VIDEO: HOPKINS – DAWSON 2 PRESS CONFERENCE
World Light Heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson meet in New York City to announce thier April 28th rematch
MAYWEATHER VS. COTTO TICKETS GO ON SALE ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
1:00 P.M. ET/10:00 A.M. PT
Be There for All of the Action at MGM Grand in Las Vegas May 5!
Los Angeles (February 21, 2012)… Tickets for Floyd “Money” Mayweather vs. Miguel “Junito”Cotto, 2012’s biggest night of boxing, go on sale next Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. The WBA Super Welterweight World Championship between the undefeated Seven-Time, Five-Division World Champion Mayweather and Three-Division World Champion Cotto will take place Saturday, May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The 12-round contest for Cotto’s WBA Super Welterweight World title is presented by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.
Tickets will be priced at $1,500, $1,250, $600, $300 and $200, not including applicable service charges, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. Ticket sales will be limited to 10 per person at the $1,500, $1,250, $600 and $300 price levels with a ticket limit of two (2) per person at the $200 price level. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
Mayweather vs. Cotto Fact #1:
This is the first time the undefeated Mayweather has fought at 154 pounds since he fought 10-time World Champion Oscar de la Hoya in 2007.
HOT QUOTES FROM THE PACQUIAO-BRADLEY BEVERLY HILLS PRESS CONFERENCE
“Timothy Bradley is undefeated and hungry.
He does not know how to lose.
This will be a great fight – champion vs. champion.”
- Manny Pacquiao
“I’m just glad Manny is fighting an undefeated fighter
who is more concerned about winning, than he is
about protecting his record.”
- World-Famous Freddie Roach
“I have always been an underdog all of my life.
But I know how to win.
I talk winning. I go into the ring and win.
Manny Pacquiao is the world’s greatest fighter.
After I win, the rematch will be in November.”
- Timothy Bradley, Jr.
“Timothy Bradley is ready for war.
No one can prepare for his type of combat.”
- Joel Diaz
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. (February 21, 2012) – Fighter of the Decade Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO and undefeated junior welterweight champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY, JR. met the media today at The Beverly Hills Hotel to kickoff their two-city, coast-to-coast media tour. They were joined by their respective trainers, World-Famous Freddie Roach and Joel Diaz, as well as Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.
Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs), the sole congressional representative of the Sarangani province in the Philippines, and Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., have won 11 world titles between them. They will go toe-to-toe for Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight championship on Saturday, June 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The Pacquiao-Bradley world championship fight will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Tecate, AT&T and MGM Grand, tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley will go on sale This Friday! February 24, at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, and will be priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200. Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
MANNY PACQUIAO and TIMOTHY BRADLEY, JR. WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP!
Saturday, June 9 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas
Presented Live By HBO Pay-Per-View®
Tickets Go On Sale
This Friday! February 24 at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
LAS VEGAS, NEV. (February 21, 2012) – Eight-division world champion MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO and undefeated two-time unified junior welterweight champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY, JR. will go mano a mano in a battle of Top-10 pound-for-pound world champions. The Pacquiao vs. Bradley World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight championship collision will take place Saturday, June 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Tecate, AT&T and MGM Grand, tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley go on sale This Friday! February 24 at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT, and are priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200. Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
“Timothy Bradley is the king of the junior welterweight division in search of new worlds to conquer. I know how he feels,” said Pacquiao. “I admire his ambition and his self confidence to risk his undefeated record by moving up in weight to challenge me. Freddie Roach and I will need to make the most of every training day to prepare for Timothy. When I walk into the ring on June 9, it will be more than a world title defense for me. It will be another opportunity to bring honor and glory to my country and to my fellow Filipinos in the Philippines and around the world.”
“I’ve never met a mountain I couldn’t climb and I’ve never let a man’s height or stature intimidate me,” said Bradley. “I live to fight the best. I’m not only challenging Manny for his world title but I’m also challenging myself. I am grateful for this wonderful opportunity and I will make the most of it. I will enter the ring on June 9 fearless and prepared.”
“Pacquiao vs. Bradley will be a fight fans fight,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “Both will come to fight. I am sure the action will be nonstop.”
“Manny Pacquiao is a worldwide superstar and we are delighted to be the television home for his next pay-per-view event on June 9 in Las Vegas,” said Mark Taffet, senior vice president, HBO Pay-Pay-View. “His events extend far beyond the traditional boxing ring. Timothy Bradley has earned his way into this fight by beating every opponent placed in front of him and we know he’ll excited and be ready for a special night of boxing at the MGM Grand.”
Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the Philippines, returns to the Fight Capital of the World to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight championship crown, his seventh of a record eight world titles in as many weight divisions. He has successfully defended his welterweight title three times, via dominant unanimous decisions over former International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion Joshua Clottey and former three-division world champion Sugar Shane Mosley, and a razor-close split decision to professional rival Juan Mánuel Márquez last November. Pacquiao captured the WBO welterweight title November 14, 2009, with a brilliant 12th round TKO victory over four-time world champion Miguel Cotto. Between welterweight title defenses Pacquiao captured the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight title with a brutal pasting of three-time welterweight champion Antonio Margarito. A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Márquez, Cotto and Mosley. His knockout victories over Cotto and Hatton in 2009 and his victories over Clottey and Margarito in 2010 and Mosley and Márquez in 2011 combined for more than 6 million pay-per-view buys making Pacquiao the reigning pay-per-view king. No boxer sold more live tickets in the U.S. than Pacquiao in 2010 and 2011, making him the pound-for-pound king in the ring and at the box office.
Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs), from Palm Springs, Calif., won his first world title in 2008, travelling across the pond to dethrone the defending WBC super lightweight champion Junior Witter in the Englishman’s backyard of Nottingham, England. Bradley’s sixth-round knockdown of Witter shocked the hometown crowd as Bradley won a hard-fought split decision. One year later, in his second championship defense, Bradley unified the title by dominating then-WBO champion Kendall Holt. In a career-defining fight, Bradley weathered a first-round knockdown, and showed his trademark heart and determination during the remainder of the match, to win by unanimous decision. Bradley opted to keep the WBO junior welterweight title. Bradley successfully defended that title twice. In August 2009 he dominated former world champion Nate Campbell before an accidental clash of heads near the end of round three led to the fight later being ruled no contest when Campbell could not continue due to a nasty gash over his left eye. Bradley followed that up with a December 2009 schooling of undefeated interim WBO champion Lamont Peterson, which included a third-round knockdown, the first time Peterson had ever hit the canvas in his 27-bout professional career. With no worthy contenders available to defend his title against, Bradley moved up to 147 pounds and won a 12-round unanimous decision over undefeated Top-10 welterweight contender Carlos Abregu on July 17, 2010. Bradley kicked off 2011 by reunifying the welterweight titles with a 10-round shellacking of undefeated WBC super light champion Devon Alexander in January, followed by an eighth-round knockout victory of former world champion Joel Casamayor last November in the co-main event under Pacquiao-Márquez III at MGM Grand.
The Pacquiao vs. Bradley world championship telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry.
For Pacquiao-Bradley fight week updates, log on to www.toprank.com and www.hbo.com.
HBO PPV lands Pacquiao – Bradley
As expected, HBO Pay Per View will show the June 9th showdown between Pound for Pound King Manny Pacquiao and undefeated Jr. Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley according to Dan Rafael of espn.com
The announcement coincided with the day that Pacquiao and Bradley kicked off a two-city media tour in Los Angeles to promote the fight. “Manny Pacquiao’s fights are always special events and we are very excited that his June 9 fight with Timothy Bradley will be presented by HBO Pay-Per-View,” HBO Sports president Ken Hershman said in a statement to ESPN.com. “We look forward to working with Manny, Timothy and Top Rank on this major PPV event.”
Povetkin-Huck media work-out
WBO Cruiserweight Champion Marco Huck (34-1, 25 KOs) has predicted a KO victory over WBA Heavyweight Champion Alexander Povetkin (23-0, 16 KOs) when they clash at Stuttgart´s Porsche Arena on Saturday night. “I plan to show my fans a great fight, which will end in a KO victory for me,” Huck said at today´s public training. “Povetkin is a great champion but I will defeat him and finally accomplish my goal of becoming word heavyweight champion.”
Povetkin is convinced his second title defence will again be a successful one. “I have had a very good preparation with Alexander Zimin, all went very well,” he stated. “I am ready for Saturday. I am here to defend my title. I will win.”
In the co-featured main event, rising middleweight star Dominik Britsch (26-0, 9 KOs) faces Roberto Santos (17-6, 9 KOs) for the EU Title.
For more pictures, check out Team Sauerland´s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TeamSauerlandBoxing
Opportunity is knockin’
Chattelle prepares for ultimate test against former UFC veteran Howard
LINCOLN, R.I. (Feb. 21, 2012) – Todd “The Hulk” Chattelle will make the jump from spectator to contender when he faces a fighter he’s spent most of life admiring from afar.
The reigning Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., middleweight champion will put his title on the line against Boston, Mass., native and Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran John “Doomsday” Howard in the main event of CES’ “Never Surrender” mixed martial arts event at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I., on Friday, April 13th, 2012.
“I’ve always looked up to him because of what he’s accomplished,” said Chattelle, who was named the Boston Herald Fighter of the Year and Comeback Fighter of the Year in 2011, “but if he’s going to stand in the doorway, then I have to push through.”
Chattelle (10-6, 8 KOs), a Pawtucket, R.I., native, has followed most of Howard’s career, including “Doomsday’s” UFC debut in 2009 when he defeated Chris Wilson in Las Vegas, and his win over Tamdan McCrory seven months later in Philadelphia, both of which Chattelle attended. Now he has the opportunity to beat one of his idols in a fight that could take his career to the next level.
“Why not?” Chattelle said when asked if a win could land him a spot on a future UFC card. “I’ve faced four Top 5 guys in a row, and this will be the fifth.
“This is a big fight. I’m training harder than ever because he’s a UFC veteran, and because he is who he is. He’s been there, and I’m trying to get there.”
For Howard (15-7, 4 KOs), the goal is to get back to the UFC after the promotion released him in July following a three-fight losing streak, which culminated in a controversial, unanimous-decision loss to Matt Brown on June 26th. Howard had won his first four UFC bouts in the competitive welterweight division before the landslide began with a knockout loss to Jake Ellenberger in 2010, a fight stopped in the third round due to the swelling around Howard’s left eye. Beating Chattelle on April 13th won’t punch Howard’s ticket back to the UFC, but it’s a step in the right direction.
“I’ve got to take it fight by fight,” Howard said. “Right now, I’ve got to treat every fight like it’s the biggest fight of my career. Don’t think for a second I’m sitting back thinking, ‘Yeah, I’m a badass,’ or resting on past accomplishments.
“I’m not taking it lightly because I can’t. This is a lose-lose situation for me. If I win, it’s because I’m supposed to. If I lose, people will say, ‘You’re supposed to be in the UFC?’ For him, it’s a win-win. This is his test. I have nothing new to prove. I’ve been to the big show. This will be his chance to see where he belongs on the food chain. This is an opportunity for me to get back into the swing of things.
“I’m real confident, but I respect him.”
Chattelle might have the edge in familiarity; the fight will take place at his customary weight of 185 pounds, while Howard will be stepping above the welterweight division for the first time in five years. A less strenuous weight-cut could prove beneficial for Howard, who typically walks around at 205 pounds or heavier, though he admits he’s a “little nervous” about bulking up to face Chattelle.
“We’ll see what happens,” he said. “I’ll try to use my skill and experience to my advantage.”
“The fact of the matter is he’s just another opponent,” Chattelle countered. “Yeah, he’s a UFC veteran, but I’m the No. 1 fighter in New England. He doesn’t eat rock. He doesn’t eat metal. He’s a man, just like me.”
Considering he won’t turn 29 until March 1st, Howard can afford to take the one-fight-at-a-time approach.
“To tell you the truth, you really don’t hit your prime in this sport until you’re 32 or 33,” Howard said. “Look at [former UFC light heavyweight champion] Chuck Liddell. He started at 28. Look at him now. I’m just getting my second wind at 28. When I hit 30, I’ll hit my prime. That’s how I look at it. Some guys didn’t start until late in their career. Look at [UFC middleweight champion] Anderson Silva. I have the skill and the power and I’ll be ready to pursue it and become a No. 1 contender when I hit my prime.”
Chattelle has been doing his homework, starting with watching film from Howard’s previous fights, and continuing with a new workout regimen designed to improve his conditioning.
“He’s well-rounded,” Chattelle said of Howard. “He’s not great at any one thing, but he has a lot of heart and will fight until the end. He will last the whole fight, so I have to be well-conditioned and take my conditioning to the next level.
“I added new supplements, plus new training programs. I’m doing a lot of private training with certain people to make sure I’m ready for this. I’m doubling up on my workouts, morning and night.”
Chattelle, who previously worked 40 hours a week as a concrete finisher while training for upcoming fights, was recently laid off from his job, which has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
“Now I can put everything into it, like a professional should, and see if I have what it takes to make it to this level,” he said. “I’m going real hard morning and night. I hope he’s ready to bang, because I’m not afraid to bang with anybody.”
“He’s the champion of CES, and I want to fight the champion,” Howard added. “This is a weird situation, because I really like him as a friend. He’s real down-to-earth, real humble. He’s coming up in the world, but sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. He hits real hard, and is really, really powerful, but he’s a raw talent. He’s got a lot to learn in this game.”
Chattelle is expecting a packed house at Twin River on April 13th. His phone hasn’t stopped ringing since CES announced the match-up at its previous show on Feb. 3rd.
“I’m usually doing all he calling, but this time, people are calling me,” he said.
“It’s pretty incredible. The fact of the matter is I never thought I’d be where I am at this point. When I started, I just wanted to try it out. I think it’s a good lesson; anything you do in life, if you believe in it and stick with it, it’ll turn out well, even if things don’t always go as they should.”
Tickets for “Never Surrender” are $35.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesmma.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.
(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Never Surrender.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance).
‘ON THE RAMPAGE’ IN TOYKO QUINTON JACKSON PUMPED TO BE BACK IN JAPAN FOR UFC 144 CLASH WITH RYAN BADER THIS SATURDAY
Las Vegas, Nevada – Former unified UFC & PRIDE light heavyweight champion ‘Rampage’ Jackson is pumped to finally be fighting again in Japan – where he made his legend – after an absence of exactly six years.
Jackson last fought in the Land of the Rising Sun in February 2006, defeating elite judo competitor Yoon Dong-Sik at the PRIDE® 31 event. Since then, Jackson has predominantly fought in Las Vegas, where the Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization is headquartered; and he is reveling in finally getting another chance to return to the scene of some of his career-defining victories.
“I had a lot of success here, but the real reason I was so anxious to be on this UFC 144 card is that have a special bond with the Japanese fans,” Jackson said from his hotel room in Tokyo. “I’ve really missed fighting here, just the whole energy of the place and how they go crazy but they are also so respectful at the same time. I was so determined to make sure I was on this card. I must have asked Dana (White, UFC President) about it a thousand times. I guess he got tired of me asking and put me as the co-main event with Ryan Bader. Honestly, I’d have been cool as a prelim guy for this fight, just put me on the card!
“I’m so happy, so excited to be here. I’ve seen some old friends, fans of mine who became friends, who are coming to the fight and I can’t wait for UFC 144 this weekend.
“I’m going to go on the Rampage in Japan. I’m going to go back to my old style that and just whup his ass. He’s a good fighter, he can punch and wrestle like me, but I want to fight like I did in Japan, just fight and give the fans a fight they will remember for years like they do my PRIDE days. That’s all I care about. I’m looking to do some slams, my powerbomb and knocking Ryan Bader out!”
To commemorate Rampage’s return to Japan, the UFC presents a limited edition UFC 144 poster in the style of Japanese ‘Manga’ movies. A strictly limited number will be printed, but five of them are up for grabs at the UFC.com’s official Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/UFC.
To view the digital version of the UFC 144 Program, click here: http://www.ufc.com/program
UFC® 144: EDGAR vs. HENDERSON will air live on Pay-Per-View in North America on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. In the night’s main event, reigning UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar defends his crown against former WEC® champion Benson Henderson.
FERRANTE – SHEIKA CARD SET FOR THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AT HARRAHS IN CHESTER
CHESTER, PA (February 21, 2012)—This Friday Night, Tony “Boom Boom” Ferrante will take part in the most important bout of his career when he takes on former four time world title challenger Omar Sheika in a ten round bout for the BAM championship.
The bout plus a terrific five bout undercard is promoted by Joey Eye Boxing Promotions. This will be the sixth boxing show promoted by Joey Eye Boxing just over 12 months at Harrahs in Chester.
Ferrante of Philadelphia has a record of 12-2 with seven knockouts and is one of the most popular fighters in Philadelphia. Ferrante won his first nine professional bouts before dropping back to back bouts to Chuck Mussachio (15-1-2) and Ronson Frank (17-0).
Ferrante has responded with three consecutive victories, with two of those coming at Harrahs in Chester.
Ferrante is coming off a first round stoppage over Joe Park last August 12th at Harrahs in Chester.
Sheika of Paterson, New Jersey has been a mainstay at the top of the Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight divisions for sixteen years. He won his first fourteen bouts and went on to beat former world champions Simon Brown and Glen Johnson.
Sheika challenged Joe Calzaghe, Eric Lucas; Jeff Lacy and Markus Beyer for world Super Middleweight supremacy but each time came up just a little bit short.
Sheika, 31-11 with twenty-one is coming off a majority decision victory over based Light heavyweight Charles Hayward on January 21st.
Two six round fights will headline the undercard.
Undefeated Naim Nelson of Philadelphia will take on the battle tested Linwood Hurd in a Jr. Welterweight bout.
Nelson, twenty-one years old has a record of 4-0 and holds victories over undefeated Korey Slone (1-0) and in his last bout he scored a four round unanimous decision over Pedro Andres on January 21st.
Hurd has a record of 3-2-4 with one knockout. The twenty-seven year old has fought and had success with solid competition. Hurd has wins over then undefeated Bryheim Douglas (2-0-2) and scored his first knockout in his last bout over Marcus Smith and has draws with then undefeated Ryan Belasco (2-0) and tough Julio DeJesus (4-2).
In a second six round Heavyweight bout, popular Radnor Police Officer Jamie Campbell takes on Lonnie Kornegay.
Campbell, thirty-eight has a record of 3-2 with two knockouts.
The Ridley Park, PA native lives just minutes from Harrahs in Chester and should have a big cheering section rooting him on.
Campbell has two big wins over Dan Mullarkey and will be looking to redeem himself after coming off a four round unanimous decision defeat to last minute replacement William Miranda last March 18th at Harrahs in Chester.
Kornegay is a thirty-three year old native of Baltimore will bring in a record of 1-5-2.
The irony of the fight is that Kornegay’s lone win is over Miranda (Miranda got even in the rematch).
The rest of the card will consists of three four round bouts.
Teneal Goyco (4-3, 2 KO’s) will take on Maurice Amaro (1-5) in a bout between two Philadelphia based Light Heavyweight bout.
Son of former world title challenger Tyrone Crawley Jr. will take on Hamid Robinson in a battle of pro debuting Welterweights from Philadelphia.
Danny Mills of Glen Mills, PA will take on Mike Haynes of Wilmington, DE in a fight between two pro debuting Welterweights.
Tickets are now on sale for $100 (VIP); $65 (Ringside) and $45 (General Admission) and can be purchased at the Harrahs Chester Gift Shop; By calling Joey Eye (267-304-9399); David Feldman (610-291-0806); 800-480-8020 or on www.webtix.net
CREDENTIALS: CONTACT:
ESPN’s Friday Night Fights: Former Featherweight Titlist in Main Event
Studio Interview with Timothy Bradley
Ali 70 from Las Vegas to Air February 25 on ABC & ESPN2
On February 24, ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature two top contenders — Ring Magazine’s No.10 ranked Junior Lightweight Juan Carlos “Mini” Burgos (28-1, 19 KOs) and former featherweight titlist Cristobal “Lacandon” Cruz (39-12-3, 23 KOs) in the 12-round main event. Friday’s show will air at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN3 from Dover, Del. The card is presented by Banner Promotions.
Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, to describe the action for ESPN2 and ESPN3, while studio host Bernardo Osuna will present all the latest boxing news and highlights. Friday’s show will feature an in-studio interview with current Junior Welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley. Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodriguez will call the fights with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Lindsay Casinelli in the studio on ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights).
Main Event:
Mexico’s Burgos has won his last three fights, including a career-best 10-round upset decision over previously undefeated Luis Cruz.
After the fight, ESPN.com’s boxing expert Dan Rafael wrote, “This was all Burgos, who was the harder puncher and more aggressive. He attacked Cruz’s body and landed enough shots to swell his right eye. It was a hard-hitting fight, but Burgos seemed in control the whole way, including rocking Cruz in the ninth round.”
Mexico’s Cristobal Cruz enters Friday’s fight with experience having fought former titlists Orlando Salido, Luisito Espinosa and current interim world champion Jorge Solis.
Co-Feature:
Friday’s co-feature will pit Junior Welterweights Edgar “La Melasa” Santana (26-3, 17 KOs) against Manny “Manos” Perez (16-7-1, 4 KOs). Bronx, N.Y.’s Santana is coming off a fifth-round TKO win over Omri Lowther, while Perez of Denver, will look to rebound after a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Mercito Gesta.
Follow ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like on Facebook.
Ali 70 from Las Vegas February 25 on ABC & ESPN2:
Ali 70 from Las Vegas, a special birthday celebration for boxing legend Muhammad Ali, will air Saturday, February 25, at 4 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on ABC. ESPN2 will reair the event at 10 p.m. ET that night. The show which took place last weekend at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, included performances and tributes from some of the world’s top entertainers and sports icons. Boxing greats include Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, Tommy “Hitman” Hearns, Manny Pacquiao and Chuck Wepner.
The list of performers and celebrity supporters included Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, John Legend, Cee Lo Green, Slash, Joe Perry, Kelly Rowland and many more.
In addition ESPN Classic will pay tribute to Ali, beginning February 25, at 2 a.m. ET. The schedule:
Date
Time (ET)
Program
Network
Sat, Feb 25
2 a.m.
Ali Rap
ESPN Classic
3 a.m.
SportsCentury: Muhammad Ali
ESPN Classic
4 a.m.
1974 Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman
ESPN Classic
5 a.m.
SportsCentury: Muhammad Ali
ESPN Classic
10 a.m.
1975 Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner
ESPN Classic
11:30 a.m.
SportsCentury: Muhammad Ali
ESPN Classic
12:30 p.m.
1974 Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman
ESPN Classic
1:30 p.m.
1975 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier-III
ESPN Classic
3 p.m.
Ali Rap
ESPN Classic
ESPN News- Pacquiao, Roach rip Mayweather, back Bradley February 21, 2012Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. both realize almost every boxing fan wishes Floyd Mayweather Jr. had been standing next to Pacquiao at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Tuesday. […]Associated Press
- HBO PPV secures rights to Pacquiao-Bradley February 21, 2012HBO made it 2-for-2 in securing the rights to the first two major pay-per-view fights of the year on Tuesday, announcing that it had finalized an agreement to produce and distribute Manny Pacquiao's defense against Timothy Bradley Jr. […]Dan Rafael
- V. Klitschko says still owes Chisora a knockout February 21, 2012WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko wants to fight Britain's Dereck Chisora again -- so he can knock him out. […]Associated Press
- Chisora apologizes 'wholeheartedly' for brawl February 20, 2012Dereck Chisora apologized "wholeheartedly" Monday for the brawl with David Haye that followed his loss to WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko. […]Associated Press
- V. Klitschko tore shoulder ligament vs. Chisora February 19, 2012Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko suffered a torn ligament in his left shoulder during his unanimous decision win over Dereck Chisora on Saturday in Munich, Germany, but he will not require surgery. […]Dan Rafael
- Stars honor Ali at 70th birthday gala in Vegas February 19, 2012President Barack Obama lauded Muhammad Ali Saturday as he joined some of the world's most famous people in a birthday celebration for the boxer known simply as "The Greatest." […]Associated Press
- Esparza, Underwood, Shields win boxing trials February 19, 2012Claressa Shields screamed, sidestepped and finally hopped around the ring, unable to contain her glee when she was named the outstanding fighter at the first U.S. Olympic team trials for women's boxing. […]Associated Press
- Gamboa, Rios agree to April 14 bout in Vegas February 17, 2012Former unified featherweight titlist Yuriorkis Gamboa will jump up two weight classes and face former lightweight titleholder Brandon Rios in a fight that matches two of boxing's most crowd-pleasing fighters. […]Dan Rafael
- Boxer banned for threat, sparking ring riot February 17, 2012The IBF on Thursday banned former junior flyweight titlist Luis Lazarte from participating in any fight the organization is associated with following Lazarte's actions during a bout last Friday. […]Dan Rafael
- Ward cleared for training as long as hand OK February 16, 2012Unified super middleweight champion Andre Ward has received medical clearance to resume using his left hand, as long as it feels OK, after fracturing it in two places. […]Dan Rafael
- Pacquiao, Roach rip Mayweather, back Bradley February 21, 2012
