talk surfaced about Malignaggi fighting Diego Chaves in Abu Dhabi, and yet again, nothing has materialized.

For the 32-year old technical boxer, one has to wonder, is there anywhere else to go in boxing? The Magic Man from Brooklyn has been working as an analyst for Showtime Boxing as of recent, and has been more exciting wearing a suit and tie than he has appeared in his last few trips to the ring.

Malignaggi has kept his name around the top of the welterweight list over the last few years due to his ability to pick apart less than formidable opponents utilizing his fast hands and elusiveness, while doing just enough to hang with the big dogs in the few chances he has gotten to exchange leather with the champs.

But despite his record of 32-4, 7 KO, each time Malignaggi stepped up and fought an opponent with any name, he got knocked back down to reality. He got stopped by Khan and Ricky Hatton, and lost a UD to Miguel Cotto and Juan Diaz.

Malignaggi’s career can be summed up with one phrase…good, but far from great.

He can be compared to a baseball player with a strong enough skill set to be a standout all-star in the minor leagues, but a small fish in the major leagues.

As time is against him, proving in his last outing when he was awarded a hometown split decision over Pablo Cesar Cano when he clearly got outworked by the younger, stronger fighter, fans and critics must begin to wonder what is next for the Paulie?

So now, this past week, there has been mention of a possible matchup against lightweight champion Adrien Broner. Why? So Malignaggi can add another big name to his list of losses? It would be a lose-lose fight for both fighters as well as fans. Outside of providing pre-fight hype and trash talk that WWE and UFC fans would ROTFL over, the fight itself would be a big time mismatch and disappointment. Broner is at a point where he needs to step up the competition to show he is the real deal, and Paulie Malignaggi is not the avenue to explore.

Malignaggi’s career is stagnant; there’s no healthy medium for him. If he steps up to real competition and big name fighters again, he will be outclassed; and on the flip side, nobody wants to see him beating (or for that matter winning garbage decisions over) second rate fighters.

But don’t worry Paulie Malignaggi fans. If the Showtime Boxing gig doesn’t work out, and he steps away from the squared circle, he can always find work as an eyebrow model or audition for the next casting call of Jersey Shore.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Senator Lee Zeldin speaks on Mixed Martial Arts Legislation in Senate Session

Bam Bam Brandon Rios vs. Mike Alvarado II Saturday, March 30, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

Mike Tyson Has Heavyweight Tax Problems

AccountingWeb |

(Photo 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.

Mosley Vs Cano Set For Cancun

Cancun based promoter Pepe Gomez has announced that former multi weight world champ Shane Mosley (46-8-1, 39 KOs) will face Pablo Cesar Cano (26-2-1, 20 KOs) at the Hotel Grand Oasis in Cancun, Mexico on May 18.

The welterweight bout will take place in a giant tent and the promoter expects a 10,000 turn out. Also featured on the card will be WBC #1 super featherweight Sergio Thompson against Ricardo Juárez.

Mosley has not won a fight for four years, this must surely be his last opportunity to end his career with a win.

Donaire vs Rigondeaux on April 13 at Radio City Music Hall, NYC

World Championship Boxing returns to Radio City Music Hall with just the second fight in its 82-year history on Saturday, April 13th when 2012 Fighter of the Year Nonito "Filipino Flash" Donaire takes on two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist and WBA super bantamweight champion Guillermo "El Chacal" Rigondeaux.

The only other fight in Radio City Music Hall's storied history was the 2000 Roy Jones Jr. vs. David Telesco light heavyweight world championship bout.

Saturday April 13, 2013

Radio City Music Hall

Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs)

Talibon, Bohol, Philippines

Vs.

Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KOs)

Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

SHOWTIME SPORTS® SETS EXPANSIVE PROGRAMMING LINE UP ACROSS MULTIPLE PLATFORMS IN SUPPORT OF MAY DAY: FLOYD MAYWEATHER vs. ROBERT GUERRERO BOXING’S EVENT OF THE YEAR—SATURDAY, MAY 4 on SHOWTIME PPV®

Documentary Films, Classic Fights, Live Events and More Scheduled For Broadcast,

Cable and Premium Television, Digital and ON DEMAND Platforms

“This is an aggressive and varied lineup of content, each element aimed at raising the anticipation for boxing’s marquee event of the year,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports.“The Mayweather appeal is unmistakable and warrants this type of unprecedented exposure. What viewers will find during this promotion, however, is that Robert Guerrero is one of the most compelling, interesting and talented fighters ever to step into the ring opposite Mayweather.

“I thank my colleagues at SHOWTIME and CBS for their support and enthusiasm since our agreement with Mayweather was announced. Our collective aim in the next seven weeks is to serve the insatiable appetite of the staunchest boxing fans as well as to expose a broad audience to the drama and the intensity that is sure to come on May 4^th.”

The programming blitz begins on Wednesday, April 3 with the premiere of an exclusive documentary film titled “30 DAYS IN MAY” (10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME), a one-hour film which chronicles Mayweather’s 2012 stint in prison. Created exclusively from never-before-seen footage, “30 DAYS IN MAY” features the only interviews Mayweather conducted about what he has called “a life-changing experience.”

On Wednesday, April 10, SHOWTIME Sports will debut the latest chapter of its original documentary series ALL ACCESS (10 p.m. ET/PT, SHOWTIME). Greenburg will serve as an executive producer on ALL ACCESS: MAYWEATHER vs GUERRERO as the series takes viewers into the dramatic and unpredictable world of prize fighting. From gritty backstories to the sport’s biggest stage, ALL ACCESS has a unique approach that allows its subjects to guide the narrative on real life terms. New episodes will debut every Wednesday through May 1 on SHOWTIME, with encore presentations airing on CBS SPORTS NETWORK. ALL ACCESS Epilogue, which will spotlight the intensity of fight week, taking viewers inside the ropes on fight night and into the rarely seen, uncelebrated aftermath of world championship boxing, will premiere on SHOWTIME on Saturday, May 18 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.

LIVE PROGRAMMING

On the two Saturdays preceding the May 4 SHOWTIME PPV event, SHOWTIME will present two high profile world championship boxing events live on the premium network’s acclaimed SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING series.

On Saturday, April 20, from the 30,000+ seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarezwill return to SHOWTIME to headline against Austin Trout in a super welterweight world championship unification bout. In separate fights in 2012, both men set ratings records for boxing on SHOWTIME. Now, they collide in what is by far the most significant and challenging fight in both of their careers.

On Saturday, April 27, live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., undefeated rising star Danny Garcia of Philadelphia risks his unified super lightweight world championship against former Two-Division and Four-Time World Champion Zab Judah of Brooklyn.

VIEW COMBO EVENT TRAILER: http://s.sho.com/ZVF7nN

LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS

SHOWTIME will televise the official weigh-in live on Friday, May 3 and a pre-fight show on Saturday, May 4, immediately preceding the pay-per-view telecast. Each telecast will include live interviews, ALL ACCESS behind-the-scenes features from fight week and, on Saturday’s program, live undercard fights.

MAY DAY FIGHT WEEK LINEUP

A fight week blitz will begin on Monday, April 29, with daily programming on SHOWTIME, SHOWTIME EXTREME and CBS SPORTS NETWORK leading up to May 4. Included in the lineup will be ALL ACCESS marathons, classic Mayweather and Guerrero fights, as well as the aforementioned live programming from Las Vegas.

CLASSIC FIGHTS

Encore presentations of classic bouts featuring Mayweather and Guerrero will air on SHOWTIME, SHOWTIME EXTREME and CBS SPORTS NETWORK. Fights, airing in their entirety, are Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya, the most watched pay-per-view event in history; the controversial fight between Mayweather and Victor Ortiz; Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton; Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley and Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez.

Full fights from the Guerrero archive include the southpaw’s gutsy, breakthrough performances against Selcuk Aydin, Michael Katsidis, Gamaliel Diaz (rematch) as well as his first fight after learning of his wife’s diagnosis of Leukemia in 2007, a first-round knockout win over Martin Honorio.

Jack Dempsey & Bob Arum lead 2013 Class Inductees into New York State Boxing Hall of Fame Sunday, April 28

Golden-era heavyweight champion of the world, Jack Dempsey, and legendary boxing promoter Bob Arum lead a star-studded cast of 20 inductees into the second-year New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF).

The second annual NYSBHOF induction dinner will be held Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.n. ET), April 28, at Russo's On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

"This is an exceptional group of inductees," NYSBHOF and Ring 8 president Bob Duffy said. "We are inducting legitimate New Yorkers in the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame. All of these inductees have a significant impact on New York State boxing during their respective times. There are many other potential inductees but this is only our second year. We're confident that any deserving people who haven't been inducted yet will be inducted in due time. There's a process we're following. New York State was the driving force in boxing for more than a half-century and remains a major player in the sport, so we'll have many, many great boxing people to choose from over the years."

Posthumous participants being inducted along with Dempsey (61-6-9, 50 KOs) are the first great Italian boxer based in America, featherweight Johnny Dundee (83-32-20, 17 KOs); two-time world featherweight champion Sandy Saddler (144-16-2, 103 KOs) Sandy Saddler, who is best known for his epic rivalry with Willie Pep; and world light heavyweight champion Maxie Rosenbloom (207-39-26 (19 KOs).

Living boxers heading into the NYSBHOF are Bronx middleweight Joey Archer (61-6-9, 50 KOs), three-division world champion from the Bronx, Iran Barkley (43-19-1 (27 KOs); Brooklyn's Mark Breland (35-3-1, 25 KOs),1984 Olympic gold medalist and two-time world welterweight titlist, Levittown light heavyweight Bobby Cassidy (59-16-3, 27 KOs); world heavyweight challenger Doug Jones (30-10-1, 20 KOs), Brooklyn's world bantamweight and super bantamweight champion Junior Jones (50-6, 28 KOs), Brentwood's light welterweight and welterweight champion James "Buddy" McGirt (73-6-1, 48 KOs), Brooklyn's world light heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (50-8-1, 39 KOs).

Non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF with Arum (Top Rank) are Shelly Finkel, manager of a NYSBHOF inductee from last year, Mike McCallum, as well as Evander Holyfield and Pernell Whitaker; Tony Graziano, who managed last year's NYSBHOF inductee, Carmen Basilio, and world welterweight champion Billy Backus; Brooklyn's Larry Merchant, arguably television's greatest boxing analyst; posthumously: Teddy Brenner, longtime matchmaker for Madison Square Garden (1959-1973), boxing's premier blow-by-blow announcer on television and radio, Don Dunphy; powerful promoter Mike Jacobs, and Dempsey's promoter, Tex Rickard.

Each inductee will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his induction into the NYSBHOF. Plaques are on display at the New York State Athletic Commission and Waterfront Crabhouse. Duffy also has revealed that Ring 8's plan calls for a monument to be built in Long Island City with every NYSBHOF inductee's name inscribed.

The inductees were selected by NYSBHOF nominating committee members, including Jack Hirsch, Steve Farhood, Don Majeski, Henry Hascup, Ron McNair and Neil Terens.

"I believe the people on our nominating committee are second to none for any nominating committee in boxing," Duffy added. "They're all very knowledgeable and passionate about boxing in New York State."

All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years, in order to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers.

Last year's Inaugural Class included Basilio and McCallum, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, and Emile Griffith, as well as the late "Sugar" Ray Robinson, Gene Tunney, Benny Leonard and Tony Canzoneri.

Non-participant inductees from the Class of 2012 included judge/HBO analyst Harold Lederman, coach/instructor Steve Acunto, trainer/cut-man Jimmy Glenn and, posthumously, trainers Gil Clancy and Ray Arcel, Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer, New York Daily News boxing reporter/cartoonist Bill Gallo, and referee Arthur Mercante, Sr.

ROAD TO GLORY USA HITS NEW YORK CITY WITH ONE-NIGHT, EIGHT-MAN WELTERWEIGHT TOURNAMENT WINNER OF DEVELOPMENT SERIES TOURNAMENT RECEIVES $20,000 GRAND PRIZE, CONTRACT WITH WORLD’S NEW PREMIERE KICKBOXING LEAGUE

Glory Sports International (GSI), the parent company of the world’s new premiere kickboxing league, announced today that it will bring it’s ROAD TO GLORY USA development fight series designed to identify America’s next great kickboxing superstars, to Capitale in New York, N.Y., on Friday, March 22.

The winner of the eight-man,! single-elimination welterweight (170 pounds/77 kilograms) tournament featuring a host of prolific, up-and-coming competitors, will be awarded a $20,000 grand prize and a multi-year contract with GLORY, home of the world’s elite kickboxing champions and superstars.

“We are thrilled to bring our all-new ROAD TO GLORY development tournament series to fight fans in New York City, one of the world’s greatest sports and entertainment epicenters,” said GLORY CEO Andrew Whitaker.

“With the two ROAD TO GLORY tournaments we’ve held in the U.S. thus far,” continued Whitaker, “we’ve been able to discover treme! ndously bright and promising young kickboxers who could be developed to one day compete on GLORY’s championship stage, which is exactly what ROAD TO GLORY was created for. We are confident that we will continue to unearth all kinds of new talent across the country, beginning with the upcoming event in New York.”

Undefeated rising stars Ryan Parker (14-0, 3 KOs) of Rochester, N.Y. and Brett Hlavacek (6-0, 2 KOs) of New York will be joined in the tournament draw by KO artists Anthony Nieves (10-4, 8 KOs) of Atlanta, Ga. and Jeremy Carper (5-1, 5 KOs) of Martinsburg, W. Va., battle-tested star Tarek Rached (24-3, 11 KOs) of New York, road warrior Marcus Fisher (16-9, 3 KOs) of Pittsburg, Pa. and promising upstarts Eric Utsch (5-1, 1 KO) of Breinigsville, Pa. and Francois Ambang (6-2, 2 KOs) of Mechanicsville, Va.

Tae Kwon Do black belt and Muay Thai champion! Cyrus Washington (52-21-1, 48 KOs) of Macallen, Texas will square off with Chris Clodfelter (7-3-1, 3 KOs) of King, N.C. in a tournament “reserve” bout on the card. Should any of the tournament’s quarterfinal round fight winners be unable to return to the ring for semifinal round action due to injury sustained en route to victory, the winner of the matchup between Washington and Clodfelter will take the injured fighter’s place in the tournament.

A draw to determine the ROAD TO GLORY USA welterweight tournament’s quarterfinal round matchups will take place on a date and at a location to be announced soon.

Denis Lebedev & Guillermo Jones Meet In WBA Cruiserweight Championship On May 17

The long-awaited unification bout between World Boxing Association cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev (25-1, 19 KOs), from Chekhov, Russia, and WBA cruiserweight champion in recess Guillermo “El  Felino” Jones (38-3-2, 30 KOs), from Colon, Panama, will take place on May 17 at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, Russia.

Jones’ promoter Don King is thrilled to have his fighter appearing in Moscow with co-promoters Andrey Ryabinsky and Vlad Hrunov.

“My Russian co-promoters named the fight, ‘The One Will Stand,’ and it will be from Russia with love,” King said.  “This is a gigantic promotion between Russia and Panama and I want to thank Andrey Ryabinsky for making this possible.

“The Panamanian people and their President Ricardo Martinelli will be watching with great interest to see Guillermo return home with a unified world title.”

Hrunov presented Lebedev’s two most recent matches in Crocus City Hall and looks forward to hosting the upcoming event there on May 17.

“Crocus City Hall is like the Madison Square Garden of Russia,” Hrunov said.  “This is a first class venue that opened just three years ago.  It’s beautiful and run professionally.  It has 7,000 seats and we expect them all to be filled as demand has been strong since tickets went on sale in late February.”

Lebedev is thrilled to be defending his title in his native country and pointed out he comes from the city named after the writer Anton Chekhov.

“I come from Chekhov and strong people come from my city,” Lebedev said.  “I’m glad Don, Andrey and Vlad have named the fight, ‘The One Will Stand,’ as I plan on being the last man standing at the end of the fight.”

Lebedev is trained by fellow Russian and former undisputed junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu.

Jones is anxious to get back into the ring and has predicted that he will dispatch Lebedev in five rounds or less.

“I tell the Russian fans who are ringside to be careful because there will be blood,” Jones said.  “I am the tiger but I don’t speak Russian.  No translator will be needed as my hands will speak for me.”

♔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.

Curran vs. Strauss Featherweight World Title Fight Headlines Bellator MMA Debut at Revel Thursday, April 4th‏

After nearly five years in the making, Bellator MMA made its long awaited debut on Spike TV in January as Bellator Featherweight Champion Pat Curran opened the night with a dominant win over star Brazilian striker Patricio Pitbull, reaching over 1.2 million viewers in the process. On April 4^th, Bellator will close out its eighth season from Ovation Hall at Revel in Atlantic City, NJ as Curran once again puts his Bellator Featherweight Title on the line against relentless Daniel Straus live on Spike TV. The night will also feature the return of Tiger Schulmann products Lyman Good and Munah Holland, as well as the Bellator debut of New Jersey fan favorite Tom DeBlass.

Widely regarded as one of the top two featherweights in the world, Curran brings a dominating 18-4 record into his latest title defense, including victories over Marlon Sandro, Roger Huerta, Mike Ricci, and Straus himself, as Curran collected a knock out win over Straus early in both of their careers. Even with the victory over Straus in his back pocket, Curran is well aware both fighters have grown tremendously over the last four years.

“This may end up being the most challenging fight I’ve faced up this point,” Curran said. “Daniel is going to make for a very tough challenge, but I know what I’m capable of. I feel like I’m always growing as a fighter, and the sky is really the limit for me. I’ve got the belt, and I’m not letting anyone take it away from me.”

Currently riding a five fight win streak into his April 4^th showdown, Straus brings a suffocating fight style into the cage that always presents a unique challenge to his opponents. While that fact won’t change at Revel Resort & Casino, Straus is cognizant of the magnitude this title fight brings.

"Fighting for the Bellator Featherweight Title against Pat just signifies how my career has come full circle,” Straus said. “It was my loss to Pat that motivated me to become a better fighter. Now I get to see how much better I've actually gotten. Getting a chance to show my skills on Spike TV is a huge opportunity for me. The stage keeps getting bigger and the viewers and eyes are growing. I welcome the challenge to perform well in front of millions against one of the world's best featherweights. I feel I have a lot to provide in this fight and I intend on doing so."

“We’re incredibly excited to be able to bring Bellator MMA to a world class venue like Revel,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “This fight card is going to be a great way to close out our first season on Spike TV and I couldn’t think of a better place to host it than a classic fight town like Atlantic City.”

The night will also feature the return of New York native and former Bellator Welterweight World Champion as Lyman Good battles Renzo Gracie product and fellow New Yorker Dante Rivera. Both have strong followings in the Tri-State area and should have a strong show of support inside Revel.

Currently ranked as the world’s top ranked 125 pound female fighter, Jessica “Evil” Eye returns to the Bellator cage when she takes on Tiger Schulmann’s own Munah Holland on April 4^th live on Spike TV. Eye is coming off the biggest win of her young career with a dominating performance over Zoila Gurgel and is looking to keep the momentum with another victory.

“As a woman in this sport you’re given very little, so that’s why when I fight we always need to deliver,” Eye said. “I think Munah is a great fighter and have always admired her striking ability, but I won’t let my admiration stand in front of my determination. This is my golden year, and this fight is just the beginning.”

The preliminary card will be highlighted with a middleweight showdown between New Jersey star Tom DeBlass and New York native Carlos Brooks as the two look to collect their first Bellator victory. After announcing his retirement in 2012, DeBlass has returned to the cage and will make his highly anticipated return April 4^th inside Revel.

“I'm very excited to be fighting for Bellator right in my backyard,” DeBlass said. “All of my friends, family, students, and many fans will get to see me live. I'm coming back and making a statement, you can count on that.”

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

MMA World Series of Fighting 2 on NBC Sports Network Sat. March 23

Fighters and World Series of Fighting President and six-time world kickboxing champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo will be on hand to discuss the star-studded World Series of Fighting 2, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event that will take place at Revel in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday, March 23, live on NBC Sports Network.

In the heavyweight main event, former UFC champion Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (19-9) of Minsk, Belarus will square off with fellow superstar Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (15-3) of Boca Raton, Fla. and, in the bantamweight (135 pounds) co-main event, red-hot 29-year-old star Tyson Nam (12-4) of Portland, Ore. will face off with two-time national Muay Thai champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Marlon Moraes (9-4) of Jupiter, Fla. via Nova Friburgo, Brazil.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt David Branch (11-3) of Brooklyn, N.Y. will battle former PRIDE Fighting Championships superstar and WEC champion Paulo Filho (23-4) of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in a middleweight (185 pounds) bout.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and welterweight (170 pounds) upstart Igor Gracie (5-3) of Rio de Janeiro will face an opponent to be announced on the six-bout preliminary card.

Also slated for action on the five-bout TV card is welterweight sensation Josh Burkman (24-9) of Salt Lake City, Utah, who will collide with former UFC star Aaron “A-Train” Simpson (12-4) of Phoenix, Ariz.

Explosive finisher J.Z. Cavalcante (16-6) of Deerfield Beach, Fla. via Brazil will take on unbeaten, emerging star Justin Gaethje (7-0) of Greeley, Colo. at lightweight (155 pounds).

The live NBC Sports Network telecast of the World Series of Fighting 2 event will begin at 9:30 p.m. EST/6:30 p.m. PST on March 23.

♔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.

BANNER PROMOTIONS CONGRATULATES RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV‏

Banner Promotions congratulates Ruslan Provodnikov for a great fight and living up to all of our expectations last Saturday night when he took on WBO Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley on HBO World Championship Boxing.

The bout, which took place in Carson, California, was a thrilling battle for Provodnikov as he rocked and hurt the undefeated champion repeatedly and was controversially denied knockdowns in each of the first two rounds and was able to send Bradley to the canvas late in the twelfth round for which Bradley barely beat referee Pat Russell’s count.

The “Fight of the Year candidate” produced many toe to toe exchanges that brought the crowd at the Home Depot Center to the edge of their seats throughout the contest.

“Ruslan became a big star on Saturday night”, said Arthur Pelullo, CEO of Banner Promotions. There were a lot of critics when this fight was made. That it was a mismatch and Ruslan didn’t belong in the ring with Bradley. I told everybody that they had no idea what this kid is made of. Yet HBO, to their credit, held steadfast and went forward with the fight. We thank them for that.”

“When Bob Arum saw Ruslan in the gym as the chief sparring partner of Manny Pacquiao for the Pacquiao-Bradley fight, he called me to tell me that this kid is something special. He knew that Ruslan had a future on HBO.”

“Ruslan established himself as one of the major players in both the Jr. Welterweight and Welterweight divisions. I started receiving calls and text messages as early as the 2^nd round and all the major networks have already called with projected fights for Ruslan”.

“Ruslan has many options for future big fights. We will be able to map out what he will do with his team led by his manager Vadim Kornilov in the near future”.

“Once again, we want to thank Ruslan for such a great performance and continuing to give boxing fans a thrilling show every time he enters the ring.”

No Holds Barred: A Lot of Numbers and a Lot of Trouble

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman uses a lot of numbers to illustrate a lot of trouble in a lot of the combat sports.

Topics discussed include the exciting but brutal fight Saturday night between Timothy Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov on the HBO boxing telecast and what it might do to each of these fighters; a main reason why Russian president Vladimir Putin is supporting reinstating wrestling on the Olympic program; a main reason why New York Governor Andrew Cuomo may be supporting the legalization of MMA in his state; what such a law would and would not mean for MMA and its fighters especially in terms of fighter rights; the declining ratings for the Robot Combat League's telecasts in the U.S.; and more.

♔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.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Austin Trout - Sat April 20th - SHOWTIME

WBC SUPER WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION

CANELO ALVAREZ AND WBA SUPER WELTERWEIGHT

WORLD CHAMPION AUSTIN “NO DOUBT” TROUT OFFICIALLY SET

TO UNIFY 154-POUND DIVISION ON SATURDAY, APRIL 20

AT THE ALAMODOME IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

LIVE ON SHOWTIME^®

Unbeaten Mexican superstar and WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez and undefeated WBA Super Welterweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout are set to square off in a 12-round, WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Championship Unification fight on Saturday, April 20 from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas in a fight which will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT).

Canelo vs. Trout, a 12-round WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Championship Unification fight, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo Promotions and Leija & Battah Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The fight will air live on SHOWTIME and is presented in association with Greg Cohen Promotions.

Canelo, who started training for the fight in his hometown of Guadalajara before moving camp to Santa Monica, Calif., is already familiar his opponent’s fighting style and abilities as he was ringside for Trout’s December 1, 2012 victory over Miguel Cotto in New York and also watched Trout defeat his older brother Rigoberto Alvarez in Guadalajara in February of 2011.

“Austin Trout impressed me with his win over Miguel Cotto and my brother,” said Canelo, who will be making his sixth title defense against Trout. “But I feel that in boxing, it’s my time now, and I will show Trout why I am the best in the division. Champions should fight each other because that’s what true champions do. I know he will be a tough challenge, but I’m confident I will be the unified champion at the end of the night. Beating him will make a statement, and in so doing, I plan to avenge my brother’s loss to him and bring victory home to Mexico too.”

The WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Trout, whose performance over Miguel Cotto in December helped further establish him as a force to be reckoned with, is ready for his next contest against Canelo.

“I’m absolutely ready to face Canelo and all of his fans who will be out in full force in San Antonio that night,” said Trout, the 27-year old southpaw from Las Cruces, New Mexico who will be making his fifth title defense. “Although he is a true champion, I don’t believe he has had the ring experience or has faced the competition he should have in order to be able to handle the skills that I will show him when we fight April 20. I have already defeated his brother and taken his belt, and I plan on making it two for two against the Alvarez’s in my in my quest to be the best. I have no doubt that I will retain my title and takes his with me too. I can’t wait.”

“Canelo has proven with each challenge he has faced that he is getting better and has fast become a superstar in the sport not only because of his talent, but also because of his unbelievable fan base that continues to grow every time he fights,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions. “Austin Trout is an incredible fighter with superb boxing skills and a great champion in his own right. I’m very excited to see what happens when these two fighters meet in the ring on April 20. Golden Boy is going back to Texas in true Texas fashion with a huge fight at the Alamodome in San Antonio, the home of great boxing fans who love and appreciate the sport. It’s going to be a great night for everyone involved.”

“We are very excited to work with Oscar de la Hoya, the entire Golden Boy Promotions team, Canelo Promotions and SHOWTIME on this sensational event,” said Texas boxing legend and former World Champion Jesse James Leija of Leija and Battah Promotions. “Boxing fans in Texas have a terrific opportunity to be part of a memorable evening headlined by two of the sports finest competitors.”

“At just 22 years of age, Canelo’s appeal is undeniable and still growing,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager for SHOWTIME Sports. “His first appearance on SHOWTIME last fall resulted in record ratings for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. We are thrilled to have him headlining once again when he will face the toughest opponent of his career. Austin Trout, likewise, helped set a ratings record on our network last December when he upset future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto with an impressive, coming-of-age performance. Canelo vs. Trout is exactly the type of fight that SHOWTIME has become known for - a match-up between two of boxing’s brightest stars in which the outcome is impossible to predict. Naturally, as a programmer, I am thrilled to deliver this world championship unification to SHOWTIME subscribers. As a fight fan, I can’t wait to be ringside at a raucous Alamodome.”

“We are pleased to join Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo Promotions and Leijah & Battah Promotions in bringing this highly coveted match-up to our city,” said Michael Sawaya, Convention, Sports, & Entertainment Facilities Director of the Alamodome. “San Antonio has long been a host for many championship events and this world title bout continues our long tradition.”

The pride of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, 22-year-old Canelo Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KO’s) has proven himself worthy of standing side by side with his country’s modern day boxing greats, both in the ring and outside of it. A fighting phenom who has been a pro since 2005, Canelo ran through all comers on the local circuit before winning the NABF welterweight title in 2009, before beginning his attack on the international boxing scene. In 2010, Canelo had a breakout year with wins over Jose Miguel Cotto,Luciano Cuello, Carlos Baldomir and Lovemore N’dou, and by 2011 he was a world champion, defeating Matthew Hatton for the WBC Super Welterweight World Championship. Canelo, who has truly become a superstar in Mexico with millions tuning in every time he fights, has since defended his title successfully five times, defeating Ryan Rhodes, Alfonso Gomez, Kermit Cintron, Sugar Shane Mosley and Josesito Lopez. On April 20, he will look to unify the division against Austin Trout in front of an adoring crowd as he fights in Texas for the first time.

Long considered one of boxing’s most underrated gems, Las Cruces, New Mexico’s Austin “No Doubt” Trout (26-0, 14 KO’s) took the long road to recognition in his pro career after a successful run as an amateur. Willing to go anywhere to fight anyone, the talented Trout built up win after win while waiting for his shot at the gold. That shot came in February of 2011 when he faced Canelo’s older brother Rigoberto for the WBA Super Welterweight World Championship. Despite fighting in Alvarez’s backyard in Guadalajara, Trout’s boxing skills prevailed as he won a 12-round decision and the title. Still looking to convince the boxing world that he was the real deal, Trout successfully defended his title with wins against David Lopez, Frank LoPorto and Delvin Rodriguez, setting up a December 2012 showdown with Puerto Rican icon Miguel Cotto. Again, Trout stepped up when the pressure was highest, winning a 12 round unanimous decision over Cotto in a career best performance that he hopes to top on April 20.

♔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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