Poised for a Juanma knockout
By Bart Barry
We begin with a Juanma Lopez story. It was January of 2007, and a few of us gathered in a Phoenix Days Inn conference room to hear Tommy Morrison announce his comeback. The press conference was scheduled to begin an hour before it began, but I arrived on time like a fool.
There was one other writer there, and he didn’t speak Spanish, so Top Rank’s Phil Soto motioned towards a group of Puerto Ricans in matching track suits and told me to be the first to interview Juan Manuel Lopez – the day before Juanma’s “ShoBox” debut.
Lopez has acquitted himself splendidly since then, of course, and faces the challenge of his career, Saturday, at MGM Grand against Mexican Rafael Marquez in a fight for Lopez’s WBO featherweight title. But that’s not the point of the story.
That day in the near-empty conference room, I strolled over to the guys in track suits, picked one who looked like a fighter and asked him how he got started in boxing. He was happy to tell me. His dad, or uncle, or somebody, took him to the gym and, why, he loved the sport and was excited to be in Phoenix – his first time. The guy beside him, a little younger and smaller, flashed a wide grin that didn’t leave his face for the next five minutes.
I was out of questions by then and began to move towards a seat from which I could watch Tommy Morrison spin his yarn. That was when the small kid with the big smile told me that, while his friend was indeed a Puerto Rican who loved boxing, he, Juanma, was the guy fighting on Showtime tomorrow, and would I like to ask him any of the same questions?
The following night, after Lopez looked fantastic against Cuauhtemoc Vargas, I hurried to escape an interview with Tommy Morrison. “The Duke” – as some doctor called him in a supposedly official medical document – wouldn’t be making his comeback fight that night because he’d hurt his wrist. This was no less believable than anything else Morrison would say in the months that followed, but it was already too much. I hustled up a back staircase at Dodge Theatre and came to an exit. There was Juanma, patiently knocking. I let him in, and he gave me a hug and told me to remember him because he was going to be a good fighter.
What struck me that week about Juanma Lopez was his poise. He was not in a hurry to become famous by manufacturing some cult-of-personality thing to get on American television. He was not trying too hard, in other words. He was relaxed and confident; he knew he was likable and good, and in time Americans would know that too.
He’s going to need that poise Saturday. The man who comes for his title, Rafael Marquez, has been in bigger fights against better fighters than Lopez has. Marquez has also been in the finest boxing trilogy many have yet witnessed, with Israel Vazquez. His right hand is arguably the most impressive weapon, pound-for-pound, boxing has seen in a generation.
And Lopez, for all his poise, hasn’t got boxing’s best chin. But neither does Marquez. And that’s why folks in the know are so excited about this fight.
When Marquez’s last match was announced, a fourth scrap with Vazquez, in Los Angeles, Marquez fans felt a touch of relief. Vazquez was a man of unmatchable will, but he was also a man with ruined flesh round his eyes. Their guy would cut him up before Vazquez could rend any wills. And that’s exactly what happened in May, though it happened quicker than expected. Vazquez did not last 10 minutes with Marquez.
In the euphoria of that post-fight press conference at Staples Center, Marquez, seated beside trainer Daniel Zaragoza, the man who’d replaced Nacho Beristain, mentioned Juanma Lopez, and we all gave the idea some thought. Far more thought than we might have given the same suggestion two years before – when Marquez was sent reeling across the ring in the 12th round of his third fight with Vazquez and needed 18 months to recover.
The idea of either Marquez or Vazquez moving up four pounds and challenging Lopez was not a serious one, then. It is now.
Lopez, a southpaw, has been felled by lesser men than Marquez. Rogers Mtagwa, a Tanzanian strongman who boxes about as well as Marquez did at age 10, had Lopez out on his feet not too long ago. And after his career’s most impressive showing against Steven Luevano in January, Lopez was in a thrilling match with Filipino Bernabe Concepcion in July. Too thrilling, actually. In two rounds, there were four knockdowns, and Concepcion’s trunks weren’t the only ones cleaning the canvas.
Both Lopez and Marquez can box. Quite well. And both have a tendency not to box until they’re very near unconsciousness. A firefight, you’d think, favors Lopez, the larger of the two men. But we can’t be too sure.
That’s why we’ll watch Showtime, Saturday. But it’s not the only reason. The undercard match, a super-middleweight fight between two subs – Allan Green and Glen Johnson – should be an entertaining way to do something that’s good for us and boxing, too: Support the “Super Six.” Boxing’s best idea has had a rocky go of things lately, so here’s hoping Green-Johnson will be a fitting good-riddance to Andre Dirrell.
The main event, though, is the reason to tune in. Two honest, exciting fighters who are respectful and admired by those who know them. Rumor is, Puerto Rican-versus-Mexican occasionally makes for a decent rivalry, too.
Give us a pick, then? Sure. Good as Marquez is, exciting as a victory by him would necessarily be, he’s not young enough or big enough to stop Lopez. So I’ll take Lopez by 10th-round KO – unless his eagerness runs him into a Marquez right hand.
Bart Barry can be reached at bbarry@15rounds.com. Additionally, his book, “The Legend of Muhammad Ali,” co-written with Thomas Hauser, can be purchased here.
LENNY ZAPPA DESTROYS TOP-RATED JI HOON KIM IN 101 SECONDS TO EARN IBF LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLE SHOT!
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (October 31, 2010) – LENNY ZAPPAVIGNA, aka LENNY ZAPPA, needed just 101 seconds to transform himself from undefeated Top-10 contender to International Boxing Federation (IBF) mandatory lightweight challenger when he blasted out top-rated Jin Hoon Kim last night in their IBF-sanctioned lightweight title elimination bout. The fight took place last night at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Center.
(Link to international broadcast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsSrwn4HazA)
“Lenny looked spectacular in knocking Kim out in first round. He is the Australian version of Arturo Gatti His fighting style is that exciting!” said promoter Gary Shaw.
Lenny Zappa (25-0, 17 KOs), of Sydney, scored two vicious knockdowns of Kim inside the first 90 seconds of the fight. Referee Wayne Kelly stopped it at 1:41 with a defenseless Kim on the ropes and on the receiving end of a vicious ZappAssault. Kim (21-7, 18 KOs), of Goyang, South Korea, a one-time world championship challenger, suffered just his second loss over the past four years and 17 bouts.
“Bring on Miguel Vazquez,” exclaimed Lenny Zappa, referring to the IBF lightweight champion. “It’s time to bring another world title belt back to Australia.”
“I’m going to work hard to make his world title challenge of Vazquez in U.S. It would be perfect in Texas or Southern California,” said Shaw.
Australian by birth and Italian by descent, Lenny Zappa established himself as a prospect as an amateur. The four-time national amateur champion fashioned a 72-9 record which culminated with a Bronze Medal in the lightweight class at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, where he represented Australia.
DOMINGO LOSES ELIMINATOR BUT WINS HEARTS IN MAFIKENG
Sylvester passes Oral test in style
IBF Middleweight Champion Sebastian Sylvester (34-3-1, 16 KOs) made a
successful defence of his title on Saturday night when he outclassed
Mahir Oral (28-3-2, 11 KOs) in front of 4,600 fans in Rostock. The
Hurricane knocked his opponent down three times to clinch a unanimous
points victory, with the judges scoring the bout 119-106, 117-107 and
117-107. “I am pleased with my performance,” Sylvester said. “I knew I
had to catch him to the body. Our game plan worked very well.”
The first four rounds were rather open, despite Sylvester suffering a
deep cut above his right eye following an accidental clash of heads. The
turning point came in the fourth round when he wobbled Oral with big
shots to the head and then followed it up with impressive series of
punches for almost two minutes. However, Oral – nicknamed the Lion –
refused to go down and somehow survived. “I have never seen Sebastian
firing so many explosive shots,” promoter Kalle Sauerland lauded. “His
punching frequency was very impressive. I think overall the performance
today was his best ever.”
Sylvester remained in full control in the following and eventually
knocked Oral down in the eighth and ninth with heavy body shots – just
like in the eleventh round. But Oral got back up and survived until the
end. “His body shots really killed me,” he said afterwards. “I am very
tall for a middleweight so I am quite open to body shots. He fought very
well and deserved to win. I am obviously very, very disappointed.” Said
Chris Meyer, General Manager of Team Sauerland: “Sebastian really put on
a fantastic performance today. He was in full control throughout and
fought very cleverly. But I take my hat off to Mahir who showed his lion
heart today.”
On the undercard, WBA, WBC & WBO female welterweight champion Cecilia
Braekhus clinched her 15th win in as many fights, destroying Mikaela
Lauren – BoxRec´s number two ranked fighter (6-1, 1 KO) – in seven
one-sided rounds. The First Lady displayed her superior boxing skills
from the first bell, constantly hitting her Swedish opponent with her
jab, her strong right and body shots. In the seventh, two right
uppercuts followed by a left sent Lauren down. She scrambled back to her
feet but the referee called the bout off. “This was a great win for me,”
Braekhus said. “I want to keep improving, keep winning titles and defend
my collection against the best fighters out there.”
Heavyweight hopeful Kubrat Pulev (9-0, 5 KOs) also clinched an
impressive point victory over Dominick Guinn (33-7-1, 22 KOs), leaving
the experienced American no chance during eight rounds.
Zab “Super” Judah has Landed!
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Zab “Super” Judah landed at Newark Airport today to begin his final preparations to fight Argentine knock-out artist Lucas Matthysse at Newark’s Prudential Center on Saturday, November 6th.
The voluble Judah plans to train in Teaneck at Body Shapers Gym and looks forward to being joined by fellow Brooklynite and Former World Champion Iron Mike Tyson, who will accompany him into the ring during the HBO “Boxing After Dark” broadcast. Bill Halkias, VP Super Judah Promotions said, ”Super Judah Promotions is excited to be part of an exciting night of boxing that includes what will be a night of fireworks between Zab Judah and Lucas Matthysse. Zab was very well aware of what he needed to do in training camp to get his 40th victory. He looks stronger and sharper than ever. ” Halkias added, “Actions speak louder than words and at this point in Zab’s life he chooses to allow his actions to speak for him. Please join us on November 6th at The Prudential Center in Newark and be part of history as Zab makes a bold statement on his way back to dominating the junior welterweight division.”
“Super” Judah told us, “I’m excited to be back in Newark. I want to show my fans what a well prepared Super Judah is capable of. I’ve been training harder than ever for November 6th. I’m focused and in the best shape of my life. I want all my fans to join me at the Prudential Center. I promise it will be a night to remember. GODSPEED!” Mike Tyson, added his support, “I watched Zab in the Gym a few days ago and he looked spectacular. Better than I’ve ever seen him before. I will be at The Prudential Center sitting front and center to support my friend Zab.”
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Fight Details:
Judah vs. Matthysse, a twelve round NABO junior welterweight championship bout, is part of an exciting night of boxing at Newark’s Prudential Center on Saturday, November 6. The show is presented by Main Events, Super Judah Promotions, and Golden Boy Promotions. Doors open at 6:00pm, first bout to follow immediately. The HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins at 11:15pm ET / PT.
Tickets are still available: Priced at $53, $78, $103 and $253 (ringside) can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling TicketMaster at 800-745-3000 or www.Prucenter.com.
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Totowa-NJ/Main-Events/76572871323?ref=ts or www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing
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Promising Prospect: Alfonso Lopez III
By Mario Ortega Jr.
The fight poster for a Top Rank-promoted card which took place in Texas this past April had the heading “Young Guns – The Undefeated” and featured the faces of five unbeaten prospects. Four of those faces would likely have been recognizable to those who closely follow the sport. Mike Alvarado, Jerry Belmontes, Mikey Garcia and Omar Henry have garnered national attention and been featured prominently on national television during their ascension through the ranks. The fifth face featured on the poster, that of light heavyweight Alfonso Lopez III, would likely go unidentified by fight fans based outside the Lone Star State, but that could soon change. Lopez, a gunslinger from Cut and Shoot, educated inside and outside of the ring, is on cusp of moving from prospect to contender and setting his sights on the upper levels of the 168 and 175-pound divisions.
The way in which Lopez (20-0, 15 KOs) found boxing as a profession is a unique story. Though he had a fondness for boxing as a youth, the pull of other sports kept Lopez out of ring until much later in life. “We had a couple uncles and my stepfather had fought in the amateurs,” recalls Lopez. “We would box in the backyards. I just never competed, because I was big into baseball and football.”
Lopez’ love for football led him to walk-on on the team while at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where he played linebacker for two years. In 2005, Lopez eventually decided to participate at a college amateur fight night, which brought him to the Henry Harris Gym and brought trainer Felix Ramirez and eventually Henry Harris into his life. “He was already 20-years-old and had never fought before,” recalls Ramirez. “He just started training with us and it seemed like he picked up on everything. He fought at the fight night and knocked the kid out in the first round.”
Perhaps motivated by his immediate success, Lopez decided to return to the gym and eventually pursue boxing further. “He started to come back and train for real this time,” recalls Ramirez. “With that being said, he went to fight a couple amateur fights, then went to the Houston Golden Gloves, with only three amateur fights, and he won the Houston Golden Gloves. He went to the [Texas State Golden Gloves] with five amateur bouts under his belt, won the State Golden Gloves three days in a row.”
If you think qualifying for the National Golden Gloves after so few sanctioned bouts seems unusual, then you would be correct. “It is a rarity,” admits Ramirez. “I have never seen it really, must less in such a competitive area, such as the Houston area, in Texas on top of that. There are a lot of big heavyweights and light heavyweights [in the state.]”
The Harris boxing family is very much a part of the fabric of Cut and Shoot, Texas, which just happens to be the town from where Lopez is originally from as well. Roy Harris was a stellar amateur before turning professional, going on an unbeaten run which included a win over eventual Hall of Famer Willie Pastrano, before challenging Floyd Patterson for the World Heavyweight title in 1958. Henry was a solid amateur himself, a Texas State Golden Glove Champion several times over, and eventually took to coaching.
Even with all of his many years in and around the sport, Henry has been surprised by Lopez’ accelerated development. “It is kind of unusual for somebody in college to learn how to fight,” states Harris. “Most of them start when they are young, but he is an intelligent kind and worked real hard at getting things right and he’s developed really fast. It probably doesn’t seem fast to him, but to me it seems awfully fast for somebody that just starts out. Now he is as good a boxer as there is that is out there right now.”
Lopez takes great pride in the fighting tradition of Cut and Shoot, and in a way carrying on the legacy of the Harris boxing family. “Henry had a son, Trey Harris that fought to 14-0, but never really got to get on the big stage. I am coming up and trying to put Cut and Shoot back on the map, but the whole Harris family has just been a huge, great family,” says Lopez. “The way they took me in when I came down here to start fighting. They started teaching me the ropes, and Henry is just the master of boxing, he knows so much. Their whole family is very smart, and they took me in, and my whole family in, and adopted us. They have taken care of us, I am just so glad I am in the position that I am in to start my career as a professional. I don’t think I could have done it anywhere else. This is chosen for me. This is why I came to Sam Houston and this is what I should be doing. This is what God planned for me.”
Before making the leap to the pros, Lopez had a solid 2006 amateur campaign, which included another Texas State Golden Glove title and appearance at the National Golden Gloves. In March of 2006, competing in the 178-pound weight class, Lopez made it to the finals of the U.S. Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Lopez notched two victories in Colorado, including one over present day prospect Will Rosinsky, but came up short in the final against accomplished amateur Christopher Downs.
Though he did not take home the national title, the event itself provided Lopez with invaluable experience. “It was a great experience, because I met a lot of great guys,” says Lopez. “A lot of the top guys professionally now, I got to meet them and got to work out with them to see their work ethic. Just the facility, I was a little bit in awe just being there. It really helped my career and gave me more confidence just being there.”
During his 2006 amateur run, Lopez and his team decided they would turn professional the following year rather than attempt to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. “We thought, hey, the way the system runs now…If Alfonso wanted to, he could have gone to the [Olympic] Trials, and probably even won the Trials, because by then he already had the experience,” said Ramirez. “But I think at this point, we are ahead of the 2008 Olympic class if you look at who is out there. I think it was a wise decision now that we look back.”
Several factors went into the decision to go pro when Lopez did, one of which was the way the U.S. structures their training program. “He would have had to leave us for that entire camp,” explains Ramirez. “How are you going to have somebody just leave you like that? Somebody you trained and you just turn them over to somebody and say ‘Ok, here you go.’ And on top of that, he has a wife and kids. So you are going to leave them too, come on now. It would have been for a long period of time too, not just a couple of weeks. Based on the coaching and everything, he was not going to get the coaching he gets here. And that’s a bold statement. Argue with it, but I think we made the right decision in the end.”
Lopez agreed with his coach’s assessment and was on board with the decision to go pro in 2007. “I was waiting to finish up college,” says Lopez, who graduated from Sam Houston. “My wife was finishing up her Master’s, and I was getting my graduate degree. I finished mine, and we decided at the age I was, and I was married and had a little girl, they thought it was the best decision to turn pro. I went ahead and went with it, rolled the dice early and went professional. I think it was a smart decision.”
Lopez turned pro that March, and crossed over some difficult hurdles in that very first outing. “My pro debut was probably the toughest fight I have had to this point,” admits Lopez. “I just went in so green into it, and the nerves. I got headbutted in the first 30 seconds of the fight. I got cut bad and it just exploded everywhere. There was blood in my eyes. Things guys go through in a ten-year professional career, I learned in one day. In one four-round fight, I was cut, I was bleeding, I was exhausted, I was throwing way too many punches – like a 100 and something punches a round. I was so excited and so dehydrated. It was just a huge, huge learning experience.”
Lopez won every round against Bonnie Joe McGee that night and was ready to move forward in his career, while constantly applying his college work ethic in the gym. “He’s a smart fighter and he takes advantage of other styles,” says Harris. “And it is just hard for someone to start boxing late and learn all of that stuff. But he has been a great student.”
In the 19 fights since, Lopez has remained undefeated and in recent bouts turned back the challenges of stiffer competition. In May of last year, Lopez fought outside of Texas for just the second time as a pro and went the ten-round distance for the first time in a win over veteran Ronald Weaver. “It was a big learning experience for him, to go over there into someone else’s hometown, and show that you can do what you have to do to get the win,” said Ramirez. “In my opinion, he won every round in that fight. If you are the opponent and you got one of the scorecards saying 100-89, then you know what happened.”
In his most recent outing, Lopez stepped up against former title challenger Rubin Williams and scored a unanimous ten-round decision, winning every round on every official card. “That was a fight that really got me up, just because the name Rubin Williams – fought for a world title against Jeff Lacy,” says Lopez. “I knew he was an experienced guy that could give me a couple different looks. I knew he was going to do some things other guys haven’t done, adjust the range and try to control the pace. But I felt I dictated everything in the fight. I fought when I wanted to fight.”
Next up for Lopez is a move down to 168-pounds to take on Romero Johnson for the vacant WBC Continental Americas title this coming Thursday in Dallas, Texas. It is an important fight, because an impressive victory could vault Lopez near the top fifteen in the WBC rankings. “It does excite me to go for a minor title,” admits Lopez. “That was one of our goals before the year had ended, and it turned out for me. Romero Johnson, I don’t know much about him, but I am working with the best in Marcus Johnson and Brian Vera. I am working hard, so whatever he brings, I may need a couple rounds to figure him out, but I plan on taking it to him and getting the win. Then hopefully look for some bigger things next year.”
Bigger things are present on the mind of Lopez’ head trainer and co-manager, Henry Harris. “We are reaching the stage now where we need exposure,” says Harris. “We got him where he can fight, so he just needs the exposure and to fight somebody that is supposedly a good fighter. We are willing to fight anybody for that matter. It is just a matter of what makes more sense. We would like to be [ranked] number one, but we are not there, because we can’t get the fight to prove it. I think he is. I think he is the best fighter out there right now.”
There are easier ways for college graduates to make their living than inside a boxing ring, but Lopez is completely focused on becoming the best boxer he can, and will think about putting his diploma to work for him at a later time. “Boxing is not a sport where you can say I am going to work and get a job and go ahead and get my Master’s and become a dietician,” says Lopez. “Boxing has to be your job. It has to be your passion. You have to love what you do everyday. Even when fights are falling through and you are not making any money, you have to stick with it mentally. It has to be what you want to do. You have to give it your life. You have to give it your heart. There’s no looking back.”
Photo by John Giles
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.
Majewski to battle Caminero on Adamek Undercard December 9!
One of the most exciting up and coming fighters in New Jersey, Majewski, 14-0 (9 KO’s), is fresh off a 7th round stoppage of Joseph Gomez as part of an October 16 pay per view card in Florida. Majewski, who is of Polish descent, will be fighting at the Pru Center for the third time.
Caminero, 7-3 (3 KO’s), has won two straights against opponents with a combined 14-1 record. The Lowell, MA native most recently stopped unbeaten Joe Smith Jr. in August.
For more New Jersey boxing news, go to Gardenstatefightscene.com
Perez To Be Featured on “Jersey Sports Final”!
Newark, NJ (October 30, 2010) – Unbeaten lightweight prospect and 2008 National Golden Gloves Champion Michael Angelo “The Artist” Perez, 9-0 (4 KO’s), will be featured on News 12’s “Jersey Sports Final” tomorrow evening at 10:30 PM. The Newark native, who faces tough Hevinson Herrera November 6 in his hometown at the Prudential Center, will discuss his upbringing in one of America’s roughest cities, how he got started in boxing and where he believes the sport will take him. Replays will air at 11:30 pm Sunday and 12:30 am on Monday. Cablevision subscribers can tune into channel 12 and Comcast customers can see Perez’ story on channel 62. Tickets to the fight priced at $53, $78, $103 and $253 (ringside) are still available and can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling TicketMaster at 800-745-3000 or www.Prucenter.com. For more information on News 12 New Jersey, go to News12.com.
Helenius climbs into IBF Top 10, promises to make Levin pay for skipping pre-fight press conference
Robert Helenius (13-0, 8 KOs) has promised to make Attila Levin (34-3,
21 KOs) pay for skipping their official press conference in Helsinki on
Friday. The Nordic Nightmare took time out from his busy training
schedule to fly to the Finnish capital for a media tour prior to his
November 27th showdown with his Swedish rival. However, Levin never
showed up, stating he could not afford to miss his daily practice. “That
is a lame excuse,” Helenius, the EU Heavyweight Champion, said. “He is
probably scared of me. Just taking the one-hour flight from Stockholm to
Helsinki should not have been too much of a problem. He better gets all
the training he can – he will need it on November 27. I am going to make
him pay for not showing up today.”
Levin had delivered a video message to a packed press conference at
Hartwall Areena before answering questions in a video conference.
“Helenius is not going to knock me out,” he said. “It will be the other
way round. His talk only motivates me. I am in great shape already. I
will silence the Finnish fans in Helsinki and kick Robert´s butt – just
as Sweden always beats Finland.” Much to the delight of the media,
Helenius posed for pictures with a cardboard version of the challenger
which was wearing a skirt.
Helenius said he was ready for another tough challenge. “My goal is to
be world champion one day and in order to keep moving up the rankings, I
will beat whoever I get in the ring with,” he said. In the latest IBF
rankings, Helenius has climbed as high as #10. “That is a big honour but
I am determined to rise even higher,” he said. “That is why I need to
beat Levin.”
Team Sauerland and P3 Boxing have teamed up to deliver a big boxing
night, with King Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch clashing for the vacant
WBC Super-Middleweight Title in Group Stage 3 of the Super Six World
Boxing Classic. Tickets are available via the Finnish ticket hotline +
358 600 900 900 and online at www.lippu.fi.
11/6 Judah – Matthysse Undercard
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It will be a lollapalooza of a show when Zab “Super” Judah takes on heavy handed Argentine knock out artist Lucas Matthysse on Saturday, November 6th when the “Brick City Boxing Series” returns to Newark’s Prudential Center. A total of ten supporting undercard fights are scheduled by promoters Main Events, Super Judah Promotions and Golden Boy. Fans who want to catch all of the action will want to arrive early, as the first bout is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Returning Prudential Center stars Mariusz Wach of Krakow, Poland, also known as “The Polish Giant;” Brooklyn’s US Olympic standout Sadam Ali, Newark Light Heavyweight Angel Concepcion and Middletown Junior Lightweight Tyrone Luckey are scheduled to appear. Making their first trip to the Newark boxing mecca will be Long Island Junior Lightweight Mike Brooks and Newark’s Mike Perez. All are scheduled to fight prior to the HBO televised card which begins at 11 p.m. Standing 6′7″, Mariusz Wach, who recently emigrated to North Bergen, NJ, will put his 22-0 record on the line when he literally goes face to face with 6′7″ Kevin Burnett. Fighting out of Augusta, Georgia, Burnett has a professional record of 13-4-1. A bit of an underachiever in the pro ranks, Burnett may be getting his last chance to put his career back on track in front of the Pru Center crowd. Local fans keep coming back to “The Rock” to follow the 9-0, 5 KO former amateur standout, Sadam Ali. They won’t be disappointed as Ali, a member of the 2008 US Olympic Boxing Team, is scheduled to take on tough Gary Bergeron, (12-6, 7KO’s) of New Orleans in an eight round bout. Returning to his hometown arena after scoring a unanimous decision in his Newark debut in July, Angel Concepcion (2-0) will face Philadelphia’s Maruice Amaro in a 4-round light heavyweight scrap. Unbeaten in 10 pro bouts, Mike Perez (9-0-1, 4 KOs) will fight in Newark for the first time as a professional on November 6. Over the last two years, he has traveled to fight in California, Texas, Nevada and New York, taking out all comers along the way. On November 6, he comes home to battle Hevinson Herrera (14-6-1, 12 KO’s) a five-year veteran who is intent on spoiling Perez’ homecoming party.
Hard-hitting Cincinnati cyclone Adrien “The Problem” Broner (17-0, 14 KO’s) has certainly been a problem for his professional opponents, especially the nine that he has halted in three rounds or less. On November 6, he will face his toughest challenge yet in Ilido Julio (40-19-1, 35 KO’s) an equally powerful foe who has earned respect throughout the boxing world.
21-year old Quebec native Mikael Zewski (4-0, 3 KO’s) has drawn rave reviews for his amateur exploits and for his poise and power as a professional. He will make his Golden Boy Promotions debut at Prudential Center against Philly battler Ardrick “The Hitman” Butler (5-2, 2 KO’s), who has won five of his last six bouts and looks to continue that streak against Zewski.
Junior lightweight Brooks will make his third appearance in the pro ranks against another Philadelphia native, Kwayne Hill; Junior lightweight Luckey will return to Newark after making his pro debut there in August vs. Alex Montes of San Juan, PR .
** All bouts subject to change. |
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Fight Details:
Judah vs. Matthysse, a twelve round NABO junior welterweight championship bout, is part of an exciting night of boxing at Newark’s Prudential Center on Saturday, November 6. The show is presented by Main Events, Super Judah Promotions, and Golden Boy Promotions. Doors open at 6:00pm, first bout to follow immediately. The HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins at 11:15pm ET / PT.
Tickets are still available: Priced at $53, $78, $103 and $253 (ringside) can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling TicketMaster at 800-745-3000 or www.Prucenter.com.
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Totowa-NJ/Main-Events/76572871323?ref=ts or www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing |
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
