Boxing Blog – TSS Tidbits

HBO Sports is presenting a thirty- minute special analyzing the upcoming HBO Pay-Per-View super featherweight bout between Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera. The highly anticipated rematch is set for Saturday, October 6 in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay. The fight is an intriguing match-up between two of the elite fighters in the 130-pound division, with the very dangerous Pacquiao and the crafty veteran Barrera colliding in the ring.

The special “COUNTDOWN TO PACQUIAO – BARRERA II, ” which will feature fighter profiles, expert analysis and forecasts for the showdown in Las Vegas, will premiere on Saturday, Sept. 29 immediately after the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast (Jermain Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik) that airs live at 10:15 p.m. ET/ 7:15 p.m. PT.

Pacquiao vs. Barrera is a battle between legendary three-division world champions. Pacquiao (44-3-2, 35 KOs), of General Santos City is a national hero in the Philippines. Barrera (63-5, 42 KOs), of Mexico City, Mexico, is equally popular in his homeland.

The main HBO service will also air the special on:

Monday, October 1 at 12:30pm & 9:30pm

Tuesday, October 2 at 7:30pm

Wednesday, October 3 at 9:30am & 8:30pm

Thursday, October 4 at 1:00am

Friday, October 5 at 6:30pm

Saturday, October 6 at 4:00pm

All times are ET/PT.

The countdown special will also be available to HBO ON DEMAND subscribers 24 hours a day from Monday, October 1 thru Monday, October 15.

Additional HBO2 air dates and times of the countdown special are:

Sunday, Sept. 30 at 6:30pm

Tuesday, October 2 at 1:45am

Thursday, October 4 at 7:15pm

Friday, October 5 at 1:00am

Saturday, October 6 at 10:30am

All times are ET/PT.

The International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI), the world’s number one team-based professional mixed martial arts league, today announced that longtime television executive, event producer and boxing industry icon Jay Larkin has been named to the newly-created position of President and Chief Operating Officer. Larkin will report directly to IFL CEO Gareb Shamus and will oversee all the day-to-day operational details of the IFL.

“Jay has been very helpful advising us in our first year and we are elated that he will be joining us in a larger full-time role as we enter our second full season,� said Gareb Shamus, IFL co-founder and CEO. “Jay’s experience in the television, live event promotion, international television, entertainment industry and corporate business worlds will be a huge plus not only to the IFL, but to the sport of Mixed Martial Arts both now and into the future.�

“I am very pleased to be able to join the IFL,� Larkin said. “Mixed Martial Arts is quickly becoming a mainstream sport with virtually limitless growth potential as the fan demographic continues to expand. The IFL is perfectly positioned to take MMA to the next level and capitalize on the opportunities.�

Larkin spent over 20 years at media giant Showtime, rising to become one of the most powerful deal makers in sports and entertainment during his storied career. He began at Showtime in 1984, and helped create countless entertainment specials involving stars ranging from Dave Chappelle, Britney Spears, The Spice Girls and Jay-Z to legends like Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones among others for the network and pay per view.

During that time, the Brooklyn, N.Y., native also oversaw the channel’s entrance into boxing, beginning in 1986 with Marvelous Marvin Hagler’s middleweight title defense against John Mugabi, thus creating the powerhouse Showtime Championship Boxing. He negotiated the deals and was the executive producer of some of boxing’s most legendary matchups of the last quarter century, including numerous Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Julio Cesar Chavez fights. Larkin also was one of the key negotiators for what was the biggest money fight in history, the 2002 heavyweight championship bout between Lennox Lewis and Tyson that happened because of a landmark deal between Showtime (Tyson’s network) and rival HBO (Lewis’ network).

Just before leaving Showtime, Larkin put together Ricky Hatton vs. Kostya Tszyu and Joe Calzaghe vs. Jeff Lacy, two career-changing events for both Hatton and Calzaghe. Just prior to joining the IFL, he completed negotiations for the upcoming blockbuster match of Calzaghe and Mikkel Kessler for HBO and Sports Network.

His multi-faceted career includes an extensive background in live theater. Larkin attended the Boston Conservatory of Music; the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, and received a degree in theater and directing from C.W. Post College of Long Island University. He has been nominated for a primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award and is a recipient of the prestigious boxing industry Taub Award for excellence in broadcasting journalism from the Boxing Writers Association of America.

The CES debut of unbeaten (35-0, 28 KOs) “Baby� Joe Mesi and the return of 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six� Estrada co-headline in a pair of heavyweight bouts on October 12 in “Clash Of The Titans,� promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., continuing “The Budweiser Night at the Fights� series, at Twin River Events Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island.

“Clash of the Titans� will be taped live and air Saturday night, October 13 starting at 9:00 PM/ET on by CN8, The Comcast Network as well as Cox Sports Television.

Buffalo sports icon Mesi, former WBC No. 1 contender and NABF heavyweight champion, has beaten former world champion Vassiliy Jirov, in addition to past world heavyweight title contenders DaVarryl Williamson and Monte Barrett. He’s matched against dangerous Shannon Miller (15-3, 9 KOs) in a 10-round bout for the vacant WBC USNBC heavyweight title.
Providence product Estrada (9-1, 1 KO), rated No. 14 by the NABO, also is scheduled to fight an opponent to be determined on “Clash of the Titans.�

“What a great card,� Burchfield said. “Two heavyweight fights featuring Joe Mesi’s CES debut against the toughest opponent he’s fought in his comeback (6-0), Shannon Miller and our own Olympian, Jason Estrada, headlining ‘Clash of the Titans.’ Also on the card is four-time world champion Jaime Clampitt, WBC Youth super featherweight champion Matt Remillard returning to the ring, and we have three other unbeaten fighters on this show.�

Reigning IWBF light welterweight and lightweight champion Jaime “The Hurricane� Clampitt (18-4-1), Jackie Kallen-managed Matt “Sharp Shooter� Remillard (11-0, 7 KOs), who has been inactive for more than a year due to hand surgery, are scheduled to fight opponents to be determined in six-round bouts.

Unbeaten light welterweight Eddie “The Puerto Rican Sensation� Soto (8-0, 4 KOs) takes on Shakha Moore (10-11-3, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder. Also on the undercard in separate four-round fights, are Rhode Island super middleweight Angel Camacho, Jr. (7-0, 4 KOs), Brockton (MA) light heavyweight Manuel Antonio Lopes and New Hampshire cruiserweight Rich Gingras (3-0, 3 KOs), the 2006 Ringside World heavyweight champion as an amateur. All boxers and bouts are subject to change.

Tickets for “Clash of the Titans� are priced at $40.00, $45.00, (Bronze), $65.00 (Silver), $100.00 (Gold) and $150.00 (Jimmy’s Platinum Club) and may be purchased by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going on line at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Twin River Event Center (100 Twin River Road, Lincoln, RI), or any TicketMaster location. Contact CES (401.724.2253/2254/www.cesboxing.com) or Twin River Event Center (877.82.RIVER/ www.twinriver.com) for more information. Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7 PM/ET.

(Twin River announced that it has waived its 18+ rule for “Class of the Titans.� Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied at all times by an adult and they must enter through the West entran

Boasting a combined record of 154 victories – 80 by knockout — against just 12 losses and a winning percentage exceeding 92%, the three-bout pay-per-view undercard for “Will to Winâ€? promises to be 100% action!

Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, “Will to Win� will be headlined by the 12-round super featherweight rumble between three-division world champions and arch rivals Manny Pacquiao, from The Philippines, and Mexico’s Marco Antonio Barrera. “Will to Win� takes place Saturday, October 6, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

Steven Luevano (33-1, 15 KOs), from LaPuente, Calif., will be making the first defense of his WBO featherweight title against the No. 4-rated contender, Antonio “T-Rex� Davis (24-3, 12 KOs), from Atlanta. The southpaw Luevano, 26, captured the vacant world title by traveling to his opponent’s hometown, London, England, and taking it straight to the undefeated Nicky Cook, who had won all 27 of his previous professional bouts. The fight took place on July 14 – Bastille Day – which proved appropriate since Luevano nearly decapitated Cook, knocking him down five times before ending the evening with an 11th round KO. Davis, 35, a former IBA super featherweight champion, returns to the ring fresh from winning the vacant NABO featherweight title, defeating undefeated Leon Bobo (16-0), on August 1. Bobo retired on his stool after the fifth round. Career highlights for Davis include victories over Frankie Zepeda (15-1), and Jesús Salavador Pérez.

Top-10 contender Librado Andrade (25-1, 19 KOs), from La Habra, Calif. will take on former USBA super middleweight champion Yusaf Mack (23-1, 14 KOs), from Philadelphia for the vacant USBA super middleweight title. Andrade, 29, a former NABO and NABF super middleweight champion and No. 1 contender, went the distance in his mandatory title challenge against undefeated WBC/WBA super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler last March, losing a hard fought 12-round decision in Kessler’s native Denmark. He returned to the winners circle in July, scoring a second-round TKO of Ted Muller in Las Vegas. Mack, 27, enters this fight fresh from his June 27 10-round unanimous decision victory over Jose Juan Vasquez, ending his seven-year, 16-bout unbeaten streak.

In a true crossroads fight for both fighters, Francisco “Panchito� Bojado (17-2, 11 KOs), from Los Angeles, will be taking on former world champion Steve “2 Pounds� Forbes (32-5, 9 KOs), from Las Vegas, in a 10-round super lightweight battle. Bojado, 24, a 2000 Mexican Olympian, has won two straight since his whisker-close 10-round split decision loss to former world champion Jesse James Leija. Power in both fists, Bojado is ready to take the biggest step of his career in taking on the vastly more experienced Forbes, where a victory will put Bojado back on the road to a world title shot. Forbes, 30, who held the IBF junior lightweight title from 2000-2002, was the runner-up on last year’s season of “The Contender.� He will be looking to show he still has the skill to reign as world champion again.

Remaining tickets for Pacquiao vs. Barrera are priced at $600, $400, $300, $200 and $100. They can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino box office and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Macy’s stores and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call the Mandalay Bay box office at (702) 632-7580 or Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

The Pacquiao vs. Barrera pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 61 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For your Pacquiao vs. Barrera fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

Leading up to the welterweight championship match between pound-for-pound boxing king Floyd Mayweather and hard-hitting British challenger Ricky Hatton — to be carried live from Las Vegas Saturday, Dec. 8 on HBO Pay-Per-View — HBO Sports presents the exclusive four-episode, all-access series MAYWEATHER/HATTON 24/7 in the weeks before the showdown.

The first half-hour episode of MAYWEATHER/HATTON 24/7 debuts SUNDAY, NOV. 18 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), with two more episodes debuting on subsequent Sundays – NOV. 25 and DEC. 2 – at the same time, while the finale debuts THURSDAY, DEC. 6 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), just two days before the bout.

HBO Sports will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews, as undefeated welterweights Floyd Mayweather (38-0, 24 KOs), 30, from Grand Rapids, Mich., and Ricky Hatton (43-0, 31 KOs), 28, hailing from Manchester, England, prepare for one of the most highly anticipated match-ups in recent memory. A champ in five weight classes, Mayweather is defending his 147-pound crown against one of the sport’s most exciting international stars, as junior welterweight champion Hatton moves up in weight for the second time as a pro.

HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg says, “In addition to this being the most anticipated welterweight title fight since Oscar De La Hoya squared off with Felix Trinidad in 1999, these are two of the sport’s most engaging and colorful personalities. We were thrilled with the launch of the ‘24/7’ franchise last spring [‘De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7’] and believe we have found the ideal sequel.�

Continues Greenburg, “The contrasts between the cities of Las Vegas [Mayweather’s base] and Manchester [where Hatton will open camp] will be a terrific jumping off point for the series. We truly appreciate the commitment and cooperation of the fighters and their teams with this ambitious project.�

Known as “Pretty Boy Floyd,� Mayweather was a bronze medalist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and has appeared 21 times on HBO since turning pro. His win over Oscar De La Hoya last May confirmed his preeminent standing in the sport. Ricky “The Hitman� Hatton is fighting for the seventh time in the States, making his last three appearances on HBO.

MAYWEATHER/HATTON 24/7 follows the runaway hit “De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7,� which premiered last April on HBO, inspiring Newsweek to write, “ ‘De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7’ is an engrossing look at both a boxing match and a personal circus, and fans of human drama will want to have a ringside seat.� ESPN The Magazine proclaimed the series “a masterfully entertaining reality show,� while the New York Daily News called it “compelling television.� Slate.com observed, “ ‘24/7’ offers fantastic access to the two fighters as they train, hang out at home, and taunt each other on the publicity trail.�

On Saturday, Dec. 8, at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT), HBO Pay-Per-View presents the welterweight championship match “Mayweather vs. Hatton,� live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

World Boxing Council No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Adrian “The Shark� Diaconu, scheduled to fight for a title against WBC lightweight champion “Bad� Chad Dawson at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, suffered a training injury on Thursday forcing him to pull out of the Sept. 29 match.

Dangerous light heavyweight knockout artist Epifanio Mendoza (28-4-1, 24 KOs), from Barranquilla, Colombia, has agreed to replace Diaconu and will face Dawson in the Sept. 29 main event.

“This is a dream come true to have the opportunity to fight Chad Dawson for the WBC light heavyweight title,� an obviously enthused Mendoza said after flying into promoter Don King’s Deerfield Beach, Fla., headquarters to sign the match contract this afternoon [Sept. 18]. “I have fought in and won numerous national and continental championships but this will be my first world title fight. I plan on taking the title back to Colombia.�

Fight promoter Don King likened the event to a Rocky movie, but this time it’s for real.

“Adrian Diaconu’s misfortune becomes Epifanio Mendoza’s opportunity to make history,� King said. “Adrian will recover to fight another day and Epifanio has a chance to become a real-life Rocky, just like in the movies. This type of thing happens from time to time in boxing and it adds another level of intrigue into our September 29 main event.�

The training injury occurred on Thursday [Sept. 13], the day after Diaconu and his trainer Pierre Bouchard had attended Sacramento and San Francisco press conferences promoting the fight on Wednesday [Sept. 12].

Diaconu was so anxious to not miss another day of his scheduled training that he took a late-night flight back to Montreal, which arrived on Thursday at 7 a.m. During his sparring session later that day, he injured his right hand. He complained of pain on the base of the hand between his knuckles and wrist.

On Friday morning, Diaconu visited Dr. Claude LeBlanc, a noted sports physician in Montreal, who advised him to undergo an immediate M.R.I., which was completed yesterday afternoon [Sept. 17]. The imaging revealed that Diaconu suffered bone contusions on the base of his hand on the third and fourth metacarpals with soft tissue damage in the surrounding areas.

After LeBlanc read the results, he advised Diaconu to not participate in his scheduled match with Chad Dawson. He also prescribed rehabilitative treatment for the next few weeks until the injury heals to the point where it can be re-evaluated.

A second world championship remains on the card featuring two once-beaten fighters with Luis “El Demoledor� Perez (25-1, 21 KOs), from Nicaragua, making the first defense of his International Boxing Federation bantamweight title opposing British Commonwealth champion Joseph “King Kong� Agbeko (24-1, 21 KOs), from Ghana. Eight bouts are expected to be on the full card.

Tickets priced at $30, $50, $75, $100 and $250 are on sale now and may be purchased most easily by calling Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone at (916) 649-TIXS or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available at the ARCO Arena Box Office and at all Sacramento-area Ticketmaster outlets. Both world championships will be televised on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The event is being promoted by Don King Productions in association with Maloof Sports & Entertainment.

Dawson (24-0, 16 KOs), a 25-year-old southpaw from New Haven, Conn., possesses the WBC 175-pound title Roy Jones Jr. held from 1997 to 2004. Dawson upset previously unbeaten Tomasz Adamek (31-0) to win the WBC crown on Feb. 3 in Kissimmee, Fla. In his most recent appearance he made a successful title defense against Jesus “Chuy� Ruiz on June 9 in Hartford, Conn.

Adrian Diaconu of Canada hurt his wrist and has removed himself from a planned fight with light heavyweight titleholder Chad Dawson, ESPN’s Dan Rafael reports.

The bout was scheduled for Sept. 29 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif., and was to run on Showtime.

Showtime hopes a replacement foe will be found and the show will go on.

Dawson is 24-0, 16 KOs and is regarded as one of the handful of top young American fighters in the game today.

Diaconu is 24-0, 15 KOs.

After more than three years of inactivity, always tough and exciting Juan “El Pollo� Valenzuela will make his much anticipated ring return and will headline November 2nd Warner Center War promoted by former NABO Champion Kahren Harutyunyan’s Art of Boxing Promotions.

Juan was quickly moving up the world rankings by defeating 2000 U.S. Olympian Ricardo Williams and knocking out top contenders Julio Diaz, Ernesto Zavala and Guillermo Valdes. Juan Valenzuela was ranked among the top ten in the world and was scheduled to face current WBA Champion Miguel Cotto when during the pre-fight eye examination doctors discovered that Juan had a retinal injury. Juan’s eye has been treated by specialists and he has been cleared to make his comeback and reestablish his role as a major player in the Jr. Welterweight division. Valenzuela will resume his career under the management of Norman Kaplan, Mike Jacoby and David Wolfe out of New York. Valenzuela’s return to the ring is scheduled for eight rounds vs TBA.

Warner Center War will also feature established amateur Rashad Holloway. Holloway had over 100 fights before turning professional. Among the many titles he has held, Holloway was a Junior National Champion, two time Silver Gloves Champion and a 2004 Eastern Olympic Trials participant. He is currently in Big Bear helping Shane Mosley prepare for his upcoming fight against Miguel Cotto. Holloway is scheduled to fight for six rounds vs TBA.

Also on the card is Jorge “Kid Flash� Diaz fresh from his win against Larry Olvera. Diaz is returning to the Warner Center Marriott and looking to revenge his loss against tough Israel Navarrete. Diaz vs. Navarette is scheduled for six rounds.

Two other former top amateurs from Armenia, Art Hovanessyan and Vardan Gasparyan are scheduled to appear in separate bouts on the undercard of Warner Center War.

Scheduled for special appearances are Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, future Hall of Famer James “Lights Out� Toney, 2007 Fighter of the Year candidate, WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Israel “Magnifico� Vasquez, 2004 U.S. Olympian, undefeated prospect Vanes “Nightmare� Martirosyan and former WBC Jr. Flyweight Champion Brian “Hawaiian Punch� Viloria.

Celebrity guest announcer – Mario Lopez.

Tickets for Warner Center War are priced at $40, $50 & $65 & are currently available by calling 818-521-2373 or by going to www.artofboxingpromotions.com and submitting an order through the “Contact Us� section of the web site.

Warner Center War is scheduled for November 2nd, 2007. Doors open 6:30 PM and the first bell will ring at 7:30 PM.

When boxing promoter Don King could not come to acceptable terms to deliver the services of his heavyweight contender DaVarryl “Touch of Sleep� Williamson to fight unretiring WBC “champion emeritus� Vitali Klitschko, he unknowingly set in motion the circumstances for another fight.

Klitschko later announced he was going to face Jameel McCline on Sept. 22 in Munich, Germany, but cancelled the match due to an apparent back surgery on Sept. 9, just five days before McCline was scheduled to leave for Germany, marking the fifth consecutive match in a row where Klitschko has been unable to participate.

Promoter Don King has stepped in to fill the void by announcing that Williamson will face McCline as a featured heavyweight attraction on the Oct. 6 WBC heavyweight championship card at Madison Square Garden pitting champion Oleg Maskaev against No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Samuel “The Nigerian Nightmare� Peter.

“Williamson versus McCline is a fight made by Vitali Klitschko,� King said. “Vitali’s people couldn’t come to terms with me for Williamson, and Vitali himself did what he usually does, he backed out of a fight, this time with McCline. Now I’ve brought Williamson and McCline together to prove they are worthy of a world title shot.�

Williamson, who knocked down Vitali’s brother Wladimir in the fourth round when they met in Las Vegas on Oct. 2, 2004, and was ahead on one judge’s scorecard when the fight was stopped due to an accidental clash of heads, sparred with Vitali the day before he pulled out of the fight with McCline.

“I don’t know what they [the Klitschko camp] anticipated from me [in sparring] but I will tell you they got their money’s worth,� Williamson said. “It was competitive on both sides.

“I sparred with Vitali on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday [Sept. 4, 6 and 7] and didn’t notice anything unusual,� Williamson said. “I didn’t know anything about his injury, which they said happened the next day on Saturday [Sept. 8]. I don’t know what happened between Friday and Saturday morning.�

The 6-foot 4-inch Williamson, ranked No. 4 by the World Boxing Association, will battle 6-foot-6-inch Jameel “Big Time� McCline in a battle of big, tall heavyweights.

“I am very disappointed that fight with Vitali is not happening on Sept. 22, but I promise that whenever and if ever he steps into the ring with me I will put him on his now supposedly surgically repaired back,� McCline said.

“Now that Vitali’s backed out, DaVarryl Williamson has stepped up and he’s getting knocked out. There is no way I’m going to be denied on Oct. 6.�

World Boxing Organization 2006 Manager of the Year Scott Hirsch manages McCline.

“This is the second time I’ve gone down the road with Team Klitschko only to lose the bout at the last moment,� Hirsch said. “This is also the second time my good friend Don King has stepped in to save the day, delivering fights when the Klitschkos could not.�

Tickets priced at $400, $250, $150, $100 and $50 (more than 14,000 tickets are $150 or less!) are on sale now at the Garden box office and all Ticketmaster locations or by calling Ticketmaster at 212-307-7171, 201-507-8900, 631-888-9000, or 914-454-3388. Ticketmaster purchases are subject to convenience charges.

Williamson (24-4, 20 KOs) from Denver, Colo., is coming off two knockout wins. On May 6, 2006, Williamson scored a fourth-round technical knockout over previously undefeated Mike Mollo and, in his last appearance on July 6, he stopped Maurice Wheeler in round three.

This will be Williamson’s third fight at the World’s Most Famous Arena, winning in back-to-back Garden appearances against former heavyweight champion Oliver “The Atomic Bull� McCall by unanimous decision in 2004 and in a second-round TKO over Derrick Jefferson in 2005 that also earned him the WBC Continental Americas title.

Williamson fought one of the best fights of his career when he met Wladimir Klitschko on Oct. 2, 2004. “Touch of Sleep� unloaded a slumberous straight right hand that sent the Ukrainian giant to the mat in round four. Williamson tried to finish him, but Klitschko was able to survive the round.

An accidental head butt opened up a nasty cut on Klitschko’s forehead in round five. He was able to finish the round, but the ringside physician halted the bout before the beginning of the sixth round, sending the match to the judges’ scorecards for a decision. One judge had Williamson ahead 48 to 46, but the remaining two judges favored Klitschko, both scoring the fight 49-47, allowing the fading Klitschko to escape with a split-decision victory.

Williamson earned his first and only world title shot on Oct. 1, 2005, facing International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Chris Byrd, losing by decision in an uninspired bout Williamson claims was due in part to the fact that he and Byrd are friends outside the ring.

Williamson, one of the few boxers who can boast having a master’s degree as well as being a stand-up comedian, can’t wait to get back into a world title match and sees McCline as the stepping stone.

“I love fighting big guys and I know that I won’t have to go look for McCline,â€? Williamson said. “He’ll be right there in front of me and my big right hand. I’m risking a lot, and I could just sit on it and wait, but I’m not that type of fighter.â€?

McCline (38-7-3, 23 KOs), born in Harlem and residing in West Palm Beach, Fla., last fought in Madison Square Garden on Nov. 13, 2004, against Chris Byrd for the International Boxing Federation heavyweight championship.

McCline stunned Byrd with a staggering right hand that floored the champion early in the second round, which almost ended the fight. Byrd amazingly finished the round and the fight, and McCline ended up on the losing end of a razor-thin split decision.

Following the loss to Byrd, and a couple of stumbling blocks, McCline put together another string of six wins to earn another shot at world heavyweight championship, this time against Nikolai “Russian Giant� Valuev. At a weight of over 590 pounds, it was the heaviest combined weight for a title belt in history.

McCline fought well before suffering a twisted knee just as the bell sounded to end the third round. The freak injury left him unable to continue in the bout.

A three-sport high school star that went on to play collegiate basketball, McCline began boxing at a “late stage� and after a two-win, two-loss, one-draw record to begin his heavyweight career, he began to soar through the rankings, putting together a streak of 28 fights without suffering a loss.

His first world title fight came on Dec, 7, 2002, against then-World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. McCline lost a hard-fought battle by a 10th-round technical knockout before winning his next three fights to set up the meeting with Byrd.

Two other domestically non-televised matches had previously been added to the card. Two-time 147- and 154-pound world champions Jose Antonio Rivera (38-5-1, 24 KOs), from Worcester, Mass., and Daniel Santos
(30-3-1, 21 KOs), from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, will square off in an elimination bout to determine the WBA super welterweight No. 1 ranking as well as become mandatory challenger to new WBA champion Joachim Alcine.

Polish favorite Andrew Golota (39-6-1, 32 KOs), from Warsaw, will take on Mike Tyson conqueror Kevin “The Clones Colossus� McBride (34-5-1, 29 KOs), from Ireland, in a second special heavyweight attraction.

The main event of Maskaev vs. Peter will be televised on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and is being promoted by Don King Productions and Duva Boxing in association with Madison Square Garden.

*King release