COTTO AND MARGARITO POUR GASOLINE ON THEIR REMATCH FIRE
NEW YORK (November 30, 2011) – They came, they saw, they insulted. The flames were fanned to inferno heat by three-division world champion and the Pride of Puerto Rico MIGUEL COTTO and professional rival and three-time welterweight world champion ANTONIO “The Tijuana Tornado” MARGARITO, of México, at today’s final press conference at Madison Square Garden for their upcoming rematch.
Cotto will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight title in this high-tension showdown against Margarito, Saturday, December 3, at “The Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden. With approximately 200 tickets remaining, Cotto-Margarito II is projected to sellout in advance of fight night. Cotto has sold more tickets to The Garden in this millennium than any other fighter.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Cotto Promotions, Tornado Promotions, AT&T, Tecate and Madison Square Garden, Cotto-Margarito II will be produced and distributed Live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
The previous encounter between Cotto and Margarito took place on July 26, 2008 and was a battle of epic proportion and arguably the Fight of the Year. Cotto and Margarito boast a combined record of 74-9 (56 KOs) – a winning percentage of 89% and a victory by knockout ratio of 76% — not to mention seven world titles between them.
ANTONIO MARGARITO
Here comes the criminal! Open the doors to the criminal! I’ve been called a criminal by the man next to me [Cotto]. I don’t know why? I don’t beat up my family. He can hit my eye as much as he wants. He hits like a little girl. Super flyweights hit harder. He will never beat me.
I know Cotto thinks he has a big advantage having the fight here [New York]. That’s his security blanket.
This was one of my best preparations for a fight. I’m in great condition. This camp was different from the one I had before our last fight. The high altitude conditioning has made me stronger.
When he feels my first punch he’s going to be in real problems. I know Cotto’s style and his style is perfect for me. He stands in front of me. I am a pressure-style fighter. That’s what I do best and that’s what I’m going to do on Saturday.
MIGUEL COTTO
If you don’t know what a criminal means, you can look it up in the dictionary. It’s someone who uses a weapon.
“We spoke about the wraps on Face Off [on HBO.] I showed you a picture of them.
You [Margarito] are like a child. You are an embarrassment to boxing.
I am going to slap you like a little girl.
******************************
Remaining tickets to Cotto-Margarito II, priced at $600, $400, $300, $200, $100, and $50, can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden box office, online at www.thegarden.com and all Ticketmaster outlets, which charges an additional fee.
HBO will present the back-to-back replay of both episodes of 24/7 COTTO/MARGARITO on Friday, Dec. 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, the half-hour special “24/7 Overtime: Cotto/Margarito” will be seen at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
For Cotto-Margarito II fight week updates, log on to www.toprank.com and www.hbo.com
THE UFC® RETURNS TO ‘MUSIC CITY’ WITH A BATTLE OF LIGHTWEIGHTS WHEN HEAVY-HANDED MELVIN GUILLARD TAKES ON BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU BLACK BELT JIM MILLER
PLUS:
DUANE LUDWIG vs. JOSH NEER
PAT BARRY vs. CHRISTIAN MORECRAFT
UFC® on FX: GUILLARD vs. MILLER
FRIDAY, JAN. 20
From Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, Tenn.
Live on FX® at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, DEC. 2
Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that it will return to Nashville, Tenn. on Friday, Jan. 20, as lightweight contenders Melvin Guillard and Jim Miller collide in the night’s main event from Bridgestone Arena.
The Octagon’s return to “Music City” also coincides with the UFC’s first ever event on FX. UFC® on FX: GUILLARD vs. MILLER airs live on the network as part of a two-hour broadcast beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
“For our first live event on FX, we wanted to deliver an incredible fight for the fans and Melvin Guillard vs. Jim Miller should be a war,” UFC President Dana White said. “These are two of the top ranked lightweights in the UFC and both have a lot on the line as they want to get back in the title picture. Miller is known for relentless pressure. There is absolutely no quit in him.
He has won Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night awards. Melvin Guillard is one of the most explosive athletes in the lightweight division. He has won the Knockout of the Night award twice. I expect more awards to be won in this fight.”
“Dana, Lorenzo and Frank have given us an outstanding card for the inaugural UFC on FX telecast,” said Chuck Saftler, Executive Vice President, FX Networks. “UFC is a marquee franchise and will be a significant property for the network. Between our live fight cards and the launch of the new version of The Ultimate Fighter in March, we’re excited about the UFC joining our lineup and the match-up between Guillard and Miller on January 20th is a great way to kick it off.”
The Nashville card will also feature an exciting welterweight bout between Duane “Bang” Ludwig and Josh “The Dentist” Neer, as well as an explosive heavyweight tilt pitting Pat “HD” Barry against Christian Morecraft.
Tickets for UFC®on FX: GUILLARD vs. MILLER go on sale Friday, Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. CT and are priced at $175, $125, $90, $65, $40 and $25. Tickets will be available at the Bridgestone Arena box office or online at www.bridgestonearena.com. Tickets are also available online at www.TicketMaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, and at all Ticketmaster outlets including select Kroger locations. Ticket prices do not include service charges.
UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event TODAY, Wednesday, Nov. 30 starting at 10 a.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Thursday, Dec. 1 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through www.ufc.com.
One of the most exciting and explosive fighters in the sport, Melvin Guillard (fighting out of Albuquerque, NM by way of New Orleans, La.) returns to the Octagon® in hopes of igniting another run at UFC gold. With past wins over Dennis Siver, Jeremy Stephens, Evan Dunham and Shane Roller, “The Young Assassin” looks to bring his hard-hitting and crowd-pleasing style to Nashville. The 28-year-old knows a win over Miller will return him to the thick of the 155-pound title hunt.
“The fans in Nashville better be ready for fireworks when me and Miller go at it,” Guillard (46-10-3, 1 NC) said. “I see Fight of the Year written all over this one. I’ve got a lot of respect for him and I know how phenomenal he is inside the Octagon, but I’ve wanted this fight for a while and I’ll be ready. This is a great opportunity for me and I’m honored to be a part of history in headlining the first ever UFC on FX event.”
Jim Miller (fighting out of Whippany, N.J.), a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu who holds wins over Kamal Shalorus, Mark Bocek, Matt Wiman and Duane Ludwig, has used his technique to control and finish many of his opponents during his impressive run in the UFC. A winner of seven of his last eight fights, Miller looks to pick up where he left off and continue his dominance in the lightweight division. Nothing would make him happier than finishing Guillard via submission in Tennessee.
“Melvin has proven that he’s a dangerous opponent, but he’s also proven that his weaknesses can cost him and his weaknesses are my strengths,” said Miller, whose record currently stands at 20-3. “We’re going to show the fans in Nashville and the fans watching on FX why we were chosen to headline this event. You’ve got two of the best guys in the division in a fight that I highly doubt will go the distance. Don’t blink because this thing could end at any moment.”
After back-to-back wins over Amir Sadollah and Nick Osipczak, Duane Ludwig (fighting out of Denver, Colo.) is looking to keep his winning streak intact by adding another victory to his record of 29-11. An elite kickboxer, “Bang” will no doubt try to keep the fight standing when he goes toe-to-toe with the always dangerous Josh Neer (fighting out of Des Moines, Iowa). “The Dentist” recently returned to the UFC and earned a hard-fought win over Keith Wisniewski in October to bring his record to 32-10-1.
Heavyweight Pat Barry (fighting out of Alexandria, Minn. by way of New Orleans, La.) is known for his exciting bouts no matter the outcome. Equally as entertaining outside the Octagon as he is dangerous inside, “HD” is always on the lookout for a highlight reel knockout. After participating in two of the most memorable bouts of 2011 against Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve, Barry (6-4) plans on having his hand raised when he takes on Christian Morecraft (fighting out of Hyannis, Mass.). Standing 6’6” with a record of 7-2, the Washington, D.C. native has made an immediate impact in the UFC, including an impressive submission victory over Sean McCorkle last March. He now has his sights set on Barry to kick off the New Year.
For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
About Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® is the world’s premier MMA organization and produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually around the globe. UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. In 2012, FOX will broadcast four fights annually. In spring 2012, The Ultimate Fighter®, UFC’s signature weekly reality TV show debuts on FX. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 149 countries and territories, reaching a half a billion homes worldwide, in 20 different languages.
UFC® also boasts a powerful presence online, with UFC.com attracting over seven million unique visitors per month, while also possessing one of the most powerful social media followings in all of professional sports. To date, UFC has over six million fans on Facebook and more than 400,000 followers on Twitter. In addition, UFC President Dana White is one of the most accessible and most followed executives in sports with more than 1.7 million followers on Twitter. On January 22, 2011, UFC continued to set trends in social media, becoming the first major sports league to stream live, broadcast quality action on Facebook.
Ancillary businesses include best-selling DVDs, a bimonthly magazine, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, and articulated action figures.
About Bridgestone Arena
Bridgestone Arena opened in December 1996 and has been the home of the National Hockey League’s Nashville Predators since 1998. The facility has hosted more than 13 million guests for such events as the NCAA Men’s Basketball Regional Tournament, SEC and OVC Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tournament, as well as concerts for entertainers such as Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Elton John, Billy Joel, the Rolling Stones, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban and Jimmy Buffett.
About FX
FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from the Fox Networks Group. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 98 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning original series including the Sons of Anarchy, Justified, American Horror Story, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Archer, Louie and Wilfred; an established film library with box-office hits from 20th Century Fox and other studios featuring the most world premieres of any commercial network; the acquired hit series Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother; and marquee sports including the UFC and college football. For more information about FX, visit our web site at www.FXnetworks.com.
Povetkin-Boswell / Helenius-Chisora final press conference
Dereck Chisora (15-1, 9 KOs) continued his provocation of WBA / WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion Robert Helenius (16-0, 11 KOs) today at the final press conference at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland. The two 27-year-old contenders will clash for the vacant European Heavyweight Title on Saturday. “They say Helenius is a great hero in Finland but let me be honest they don´t have many heroes in Finland,” Chisora stated. “Where I come from we have Wayne Rooney, John Terry and Andy Murray, we have darts, we have snooker, where I come from everybody wants to be a hero. I am competing with many athletes and me taking your unbeaten record will be the best thing I have ever done for my career. I will knock you out.”
Chisora has promised a “hot evening” on Saturday night, predicting once again to “make love to him in the ring.” Helenius remained ice-cool. “That is disturbing, what is wrong with you? You talk too much. I don´t care what you say or plan to do. I will be the new European champion on Saturday night.” And his coach Ulli Wegner added: “Robert has fists of steel and Chisora will find out what that means on Saturday night. We have worked on Robert´s punching power and he has gotten even stronger.”
Meanwhile, Hall of Fame Promoter Wilfried Sauerland does not expect Chisora to be around for the post-fight press conference. “Chisora has a big mouth. Talk is cheap. I am not sure whether he will show up for the post-fight press conference. Robert has knocked out three former world champions and two of them were unable to face the press afterwards. We will find out about Chisora. I know for sure that Robert is going to win on Saturday night.”
In the co-featured main event, WBA Heavyweight Champion Alexander Povetkin (22-0, 15 KOs) makes a first defence of his title against Cedric Boswell (35-1, 26 KOs). “I have known Cedric for a long time,” Povetkin said. “He is a strong fighter but he will not beat me. This will be the first of many successful title defences.”
Boswell, 42, is convinced that Saturday will be his big day. “I have waited for this moment all my life,” he said. “I am more experienced and much better than Povetkin. I will bring back the title to America.”
Sauerland has called the Saturday´s card the “best heavyweight bill in a long time.” He said: “A World title and a European title fight in front of a sell-out crowd – it is going to be an exciting night. Povetkin and Helenius have a brilliant future ahead but they need to prove themselves in dangerous fights. It will be a great event.”
(Credit: Sampo Muranen (Povetkin-Boswell) and Miika Forsstrom (Helenius-Chisora) – more pictures on Team Sauerland´s facebook page www.facebook.com/TeamSauerlandBoxing )
Unbeaten middleweight prospect Michael ‘The Brazilian Rocky’ Oliveira Returns Dec. 17 in Quebec City
MIAMI (Nov. 30, 2011) – One of the hottest prospects in the world, unbeaten middleweight Michael “The Brazilian Rocky” Oliveira, returns to the ring December 17 in Quebec City.
The power-punching, fan-friendly Oliveira (16-0, 12 KOs), rated No. 15 by the World Boxing Council (”WBC”), puts his undefeated record on the line in a 10-round bout against veteran Jimmy “The Fightin’ School Teacher” Holmes (19-3-2, 10 KOs), at Pepsi Coliseum.
The 21-year-old Oliveira is coming off of his impressive Shobox: The Next Generation debut Nov. 11 in El Paso (TX), in which he defeated veteran Xavier “The X-Man” Tolliver (23-8, 15 KOs) by way of an eight-round disqualification that was on the verge of stoppage.
“Michael has shown tremendous improvement in his last two fights since Orlando Cuellar became his trainer and we need to keep him busy,” Michael’s father/promoter Carlos Oliveira (MO Productions) said. “We have two big fights tentatively scheduled next year in New York City on March 17 and May 19 against former world champion Acelino Freitas in Sao Paulo (Brazil). We’re grateful to GYM Promotions and Hennessy Sports for having a fight on their December 17th card in Quebec City.”
Oliveira, a two-time defending Brazilian International Press Award’s Athlete of the Year (2009 and 2010), was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil but moved with his family to Miami when he was only two weeks old.
The 6′ 1″ Holmes, a former Indiana State middleweight champion, will have a decisive height and reach advantage versus the 5′ 8″ Oliveira.
Go to www.MichaelOliveira.com for more information about this exciting, young fighter.
The Warrior Cup XIII Muay Thai Fights Live IPPV on GFL
Filed under: Boxing News, MMA News, Press Release, Upcoming Events
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: press@gfl.tv
November 30, 2011
The Warrior cup xiii muay thai fights Live IPPV on GFL
WBC Title bout between Gabriel Varga and Justin Greskiewicz
Lincroft, New Jersey – Weapons 9 Promotions is back and ready to deliver full contact pro/am Muay Thai to the Tri-State area from the Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, New Jersey with Warriors Cup XIII on December 3, 2011 and worldwide on www.GFL.tv. Warriors Cup events have quickly carved out a popular niche for themselves on the Eastern seaboard as the place to see great standup fighting. In fact, earlier this year, Warriors Cup XII was the first professional full rules (including elbows) Muay Thai event ever in New Jersey. WC XIII promises to build on the momentum of that exciting event and deliver another great night of punches, kicks, knees and elbows!
In the main event, for the WBC INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE, Gabriel Varga takes on Justin “The Purple People Eater” Greskiewicz. This will be a rematch fight as the two fought previously and Varga defeated Greskiewicz by unanimous decision. Varga recently fought and won the WFK World Title in September under the K-1 banner against Dutch striker Roy Tan by third round knockout. Earlier in the year, Varga also won the WKN World Lightweight Title by defeating Frenchman Yohan Ha Van by unanimous decision. Greskiewicz recently won a rubber match against tough opponent Turan Hasanov by decision and followed that up with a victory in October against Eddie Martinez at Battle at Bally’s. Expect “The Purple People Eater” to do his best James Brown impression and try to give Varga “The Big Payback” in this headlining bout.
In the co-main event, James “B-52″ Smith of New Jersey fights Ryan Murray out of Greg Nelson’s Camp in Minnesota (the same camp where former UFC Heavyweight Champion and WWE World Champion Brock Lesnar trained). This is a battle of two of the top cruiserweights in North America and should be in the running for “fight of the night” as Smith and Murray only have one speed and that’s overdrive.
New to Muay Thai? If the answer is “yes” then you need to order this iPPV and see what happens when fighters are allowed to use all 8 points of contact instead of only 2 as in Western Boxing. If you love action-packed striking, Warriors Cup XIII is your type of event. With a world title on the line in the main event, watch as they fearless gladiators put it all on the line to earn a victory in one of the most grueling and punishing combat sports in the world. Order Warriors Cup XIII exclusively from the GFL Combat Sports Network at www.GFL.tv.
GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 subscribe now at www.GFL.tv
***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1100 live events with over 5500 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 5 million public viewers over the years with more than 250 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL is now available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices.
If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network
Join us at: www.GFL.tv or twitter.com/GFL or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv
25th annual Ring 8 Holiday & Awards Ceremony Dec. 18 in New York City
Roy Jones, Jr., John Ruiz, Tomasz Adamek & Emanuel Steward among award winners
NEW YORK, NY (Nov. 30, 2011) – The 25th annual RING 8 Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony will be held Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 PM/ET), December 18 at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.
A star-studded group of past and present world champions and industry dignitaries will be in attendance. Steve Farhood will serve as Master of Ceremonies, while Dave Diamante will announce the award winners.
RING 8 was formed in 1954 by an ex-prizefighter, Jack Grebelsky, and it became the eighth subsidiary of what was then known as the National Veteran Boxers Association — hence, RING “8″ — and today the organization’s motto remains: Boxers Helping Boxers.
“We’re excited to be celebrating the silver anniversary of the RING 8 Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony,” RING 8 president Bob Duffy said. “We continue our proud record of lending a helping hand to those in the boxing community who are less fortunate and may require assistance in terms of paying their rent, medical expenses, or whatever justifiable need. Our Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony celebrates our great sport of boxing and insures that much-needed funding is raised so we may continue our mission for our needy brothers and sisters in boxing. We will never waver from their corners. With all of these outstanding boxers and award winners, we’re confident that this will be our most successful event.”
2011 RING 8 HONOREES
Fighter of the Decade (nineties) — Roy Jones, Jr.
Fight of the Year: Delvin Rodriguez vs. Pawel Wolak
First Hispanic Heavyweight Champion of the World: John Ruiz
Outstanding Achievement Award – Tomasz Adamek
Trainer of the Decade: Emanuel Steward
Ring 8 Promoter of the Year: Ziggy Rozalski
Uncrowned Champion: Michael DeLaRue
Longevity Service to Amateur Boxing: Frank Pena
Humanitarian Award: Jill Diamond
Amateur Boxer of the Year: Marcus Brown
Ring 8 Member of the Year: Keith Sullivan
Official of the Year: Ralph Petrillo
Ring 8 Boxing Historian: Henry Hascup
Manager of the Year: Philip Pilevsky
In addition to Jones, Ruiz and Adamek, other invited former world champion quests include Mark Breland, Juan LaPorte, Virgil “Quicksilver” Hill, Lonnie Bradley, Kathy “Wildcat” Collins, Iran “The Blade” Barkley and Junior “Poison” Jones, as well unbeaten, present IBF super featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano and NABF light welterweight titlist Gabriel “Tito” Bracero, and from the ‘The Contender” television reality series, trainer Tommy Gallagher.
Tickets, priced at $125.00 per person, are available to purchase by calling 1.718.729.4862, emailing DepComish@aol.com or mailing checks (payable to Ring 
to Tony Mazzarella, C/O Waterfront Crab House, 2-03 Borden Ave., Long Island, NY 11101. Donations of any denomination are welcome for those unable to attend the festivities.
Tickets include a complete brunch with cocktail hour upon entry, seating at the awards ceremony, dinner and dessert, and top-shelf open bar throughout the afternoon. There will also be a silent auction of boxing memorabilia. This event is expected to sell-out and everybody is urged to purchase tickets as soon as possible in order to secure favorable seating. Boxing and sports memorabilia will be on display.
Program ads are available for Back Page ($250.00), Inside Front Cover ($200.00), Inside Back Cover ($200.00), Full Page ($150.00), Half-Page ($80.00), and Quarter-Page ($50.00). The deadline for all ads is Nov.290 and must be emailed (DepComish@aol.com) or mailed to Bob Duffy (516.313.2304), 164 Lindbergh St., Massapequa, NY 11762.
Call Tony Mazzarella (718.729.4862) for additional information about Ring 8 or its annual Holiday and Awards Ceremony, or go online to www.Ring8ny.com.
Russo’s On The Bay is located at 162-45 Crossbay Blvd. in Howard Beach (718.843.5055).
Go on line to www.Ring8ny.com for more information about RING 8, the largest group of its kind in the United States with more than 350 members. Annual membership dues is only $25.00 and each member is entitled to a buffet dinner at RING 8 monthly meetings, the third Tuesday of every month, excluding July and August. All active boxers, amateur and professional, are entitled to a complimentary RING 8 yearly membership.
“World Dominance: Holly Holm vs. Anne Sophie Mathis” Official Weigh-In Alert
WHAT: Official “World Dominance” Weigh-In Alert – PUBLIC WELCOMED
WHO: HOLLY “The Preacher’s Daughter” HOLM ANNE SOPHIE MATHIS
World’s No. 1 Light Welterweight World’s No. 1 Welterweight
Nine-Time World Champion Six-Time World Champion
Albuquerque, NM Dombasle-sur-Meurthe, France
30-1-3 (9 KOs) 25-1 (21 KOs)
Plus All Undercard fighters
WHEN: Thursday, December 1, 2011 – 2:00 PM/MT
WHERE: Route 66 Casino Hotel
Legends Theater
14500 Central Avenue
Albuquerque, NM
WHY: Official weigh-in for Friday night’s (Dec. 2) “World Dominance” professional boxing card, presented by Fresquez Productions, at Route 66 Casino Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Holm vs. Mathis headlines in the 10-round main event for the IBA and WBAN welterweight championships, as well as the mythical women boxing’s pound-for-pound title.
For more information about “World Dominance: Holm vs. Mathis” go on line to www.FresquezProductions.com.
ABNER MARES & JOSEPH AGBEKO ANSELMO MORENO & VIC DARCHINYAN WORKOUT QUOTES
Tuesday, Nov. 29, at Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles, Calif.
LOS ANGELES (Nov. 29, 2011) – With just four days until their respective world championship showdowns on Saturday, Dec. 3, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., all four fighters preparing for the World Championship Doubleheader participated in an open media workout at Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles, Calif.
In the main event, unbeaten rising star Abner Mares (22-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., will defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver Bantamweight Championship titles against the boxer he dethroned, former Two-Time IBF Bantamweight World Champion Joseph King Kong Agbeko (28-3, 22 KO’s), of Accra, Ghana.
In the co-featured world championship bout, Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno (31-1-1, 11 KO’s), of Panama City, Panama, will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) Bantamweight Super Championship against Two-Division World Champion Vic “The Raging Bull’’ Darchinyan (37-3-1, 27 KO’s), of Sydney, Australia, by way of Vanadzor, Armenia.
The doubleheader is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don King Productions and Gary Shaw Productions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T.
Tickets for Mares vs. Agbeko II, priced at $150, $100, $50 and $25, are available for purchase at all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com, via charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000 and at the Honda Center Box Office.
Here’s what the fighters had to say on Tuesday:
ABNER MARES:
“I’m really looking forward to facing him again. It took a lot away from the championship. Now I just want to go in the ring and perform, beat him again and fight a good fight.
“My last three or four opponents have been champions or world champions, so I think everyone knows what I’m capable of.
“I could have taken some time off or fought someone else. I hope to win the right way so people will give me the credit I deserve.
“It’s a world championship fight and it’s a great night for the fans. If it goes 12 rounds, let’s make it 12 interesting rounds.
“I need to maintain my distance and not fight his fight.
“The knockout comes by itself. We definitely want to throw a lot of punches and aim for his head, but I just want to perform. If the knockout comes, it’s comes.
“I’m excited to be fighting back in California. Anaheim has great boxing fans.
“When two warriors face each other all you can expect is a good fight.
“I want to go in there and make a statement in the first two rounds. He’s a good fighter and he never gave up in the last fight, so I think the first few rounds will be key.
“I just want to go in there and capitalize and move on. He’s a great champion and it should be a great fight. I need to fight smart, box and move onto other fighters.
“He’s a well-schooled fighter and he maintained and got back in the fight like a world champion will, but I’m ready to show a different Abner in this fight.
“If you don’t risk, you’re not going to win.”
JOSEPH AGBEKO:
“Boxing is always different. What happens in one fight doesn’t always happen again. I’m going in as warrior and I’m ready for war.
“My job is to go in and fight and come out as the winning fighter. I want to get the belt back.
“At the press conference, Mares said he wants a knockout. If he said he wants a knockout, then I’m going to knock him out.
“There will be a lot of changes in the ring this time, but the whole world will see the best Joseph Agbeko.
“In the last fight there were some fouls and this time the ref will be watching and doing the right thing.
“He knows how to throw a punch in the right place and I think he will on Saturday.
“I think about what happened every night and I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring.
“The key is for me to prove that I’m better than him.
“Mares is a good fighter, but I need to prove that I am the better fighter. I am physically ready to do that.
“I deserved a rematch and I’m glad they gave me one right away.
“I didn’t retaliate against him because I had to be professional and I have to obey the rules of the sport.”
ANSELMO MORENO:
“I’m going to fight him the way he’ll fight me. I’m not going to hesitate.
“This is my first fight in the U.S. and I’m ready to get in the ring and show my skills. I’m not nervous about my first fight in the U.S., I just want to show why I’m the world champion.
“Darchinyan has his own style and he’s been a champion, too. I think it will be a style fight and, if we do it properly, it will be one hell of a fight.
“You’re going to see a hell of a fight from me and I will defend my title [successfully].
“Vic has a different style, but I have a very rare style as well. I’m looking to connect on all my punches, but it’s not as easy as people think.
“If everything comes out good on Saturday night and I win, I want to fight the winner of Mares and Agbeko.
“My ability and my intelligence has to be the difference in the fight.”
VIC DARCHINYAN:
“I’m looking for a smart fight, but for sure I’ll knock him out.
“I’ve fought southpaws and taller guys in the past and I didn’t have problems with them. I think it will be a good fight but I won’t have any problems with him.
“I’m looking for bigger fights – I’m looking to move up to 122 (pounds) to fight the bigger guys after I beat him.
“I love southpaws – he fits my style. I’ll go to the body and the head and destroy him slowly before the knockout. But I will knock him out, 100 percent.
“I’m an exciting fighter. I’ll go after him and knock him out.
“I want to go higher and higher. I think this will be my last fight at 118. I just want to fight the best and fight for titles.”
“Mares vs. Agbeko II” is a 12-round bout for Mares’ IBF and WBC Silver Bantamweight Championships which will take place Saturday, Dec. 3 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. In the co-featured world championship bout, Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno will defend his WBA Bantamweight Super World Championship against former two-division World Champion Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan. The doubleheader is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don King Productions and Gary Shaw Productions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. The doubleheader will be televised live on SHOWTIME® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
Tickets for Mares vs. Agbeko II, priced at $150, $100, $50 and $25, are available for purchase at all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com, via charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000 and at the Honda Center Box Office.
About Golden Boy Promotions:
Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by Oscar de la Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. In 2007, in its fifth year of promoting, Golden Boy Promotions set a record by selling over 2.5 million in pay-per-view homes in a single night. Also in 2007, Golden Boy Promotions established the record for highest grossing pay-per-view homes in a single year with more than 4 million total. In 2009, the company broke records again by breaking the million mark in pay-per-view homes again with the return of Floyd Mayweather. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the United States and the world on networks such as HBO, HBO Latino, HBO Plus, SHOWTIME, TeleFutura, Televisa, ESPN2 and Fox Sports Net.
Golden Boy Promotions currently has over 70 fighters under contract, from future Hall of Famers Bernard Hopkins and Erik Morales to current world champions and superstars Devon Alexander, Saul Alvarez, Robert Guerrero, David Haye, Chris John, Amir Khan, Marcos Maidana, Abner Mares, Anselmo Moreno, Victor Ortiz and Humberto Soto. Also included on the company’s roster are top contenders Librado Andrade, Alfredo Angulo, Adrien Broner, Danny Garcia, Erislandy Lara, Daniel Ponce De Leon, Seth Mitchell and Peter Quillin as well as highly regarded prospects Randy Caballero, Eddie Gomez, Frankie Gomez, Antonio Orozco, Carlos Velasquez and Deontay Wilder.
About Don King Productions:
Don King Productions has promoted over 600 world championship fights with nearly 100 individual boxers having been paid $1 million or more. DKP also holds the distinction of having promoted or co-promoted seven of the 10 largest pay-per-view events in history, as gauged by total buys, including three of the top five: Holyfield vs. Tyson II, 1.99 million buys, June 1997; Tyson vs. Holyfield I, 1.6 million buys, November 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, 1.58 million buys, August 1995.
DKP has promoted or co-promoted 11 of the top 20 highest-grossing live gates in the history of the state of Nevada including five of the top seven: Holyfield vs. Lewis II, paid attendance: 17,078, gross: $16,860,300 (NOTE: Also second-highest live-gate gross for any event in the history of the world.), date: Nov. 13, 1999; Holyfield vs. Tyson II, paid attendance: 16,279, gross: $14,277,200, date: June 28, 1997; Holyfield vs. Tyson I, paid attendance: 16,103, gross: $14,150,700, date: Nov. 9, 1996; Tyson vs. McNeeley, paid attendance: 16,113, gross: $13,965,600, date: Aug. 19, 1995; and Trinidad vs. De La Hoya, paid attendance: 11,184, gross: $12, 949, 500. Sept. 18, 1999.
About Showtime Networks Inc.:
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, SHOWTIME 2 HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND™ and FLIX ON DEMAND®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Channel™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
Mares vs. Agbeko II, a 12-round fight for Mares’ IBF and WBC Silver Championship titles taking place on Saturday, Dec. 3 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Don King Productions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. Also featured will be a 12-round bantamweight world title co-main event between Anselmo Moreno and former World Champion Vic Darchinyan for Moreno’s WBA Bantamweight Super Championship which is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions. Both fights will air live on SHOWTIME® at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
MIGUEL COTTO vs. ANTONIO MARGARITO II OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN OPEN TO PUBLIC
This Friday! December 2 at 4 P.M. ET
The Theater at Madison Square Garden
NEW YORK (November 29, 2011) — Three-division world champion and the Pride of Puerto Rico MIGUEL COTTO and professional rival and three-time welterweight world champion ANTONIO “The Tijuana Tornado” MARGARITO, of México, will step on the scale for their Official Weigh-In for their long-awaited world championship rematch, This Friday! December 2 in the Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Limited tickets will be made available to the public for the official weigh-in. Fight fans can pick-up free weigh-in tickets (Limit One Pair Per Person), which are required for admittance, at the Madison Square Garden box office, during normal business hours, starting Tomorrow! Wednesday, November 30, beginning at 9 a.m. ET, through Noon ET on Friday, December 2. Tickets are available on a first come, first-served basis. Doors to the Theater at Madison Square Garden will open Friday at 4 p.m. ET with the weigh-in beginning at 5 p.m. ET.
Cotto will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight title in this high-tension showdown against Margarito, Saturday, December 3, at “The Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden. With approximately 500 tickets remaining, Cotto-Margarito II is projected to sellout in advance of fight night. Cotto has sold more tickets to The Garden in this millennium than any other fighter.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Cotto Promotions, Tornado Promotions, AT&T, Tecate and Madison Square Garden, Cotto-Margarito II will be produced and distributed Live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
The previous encounter between Cotto and Margarito took place on July 26, 2008 and was a battle of epic proportion and arguably the Fight of the Year. Cotto and Margarito boast a combined record of 74-9 (56 KOs) – a winning percentage of 89% and a victory by knockout ratio of 76% — not to mention seven world titles between them.
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Remaining tickets to Cotto-Margarito II, priced at $600, $400, $300, $200, $100, and $50, can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden box office, online at www.thegarden.com and all Ticketmaster outlets, which charges an additional fee.
HBO will present the back-to-back replay of both episodes of 24/7 COTTO/MARGARITO on Friday, Dec. 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, the half-hour special “24/7 Overtime: Cotto/Margarito” will be seen at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
For Cotto-Margarito II fight week updates, log on to www.toprank.com and www.hbo.com
THOMPSON BOXING’S BRIGADE LEADS THE WAY
Romero, Perez, Prescott, Arellano and Contreras
stay busy on December 2 & December 3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ORANGE, CA (November 29) – A team of undefeated Thompson Boxing Promotions prizefighters
descends upon Southern California boxing cards on back-to-back nights including
three undefeated Colombian prospects and two fast-rising Inland Empire pugilists.
Colombia’s Jhonatan “Momo” Romero (19-0, 12 KOs) and Chris Avalos (19-1, 15 KOs)
open the heavy-duty fight card on Friday, December 2, at Chumash Casino in Santa
Ynez, California. The super bantamweights will open the Anthony Dirrell vs. Renan
St. Juste “ShoBox: The New Generation” main event with a bang.
IBF and WBO #14 Jhonatan Romero, 24, is a former eight-time Colombian National champion
and a former 2008 Olympian. He’ll be facing knockout puncher Avalos in a bout set
for 10 rounds. It’s only Romero’s second time fighting outside of his native Cali,
Colombia, and the tall 122-pounder considers himself a boxer-puncher who is ready
to make a splash in America.
“I am very happy to have this chance and I want to make it count,” said Romero as
he closed training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada. “I have been here in the US for the
past four weeks getting ready for Avalos, I hope he is ready for me,” concluded
Romero.
WBO #4, WBA #8, IBF #10 Chris Avalos, 22, doesn’t allow mistakes in his fights.
Those who make miscalculations are usually dealt with swiftly. Knockouts are his
game and the Lancaster, California, native is itching to dive into the higher level
and use Romero as his launching pad.
Several other Thompson Boxing Promotion fighters are also participating in the action
packed fight night on non-televised bouts.
Colombia’s undefeated Darley Perez (23-0, 18 KOs) tangles with Mexico’s rugged veteran
Fernando Trejo (33-16-6, 19 Kos) in a scheduled eight round lightweight contest.
It will be Perez’s toughest test and his second appearance at Chumash Casino. In
his last ShoBox appearance Perez stopped Oscar Meza in six rounds. Trejo, on the
other hand, has fought elite boxers such as Julio Diaz, Anthony Peterson and Bobby
Pacquiao.
Yet another Colombian buzz bomber, Daulis Prescott (23-0, 17 KOs), meets Armenia’s
strong southpaw Gabriel Tolmajian (11-1-1, 3 Kos) in an eight round featherweight
bout. It’s Prescott’s first match in the United States.
Romero, Perez and Prescott are co-promoted by Thompson Boxing Promotions and Gary
Shaw Productions.
Also on the card is Ontario, California’s, Jonathan Arellano (10-0-1, 2 KOs) who
meets Northern California’s Jonathan Alcantara (4-5-2) in a super bantamweight
bout set for six rounds. Arellano has been making strides in every fight and recently
defeated previously unbeaten Michael Ruiz Jr. for the WBC Youth Intercontinental
title.
Tickets priced at $85.00, $70.00, $55.00, $45.00 and $35.00 may be purchased by
visiting http://www.startickets.com/event.php?event=2475. The first live fight
begins at 5:30pm and the televised portion begins at 11:30PM ET (tape delayed for
the West Coast.)
Just one day later on Saturday, December 3, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California,
Richard “El Terminador” Contreras (8-0, 7 KOs) of Riverside, California, will lock
horns with San Bernardino’s Juan Sandoval (5-7-1). The six-round featherweight bout
should be explosive, as Contreras wants to continue his onslaught on the division
with another KO performance. Sandoval has never been down, let alone allowed to
be defeated without hearing the last belt.
Tickets for the SHOWTIME Championship boxing match featuring Mares vs. Agbeko II
and supported by Contereras vs. Sandoval begin at $27 and may be purchased by visiting
http://www.ticketmaster.com.
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
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- 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
