Boxing Blog – TSS Tidbits

“Rage At The River” reunion for McGirt & Ward

Joey “KO Kid” Spina vs. Tiwon Taylor headlines May 22nd show at Twin River Event Center, RI

PROVIDENCE (April 31, 2009) – Legendary boxers James “Buddy” McGirt, Sr. and “Irish” Micky Ward began a friendship in 1986 that continues today. They will reunite May 22nd at “Rage At The River,” promoted Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment, Inc. (CES), as head trainers of fighters on that show.

McGirt, 2-time world champion in two different weight classes and former Trainer of the Year, will be training his son, middleweight James McGirt, Jr. (19-2-1, 9 KOs), who’ll be making his CES debut in a 6-round bout versus an opponent to be named. Ward, a participant in three Fights of the Year, will handle his nephew, lightweight Sean Eklund (6-3, 1 KO), against Jose Guzman (3-4-1) in a 4-round match.

“I think it’s great and I’m excited to be working the same show as Micky,” Buddy said. “He fought on my undercard in 1986, 16 years later were in opposite corners — I had (Arturo) Gatti – and now we’re together again. Micky Ward was one fighter I didn’t want to fight. I always felt that, if he wanted to, he’d be a trainer. They don’t make fighters like Micky Ward anymore. We’re good friends.”

Ward remembers beating Jesus Carlos Velez (KO6) on Buddy’s undercard (Feb. 21, 1986) in Atlantic City. “Two years later I stopped Joey Ferrell in the first round,” Micky laughed and jokingly added, “the same fighter Buddy beat by (10-round) decision on that same 1986 card. I broke his rib. I was amazed by Buddy. I was in my fifth fight and he was close to fighting for a world title. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, I want to be like him.’ I never wanted to fight him, though. Until the end of his career, he only lost to world champions, twice to the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Pernell Whitaker. Buddy’s a good guy, great fighter and trainer, and we’re friends. I’m enjoying the challenge of being a trainer but, I’m not on the same level as Buddy, who has trained a lot of world champions.”

World-rated light heavyweight Joey “KO Kid” Spina (24-1-1, 17 KOs), fighting out of Providence, headlines in an 8-round fight versus veteran Tiwon Taylor (26-14-1, 19 KOs), former Carolina Boxing Association title-holder, who has been in against world champions Adrian Diaconu, Fabrice Tiozzo and Lou Del Valle. Power-punching Spina is rated No. 12 in the WBA, as well as No. 13 by the WBC and WBO

The Legends Meet & Greet

James “Buddy” McGirt (73-6-1, 48 KOs), former IBF light welterweight and WBC welterweight champion, past Boxing Writers of America Association’s Trainer of the Year, as well as “Irish” Micky Ward (38-13,27 KOs), EBU light weight champion and 3-time participant in Ring Magazine’s Fight of the Year, will be joined by Gary “Tiger” Balletto (31-3-2, 26 KOs), former IBU lightweight champion and star of The Contender III, for a very special meet-and-greet May 22nd with “Rage At The River” show ticket holders. They will be available in the entrance area of the Twin River Event Center between 6-7 PM/ET to sign autographs, pose for pictures and talk to fans. They had a combined 142-22-3 (101 KOs) pro record.

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PACQUIAO/HATTON 24/7 – MAY 1 EPISODE

Episode #4 (series finale)

Debut date: FRIDAY, MAY 1 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates: May 1 (12:05 a.m.), 2 (4:00 p.m.), 3 (11:00 a.m., 11:30 p.m.), 4 (7:30 p.m., 12:30 a.m.), 6 (9:00 a.m., midnight)

HBO2 playdates: May 1 (2:00 a.m.), 2 (11:30 a.m.) and 5 (noon, 11:30 p.m.)

HBO On Demand availability begins: May 2

Manny Pacquiao breaks camp in Los Angeles and heads to Las Vegas, where he finds Ricky Hatton waiting for him; final fight week activities begin as their May 2 junior welterweight showdown approaches.

Prior to the May 1 debut of the series finale, the first three episodes of PACQUIAO/HATTON 24/7 will be presented back-to-back on HBO, beginning at 8:00 p.m. In addition, all four episodes will be presented back-to-back on Saturday, May 2, beginning at 10:00 a.m. on HBO2, and at 2:30 p.m. on HBO.

On Saturday, May 2 at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT), HBO Pay-Per-View presents “Pacquiao vs. Hatton,” live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

On Tuesday Night Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, presented its first installment of “VIP Boxing” at the elegant Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, NY. The card was made up of five entertaining fights, headlined by Star Boxing’s heavyweight fan favorite Vinny Maddalone taking on Benji “Boom Boom” Baker.
MADDALONE DOESN’T DISAPPOINT
Maddalone, who is known for his all-action come forward style, didn’t disappoint his hometown fans, going straight at Baker from the opening bell, landing huge left hooks and thunderous overhand rights. A big overhand right as the bell sounded to end the first sent Baker down hard.

Rounds two and three saw more of the same from Maddalone, as he continuously stalked Baker, opening up on him with any chance he could. A heavy barrage of punches from Maddalone caused Baker to take a knee towards the end of round three.

In the fourth round a huge left hook to the body sent Baker down hard, Baker survived the round, but was clearly in bad shape. Upon the advice of the ringside physician the bout was stopped after the 4th, giving Maddalone the TKO victory. With the victory Maddalone improved his record to (32-5, 23KO) while Baker dropped to (18-6, 9KO). The victory sets up a huge international fight for Maddalone this summer. More details to come soon.

STEVENS, MOUTON GO TO WAR
In the co-feature bout of the evening, Star Boxing’s exciting super middleweight Curtis “Showtime” Stevens improved to 20-2, 14KO, winning an eight round war over dangerous Don Mouton (9-4-1, 8KO).

Mouton showed a granite chin throughout, but Stevens simply had too much fire power. Stevens worked off a good jab to set up his lethal left hook that seemed to connect every time he threw it. When Mouton would cover up on the ropes Stevens would open up, landing beautiful four and five punch combinations, but to Mouton’s credit he took the shots well.

Each fighter had their moments throughout, but Stevens punches seemed to have much more of an effect.

In the 8th and final round both fighters engaged in a heavy exchange bringing the packed house to a standing ovation. All in all it was a very impressive performance for Stevens as he improved to a perfect 3- 0 under the Star Boxing banner.

Other Results:

Anthony Irons W4 Rashad Bogar
Dominick DeSanto NC (cut caused by accidental head-butt) Ashanti Hendrickson
Jacques Louis W4 Vernon Jenkins

Promoters Arthur Pelullo/Banner Promotions and Rodney Berman/Golden Gloves will present a sensational championship fight card on Friday, June 19, 2009, at the Laredo Entertainment Center, located at 6700 Arena Boulevard in Laredo, Texas. The main event, co-feature, and other selected fights will be televised live on ESPN2, ESPN Desportes, their Spanish-Language Network, and ESPN 360.com.

In the main event scheduled for 12 rounds, Fernando Beltran Jr., 32-3-1 with 18 knockouts, of Culiacan, Mexico, the International Boxing Federation’s number four ranked featherweight contender, will make his first defense of the IBF Latino featherweight title against Monty Meza-Clay, 28-2 with 19 knockouts, of Rankin, Pennsylvania, the IBF’s number six ranked contender.

Beltran, a 27 year-old lefthander, won the vacant title with a 12 round split decision against Miguel Roman of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, at the Laredo Entertainment Center in his last fight on March 20.

Doug Fischer reported on The Ring blog [excerpts]: Two-time title challenger Fernando Beltran Jr. kept his hopes for a third title shot alive with a hard-fought split-decision over Miguel Roman, who put forth a spirited effort in the main event of the ESPN2-televised main event….

Beltran, who won by two scores of 115-113, mixed his offense from a distance and in close, alternating boxing with two-to-toe exchanges. However, it was Roman, who took the fight by a lopsided 117-111 tally on one scorecard, who won over the crowd with his non-stop aggression and relentless body attack. [End Fischer item]

Meza-Clay, now 28 years old, is coming off a loss in his last fight in January but had previously won eight fights in a row, six by knockout, which included his career-best win in February, 2008 – a seventh-round TKO against former IBF featherweight world champion Eric Aiken.

After the fight, Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com [excerpts]: Don’t you just love Meza-Clay? He’s just 5-foot-2, but what he lacks in size he more than makes up for with his non-stop punching and his ability to get inside and work the body. From the outset of the “Friday Night Fights” main event, Meza-Clay took it to Aiken, who won a featherweight belt in May 2006…. Although Meza-Clay was in control from the start, this was an entertaining scrap as both men threw and landed a lot of punches. By the seventh round, Aiken had almost nothing left and Meza-Clay bullied him into the ropes and was teeing off with a flurry of 25-plus unanswered shots when the referee properly intervened. [End Rafael item]

Monty said, “I have the same approach for every fight. I just impose my will on him, let him try to figure me out. I’m going to do me – I’m going to stick to my gameplan. There’s nothing different other than – ring the bell, let’s fight!”

The co-featured bout is to be announced.

Mr. Jose Sulaiman Chagnon April 27, 2009

President

World Boxing Council

Cuzco 872

Colonia Lindavista

07300 Mexico D.F. Mexico

VIA E-Mail

Don Jose:

It has been a privilege representing the World Boxing Council as its super lightweight champion for the past 12 months and no one was more proud to wear that illustrious green belt than I.

The WBC believed in me and recognized my victories, advancing my ratings accordingly. Because of your support I was able to challenge Junior Witter for the WBC title last year and defend it and unify it, and for that I will always be grateful. It is important that unified champions should be encouraged thus eliminating the title confusion that permeates the sport or the media that cover it and the fans who follow it.

However, because the WBC has issued an edict to choose between titles, it is with a heavy heart that I relinquish my WBC title and allow the contenders below me to challenge for it.

I will always cherish my reign as WBC super lightweight champion and I hope to have the opportunity to fight for that honor again.

Sincerely,

Timothy Bradley

Both Nikolai Valuev and Ruslan Chagaev claimed to be the true WBA heavyweight champion when they met at a press conference in Helsinki today. Their May 30 showdown will be more than just the first-ever heavyweight title fight on Finnish soil. It will also be the chance for the Russian Giant to avenge the only loss of his career, which came in April 2007 when Chagaev shocked the boxing world by clinching a close majority decision. “I am coming to Helsinki to show that I am the real champion,” Valuev (50-1, 34 KOs) said. “I have made a lot of key changes since the defeat two years ago. I have appointed a new head coach, Alexander Zimin. He has changed my training routine completely and has made me a much better fighter. I have improved a lot. I have no doubts that I will leave the ring victorious this time out.”

Valuev has been waiting for the rematch for a long time. As the WBA´s mandatory challenger, he was scheduled to take on Chagaev on May 31, 2007. However, an injury forced the Universum fighter to postpone the fight. When Chagaev also pulled out of the second meeting on July 5 due to an Achilles injury, the title was vacated. Valuev defeated John Ruiz in August to win the vacant title, with Chagaev being named “champion in recess”.

On Tuesday, the 30-year-old Uzbek (25-0, 17 KOs), who had returned to the ring in February with a victory over Carl Davis Drumond, showed what he thinks of his current title, pasting over the “in recess” line on his name tag. He had also printed “The Real Champion” on the back of his t-shirt. “I have beaten Valuev once and I will beat him again,” he said. “I don´t understand what all that talk is about. I am the champion.”

Valuev was unimpressed by Chagaev´s remarks, and Kalle Sauerland made clear that the WBA officially lists Valuev as the “WBA heavyweight champion”, with Chagaev being the “champion in recess”. Sauerland also said he expects a gigantic interest in the fight. “This will be a global happening which people all over the world will be eager to see,” he stated. “We expect a worldwide TV audience of roughly 100 million people.”

Tickets will be on sale on May 4.

UNDEFEATED WELTERWEIGHT CARLOS ABREGU TAKES ON IRVING GARCIA; LIGHTWEIGHTS MARVIN QUINTERO AND WES FERGUSON TO TANGLE FRIDAY, MAY 1

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Live on SHOWTIME, 11 p.m. ET/PT

From Chumash Casino Resort, Santa Ynez, Calif.

NEW YORK (April 27, 2009) – The knockout is always in the back of Carlos Abregu’s mind, and with an 80 percent KO track record, he knows he is more then capable. Abregu will put his stellar, unblemished 26-0 record, with 21 knockouts, on the line Friday, May 1, on ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

The Argentine will face Puerto Rico’s Irving Garcia (17-3-3, 8 KOs) in the 10-round welterweight main event at the Chumash Casino Resort at Santa Ynez, Calif. Garcia, 30, is the World Boxing Council (WBC) Latin American welterweight champion and is undefeated in his last five fights.

In the co-feature, Marvin Quintero (15-1, 12 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico, will take on Wes Ferguson (20-3-1, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas in an eight-round lightweight bout. The event which will emanate from the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif., is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC.

The 25-year-old Abregu, nicknamed “El Porto” or “The Young Horse”, is a fast-rising prospect who has been a pro for just over four years. While he may be unknown to some, he is certainly not a new name to boxing fans in Santa Ynez, a small town just 30 miles northeast of Santa Barbara, located in the beautiful Central California wine country.

Ranked No. 6 by the WBC at 147 pounds, Abregu scored a career-best win on Dec. 5, 2008, on ShoBox with a 10-round split decision over David Estrada at Chumash. The victory wasn’t without controversy, but Abregu feels he earned the win.

Abregu took an early round lead on all the scorecards before suffering a over his left eye in the fifth. Estrada rallied in the second half of the fight and in the 10th round Abregu was staggered by a powerful right from Estrada. The punch caused Abregu’s glove to touch the canvas, but the referee did not score a knockdown and most thought the fight was closer than the scores indicated.

After his victory, Abregu said, “This was definitely my toughest fight but I felt I won, if not by the spread they had me winning by.”

In his last fight on March 20, in Salta, Argentina, Abregu won a 10-round unanimous decision against Americo Sagania (16-3-1).

Abregu was born in Tucuman, Argentina, and is one of 11 children. He began boxing at age 16 and had 43 amateur fights (41-2) and won one national amateur title in Argentina, in 2004. He is managed and co-trained by Carlos Baldomir, a former WBC welterweight champion.

Because of his aggressive, knockout style, Abregu’s fights have been termed “can’t miss” by loyal boxing followers and should play well against the agile and always-moving Garcia, who likes to set up his

attack with the jab and punches in combinations making this fight all the more intriguing.

Said Abregu’s head trainer Abel Sanchez: “Irving Garcia, being Puerto Rican, he’s got a different style that’s going to help Carlos’ maturation. I think that it’s a good fight. I’ll tell you as a trainer and a manager, not as a promoter – I wouldn’t want him to knock Garcia out in one round, because that does nothing for him. I would like to see four, five, six, seven, eight rounds of work that allows Carlos to extend himself and work his stuff – throw combinations, test his stamina.

“SHOWTIME is looking for one thing, the promoter is looking for one thing, and the trainer is looking for a different thing. He has to please all of us, but I’m looking at it six months, eight months from now.”

Garcia – currently ranked No. 19 at 147 pounds – is a former WBC Caribbean (CABOFE) welterweight champion and former Puerto Rican junior middleweight champion.

He is coming off one of his career best wins in his last fight on Oct. 17, 2008, a 10-round unanimous decision against Chris Smith at Hatillo, Puerto Rico following two prior technical decisions in 2008. Performing before his hometown crowd, Irving was relentless early on, landing sharper punching and building a lead on all the scorecards. A flurry of right hands in the later rounds led to Garcia finishing strongly and earning the impressive win.

Garcia, born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, didn’t spend much of his early twenties in the gym but rather the classroom earning two bachelor degrees from Inter-American University in Puerto Rico in 2002: in human resources and business administration.

The two-time Puerto Rican national amateur title holder at 132 and 140 pounds, Garcia comes from a family of fisherman and still rises at 4 a.m. to help fish on occasion.

He used to be a regular sparring partner for Felix Trinidad. “He was one of the main guys for Tito,” his manager Harry Padilla said. “Irving put in a hell of a lot of rounds with him, and that was the point in his life when he thought he had a chance. Tito really got close to him and said, ‘You should give it a shot.’ That gave him so much confidence.”

Said Garcia through an interpreter: “I’m a technical boxer. Jabs, straight punches, rolling with punches.”

Garcia isn’t the only one who’s been training with a big name. Quintero has also been in the news recently as he has been training with Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas..

Like Abregu, Quintero fought in Santa Ynez in December of last year as he knocked out Alberto Amaro (4-1). It wasn’t much of a contest as Quintero scored a knockdown with a series of punches in the second and the referee stopped the fight at 2:04.

In his last fight on Jan. 16, in Tulsa, Okla., Quintero registered a third-round TKO over Nick Casal (18-3-1).

Quintero’s opponent, 23-year-old Las Vegas resident Wes Ferguson, is promoted by Floyd Mayweather Jr. Ferguson was the 2002 National Junior Olympics amateur champion (132 pounds), the 2002 National Silver Gloves amateur champion (132 pounds) and the 2001 Pan Am Cadet amateur champion (126 pounds).

A five-year pro, Ferguson has won three fights in a row.

ATTENTION PACMANIACS AND HITMANIACS!

PUBLIC INVITED TO ATTEND

THE RED CARPET GRAND ARRIVALS OF

MANNY PACQUIAO and RICKY HATTON

THIS TUESDAY! APRIL 28

PACQUIAO — NOON — MANDALAY BAY

HATTON — 1:30 P.M. — MGM GRAND

LAS VEGAS, NEV (April 26, 2009) – Boxing’s No. 1 attraction and pound-for-pound fighter, MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO, and his opponent, World Junior Welterweight Champion RICKY “Hitman” HATTON, will kick-off Fight Week This Tuesday! April 28, with their official red carpet Grand Arrivals! Both events are open to the public and fans are encouraged to come out and support their favorite fighter!

Pacquiao, the five-division world champion from the Philippines, along with trainer World-Famous Freddie Roach will arrive at the front entrance of Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino at Noon. Hatton, the defending world champion from England, and his trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr., will arrive at the front entrance of the MGM Grand at 1:30 p.m.