Hopkins and Jones debate their April 3 encounter, a fight most people perceive as meaningless!

Press Release: Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins and Roy "The Terminator" Jones stayed true to their reputations as outspoken boxers as they announced The Rivals: Hopkins vs. Jones II, which will take place April 3 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev. and will be broadcast live on pay-per-view. The debate style format allowed the two aging lions to prove why their nearly two-decade long rivalry is worth paying $49.95 to see.

BERNARD HOPKINS:

"To not watch this fight would be a disservice because we will be making history.

"Roy Jones Jr. had nothing to do with my legacy and career up until now, but I will be the final chapter [of his]. We probably would have been here earlier if he would have taken the fight when we were debating through the media.

"My statement is simple. This fight is very important to me because it is personal. We have 17 plus years of on and off history. I want to show the world that when our legacy is put together and analyzed, this fight will be the reason. So to me, not only am I a better fighter today, I will prove my legacy on April 3rd. I have a lot of incentive to win. I have waited 10 plus years to come to this debate.

"Everyone has it in their spirit to get somebody back. Whether it is justified or unjustified. This fight is redemption in a lot of ways - to finish him once and for all.

"I can't speak for Roy, but my name is 'The Executioner.' I execute. I am going for his head.

"He (Jones) won that fight. I have watched that tape a million times. What Roy has to understand is that I got better. I have a resume to show that I have gotten better. That is the difference between then and now. Come April 3, Roy Jones Jr is going to realize that his worst nightmare has come true.

"It is important to get the knockout. There is a financial incentive. I want to finally close a chapter personally. This is a 17 year rivalry.

"I am going to kick his ass."

ROY JONES:

"Now, 'Big Head' (Hopkins) has got to get it in his mind. We both went on to do good things in this sport. Mine was great early. His was great late. The facts wont change I am still going to beat him.

"I only hit with one hand last time. I've got two hands now. With two hands, I'm going to beat the hell out of this old man.

"I never have dodged 'Big Head', and I never will. That is why this fight is so important to me.

"We are long time rivals. We waited a long time to fight again. We went our separate ways. I haven't had a rival as long as I have had 'Big Head' sitting around.

"This is like putting on an old pair of pants that still fit after a bunch of years. They probably look better on me now too.

"Have you ever seen somebody run from somebody who he has already whooped? Does that even make sense? Duh!

"I have been trying to fight the bastard for five years. I know Bernard Hopkins. I know him very well. I have never taken anything lightly [and given him reason] to say he hopes I am ready.

"I don't duck and dodge anyone [Editor's Note: Dariusz Michalczewski does not agree]. I was the test he had to pass to get out of high school. He didn't pass that test. Now he wants to retake the test!

"Like I said I am still me. I can care less about how much better he has gotten. My job is to knock him out on April 3 and that is what I am going to do."

The Rivals: Hopkins vs. Jones IIis set for Saturday, April 3 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev. The event will be broadcast live on pay-per-view beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets are on sale now at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or http://www.ticketmaster.com/.

The Hopkins vs. Jones II pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and has a suggested retail price of $49.95. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. The main event will begin live immediately following the college basketball semi-finals. For Hopkins vs. Jones II fight week updates, log on to http://www.goldenboypromotions.com/.

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Golden Boy Promotions officially announces Mayweather vs. Mosley

Press Release: Floyd "Money" Mayweather made his upcoming fight with Sugar Shane Mosley official today when he signed the contract that pits the two fighters against each other on Saturday, May 1st at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in a mega-bout which will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View. Mayweather is undefeated with world titles in five weight classes (130, 135, 140, 147 and 154), while Mosley has world titles in three weight classes (135, 147 and 154) and currently reigns as the WBA weltwerweight champion. Mosley's title will be at stake.


"This one is definitely for the fans as I wasn't going to waste anyone's time with a meaningless tune-up bout and asked to fight Shane immediately," said Mayweather. "I have said ever since I came back to the sport that I only wanted to fight the best. I think Shane is one of the best, but come May 1, he still won't be great enough to beat me."

"I have always wanted to fight Floyd and now it is finally coming true," said Mosley, who signed his side of the deal last Friday in Las Vegas. "I am already in great shape and ready to show everyone on May 1 that I am stronger, faster and better than he is. I will have no problem beating him."

In addition to the fight being one of the most competitive and talked about contests in each of the fighters' careers, Mayweather and Mosley have agreed to Olympic-style drug testing for the fight.

"Floyd has been trying to make this fight for the last 10 years, so he is extremely excited about the opportunity to face Shane," said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO, Mayweather Promotions. "He can't wait to extend his undefeated record and perform at the highest level. More importantly, he is also happy to set the precedent for random blood testing in order to ensure fair and safe contests for all fighters."

"When two champions of this caliber meet in the ring, you can expect nothing but excellence and that is what we are going to see on May 1," said Richard Schaefer, CEO, Golden Boy Promotions. "Shane Mosley is one of the greatest fighters of this era and I commend him for not only agreeing to the fight against Mayweather, but also agreeing to participate in a testing process that can only help the integrity of the sport."

"Mayweather-Mosley is a showdown of superstars that fans have been talking about for years", said Mark Taffet of HBO Pay-Per-View. "It has all the elements of a pay-per-view mega-fight."

A 1996 Olympic Bronze medalist for the United States, Floyd Mayweather (40-0, 25 KO's) has since gone on to strike Gold in the professional ranks, winning six world titles in five weight classes to firmly establish himself as one of the most elite fighters of his era. With dominating wins over the likes of world champions Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton, Mayweather was on a meteoric rise to hall of fame greatness when he announced his retirement from the ring in 2008. But he left the door open for a return if the right challenge presented itself and after 18 months of a much needed physical and emotional break from the ring, he returned to boxing on September 19, 2009 with a dominating and spectacular victory over future Hall of Famer Juan Manuel Marquez.

A future Hall of Famer with five world titles to his name, Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KO's) has ruled the lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight divisions over his storied 16-year career and at 38 years old, the Pomona, Calif. native seems to be getting better and better as the years pass. Winner of seven of his last eight fights dating back to 2005, Mosley has defeated the likes of Fernando Vargas (twice), Luis Collazo and Ricardo Mayorga, but his most recent victory also was one of his most spectacular -- a ninth round stoppage of Antonio Margarito in January 2009 to win the welterweight world title for the third time.

The 12-round welterweight battle is a highly competitive match-up that already has sports fans across the world buzzing to see two of the sport's biggest names meet in the squared circle in the premier boxing match-up of 2010.
More information on Mayweather vs. Mosley, including ticket prices, HBO Pay- Per- View information and press tour dates and cities, will be announced shortly.

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Brinkley, Stevens duke it out tonight on ESPN FNF!

Press Release: The final press conference for the upcoming showdown between Curtis "Showtime" Stevens (21-2, 15KO) and Jesse Brinkley (34-5, 22KO) was held today at the Extreme Sports Bar in the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. The bout, scheduled for twelve rounds in the super middleweight division, is for the #2 spot in the IBF's ratings. ESPN2's popular "Friday Night Fight" series will broadcast the event live, Friday January 29th, starting at 10PM ET.

CURTIS STEVENS

Stevens was the first of the main event fighters to speak. "I have trained eight hard weeks for this fight and I'm just ready to go. As I have already said, I can't stress enough that Jesse has never been in with a fighter like me. He has never been in with someone who has as much power or skill as me, and come Friday night you will see that. This fight is scheduled for twelve rounds, but I don't plan on it going that far. I'm ready to die in that ring, he better be ready too."

JESSE BRINKLEY

Last to the podium was Brinkley. "I know this is definitely going to be a tough fight, Curtis is a very tough fighter. But I have been training since October and I couldn't be more ready for this. I plan on coming out of this fight victorious. I never have backed down from anyone and I don't plan on it now, so Curtis better know he is in for a real fight."

The fight, taking place Friday night, is promoted by Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing and Let's Get It On Promotions. Kicking off the press conference was Terry Lane of Let's Get It On, who thanked everyone for coming and showing their support for what has shaped up to be a huge fight. "We are very excited we were able to put this fight together," stated Terry. "This is a huge fight for Jesse, a huge fight for Reno, and a huge fight for boxing. This is going to be exciting fight. You have two big punchers, who are going to come forward and leave everything they have in the ring come Friday night."

Next to the podium was Terry's brother Tommy. "We have been trying to put this fight together for a few years now and finally it's here," said Tommy. "This is a very intriguing fight because both of these guys are the gatekeepers to each other's future. The winner of this fight will be in line for a world title opportunity, while the loser will have to take a hard look at their future in the sport of boxing. With both Jesse and Curtis' power you just know there is going to be fireworks come the 29th."

Next to address the audience was Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing, and President of the newly formed Boxing Promoters Association. "It's a pleasure to be here in Reno, and it has been a pleasure working with Terry and Tommy and everyone at Let's Get It On Promotions," began DeGuardia. "This fight between Curtis and Jesse is what boxing is all about. On Friday night you will see two warriors putting everything on the line and leaving it all in the ring, and as a true boxing fan, you couldn't ask for more."

Tickets are available at http://www.grandsierraresort.com/ or by calling (800) 648-3568. Tickets for a King's Row Booth for four are priced at $1,000. Included in your V.I.P. ringside booth are light appetizers and one bottle of premium alcohol.

ABOUT THE GRAND SIERRA RESORT AND CASINO:

Grand Sierra Resort and Casino is located in the heart of Reno/Tahoe - America's Adventure Place. GSR is northern Nevada's most complete resort destination with nearly 2,000 guest rooms and suites. The property offers a wide variety of accommodations for the every day business traveler to the complete family vacation with amenities that include 200,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, branded retail shopping, headliner entertainment, a cinema, a 50-lane championship bowling center, outdoor thrill rides, aqua golf driving range, an 85,000 square foot casino with 24 hours of heart- pounding action plus so much more. GSR is a proud member of Summit Hotels and Resorts, a prestigious brand of Preferred Hotel Group. For more information, please visit http://www.grandsierraresort.com/ or to make reservations call 800-648-5080.

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Andre Berto devastated by earthquake travesty in Haiti!

PRESS RELEASE: WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (Winter Haven, Fla.) is devastated by the catastrophic earthquake, which hit the island nation of Haiti on Tuesday. The former Haitian Olympian had the following comments about the tragedy and rescue efforts he will be developing to assist the people in the island nation:

“I’m devastated by everything currently happening in Haiti. As everybody knows, I have a lot of family members in Haiti and proudly represented Haiti in the 2004 Olympic Games. Like many other Haitian-Americans, my family and I are working to reach my loved ones. From what we have learned to this point, some of my family members are still missing and we have already been informed that members of my family have passed away in the earthquake.

"We are currently working on starting our own Haitian relief efforts, and I will be releasing additional information on how everyone can help very soon. I am asking everyone for their continued thoughts and prayers for the people in Haiti during this devastating time.”

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Jermain Taylor elects to withdraw from Super Six Tournament

Ladies and gentlemen, it has been a while since I posted anything on this website.  Happy New Year. The holiday season was wonderful, but now it's back to the business of the boxing.  Former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor has announced that he is withdrawing from Showtime's Super Six Tournament. 

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Press Release: Jermain Taylor (28-4-1, 17 KOs) has made a decision regarding his future boxing career. Taylor, who was a participant in Showtime's Sports World Boxing Classic last fought on October 17th in a losing battle against Arthur Abraham in Berlin, Germany. "I'm going to take some time off from the sport of boxing and take myself out of Showtime Sports World Boxing Classic tournament. It's important that I give my body and mind some much needed rest, because I have been boxing for nearly 20 years," said Taylor. "I plan on keeping myself in shape and making a return to the sport sometime in the future. This was not an easy decision for me, having discuss it with my family, trainer, friends and my adviser Al Haymon, because I'm a very competitive person-but I know this is the smart road for me to take. I want to thank Showtime Sports for everything and I wish the best for my 5 counterparts who will continue on in the Super Six tournament. Most of all, I want to thank the many fans for their continued support."

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Yours truly believes that is a wise decision on Mr. Taylor's behalf. Following his devastating 12th round knockout loss at the hands of former IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham this past October, Taylor would be well advised to retire from the sport of boxing rather than simply taking a break.

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Statement from Team Mayweather/Golden Boy Promotions

PRESS RELEASE: After a Christmas weekend filled with comments and reports related to the potential mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions have issued the following statement:

Let the record be clear: Manny Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum are threatening to walk away from the largest fight in history. The fact is that random blood and urine testing was one of the many deal points and was listed along with the others, such as the financial split, the weight, financial penalty for being overweight, the appointment of the foreign sales agent, the production of the marketing assets, the gloves and many more. Team Mayweather made major concessions in many of these areas and we were optimistic that Team Pacquiao would do the same as it related to the request for random blood and urine testing, which Floyd Mayweather agreed to immediately.

It is disappointing for us to see that the benefits of blood testing and the fact that many different substances and procedures can only be detected by blood testing, are still not fully understood by all.

Their “take it or leave it” approach where blood testing would stop 30 days prior to the fight unless the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) approved differently is another indication that they may not want this fight. Pacquiao’s position (and as stated on his website) is. “The truth is taking blood out of my body does not seem natural to me and mentally I feel it will weaken me if blood is taken from me just days before the fight” or he is “afraid of needles” and does not feel comfortable with blood being taken closer than 30 days before the fight is another interesting point. The fact is that he did have blood taken just 14 days prior to his fight with Ricky Hatton, an event which was documented on HBO’s 24/7 reality show.

Also when told that Pacquiao feels that the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is an agent of Golden Boy Promotions-which is in and of itself a ridiculous accusation-we moved swiftly and made yet another concession by stating that we would be perfectly fine to retain another agency which would do the random urine and blood tests and jointly agree on a reasonable cutoff prior to the fight but which would still maintain the integrity of the results. Let it be clear that this procedure was declined by Pacquiao as was the proposal to bring in an independent mediator such as Sen. John McCain, a suggestion that was in fact embraced by Bob Arum, but also declined by Manny Pacquiao.

Let it be very clear that nobody from Team Mayweather or Golden Boy Promotions is accusing Pacquiao of anything. But the reality seems to be that for whatever reason Pacquiao does not want to participate in random blood testing, which has already been deemed a harmless procedure that many current athletes are subjected to prior to and during competition.

Team Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions is still open to the earlier discussions of having both parties work out a mutually agreeable understanding of the testing, which would be conducted by a mutually agreed upon agency.

In closing Floyd Mayweather is one of the most decorated athletes boxing has ever seen and he is anxious to make this fight happen for all of the fans and sports enthusiasts that are asking for this fight to happen too. As you might have noticed Floyd has been silently watching and patiently waiting for the final details of the fight to get worked out. As Floyd has already stated he does not have a problem with the random procedure and will be under the same requirements as Pacquiao, it is simply hard for him to understand why there is reluctance on Pacquiao’s part to agree to do the same.

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Timothy Bradley willing to step in against either Pacquiao or Mayweather!

“I’ll take any random test requested -- blood, urine, even the SATs.  My name is Timothy Bradley, not Milton Bradley and I'm not playing games. I'm ready to fight in March, April or May next year.”

Is there anybody that undefeated WBO super lightweight champion Timothy Bradley will not fight???  This young man is establishing a very nice resume for himself and he's doing it quietly.  No trash talk and no need for him to vilify himself.  In his last few fights, he's beaten Junior Witter for the WBC title, Edner Cherry, Kendall Holt for the WBO strap, fought Nate Campbell to a no-contest in a fight he was winning, and he just defeated Lamont Peterson by a wide unanimous decision a couple of weeks ago. 

Now he's made it clear that he wants Pacquiao or Mayweather in the event that their mega fight falls through.  You have to admire a guy like this.  With that kind of track record and determination, Mr. Bradley will soon find himself ranked amongst the top pound for pound fighters in the world.

PRESS RELEASE: Undefeated World Boxing Organization junior welterweight champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY is ready to enlist in a war against Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao should their fight against each other fall through.

“Timothy is happy to defend his world title or move up to welterweight to challenge Pacquiao or Mayweather should their fight fall through,” stated Gary Shaw, Bradley’s co-promoter with Thompson Boxing Promotions. “There isn’t an active world champion who has been seen more on premium TV than Timothy. Since the day he won his first world title he has proven he is the goods. The shellacking he gave undefeated interim champion Lamont Peterson earlier this month proved Timothy is one of boxing’s elite fighters and a Top-10 pound for pounder. He’s ready, willing and able to fill the breach.”

“I’ll take any random test requested -- blood, urine, even the SATs,” said Bradley. "My name is Timothy Bradley, not Milton Bradley and I'm not playing games. I'm ready to fight in March, April or May next year.”

Bradley (25-0, 11 KOs), from Palm Springs, Calif., captured the World Boxing Council (WBC) super lightweight in 2008, dethroning defending champion Junior Witter in England. After successfully defending his title against Edner Cherry later that year, Bradley unified the title by winning a unanimous decision over World Boxing Organization junior welterweight champion last April. Bradley’s most recent victory was also his most impressive, taking the undefeated WBO interim champion Peterson to school, winning a dominant 12-round unanimous decision with scores of 120-107, 119-108 and 118-110, which included Peterson hitting the canvas for the first time in his 28-bout professional career.

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Mayweather vs. Pacquiao in serious jeopardy; Pacquiao refuses to have blood taken!

PRESS RELEASE: The mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao is now in jeopardy after Golden Boy Promotions, on behalf of Mayweather Promotions, learned today that Manny Pacquiao is refusing to comply with Olympic style drug testing as outlined and mandated by the United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) and as requested by Mayweather's management to ensure fair play and sportsmanship by both fighters.

Early today Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, was contacted by Top Rank President Todd duBoef, who informed Schaefer that Pacquiao would not agree to have his blood taken within 30-days of the bout based on the fighter's superstition of testing so close to a fight..

Schaefer commented, "Todd told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight. He, Pacquiao, would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference and after the fight."

Olympic style drug testing involves random sampling of the athlete's blood and urine prior to and after the fight. The USADA procedure includes both blood and urine sampling so that all banned substances, some of which do not show up in urine alone, are tested for thoroughly.

"It is unfortunate to hear this from Manny Pacquiao's representatives, particularly since, as of today, both parties had worked out all other issues related to this fight," said Schaefer. "Team Mayweather is certainly surprised that an elite athlete like Manny Pacquiao would refuse drug testing procedures which Floyd has already agreed to and have been agreed to by many other top athletes such as Lance Armstrong, and Olympians Michael Phelps, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant."

Mayweather, who was informed of Pacquiao's reluctance shortly after Schaefer received word of the impasse, feels Pacquiao has to explain himself immediately or be faced with accusations from the media and the public regarding his own status as a clean and drug free athlete.

"I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," said Mayweather. "But in a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level. I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he is not willing to do the same. It leaves me with great doubt as to the level of fairness I would be facing in the ring that night. I hope that this is either some miscommunication or that Manny will change his mind and step up and allow these tests, which were good enough for all these other great athletes, to be performed by USADA."

Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions said, "We hope that Manny will do the right thing and agree to the testing as it is an egregious act to deny the testing and hence, deny the millions of fans the right to see this amazing fight. We just want to make sure there is a level playing field in a sport that is a man-to-man contest that relies on strength and ability. I still hope this decision is coming from someone in Pacquiao's camp and not Manny himself as it would be a shame that an athlete of his stature and who represents his whole country would not be able to show the public or his fellow athletes that he agrees to the highest standards in sports competition."

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Kermit Cintron: "There's no bigger fight than me versus Cotto on the even of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in NYC!"

PRESS RELEASE: It’s Christmas time, but despite having a great family to share the season with, Kermit Cintron is feeling a little lonely. That’s because since his May victory over highly touted contender Alfredo Angulo, it seems as though everyone else from welterweight (where he has twice held world titles) to junior middleweight (where he pulled a convincing upset over Angulo) has forgotten about Cintron, the WBC #2, WBO #2, IBF #3 ranked contender..


To bide his time, Cintron (32-2-1, 28 KOs) fulfilled a lifelong dream by returning to his native Puerto Rico and stopping Juliano Ramos in five rounds. Now he’s back on the prowl for the biggest names and toughest challenges.

“I don’t discriminate,” said Cintron. “From 147 to 154, I feel like I can beat anyone in the world. My only two losses were to a guy who was later found to have loaded gloves. Almost no else has a track record as good as mine, and yet everyone else seems to be getting opportunities.”

Among those getting opportunities is Angulo, who was back on the HBO airwaves six months after losing to Cintron in a battle for the interim WBO junior middleweight title against untested Harry Joe Yorgey. Angulo won easily and is now planning his first title defense while Cintron sits in limbo.

“How does this make sense? I beat Angulo and he gets two more dates like it’s nothing,” asked Cintron. “Since I beat Angulo, the only fight I’ve been offered was to fight Joshua Clottey and I was already scheduled to fight down in Puerto Rico. So my DiBella Entertainment stablemate Carlos Quintana took the fight, and it ended up getting cancelled anyways.”

While Cintron is eager to fight the best from 147 to 154, it is a fight against fellow Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto that tops his wish list.

“A fight between Cotto and I makes the most sense. It’s about Puerto Rican pride,” said Cintron. “There could not be a bigger fight than me versus Cotto on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. What would make no sense would be for Cotto to give Margarito another fight.”

If a fight versus Cotto cannot happen, Cintron is willing to put to clear up any questions that remain with regard to his bout against Sergio Martinez.

“Because the Cotto fight wouldn’t happen until June, I’d like to get a rematch against Sergio Martinez. Some people disputed the draw. Look, the guy wore so much hair gel and moose, that the fumes were making me dizzy. And I still managed to put it on him on only 4 weeks’ notice. Let’s clear the air for good. With an eight week camp, I knock him out. Simple as that!”

Added Cintron, “And if I can’t get either of those fights, I’ll gladly move up to middleweight to fight Kelly Pavlik. If no is stepping up to the plate to fight me, they better know I am ready and willing to fight them!”

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Former champions Campbell and Mora sign with Golden Boy!

PRESS RELEASE: Jacksonville, Florida native Nate Campbell began his professional boxing career in February of 2000 and ever since has showcased the speed, agility and power which have helped him to rack up 33 wins, with 25 coming by way of knockout. Now, he has joined forces with Golden Boy Promotions as he looks to add more accolades to his already illustrious career and make a run at a title in the 140-pound weight division.

"I am really excited to become a part of the Golden Boy Promotions team," said Campbell. "I am confident that Golden Boy will be able to help me to achieve everything that I am still looking to accomplish in my career and I couldn't be happier."

"Nate Campbell has already shown that he has everything it takes to be a great champion," said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. "He has battled some of boxing's greatest fighters and is ready to make a run at another world title in 2010."

Nate "Galaxxy Warrior" Campbell (33-5-1, 25 KO's) went undefeated in his first 23 professional fights and by January 2003 he had captured the NABF and NABA junior lightweight titles, just three years into his professional career. During his nine-year career, he has battled some of the sport's biggest names including former World Champion Joel "Cepillo" Casamayor, current World Champion Timothy Bradley and Almazbek "Kid Diamond" Raiymkulov, but he is most remembered for his battle with then-undefeated Juan "Baby Bull" Diaz in which he captured the WBA, WBO and IBF Lightweight World Championships by handing Diaz his first career defeat in March of 2008. The 37-year-old has eased up the show-boating he was known for early in his career and has adopted a veteran-like style that has been compared to that of Golden Boy Promotions partner Bernard Hopkins. Campbell hopes that his mature ways and his signing with Golden Boy will lead him to another world title in the coming year.

A native of East Los Angeles, the same neighborhood that produced boxing superstar Oscar de la Hoya, Sergio "The Latin Snake" Mora has paved a golden road for himself as well, winning the first season of "The Contender" and then going on to win a junior middleweight world championship in 2008. Now, one of the top current middleweight contenders in the world, he is joining forces with De La Hoya as one of the newest members of the Golden Boy Promotions roster as he looks to capture another world title.


"I met Oscar in Big Bear in 1999 when I was training for the Olympics trials and he was training for Trinidad and seeing him in camp was all the inspiration I needed to be a fighter," said Mora. "I'm honored to be a member of the Golden Boy Promotions family and am confident they they will help me accomplish my goals."

"Sergio Mora has all the tools, in and out of the ring, to be a boxing superstar and we're going to do everything we can to get him there," said De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. "He has great skills, world-class experience, charisma and is just approaching his prime as a fighter. 2010 is going to be a big year for Sergio."

Known to fight fans as "The Latin Snake", Sergio Mora (21-1-1, 5 KO's) was just 12-0 when he was selected to compete on the first season of the reality series "The Contender". After four wins over Najai Turpin, Ishe Smith, Jesse Brinkley and Peter Manfredo Jr., Mora was not only the champion of the series, he was also a household name to millions of fans. The next step for him was winning a world championship and after going unbeaten in his next five fights following his stint on "The Contender", he got his shot on June 7, 2008 when Mora won a hard-fought 12-round decision over the late Vernon Forrest. Three months later, Forrest would win his belt back in an exciting rematch, but the 29-year-old Mora has been keeping sharp in the gym and is ready to make his move towards winning the middleweight title in 2010.

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Diaz and Malignaggi primed for highly anticipated rematch!

Excited and brimming with confidence, both Juan Diaz and Paulie Malignaggi spoke at the final press conference about preparations for their rematch this Saturday night in Chicago.  Their first fight, which took place in Houston, TX on August 22, ended with a questionable unanimous decision in favor of Diaz.

PRESS RELEASE: 

JUAN DIAZ, Former Three-Time Lightweight World Champion

"I'm excited, I'm happy and I'm ready. I feel like Santa Claus came early this year because come Saturday night, its going to be easy money. Not just Houston and Chicago, but this time the whole world is going to feel my anger. They are going to see a "Baby Bull" they have never seen before. Saturday night I'm going to claim what's mine. I did it once and I'm going to do it again."

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI, Former Junior Welterweight World Champion

"I'm excited about Saturday. We have worked really hard for this fight. I'm ready and Juan says he is ready. It's going to be a great fight.

"I'm sharper and feel better than ever going into this fight.."

"They can tell me anything they want about Juan Diaz. They can tell me he moved mountains or that he jumped from Houston to Chicago in a single bound. I don't care. When the bell rings I know one thing, I'm ready.."

VICTOR ORTIZ, Top Junior Welterweight Contender

"I want to thank Chicago for having me and also thank Diaz's team for giving me the opportunity to fight someone who I grew up admiring [the Diaz brothers]."
"What's done in my past is done and I'm ready to move on."

ANTONIO DIAZ, Former World Title Challenger

"I took three years off, but I was not retired, I was just taking a break. I came back last year and now I feel younger, faster and hungrier than ever before."

"Victor Ortiz is a good fighter; he's tough and he can hit. Everyone has a bad night sometimes, I've had bad nights, and that is what Victor had when he fought Maidana. I'm not even looking at that fight. I'm looking at all his fights before that because I know that will be the Victor who will show up Saturday night."

"I'm ready for anything. I've been in the ring for 50 something fights so there is nothing new Ortiz can do that I haven't seen before."
 
DAVID ITSKOWITCH, COO of Golden Boy Promotions

"The main event is a rematch of a great fight from this summer. In one corner you have a guy, Juan Diaz, who is trying to prove what he already knows; he's trying to put an exclamation point on his win from August. In the other corner you have a guy who thinks he was robbed, so he's trying to prove that the judges got it wrong the first time. Fights like these are always exciting, and this one will be especially exciting after their great back and forth battle this summer."

"Victor Ortiz versus Antonio Diaz is a classic case of the young lion and the old veteran. The young guy is trying to prove what he's learned and the old guy is trying to prove how much he knows."

"Victor Ortiz is coming off a speed bump in his last fight, so there is a lot on the line for him on Saturday night. But as they say, it's not that you get knocked down, its what you do when you get up. Victor is ready to get up and show what a special talent he really is."

"The undercard for Saturday night is huge and I really do mean huge with 10 fights on the undercard. You have some of the great, undefeated up-and-comers, along with some former world champions. There really is a little bit of everything, and there are going to be some great fights before the main events."

LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment

"This is a really great fight card and it is the type of fight that the people of Chicago should be proud to host."

"I want to thank Juan Diaz for taking this rematch. He didn't have to; he could have been a punk like a lot of people are in this sport, but he took the fight and has shown once again that he is a bright spot in the world of boxing."

BERNARD HOPKINS, Golden Boy Promotions Partner; Former Two Division World Champion

"The first fight between Diaz and Malignaggi was a very close fight; it really could have gone either way. Some people say Malignaggi won, others think Diaz won, and that is what is great about the sport of boxing, it brings controversy which leads to great fights."

"I'm looking forward to seeing these fighters set the record straight and put an exclamation point on their great fight in August. These two are going to close out 2009 with a bang."

WILLIE SAVANNAH, Juan Diaz's Manager

"Juan is in tremendous shape, as he always is. He never enters the ring without being in great condition."

"Juan seems old, but really he's only 26. He's just been in the game for a long time. He won his first world title at 20, becoming the second youngest man ever to win a title, but even with all this experience, I've never seen him more motivated for a fight than he is to fight Malignaggi again."

RONNIE SHIELDS, Juan Diaz's Trainer

"Juan is in tip-top shape and ready to go. We have had a lot of success together and are looking forward to more on Saturday night."

SHERIF YOUNAN, Paulie Malignaggi's Trainer

"Everyone saw the fight last time and this time Paulie is more than ready. Come Saturday its going to all be over."

ROLANDO ARELLANO, Victor Ortiz's Co-Manager

"We have nothing but respect for Antonio Diaz. He is a world class fighter."

"When you have two opposing forces of that nature and they collide, you're in for an explosion."

DANNY GARCIA, Victor Ortiz's Trainer

"Victor is ready. He has been training really hard and running a lot. He is ready for a great fight against Antonio Diaz and he is going to take him round for round."

GABINO SAENZ, Antonio Diaz's Trainer

"We are ready for this fight. We came prepared and we are going to take it round by round. This fight is a young guy against a veteran. Antonio Diaz is the veteran, so when he gets in the ring, he knows what to do."

LUIS BARRAGAN, Director of Programming HBO Sports

"There is obviously some unfinished business between Juan Diaz and Paulie Malignaggi, but don't let the controversy make you lose sight of the actual fight. Appreciate it for what it is - a battle between two great fighters. Don't only worry about the judges' decisions."

"We're excited to have Victor Ortiz back on HBO. He hit a speed bump in his last "Boxing After Dark" appearance, but I'm sure he is eager to show that this was only a small bump and that he is deserving of all the accolades he's been given up to this point in his career."

KEVIN O'FINN, Director of UIC Pavilion

"This is by far the biggest fight we have ever had at the Pavilion but it shows this is the place to go in Chicago for boxing and we hope to see everyone there."

RON PUCCILLIO, Director of Athletics of Illinois State Athletic Unit

"I don't think you'll see a better fight all year or next year for that matter. This is going to be a great fight between two of the best boxers around."

About "Juan Diaz vs. Paulie Malignaggi II":

"By Popular Demand": Diaz vs. Malignaggi II features former Three-Time Lightweight World Champion Juan "Baby Bull" Diaz taking on former Junior Welterweight World Champion Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi in a 12 round NABO junior welterweight rematch of their exciting August 22, 2009 bout. The co-main event will feature a ten round welterweight showdown between top contender "Vicious" Victor Ortiz and former world title challenger Antonio Diaz. The evening of boxing is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and DiBella Entertainment in association with 8 Count Productions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Dewalt Tools. The bouts will air live on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" beginning at 10:15 pm ET/PT (9:15 pm CT). The first fight starts at 3:15 pm CT at the UIC Pavillion.

TICKETS: Tickets, priced at $251, $156, $86, $51 and $31, are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-312-226-5800, toll free at 1-800-745-3000 and at the UIC Pavilion Box Office (open Thursday and Friday from 9 am - 4 pm CT).

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Diaz/Malignaggi II undercard stacked!

PRESS RELEASE: LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK, December 8 - It's the last major boxing event of 2009 and on Saturday, December 12th, Golden Boy Promotions and DiBella Entertainment are pulling out all the stops to deliver the biggest and best fight card top to bottom of the year. Headlining this stacked 12 fight card is an HBO "Boxing After Dark" doubleheader featuring the NABO junior welterweight title bout between Juan "Baby Bull" Diaz and Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi in the much anticipated rematch of their August 22, 2009 bout and a welterweight showdown between "Vicious" Victor Ortiz and Antonio "Tono" Diaz. But that's not all, as a star-studded array of fistic talent, including a former world champion, respected top contenders and boxing's rising stars will enter the ring in pivotal year-ending matchups.

In middleweight action scheduled for 10 rounds, Cuban southpaw sensation Erislandy Lara (8-0, 5 KO's) will face the stiffest test of his professional career when he steps up in class to take on Chicago's own Luciano Perez (17-9-1, 15 KO's).. Lara has been on a tear since turning pro in July of 2008, wowing crowds with his concussive power, blazing speed and ring savvy way beyond his years. Across the ring from him will be "El Gallo Bravo," who is coming off a big technical knockout win over Miguel Hernandez in March and would like nothing more than to put an end to Lara's string of professional perfection.

Junior lightweight Argenis Mendez (14-1, 9 KO's) has garnered a sizeable fan following in his adopted hometown of Brooklyn, New York, and he will join his fellow Brooklynite Paul Malignaggi on the card in the Windy City on December 12, as he takes on Nairobi, Kenya's Morris Chule (11-8-2, 8 KO's) in an eight round contest.

Malignaggi isn't the only fighter with fellow hometown fighters doing battle in hours preceding the main event, as a host of Juan Diaz' fellow Texans will be looking to make a positive impression on Chicago fans.

In an eight round junior welterweight bout, Houston's rising star Hylon Williams (11-0, 3 KO's) will look to keep his unblemished record clean by notching professional win number 12 when he battles it out with Tijuana's scrappy Humberto Tapia (14-11-1, 7 KO's). Williams' stable-mate, welterweight Jermell Charlo (9-0, 4 KO's), who also sits at the top of the hot prospect list, will seek to make it 10 wins before his 20th birthday when he takes on fellow unbeaten fighter Abdon Lozano (6-0, 1 KO) of Las Vegas in a six round bout.

Also hailing from the Lone Star State is Weslaco junior welterweight knockout artist Omar Figueroa (7-0, 7 KO's), who will take on 18-fight veteran Anthony Woods of Nassau, Bahamas in a four round bout. Figueroa has yet to let an opponent go past three rounds, a streak he wants to keep intact on December 12.

One of the most ferocious pound for pound punchers in boxing, former Junior Welterweight World Champion Randall Bailey (39-7, 35 KO's), returns to action in an eight round welterweight bout against one of Chicago's finest, the always tough, Germaine "Silky" Sanders (27-7, 17 KO's).

Boxing royalty will also be in the house, as the son of the legendary Thomas Hearns, middleweight contender Ronald Hearns (22-1, 17 KO's), continues on his road to the top when he squares off against Nairobi, Kenya's Shadrack Kipruto (18-13-2, 10 KO's) in an eight round battle.

Heavyweight contender Dominick Guinn (31-6-1, 21 KO's) is on his way back to the top of the division after putting together a three fight winning streak that includes early knockout victories over 27-1 Jean Francois Bergeron and 21-0 Johnnie White. The Houston native will look to make it four straight when he takes on Tucson's Charles Davis (19-17-2, 4 KO's) in a six round fight.

Sugar Land, Texas' Darlington Agha (1-0, 1 KO) will also represent Texas in a four rounder against Huntsville, Alabama's Terry Adams (0-1)

Last, but certainly not least, two local Chicago products will do battle for Windy City bragging rights when Jimmy Herrera makes his professional debut against the rugged Gustavo Palacios (2-6, 1 KO) in a four round welterweight contest.

"By Popular Demand": Diaz vs. Malignaggi II features former Three-Time Lightweight World Champion Juan "Baby Bull" Diaz taking on former Junior Welterweight World Champion Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi in a 12 round NABO junior welterweight rematch of their exciting August 22, 2009 bout. The co-main event will feature a 10 round welterweight showdown between top contender "Vicious" Victor Ortiz and former world title challenger Antonio Diaz. The evening of boxing is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and DiBella Entertainment in association with 8 Count Productions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Dewalt Tools. The bouts will air live on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" beginning at 10:15 pm ET (9:15 pm CT) and will be aired on tape delay to the West Coast at 10:15 pm PT.

Tickets, priced at $251, $156, $86, $51 and $31, are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-312-226-5800, toll free at 1-800-745-3000 and at the UIC Pavilion Box Office (open Thursday and Friday from 9 am - 4 pm CT).

For more information regarding "By Popular Demand": Diaz vs. Malignaggi II, please visit http://www.goldenboypromotions.com/, http://www.dbe1.com/ or http://www.8countproductions.com/.

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Gary Shaw:" I'll offer Hopkins and Jones $200K EACH to fight on the undercard of Chad Dawson's next fight!"

Just a little bit of sarcasm detected by Mr. Shaw, wouldn't you say???

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JuanMa Lopez vs. Steven Luevano on HBO January 23

PRESS RELEASE: World champions JUAN MANUEL “JuanMa” LOPEZ, STEVEN LUEVANO and YURIORKIS GAMBOA, and Top-10 contender ROGERS MTAGWA will kickoff the new decade in separate world featherweight title fights, Saturday, January 23, in the WaMu Theater in the “Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden. Lopez, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight champion, will be moving up to challenge WBO featherweight titlist STEVEN LUEVANO, while Gamboa defends his World Boxing Association championship belt against top-10 contender ROGERS MTAGWA. Both fights will be televised live on HBO on the 2010 premiere telecast of Boxing After Dark, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast.) These four sluggers boast a combined record of 106-14-3 (71 KOs), a winning percentage of 86% and a victory by knockout ratio of 67%.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Arena Boxing U.S. and PR Best Boxing, tickets, priced at $200, $100, $75 and $50, go on sale Today! Thursday, December 3 at Noon, and can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, and online at www.thegarden.com.

“These four exciting fighters are about to usher in a new era at the “Mecca of Boxing” in one of boxing’s flagship divisions,” said promoter Bob Arum. “Like Henry Armstrong, Willie Pep and Sandy Saddler before them, these four gladiators will reunite Madison Square Garden and the featherweight division to their former glory.”

Lopez (27-0, 24 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, is in the second year of his world title reign, which began on June 7, 2008 when he ended the three-year tenure of defending champion Daniel Ponce De Leon via a first-round knockout. Lopez, already a Top-10 pound for pound favorite, has successfully defended his title five times since, four by knockout. In his last defense, an exciting 12-round unanimous decision victory over Mtagwa, Lopez’s impressive victory by stoppage streak ended at 14. Lopez was named Puerto Rico’s 2008 “Fighter of the Year” where he went 4-0, (4 KOs), including three first-round knockouts, all in world championship fights. Looking to repeat, he posted another perfect year in 2009, having stopped two-time world champion Gerry Peñalosa and undefeated North American Boxing Association (NABA) super bantamweight champion Olivier Lontchi in 10 and 9 rounds, respectively, this year in addition to his points win over Mtagwa.

A native of East Los Angeles, Luevano (37-1-1, 15 KOs), of La Puente, Calif., captured the vacant WBO featherweight title in London in 2007, knocking out undefeated Englishman Nicky Cook in the 11th round. Since then, Luevano has successfully defended his title five times during his two-year reign against top-rated, world-class opposition, including Bernabe Concepcion (21-1-1, 17 KOs), Billy Dib (21-0, 11 KOs), Mario Santiago (19-1, 14 KOs), Terdsak Jandaeng (29-2, 19 KOs), and Antonio Davis (24-3, 12 KOs). Combined, his world title challengers had a combined record of 114-7-1 (73 KOs) – a winning percentage of 93% with a victory by knockout ratio of 64%. In short, Luevano gets his business done. Trained by former world champion Robert Garcia, and Robert’s father Eduardo, Luevano and his corner boasts a team that is poised, confident and experienced against very good opposition.

Gamboa (16-0, 14 KOs), a native of Guantanamo who now hails from Miami, Fla., has been considered one of boxing’s brightest lights dating back to his amateur days, which included winning Olympic gold at the 2004 games. Since making his professional debut in 2007, Gamboa has sought – and defeated – the toughest and most experienced opposition available. In only his second year as a professional he collected the NABF and WBC International super featherweight titles and then moved down in weight to collect the NABO featherweight title in three consecutive fights, with victories over Johnnie Edwards, Darling Jimenez and Al Seeger, respectively, destroying Edwards and Seeger in the first round while winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Jimenez.. He captured the WBA featherweight title on April 17, knocking out four-time world title challenger Jose Rojas in the 10th round. He successfully defended the title on October 10 at The Garden, knocking out Panamanian strongman Whyber Garcia in the fourth round. The two-fisted Cuban KO artist boasts a lethal combination of power and speed, an amateur background second to none (he is a four-time Gold Medal winner in the Cuban National Championships) and a victory by knockout ratio that’s on par with JuanMa Lopez.

Mtagwa (26-13-2, 18 KOs), a native of Dodoma, Tanzania, who has been compared to the great Dick Tiger because of his heritage and his improvement with age, has made Philadelphia, Penn. his base since moving to the U.S. in 2000. The former African Boxing Union super bantamweight champion has incrementally advanced his career by fighting and defeating some of the best competition at 122 and 126 pounds. But his “coming out party” on the world stage occurred in his last fight when he challenged world champion Juan Manuel Lopez for his WBO junior featherweight title at The Garden in October. Mtagwa was the star of the night, trading leather with JuanMa for 12 exciting rounds, pushing the champ to the brink before the final bell rang. Though the judges’ scores reflected a decision loss for Mtagwa, the fight proved he was a winner, earning him another world title shot, this time against Gamboa. Mtagwa’s career highlights include winning the vacant U.S. Boxing Association (USBA) featherweight title in 2005 via a 10th-round TKO of Joe Morales. He successfully defended the title twice, knocking out Art Simonyan and Alvin Brown, both in the fourth round. His come-from-behind 10th-round TKO victory over Tomas Villas last year, ending Villa’s three-year, 12-bout unbeaten streak, was considered a 2008 Fight of the Year candidate. Currently world-rated No. 7 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and No. 10 by the WBO, Mtagwa is trained by Bobby “Boogaloo” Watts, one of only three men to have beaten Marvelous Marvin Hagler. For fight week updates, log on to http://www.toprank.com/ and www.hbo.com/boxing.

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Ward dominates Kessler to win WBA super middleweight title

Press Release: OAKLAND, Calif. (Nov. 21, 2009) — The United States is alive and well in the Super Six World Boxing Classic.
In a scintillating performance, undefeated hometown favorite Andre Ward (21-0, 13 KOs) captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) super middleweight title with a dominant 11th-round technical decision over Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler (42-2, 32 KOs) in the Group Stage 1 Super Six World Boxing Classic bout for both boxers Saturday on SHOWTIME®.

An exciting, one-sided match was stopped at 1:42 of the 11th round by the ringside physician, Dr. Smith Ketchum, due to cuts around both of Kessler’s eyes. After 10 completed rounds, Ward was ahead by the scores of 98-92 on two of the scorecards and 97-93 on the other.

A raucous, pro-Ward crowd of 10,277, which included Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Famer Herschel Walker, Metallica drummer and Kessler fan, fellow Dane Lars Ulrich, Super Six fighter Andre Dirrell and Strikeforce Mixed Martial Arts stars Scott Smith, Josh Thompson and Gilbert Melendez, turned out at the Oracle Arena for what became a virtuoso performance by Ward..

Kessler entered the scheduled 12-round fight as a co-favorites to win the tournament and a 3:1 favorite to beat Ward, but after a career-best performance, Ward has perhaps stamped himself as the one to beat.
“This was my dream come true and right now I’m dreaming,’’ said an ecstatic Ward, who won an Olympic Games gold medal for the United States in 2004. “It may take a while for all of this to sink it, but I am enjoying it all. This is a moment I’ll never forget.’’

Heading into Saturday, the tournament had been an all European affair with Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch defeating Americans Jermain Taylor and Andre Dirrell in Germany and England, respectively, in their Group Stage 1 fights last Oct. 17 on SHOWTIME.

But the U.S. is now on the board, thanks to Ward, who made it three consecutive hometown favorites to win in the Super Six.

Standings after one round of the six-fighter, round-robin tournament: Abraham (three points), Ward and Froch (two points apiece) and Kessler, Taylor and Dirrell (zero points). Scoring in the first three Group Stages of the tournament are as follows: Win – 2 points (with a 1-point KO/TKO bonus); Draw – 1 point; Loss – 0 points.

Upcoming Group Stage 2 matchups (dates to be announced): Abraham vs. Dirrell; Froch vs. Kessler; and Ward vs. Taylor.

At the post-fight press conference, representatives from the city of San Francisco, speaking on behalf of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom officially presented a letter of proclamation that Saturday, Nov. 21, was officially Andre Ward day.

But this was Ward’s night, too, as he effectively switched from orthodox to southpaw, consistently beat Kessler to the punch, never gave the Dane a moment to relax and bloodied the defending champion around both eyes to the delight of the fans who chanted “USA, USA’’ on several occasions.
“He never hurt me,’’ Ward said. “I was a little surprised that they stopped it when they did. I had just connected with a big right hand and would like to have seen what would have happened if the round had continued.

“I felt like it was my time. We were not intimidated by Kessler's record. Everyone felt that we got the bad draw in the first round. We never believed that. We beat the top guy.

“This win is as much for me as it is for Virgil Hunter. He has an Olympic gold medal with me and now he has a world championship.
“There were two accidental butts. I am not a dirty fighter. Everyone knows that. I’m ready to go and take the next step.

Kessler, who’s only pro loss was to Joe Calzaghe, said, “He was the better man tonight, but I wish the fight could have gone on. I wanted to continue. The cuts were not dangerous.

“He was going in with his head all the time. He was punching in the clinch. I am not used to this and I got off my rhythm. I don’t know why he never received a warning.

“After the butt (in the eighth round) I could not see anymore. If I fight Andre Ward again, I cannot go straight forward or stay in the middle. I have to go side-to-side.’’

Regarding his next tournament fight, Kessler said, “I have to go back and see what I can improve and see if I still have it.’’

Gus Johnson (blow-by-blow), Al Bernstein and Antonio Tarver (analysts) called the action from ringside with Jim Gray and Jenn Brown serving as roving reports. The executive producer is David Dinkins, Jr., with Bob Dunphy directing.

Saturday’s bout will re-air:

DAY CHANNEL

Wednesday, Nov. 25, 11 p.m. ET/PT SHOWTIME 2

The fight will be available On Demand beginning Tuesday, Nov. 24.

SHOWTIME Boxing Schedule: In seven days, promising undefeated lightweight John Molina (18-0, 14 KOs) will face Martin Honorio (26-4-1, 14 KOs) in the 10-round main event on a special Saturday edition of ShoBox: The New Generation on Nov. 28 (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). In the co-feature at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif., Rico Ramos (13-0, 8 KOs) will be opposed by Alejandro Perez (14-1-1, 9 KOs) in an eight-round super bantamweight bout.

On Friday, Dec. 4, at Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif., hard-hitting, unbeaten junior middleweight Tyrone Brunson (20-0-1, 19 KO) will be opposed by Carson Jones (23-7-1 14 KOs) in the ShoBox 10-round main event. In the eight-round co-feature, undefeated Mauricio Herrera (13-0, 6 KOs) faces Mike Anchondo (29-2, 19 KOs) in a super lightweight bout.

In a terrific battle of unbeatens in the Saturday, Dec. 12 main event at Aqua Caliente Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif., on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast), World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight champion Timothy “Desert Storm’’ Bradley (24-0, 11 KOs) of Palm Springs, Calif., will defend against Lamont “Havoc’’ Peterson (27-0, 13 KOs) of Washington, D.C. In the co-feature, Vic Darchinyan (32-2-1, 26 KOs) will risk his WBC and WBA 115-pound belts against Tomas Rojas (31-11-1, 22 KOs).

For information on all SHOWTIME Sports telecasts, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries from its events and complete information on the Super Six World Boxing Classic, please visit the website at http://www.sports.sho.com/

photo courtesy: betus.com

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Hopkins faces Ornelas on December 2; televised on VERSUS!

Press Release: PHILADELPHIA, PA - Long synonymous with the fighting city of Philadelphia, future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins' remarkable career will continue in his hometown on Wednesday, December 2, when "The Executioner," who will be fighting in Philly for the first time since 2003, faces hard-hitting Enrique Ornelas at theLiacouras Center at Temple University. The 12-round light heavyweight bout will be televised live on VERSUS, the fastest growing sports cable network in the country, at 8 p.m. ET.

In addition to fighting for his fans, Hopkins will be fighting for charity as he has committed to donating one dollar from each ticket sold to three select charities. Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Philadelphia & Susquehanna Valley, to which Hopkins will donate in memory of Shaun Negler, one of his biggest fans, whose last wish was to attend Hopkins' fight against Joe Calzaghe before succumbing to brain cancer in late 2008 at the age of 18, will be one beneficiary. The second recipient of the fight's proceeds will be The Hero Thrill Show, an annual day of events designed to raise money for the education of relatives of deceased police and fire personnel killed in the line of duty while protecting Philadelphia. Finally, one dollar will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. in memory of Hopkins' deceased mother Shirley who suffered from breast cancer and in recognition of all those who are currently battling the disease.

"I'm thrilled about the opportunity to once again bring a fight to the city of Philadelphia," said Hopkins, the former middleweight champion who owns a perfect 10-0 record in Philly. "A lot has changed in my career since I fought here six years ago and I want to give my fans the chance to see me fight again at home. To top it off, a portion of the proceeds from this fight will go to three charities that are extremely important to me. December 2 is going to be a great night for boxing and a great night for Philadelphia."

"Fighting Bernard Hopkins is an honor and I thank him for the opportunity," said Ornelas. "But once the bell rings, I'm going to do everything in my power to beat him and show the world what I can do when the spotlight is shining brightest."

"Broad Street Brawl": Hopkins vs. Ornelas is presented by Golden Boy Promotions East and will be televised live on VERSUS beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the first bell rings at 6 p.m. ET.

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, will go on sale on Thursday, October 15 at 10 a.m. ET exclusively through ComcastTIX on line at ComcastTIX.com, by calling 1-800-298-4200 or in person at the Liacouras Center box office.

A man who needs no introduction to fight fans, Philadelphia native Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins (49-5-1, 32 KO's) already assured himself a spot in the boxing Hall of Fame with his more than 10-year reign as champion atop the middleweight division with a record 20 successful title defenses. Never one to rest on his laurels, in 2006 Hopkins moved up in weight and recorded a huge win over Antonio Tarver to win the light heavyweight title. With his subsequent win over Winky Wright and his destruction of the younger and then undefeated Kelly Pavlik in his most recent bout in October of 2008, Hopkins is showing the world that life begins at 40. Now 44 years young, Hopkins is back in action and eager to continue to show the young guns how it's done.

Hard-hitting, Enrique Ornelas (29-5, 19 KO's) has emerged from the shadow of his older brother, super middleweight contender Librado Andrade, and carved out his own niche in the fight game with his aggressive style and fight-ending power. Fresh off of a fourth round stoppage of Roberto Baro in July, the 29-year-old Los Angeles based native of Jesus Del Monte, Guanajuato Mexico is eager to put his mark in the history books by becoming one of the few fighters to own a win over Bernard Hopkins.

Despite being home to such legendary fighters such as "Smokin" Joe Frazier, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Meldrick "The Kid" Taylor, Jeff Chandler and Tommy Loughran, Philadelphia may be known to fight fans mainly for the great middleweights it has produced over the years, including Bernard Hopkins, Bennie Briscoe, Willie 'The Worm' Monroe and Bobby "Boogaloo" Watts. These 160-pound warriors made their names in such storied venues as the Blue Horizon and the Spectrum and with their never surrender attitude in the ring, they let the world know just what it meant to be a "Philly Fighter". Hopkins is modern day Philadelphia boxing's link to that tradition and will look to prove it on December 2 in front of his hometown fans in what could be his last fight in the City of Brotherly Love.

A full slate of exciting undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

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