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BOXING WITH FRED ROMANO

Boxing With Fred Romano is a monthly television program featuring interviews, opinion and historical retrospectives. Romano sits down with the fighters, promoters, writers and other personalities of the sport to bring you their unique perspectives and opinions.

OUR NEXT PROGRAM

The next addition of Boxing With Fred Romano will broadcast on the days and times listed below, and feature acclaimed boxing writer Peter Wood. Peter is the author of Confessions of a Fighter, and A Clenched Fist. In this program we will delve into his first work, Confessions of a Fighter. In his seminal work, Peter bares his soul, taking the reader on a journey of fear, family dysfunction, and adolescent confusion. Don’t miss this intimate and frank discussion with the author, as he relives his fantastic journey through the New York Golden Gloves Tournament. The author may be reached at PeterWood05@aol.com.

BROADCASTING SCHEDULE

The program is available to cable subscribers in the borough of Manhattan. For Time Warner Cable (TWC) our next program will broadcast on

July 16th, 12:30 am (Tues. Night / Wed. morning) Channel 67;

July 22nd, 11 pm (Tues.), Channel 56

July 3oth, 12:30 am (Tues. night / Wed. morning) Channel 67

If you do not live in Manhattan, you can still watch the program through a live stream on the internet at the dates and times indicated above. Web broadcasts can be viewed by going to www.mnn.org. at the time and date of the broadcast and by doing the following:

1) Click on “What’s On Now�, 2) From the “Watch MNN Live� section, click on the“MSS� which is next to the desired channel number ( ch. nos. are to the left of the slash) 3) click on “Launch the external player.� (If you do not have an external media player already loaded onto your computer, you should be given the option to load one).

JULIO AND GREENE CO-HEADLINE ESPN2 WEDNESDAY NIGHT FIGHTS

HOLLYWOOD, FL, July 14 – With a combined knockout percentage of 85% in their 53 pro bouts, it is easy to see why Joel Julio and ‘Mean’ Joe Greene are considered two of the most powerful punchers in boxing today. On Wednesday, August 13, at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, these “Heavy Hitters� will look to add two more names to their victims list as they co-headline ESPN2’s Wednesday Night Fights.

Julio will compete in a ten round bout and Greene will fight in a 12 round NABA title fight. “Heavy Hitters� is presented by Seminole Warriors Boxing and Main Events. Doors open at 6:30pm and the first bell rings at 7:30pm. ESPN2’s Wednesday Night Fights broadcast begins at 9pm ET / 6pm PT. Tickets for “Heavy Hitters�, priced at $152, $102, $52 and $27, are on sale now, and may be purchased at Hard Rock Live Box Office or TicketMaster.com.

One of boxing’s most exciting fighters, pound for pound, Joel Julio (33-1, 30 KOs) is must see TV for all fight fans. A native of Monteria, Colombia who now makes his home in Miami, Julio has bounced back from his lone loss – a decision defeat to future world champion Carlos Quintana in 2006 – with frightening efficiency. Now at 154 pounds, Julio has impressively beaten Mauro Lucero, Cornelius ‘K9’ Bundrage, and Ishe Smith in the last year, and if he hopes to challenge for the junior middleweight world title, he must win this August.

A southpaw standout with the ability to box or bang, Queen’s “Mean� Joe Greene (19-0, 14 KOs) is moving ever closer to a world title shot. The current NABO and NABA middleweight champion, the 22-year old Greene destroyed local competition in the Big Apple in the early stages of his pro career and has seamlessly made a transition to beating world-class foes in the last year. Fresh off back-to-back stoppages of veterans Francisco Mora and Joshua Okine, Greene intends on keeping his record perfect on August 13th. This will be Greene’s first foray at junior middleweight when he takes on hard punching Columbian Jose Miguel Torres (20-3, 18 KOs).

Junior middleweight James Moore returns to the ring against Lloyd Christian Joseph in New York City’s Times Square on Wednesday, August 6.

In his first fight since losing a disputed decision to Gabriel Rosado on June 4, the enormously popular junior middleweight James Moore, 15-1 (10 KOS), a native of County Wicklow, Ireland, who fights of Queens, New York, will take on Lloyd Christian Joseph, 12-6-3 (5 KOS), in an 8 round bout on Wednesday, August 6, at B.B. King Blues Club in the heart of New York City’s Times Square.

The show, which is being called “Hot Fights…Summer in the City,� is being promoted by DiBella Entertainment (DBE).

The 35-year-old Joseph, a native of the Virgin Islands who resides in Brooklyn, New York, should provide a stern test for Moore. Besides beating former world champion Keith Mullings, he has gone the distance with top contenders Joshua Clottey and Godfrey Nyakana. He also battled to a draw with Aaron Mitchell, who was 12-1 at the time of their meeting.

“I’m just happy to get back in the ring, and back on track,� said the 30-year-old Moore. “I look at the loss to Rosado as a minor bump in the road. I just need to put that loss aside by keeping myself busy and getting back the momentum I had going into that fight. Joseph is a tough guy, who will come to fight. That’s exactly the type of fight I’m looking for right now.�

Moore is now trained by Lennox Blackmoore, who unsuccessfully challenged the great Aaron Pryor for the world junior welterweight title in 1981.

Blackmoore is glad to be working with Moore, who he wholeheartedly believes has championship potential. “James is all business in training, and in the ring,� said Blackmoore. “He is a very good listener and a quick learner. He doesn’t take any shortcuts and is ready to put the past behind him and get back where he belongs…on the road to a title.�

B.B. Kings is located at 237 West 42 Street in Manhattan. Tickets are priced at $160 (VIP seats and VIP tables); $100 (ringside seats and ringside tables); and $60 for standing room only. Due to the intimate size of the venue, only 550 seats are available. DBE is conducting a special pre-sale before the full card is announced. To purchase tickets, call DBE at 212-947-2577.

By Dethroning WBA Super Welterweight Champion Joachim Alcine

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico—Daniel Santos became a world champion for the third time by defeating previously undefeated World Boxing Association super welterweight champion Joachim Alcine in Montreal on Friday night at the beautiful outdoor Uniprix Stadium.

The energetic crowd of nearly 10,000 in Alcine’s adopted hometown of Quebec could not prevent Santos, who was making his 12th world championship appearance, from exerting his considerable experience on Alcine, who was making his first title defense after winning the crown just one year ago.

The end came suddenly when Santos landed a devastating left hand in the sixth round that left the champion sprawled on the canvas where he was counted out by the referee at 2:10 into the round.

The Puerto Rican-born and -bred Santos (32-3-1, 23 KOs), an Olympic Games bronze-medal winner in 1996 that went on to defeat the likes of Antonio Margarito and “Yory Boy� Campas while claiming the World Boxing Organization welterweight and junior middleweight championships, believes this victory will propel him to greater heights.

“Alcine is a good fighter and I gave him a lot of respect,� Santos said, “but in the end my experience took me to victory. I do not believe there is anything I cannot achieve in the ring when I am prepared and focused, which I am right now.�

“My goal is to unify the division. I have earned the right to fight in elite, top-level matches. If a fighter like Oscar De La Hoya wants to fight, I’m ready. If a fighter at 160 pounds like Kelly Pavlik or Jermain Taylor wants to fight, I’m ready.�

Promoter Don King, who was sitting ringside watching his fighter in Montreal, was impressed with Santos’s performance.

“I thought Danny was sensational,� Kind said. “He reclaimed the glory of yesteryear by landing a rare and unique one-punch knockout of a champion. It proves that Danny is not only a great boxer but a powerful puncher to be reckoned with. Danny’s calling out everyone from Oscar De La Hoya to any world-title holder out there.�

HBO SPORTS TO PRESENT
BACK-TO-BACK WEEKENDS
OF EXCITING COTTO & MARGARITO FIGHTS
AS A SPECIAL PREVIEW TO THE
COTTO vs. MARGARITO PAY-PER-VIEW EVENT

July 14, 2008 – HBO Boxing fans will be treated to a special preview leading up to the highly anticipated welterweight title fight on July 26 that will be carried by HBO Pay-Per-View between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. HBO Sports will present the exclusive re-broadcast of three of the fighters’ most memorable fights on back-to-back weekends.

On Friday, July 18 at 11:40 p.m. (ET/PT) & Saturday, July 19 at 9:00 a.m. (ET/PT), the HBO2 service will replay Cotto vs. Judah 2007 and Margarito vs. Cintron 2008. The Miguel Cotto-Zab Judah showdown took place in June of 2007. The fight showcased the talented Cotto wearing down Judah with vicious body shots that led to a 10th round knockout. The second fight of the HBO2 doubleheader features Margarito vs. Cintron II in a rematch that produced the same result from their first encounter, a knockout win by Margarito.

Then on Friday, July 25 at 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT) & Saturday, July 26 at 8:00 a.m. (ET/PT) on the HBO2 service the exciting replays of Cotto vs. Mosley 2007 and Margarito vs. Cintron 2008 will be presented. The Nov. 2007 battle between Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley proved to be a defining fight for Cotto as he showcased his skills in a 12-round decision over the accomplished Shane Mosley. In addition, the HBO2 service will replay Margarito vs. Cintron II.

HBO ON DEMAND subscribers can watch all the fights 24 hours a day on HBO ON DEMAND beginning Monday, July 21 thru Monday, August 4.

Then on Saturday, July 26, two of boxing’s superpowers square off in a 12-round championship fight from Las Vegas, Nevada. HBO Pay-Per-View will televise the Cotto vs. Margarito event at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT from the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

TULSA, OK – Through his lawyer Stuart Campbell, world rated lightweight contender Zahir Raheem has filed an official protest of his July 5th stoppage loss to Ali Funeka. The bout was sanctioned by the IBF as a world title eliminator.

All accounts of the bout, even from the local paper in East London, South Africa, show a major lapse in judgement on the part of referee Ernie Sharif.

“The manner in which he hit the canvas sparked wild celebrations from the packed crowd. However, Sharif surprisingly refused to make the count and instead aided the American to his feet. But then Raheem staggered back to the ground and landed on his back, which forced Sharif to wave the fight over. When the Daily Dispatch asked him why he did not make the count, Sharif said the punch had landed after the gong.”
(East London Dispatch, 7/7/08)

“I heard the bell and took my eye off of him for a split second and he hit me,” said Raheem. “Even though I had been down before in the fight, that was the first time I was really hurt.”

“When Zahir went down the referee acted very strangely. Instead of counting or waving the fight off, he sent Funeka to the neutral corner and started trying to help Raheem up. When Zahir got up and was still wobbling, he then waved off the fight,” said Bobby Dobbs, who represented Raheem’s promoter Tony Holden at ringside. “I think the referee may have been afraid to disqualify Funeka or penalize him because of the hostile environment of the crowd. He may have been worried about his safety.”

Raheem and his team are looking for the bout result to be changed to a no decision and an immediate rematch ordered within 60 days.

“I haven’t seen the tape yet, but I respect the IBF and I know that they will fully review this and take the appropriate action,” said Raheem’s promoter Tony Holden. Holden added that “Zahir has never been knocked out in his career. Although he has been knocked down before, he has gotten up off the canvas and gone on to win every one of those bouts.”

Raheem believes that if given another opportunity he will emerge the winner. “I know that I can beat that kid, I was having an off night and then got hit late, everything was working against me over there. Give me a rematch and I will show this guy what I am really about” Raheem said.

Chad Dawson contacted the WBC to inform that he will not fight Adrian Diaconu for the undisputed light heavyweight championship and therefore is relinquishing the title, even though representatives of both fighters had participated in a purse offer that was won by the Romanian promotor Gangkor Promotions.

The WBC feels very disillusioned with Dawson’s decision, as he was going to make the highest purse of his career against Diaconu. The WBC has always supported Dawson since he won the WBC Continental Americas title in 2003. He later asked for the permission of the organization not to fight Adrian Diaconu in a final elimination bout, but to be allowed to directly fight Tomasz Adamek for the title in a voluntary defense, which the WBC accepted and Dawson became WBC champion of the world in 2007. The WBC once again supported Dawson in allowing him to make a voluntary defense against Glen Johnson, for which Dawson signed a letter agreeing to fight Diaconu next.

It happens that he found the way not to fight Diaconu again.

Apparently the reason that Dawson did not comply with the WBC Rules is because of a commitment that he has with a television network, which it seems is interfering with the rights and infrastructure of the WBC, which must be addressed in the near future.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, the son of the Legend, says he’s ready for his biggest challenge, taking on puncher Matt Vanda in Hermosillo, Mexico on Top Rank’s Latin Fury 5 this Saturday night.

Chavez Sr., celebrating his 46th birthday, will walk his son to the ring.

“The best gift I can give my father is a spectacular knockout,” Chavez Jr said today.

Chavez Jr has a record of 36-0-1; Vanda is 38-6.

Chavez Jr vs. Vanda plus a world title fight matching Ulises Solis vs. Glenn Donair will be available live Saturday night on an Azteca America telecast at 10 pm eastern/7 pm pacific.

July 11, 2008 – HBO Sports is presenting a thirty- minute special analyzing the upcoming HBO Pay-Per-View showdown between welterweight superpowers Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito that is shaping up to be one of the best fights of 2008. The highly anticipated 147-pound world title fight is set for Saturday, July 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The special “COUNTDOWN TO COTTO-MARGARITO”, which will feature fighter profiles, expert analysis and forecasts for the sizzling showdown, will premiere on Saturday, July 19 at 11:15 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

Cotto, the pride and joy of Puerto Rico (32-0, 26 KOs) is among the sport’s most accomplished performers and has never been stopped. Margarito, who is among the most popular and explosive fighters ever to come out of Tijuana, Mexico, sports a 36-5, 26 KOs record that includes a host of world championship showdowns.

The countdown special will also be available to HBO ON DEMAND Monday, July 21 thru Monday, August 4.

Additional HBO replay dates:

Sunday, July 20 @ 11:00 a.m. & 2:05 a.m.

Monday, July 21 @ 4:30 p.m. & 12:00 a.m.

Wednesday, July 23 @ 8:30 p.m.

Friday, July 25 @ 8:30 a.m. & 11:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 26 @ 4:30 p.m.

Additional HBO2 replay dates:

Tuesday, July 22 @ 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 24 @ 11:30 a.m.

All times are ET/PT.