Boxing Blog – TSS Tidbits

Seminole Warriors Boxing joins the rest of the boxing world in mourning the passing of Hall of Fame historian Hank Kaplan, who passed away at his home in Kendall, Florida early this morning. He was 88.

“Hank Kaplan was a true giant in the sport of boxing, yet he was also the classiest and most giving person you would ever want to meet,� said Leon Margules, Executive Director of Seminole Warriors Boxing. “Hank will be missed and I can say without a doubt that there will never be another one like him in this game.�

The Seminole Warriors Boxing team sends its sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Hank Kaplan.

“We’ll fight anyone – Cotto, Margarito, Williams, Cintron – you name it,” said Vinny Scolpino, manager of welterweight contender Joshua Clottey who will fight in an eliminator bout on the VERSUS Network on Thursday, Dec. 20.

First, Clottey must deal with unbeaten lefthander Shamone Alvarez, 19-0, of Atlantic City, N.J. at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Alvarez said he was in the arena when Clottey took on Antonio ‘Tijuana Tornado’ Margarito in Atlantic City over a year ago.

“Clottey is always in shape and he comes to fight. I look at this as a very interesting bout. I’ve been training at the Atlantic City PAL, hitting the beach, hitting the track, hitting the road,” said Alvarez.

Alvarez is a four-time New Jersey Golden Gloves champion. In Atlantic City, he is called ‘The Truth.’

“Alvarez is good, but Clottey is better. Look at who we have fought,” said Scolpino. “It’s a tough fight, sure, but we will win and move on to something bigger. That’s what our game plan is.”

Clottey has been training at John’s Gym in The Bronx, N.Y. It has been very cold there, but Scopino said “…Joshua is used to it. He’s only been to one training camp and that was in the Poconos. He has been training hard, his weight is on target and we’re ready to head to Las Vegas.”

Alvarez has already arrived into Las Vegas. He has been training at a local gym. “I am approaching this fight with all intentions of winning,” he said.

The Top Rank/VERSUS fight card includes Las Vegas heavyweight Tye Fields who will take on Chris ‘Special K’ Koval of Youngstown, Ohio. That fight is scheduled for 10 rounds and will open the VERSUS telecast.

Unbeaten USA Olympian Vanes Martirosyan of Glendale, Calif. is scheduled for eight rounds. Martirosyan, one of Top Rank’s most popular young contenders, has a record of 16-0.

Canadian Olympian Donnie Orr, a 10-0 middleweight, will take on Enrique Gallegos of Medford, Oregon. Orr has been training in Tempe, Az.

“I grew up in the Vancouver area,” said Donnie. “I had a lot of amateur fights with a record of 137-11. I was with the Canadian Olympic team in 1999, 2000 and 2001. For this fight I went to Arizona to train but now I am back working out in Richard Steele’s new gym in Las Vegas. I am working with trainer Kenny Crooms.

Fan favorite Angel ‘Baby Boy’ Flores of Las Vegas will take on super lightweight Geoffery Spruiell of Pueblo, Colorado. That fight is scheduled for six rounds.

RESSED
HOLLYWOOD, FL, December 10 – You only have one chance to make a first impression, and Jean Pascal did not impress Edison Miranda this past Friday night during his 10 round bout with Brian Norman at the Bell Center in Montreal. “I came all the way from the sunny weather of San Juan to the snow in Montreal, to watch nothing more than a club fight. They pulled Jean’s opponent right out of the circus to give him an easy night, but it was the opposing clown who stole many rounds away from Jean. If this guy thinks he has any chance in beating Edison Miranda he better go back to school and learn how to fight like a real man. The only thing that impressed me was the wonderful fans of Canada. I admire their desire to see a great fight, but felt bad for them with this disappointing circus event that Pascal delivered. They came out on a snowy cold night and were given nothing to cheer for during this bout. I will ma! ke a promise to these great fans. When Edison Miranda comes back to town they will have a reason to cheer. Listen to me Jean: by the end of the night, you will be lying on the canvas and 15,000 fans will chanting ‘panthère’ (French for Pantera). You are nothing more than a Chinatown boxer.â€?

Pantera and Jean Pascal will again be side by side on Jan 11th on ESPN Friday Night Fights. The event will be broadcast live from the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood Florida.

Tickets for “Crossroads�, priced at $27, $52, $102 and $152, are on sale now and may be purchased at the Hard Rock Live Box Office and at www.Ticketmaster.com

It’s a special edition of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING when HBO Sports presents FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. RICKY HATTON, the exclusive replay of the welterweight showdown, this SATURDAY, DEC. 15 at 10:15 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO. The HBO Sports broadcast team, which was ringside for the live event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, will call all the action. The replay will be available in HDTV.

The Dec. 8 fight, carried live on HBO Pay-Per-View, featured the highly anticipated showdown between two undefeated superstars in the prime of their careers: Floyd Mayweather and Ricky Hatton. Mayweather scored a thrilling 10th round KO triumph to close out a banner year for the sport’s pound-for-pound king.

Unbeaten Bronx lightweight prospect Jorge “The Truth� Teron steps-up in class against Mexican knockout artist Adrian “Canon� Navarette in the 10-round co-feature December 13 on the “Holiday Hits� pro boxing show, co-promoted by Ring Promotions and Cedric Kushner’s Gotham Boxing, at The Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan.

WBA No. 9 rated middleweight contender challenger “Mean� Joe Greene (16-0, 12 KOs), the 2004 National Golden Gloves Tournament champion and reigning NABA middleweight champion from Queens (NY), headlines in the 10-round main event. Undefeated middleweight Peter “Kid Chocolate� Quillin (15-0, 12 KOs), of Brooklyn, faces battle-tested Troy “TNT� Lowry (27-7, 16 KOs), of St. Paul (MN), in an eight-round Special Middleweight Attraction.

The 22-year-old Teron (18-0-1, 11 KOs), WBC No. 20 rated lightweight and 3-time New York Golden Gloves champion, will use his long reach and height advantage (4-inches, 6’ 0� to 5’ 8�) to box the power-punching Navarette (16-4-1, 13 KOs), former Intercontinental Mundo Hispano title-holder.

Teron is coming off of impressive back-to-back victories against Jefferson Auraad Rodriguez (20-10) by first-round TKO and an eight-round unanimous decision (80-72, 80-72, 79-73) and near shutout in his last action (September 5, 2007) versus Mike Gonzalez (10-1-1).

“It’s always exciting to fight at home because my family and friends watching makes me happy,� Teron said. “I’m also excited to be fighting in the co-feature for the first time. It’s a progression of my career and I want to show everybody what I can do. I’ll be headlining my own show soon. In 2008, I plan on fighting one or two 10-rounders and then I’ll be ready to take on the top lightweights in the world. I’m ready for the top level; no more swing bouts or 8-rounders. I’m fighting 10-rounders and eventually 12-rounders. I feel great for this fight.�

Dominican-born heavyweight prospect Nagy Aguilera (4-0, 2 KOs), the two-time New York Golden Gloves champion raised in Puerto Rico and fighting out of Newburgh (NY), takes on Darryl Holley (6-5, 1 KO), of Brigantine (NJ) in a 6-round bout.

Also fighting on the undercard is another Bronx fighter, New York State lightweight champion Freddy Soto (9-3-2, 5 KOs) vs. TBA; Paterson (NJ) light welterweight Jeremy Bryan (1-0) meets Broderick Antoine (2-3, 1 KO), of Troy (NY); Canadian bantamweight Noriko Kariya (7-2-1, 1 KO) battles Salina Jordan (2-2, 1 KOs), of Denver; Long Island heavyweights Darrel Madison (7-1, 3 KOs) and Elfair “The Wyandanch Warrior� McKnight are matched-up.

VIP Seats Now Available
Special VIP seats in the balcony, four seats to each table, are now available for $200.00 per seat. A private bar is located in the VIP area – barstool seating is available for $100.00 — as well as cocktail waitress service at each VIP table so you won’t miss a single punch waiting in concession lines. Exclusive VIP balcony access looks directly down into the ring without any obstructed views.

Tickets are priced at $150.00, $100.00, $75.00 and $50.00. To purchase tickets or for more information call Ring Promotions (516.313.2304) or Gotham Boxing (212.755.1944). Doors open at 6:30 PM, first bout at 7:30 PM.

Junior middleweight contenders Sechew Powell and Terrance Cauthen promised a war in their IBF title elimination bout on Wednesday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena, and both fighters delivered on their promise. But when all was said and done, it was ‘The Iron Horse’ from Brooklyn, Powell, who had the last word, dropping Cauthen twice en route to a spectacular fourth round TKO win.

“I give Terrance Cauthen a lot of credit for being a man of his word and standing and fighting with me,� said Powell. “But I was not about to be denied of my title shot, and no one was going to stop me last night.�

With the victory, the 28-year old Powell improved to 22-1 with 13 KOs, and he now has his sights set on his 2008 shot at IBF junior middleweight champion Cory Spinks.

“Winning this fight over Terrance Cauthen was a great Christmas gift, and I’m going to celebrate 2008 by taking home my first world title,� said Powell. “Cory Spinks is a great fighter and I respect him a lot, but this is my time and all that respect will go out the window when the bell rings. I can’t wait to fight him.�

Dancing With the Stars winner and two-time Indianapolis 500 Champion Helio Castroneves, along with fellow competitors Texas billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and renowned entertainer and “Mr. Las Vegas� himself Wayne Newton, will accompany six-time world champion “Pretty Boy� Floyd Mayweather, also a participant on this year’s show—into the ring Saturday night when he fights undefeated British icon Ricky “The Hitman� Hatton for the WBC and Ring Magazine welterweight championship at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and live on HBO Pay-Per-view. The trio will carry Mayweather’s decorated title belts during the Champion’s celebratory ring walk and join him in the ring for the official announcement moments before the start of the fight.

In addition Castroneves and Newton will join Mayweather Friday for the fight’s official weigh-in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. More than 5,000 fans are expected to attend and the event will be distributed live via satellite to national and local television stations across the country.

“Dancing With the Stars was such a great experience for me this year and now to have Helio, Mark and Wayne be a part of my real world makes it that much more meaningful,� said Mayweather.

“We all knew Floyd could dance but now we have a chance to watch him really do his thing in the ring,� said Castroneves, who will be attending his first live boxing match. “I will leave my trophy at home so I can carry Floyd’s belt and show him my support for one of the biggest fights of his career.�

“”Floyd is a great guy and a hell of a competitor,â€? said Cuban. “I can’t wait to watch him fight and I’m honored that he has become a good friend and has asked me to carry his belt for the fight.”

Floyd’s the best in boxing and I am looking forward to see him work his magic this Saturday,� said Newton. “He dazzled them on Dancing With the Stars but this is where he truly shines bright and it will be an honor for me to bring him into the ring, carrying one of his belts. Us Vegas guys have to stick together.�

Other Dancing With The Stars notables attending the fight will be Mayweather’s dance partner Karina Smirnoff and 2006 runner-up Mario Lopez.

Even before M-1 Global, LLC produces its first event, the newest major mixed martial arts promotion is already making good on its pledge to “work with other organizations.”

Organizers for the Yarennoka! New Year’s Eve event in Japan announced last week that their main event will feature M-1 Global superstar Fedor Emelianenko (against an opponent yet to be determined) at the 22,000-seat Saitama Super Arena.

Fedor is generally considered the best Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter in world and owns a 26-1 record and was the heavyweight champion of the former Pride event. Fedor attended a press conference in Tokyo recently and told a huge media group that he was “excited to be fighting again in Japan… and hoped this would be a great beginning of M-1 Global’s presence in Japan.”

Monte Cox, M-1 Global CEO, joined other fight executives in a press conference on November 28, 2007, and praised the “combined efforts of many organizations” to make the Yarennoka! event a success.

“My hope is that this is the start of a new way to promote fighting events in Japan,” Cox said. “Instead of fighting against each other, we are all here working together, which will prove to be better for both the fans and promoters of the sport.”

Also speaking at the press conference were Fight Entertainment Group’s (K-1) Sadaharu Tanigawa, DEEP president Shigeru Saeki, and former Pride executive Nobuhiko Takada.

“This is something Fedor really wanted to do,” Cox said. “He has a huge following in Japan and the New Year’s Eve events are legendary here. We’re hoping this is the start of a long and successful effort for M-1 Global in Japan.”

Two bouts for the NYE event were also announced. Two time HERO’S champion Gesias Calvancante will take on Shooto world champion Shinya Aoki and current DEEP champion Hidehiko Hasegawa will fight Japanese legend Hayato “Mach” Sakurai.

Dennis Spencer, executive vice president of SFX Media and television representative for M-1 Global said, “In this spirit of cooperation, we are looking forward to bringing the outstanding event to television viewers around the world on both a live and tape-delayed basis.�

There will be fireworks tonight in the Bronx as Monte “Two Gunz� Barrett (31-6, 17 KO’s) takes on hard hitting veteran Cliff Couser (26-13-2, 14 KO’s) in a heavyweight bout.

Barrett looks to settle the score in the rematch of the July 7 encounter with Couser in Bridgeport, Connecticut where he was knocked out in the second round. Barrett is coming back in a fight that means something and wants to prove that the loss to Couser was just a hiccup on his road to the top of the heavyweight division.

The main event on the card features a 10 round Junior Middleweight battle of talented Eastern Europeans, as NABF CHAMPION and Ukraine born Andrey Tsurkan (25-2, 16 KO’s) defends his title against undefeated Yuri Foreman (23-0, 8 KO’s).

The co-feature bout is another 10 round Junior Middleweight showdown between Argentinean Sergio Martinez (40-1-1, 21 KO’s) and Rochester native Russell “Spiderman� Jordan (14-4, 9 KO’s).

There’s a loaded undercard alongside the Barrett/Couser rematch. It features DBE’s Spanish Harlem junior welterweight, Puerto Rican Edgar “El Chamaco� Santana (21-3, 13 KO’s) and DBE cruiserweight Andre “Tombstone� Purlette (39-2, 35 KO’s). Star Boxing’s Young Philly welterweight Ray Robinson (5-0, 1 KO) and one of America’s top amateur heavyweights, Joe Hanks (Pro Debut) will also be on the card.

Tickets priced at $2,000 for VIP Tables of 10 (includes beer, wine, and dinner), $100, $50, and $30 are available at the Paradise Theater box office tonight and through Ticketmaster by logging onto www.ticketmaster.com.

Memphis, TN-Thursday, December 6, 2007-Prize Fight Boxing is wrapping up a hugely successful year of “Fights at the Fitz,� on Saturday, December 8, 2007, with another great SOLD OUT fight card live at the Fitzgerald Casino in Tunica, Miss.

The main event features two UNDEFEATED lightweights, Memphis resident and fan favorite, Ira “Showtimeâ€? Terry (17-0, 10KO’s) and Robbie “Peashooterâ€? Cannon, of St. Louis (10-0, 6KO’s) in an eight round fight. This is one fight not to miss as both fighters go head to head to continue their impressive winning streak.

Adam “Swamp Donkeyâ€? Richards (19-1, 13KO’s) of Murfreesboro, TN, and Maurice Wheeler (10-10, 1KO’s) hailing from Philadelphia, PA, kick off the undercard line up in an eight round match up.

D.C based undefeated, Ty Barnette (11-0, 8KO’s) will face Tyrone Wiggins of Memphis, TN, in a scheduled four rounder.

Stepping into the ring for the first time as a professional is recently inked amateur hot prospect Fernando Guerrero. Guerrero had great success in the amateurs and took first place at the U.S National Championships in Colorado Springs back in June 2007.

Rounding out the card are welterweights, Jermell Charlo of Houston, TX (pro-debut) and Corey Somerville (1-0, 1KO) of Memphis, TN, facing off in a scheduled four round bout, and lightweights, Chris “Hurricane� Howard 2-0, from Crossville, TN, against Brooklyn, NY, native Ricky Velasquez (2-0 1KO) also scheduled for four rounds.

Tickets available for purchase at the Fitz gift shop priced at $35.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m. with the first fight at 7:15 p.m. For tickets, call the Fitz at 1-800 766-5825 or Prize Fight Promotions 662 349-6263.