May 10, 2008

Lawrence Wins IBA Title

by: Steven Robinson

Main Event

Franklin Yah-Yah Lawrence took the IBA Continental Heavyweight Championship belt from Carlos Boom Barnett tonight at the Orleans Hotel and Casino Crown Boxing Friday Night Fights. Lawrence (9-1-2, 4 KOs), who appeared in much better shape than Barnett (11-1-0, 8 KOs), used a reach advantage, good defensive skills and two big fists to dominate the fight after the first round. We have seen both of these fighters in previous fights at The Orleans. Lawrence fought here twice last year gaining draws both times in lackluster performances against Friday Ahunanya and Willie Chapman. Barnett won the vacant IBA title in January from Willie Chapman by Majority Decision.

The first round was rather ugly with neither doing much damage nor asserting control. Lawrence controlled the next two rounds setting the pace, getting off first and more often while Barnett couldn't get close enough to do much damage and did not make much of an effort. In the fourth round a frustrated Barnett finally came out of his corner with aggression on his mind, but was quickly beaten back by a better skilled Lawrence. Lawrence got Barnett on the ropes in the fifth and landed a series of big shots with both hands to Barnetts head and face finally causing Barnett to drop to his knee. Referee Robert Byrd administered an eight count and allowed the fight to continue. Franklin continued his attack until Referee Byrd stepped in and stopped Barnett from absorbing any more punishment. The time of the TKO was 2:27.

Undercard

Kambala vs. Whiterocks

Former UNLV basketball star Kaspars Kambala got his second professional victory in three fights but didn't look very good doing it. Kambala, who appeared to be in superior physical condition, and had a huge reach advantage was unable to put together enough punches to put a flabby and hapless Whiterocks away in the four round event. To his credit, Kambala has only two other professional bouts and two amateur bouts so he hasnt really had time to hone his skills, however he didnt exhibit many skills to be honed tonight. Furthermore, Kambalas conditioning is in question when he appeared winded from the second round on. Despite all his faults, Kambala was able to win the early rounds with his long reach and aggressive stance. In the final round he went down from what Referee Kenny Bayless called a knockdown but what appeared to be just a lack of balance. The judges scored it 39-37, 39-37 and 38-37 all for Kambala.

Battese vs. Valencia

BrianBattese (2-0-0) back in town from his home in Hawaii, took on Las Vegan Omar Valencia (Pro Debut) in a Featherweight bout. A tough Valencia started strong and looked like he was going to make a tough fight of it but faded quickly under Battese's superior skills. In the second round, Valencia got Battease on the ropes and tried to work him over, but Brian escaped and landed a series of big shots to Omars head backing him across the ring and rocking his head with every blow until Referee Kenny Bayless stepped in and stopped the fight. The time was 2:49 of the second.

Springer vs. Pacheco

In a Bantamweight match, David Springer (0-0-1) battled Jose Pacheco (0-1-3). After four rounds of action packed fighting, neither was knocked down and neither dominated the other. So it went to the judges cards where Bill Graham saw it 39-37 for Springer, and Judges Ross and Moretti had it 38-38 for a majority draw, so both of these guys will have to wait until next time to secure their first victory.

Liles vs. Scott

Cruiserweights Patrick Liles (6-0. 6 KOs) and DeMark Scott (1-1-1) met in a scheduled four rounder. The first saw the southpaw Liles land a few solid lefts. Scott took those shots well and landed a few of his own. The second saw Liles begin to land the big lefts at will while Scott began to look bewildered. Liles charged out in the third and landed a series of blows to Scotts face causing him to drop unceremoniously to a knee and take an eight count. Scott resumed the fight but Liles didnt let up and Referee Robert Byrd stepped in and waived off the fight at the 36 second mark of the round. Liles keeps his unblemished record and tacks on another KO.

Full Photo Gallery Coming Soon!

May 8, 2008

Mosley / Judah Cancelled

by:

JUDAH INJURED, BOUT WITH MOSLEY OFF;

MAY 31 PAY-PER-VIEW SHOW CANCELED

LOS ANGELES (May 8)  The scheduled May 31 fight between Shane Mosley and Zab Judah has been canceled due to an arm injury suffered by Judah during his Las Vegas training camp it was announced by Golden Boy Promotions today. The HBO Pay-Per-View event was scheduled to take place at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Judah suffered multiple severe lacerations on his right forearm and received 50 stitches to close the wounds suffered in an accidental fall. As a result, Judah will be unable to train for four weeks and was forced to withdraw from the bout.

It is very unfortunate that Zab suffered this injury and that this great event had to be canceled, said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. We are already in discussions with all parties involved to attempt to reschedule the fight for the near future.

Tickets purchased for this event may be refunded at the original point of purchase.

May 7, 2008

Friday Night Fights at Orleans

by: Steven Robinson

Crown Boxing is putting on their semi-monthly Friday Night Fights at The Orleans Hotel and Casino again this Friday.

There's a minor Title Fight (IBA Continental Heavyweight) featured as the main event between Carlos Barnett and Franklyn Lawrence. For the first time, The Orleans Sports Book will offer wagering on the main event. A Co-feature Heavyweight bout that's sure to bring a lot of attention is between UNLV's Kaspars Kambala, in the ring for his third pro bout and Native American Emile Whiterocks in his pro debut. Four other bouts featuring local boxers and fighters we've seen on many previous Crown Boxing cards round out the schedule.

These "Not Ready for Prome Time" fight cards are my favorites. These fighters all have a dream of making it to the "Big Time" and these fights are their vehicle to put together a record, gain experience and get exposure in Las Vegas, known as the "Fight Capitol of the World." Chances are that none of these boxers will ever gain national prominence, but don't try to tell that to them, or their managers, friends and family who turn out to support them. And who knows? Maybe one of these guys will be an international champion someday.

Of the six bouts on the card, we are likely to see a few snoozers, some surprises and a few great battles that make it worth showing up. These fights often sell out so don't show up expecting to buy tickets at the door. Contact the Orleans Box Office in advance and guaranty your seat. All in all, this should be a good night of fights, fun and entertaining for all who attend. See ya Friday.

April 23, 2008

Friday Night Fights May 9th

by:

Crown Boxing Inc.

FROM THE BOXING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

ALONG WITH

BUDWEISER THE GREAT AMERICAN LAGER

metroPCS Unlimit Yourself

AND

The Orleans Hotel & Casino

Las Vegas, Nevada

PRESENTS FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS

MAY 9th, 2008

Mardi Gras Ballroom, Doors open 6pm / First bout 7pm.

FEATURING

IBA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

CONTINENTAL BELT

Carlos BOOM Barnett 11-1-0 vs Franklin YAH-YAH Lawrence 9-1-2

HEAVYWEIGHT

Kaspars Kambala 1-0-1 vs Emile Whiterocks 0-0-0

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Rodrigo Aguiar 4-3-0 vs Simon Ruvalcaba 4-9-2

CRUISERWEIGHT

DeMark Scott 1-1-1 vs Rudy Pierre Louis 3-2-0

BANTAMWEIGHT

David Springer 0-0-1 vs Jose Pacheco 0-1-3

FEATHERWEIGHT

Brian Battease 2-0-0 vs Tomas Bernal 3-6-2

(Card subject to Change)

Tickets on sale now at The Orleans Box office at 702-365-7075

Ticket can be purchased for $50 Ringside and $25 Reserved

April 20, 2008

Calzaghe Out Points Hopkins!

by: Gregory Robinson

There are few things more intense than a room full of Welshman all whipped into a furry by Tom Jones' rendition of the Welsh national anthem. Siriol, a dainty Welsh journalist in a black and white dress that sat next to me, told me about Welsh cinema one minute and sang Welsh fight songs the next. My heart fluttered a bit.

Not surprisingly, the fan section for Hopkins was pretty small. I think the biggest American showing this evening was from the celebrities. I do not think I have ever seen so many in the same place. Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sly Stallone, and Beyonce were all present, but the most amazing appearance of the evening (which was not even announced) was Richard Kiel, the author, actor, and director best known for his role as Jaws in the James Bond films The Spy who Loved Me and Moonraker. Pretty amazing.

Hopkins is rarely a crowd pleaser, but he does know how to win. After losing two close decisions to Jermain Taylor in the super middleweight division in 2005, Hopkins reinvented himself at the ripe age of 40, moved up to light heavyweight and out pointed Antonio Tarver and Winky Wright. Joe Calzaghe also knows how to win - with a 44-0 record and a world champion status for over a decade, hes one of the top pound-for-pound fighters alive. Tonight was the first time we have ever seen him in the states.

From the very beginning of the fight, Calzaghe took control of the center of the ring while Hopkins took to the outside and circled. They clashed frequently, but usually ended up tangled in each others arms, waiting for Referee Joe Cortez to separate them. A quick overhand right in round one surprised Calzaghe and sent his tailbone on a nonstop flight to the canvas. It probably inflicted more psychological damage than real damage, but after the first round, Hopkins was up two points and Calzaghe had his nose bloodied.

However, it was not a lead Hopkins could hold. As the rounds continued, the two fighters met, held, and hit on the break. Snore. The Welsh fight songs, which were mixed with church hymns, made it more fun, but it was obvious very early that this fight was going to be as fast as a Tolstoy novel. Occasionally, Hopkins showed his true ability as a defensive fighter and snuck in a blow that surprised Calzaghe. In response, Calzaghe would sneak in a low blow that equally surprised Hopkins. In round ten, Calzaghe masterfully dropped Hopkins with a bait and tackle smasher that made all men in the audience wince. But nothing would inspire Hopkins to get any more aggressive - he looked as if he was just trying to win rounds, while Calzaghe looked as if he wanted to win the fight. It would have been nice if his American debut allowed him to show off with a bit more style, but after 12 rounds, it was very clear that he done enough. Although one judge scored it 114-113 for Hopkins, the other two gave it 115-112 and 116-111 for Calzaghe, giving him the Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight title.

Rumor in the press area is the Roy Jones may fight Calzaghe in Wales next year. That probably won't be a great fight either, but it is highly preferable to a Hopkins-Calzaghe rematch. Audley Harrison vs Jason Barnet

Um, I dont want to say that this fight looked a bit lopsided, but seriously, when the muscle-bound Olympic Gold Medalist Audley Harrison comes in to the ring at 254 pounds with a 21-3 record and squares off with the pasty, 10-6, 224 pound Jason Barnet, one would not typically expect a long fight. Unfortunately it was. Barnet could not get past Harrisons reach and Harrison must have gone to Olympic glory by throwing one punch at a time. Luckily, in round five, Harrison backed Barnet up against the ropes and launched a big right to the body that made Barnet crumple like a gum wrapper. Barnets shot at being Rocky ends and Harrison gets an unimpressive win. In other action tonight:

Dangerous David Lopez mashed in Ryan Davis face for eight rounds until the referee mercifully stopped it. Technically, it was an early stop, but it saved the audience two more dull rounds.

Nathan Cleverly (11-0) of Wales outpointed Antonio Baker (6-9-1) in an eight round Light Heavyweight fight.

March 30, 2008

Golden Gloves Regional Tournament

by: Steven Robinson

March 29 and 30, 2008

Mesquite, NV

The Mens Golden Glove Regional Boxing Tournament for boxers ages 17 and older was held this weekend at the Casablanca Events Center in Mesquite, NV. Amateur boxers who won state tournaments in Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington competed in this amateur event. Winners will advance to the national tournament in Grand Rapids, MI in May.

Sat. 3/29/08  Semi-Final Bouts

119 lbs Jerrell Barbour (WA) over Salvador Regalado (OR)  Points

125 lbs Lesley Walker (NV) over Bradley Tsosie (AZ)  Points

125 lbs Salvador Blanco (OR) over Rob Diezel (WA)  Points

132 lbs Andre Keys (WA) over Bronson Stultz (NV)  Points

132 lbs Gabriel Pineda (OR) over Bennie Tsosie (AZ)  Points

165 lbs Christopher Eubank (NV) over Ruben Rivera (AZ)  Points

141 lbs Jasper Smith (OR) over Luis Borrego (AZ)  Points

Off Tournament Bouts

134 lbs Erik Ramos (LV Boxing) over Steven Perez (Mesquite)  Points

171 lbs Maurice Cheatham (Unattached) over Brandon Everett (Mesquite)  Points

Sunday 3/30/08  Finals

106 lbs John Tijerina (AZ) Walkover

112 lbs Eduardo Valenzuela (AZ) over Jairo Gomez (WA)  Points

119 lbs Alexis Santiago (AZ) over Jerrell Barbour (WA)  Points

125 lbs Leslie Walker (NV) over Salvador Blanco (OR)  Points

132 lbs Andre Keys (WA) over Gabriel Pineda (OR)  Points

141 lbs Sequan McGlone (WA) over Jasper Smith (OR)  Points

152 lbs Juan Gonzalez (AZ)  Walkover

165 lbs Christopher Eubank (NV) over Michael Gavronski (WA)  Points

178 lbs Marquis Weston (WA) over Isaiah McFadden (AZ)  Points

201 lbs Davis Imoesiri (WA) over Nicholas Rodrigues (AZ)  Points

201+ lbs Lester King (WA)  Walkover

Of Tournament

143 lbs Steven Jones (Barrys Boxing) over Steven Carbuhn (Mesquite)  Points

March 17, 2008

Fight Day for the Boxing Writer

by: Steven Robinson

Fight Day for the Boxing Writer

Reporting for our boxing website involves a fair amount of time, especially on fight day. The following article is a description of how it all transpired this past weekend at the Marquez - Pacquiao fights at Mandalay Bay Events Center here in Las Vegas.

I arrive around 9:00 am at the hotel to pick up my Media Credentials - a badge that allows me access to all press functions and seats me in the press section for tonights' fight. My first stop is the Media Center. For today's fights the Media Center is a complex of rooms near the Events Center including work areas for the press, a bulletin desk where announcements and writers prefight analyses are posted, a press conference area for pre and post fight media events, a few PC's for anyone's use, and a lunch room where light buffets are served to the press. After picking up a copy of todays' fight card and some copies of pre-fight analysis by relevant boxing know-it-alls I head upstairs to the Sports book to check out the latest odds offered on tonights fight and ponder the wagering opportunities.

It's now 10:00 am and time for the first press conference of the day. One of the hotel's nice restaurants is set aside for this event. The fight promoters know that all of the press is in town for tonight's fight and they know that the best way to get the media to promote some future event is to put on a dog and pony show and feed them. The restaurant sets out a nice breakfast buffet and media line up to chow down on lots of food and drink lots of coffee. About 30 minutes later a fight promoter gets everyone settled down and announces a fight he's promoting in April, tells you why it should be a great event, introduces one of the principal fighters for a few words and sets up a photo shoot and interviews for interested media.

At 11:00 am the press conference is over and I work my way back down to the Media Center where there's another buffet about to start so another fight promoter can talk up a fight that he's putting on in May. I have to admit that this is unusual as we normally only get one of these prefight promotions on fight day but sure enough most of the press are lined up at the buffet line to pile up their plates for another brunch feast. The sensible ones just grab another cup of coffee and sit down to debate their position on tonights fight. This conference is scheduled to start at 11:30 but nobody shows up to speak until noon. Both principal fighters for the May fight get up and thank the press for coming, thank the promoter for putting the fight together, thank the hotel for their hospitality, thank their mangers and trainers for getting them ready and thank God for everything else. They tell us theyll be ready and will put on a good fight. No bad mouthing today which is the norm for these things in order to get you to think there's more to this fight than the money they'll earn. It's a nice change but doesn't give you much to write about. It's all over about 12:30 pm except for some photo opportunities and one on one interviews. About one o'clock I wander back up to the sports book to watch some NCAA basketball tourney finals and see if the boxing odds have moved.

To kill time before the fights I go back to the Media Center and read articles that others have written in order to get a feel for tonights fights. Also there's TV sets showing the UNLV game in the conference finals that's getting a lot of attention. I take the time to prepare my work sheets for each fight tonight based on the announced schedule. I prepare a pages to allow me to score the fights the way I see them from my vantage point and leave an area to make round by round notes on the action.

At 3:45 pm I get seated in the press section of the arena. This week I'm in the seventh row at a table where I can write my notes and get a good view of the action. The first fight starts right on time at 4:00 pm. There are only 5 or 6 other writers present with me for these preliminary bouts in an area that seats about 200. There are probably 5 or 600 fans seated in the nearly empty arena at this time. Very few press and fans show up to view the prelims. Tonight there are three preliminary bouts scheduled before the TV broadcast is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm. The first two are complete by 4:50 pm. The third never comes off and no announcement is made but by 5:15 we figure out that there are no officials or opponents in the ring so nothings going to happen until the scheduled broadcast time. I take the opportunity to return to the Media Center for the dinner buffet. They start serving about 5:30 after a delay waiting for burger and hot dog rolls. The hoard of reporters and photographers line up again for a substandard but free meal. I grab a bottle of water and a cookie and head back to the arena,

At 6:00 pm as scheduled the first televised bout begins. People are starting to wander in now and the arena is about ½ full. The press section is about half full also as many of the national press are only here to cover the main event. By 9:30, after an exciting and action packed evening of boxing, the last match is over. I skip the post fight press conference because I know what will probably occur - First the principal boxers will likely be late. Sometimes these guys don't show up for 45 minutes to an hour after the fight. When they all get there, the winner will thank his trainer and manager for getting him ready and the loser will either say he was robbed of a victory and insist on a rematch or congratulate his opponent on a good fight.

By ten pm I'm back home to my office and it's time to post the results of the main event for my readers. Then I begin to organize my fight notes and review the judges score cards and the punch statistics for each fight. Also it's time to do some background research on some of the fighters for my article. In about a half hour I'm ready to start writing. The main event comes first, then the other bouts in order of importance or occurrence. I review and report on all the fights on tonights card because that's what we do. Unlike the national press that only report the main event, we believe that all the bouts have some interest and these boxers are the main event fighters of the future. By 12:30 am everything is written, edited and posted. It's been over 15 hours of work to get two pages of boxing news for our readers but I'm satisfied with the results and it was a good night of fights to watch and report on. I take the time to read my articles one more time and remember the excitement, thrills and disappointments of tonights fights. I admit I love to read what I have created when it's done and tomorrow I'll take the time to read what some others have said about the same fights. In a few weeks we'll do it all over again but I really enjoy being part of the Las Vegas boxing community and sharing the experience with our readers.

March 15, 2008

Pacquiao wins by Split Decision

by: Steven Robinson

WBC Super Featherweight Title

Marquez vs. Pacquiao

Four years ago when these to warriors met for the first time, Juan Manuel Marquez was knocked down three times in the first round only to come back and earn a draw for the final decision against Manny Pacquiao. Tonight in their long awaited rematch the controversy continued as Pacquiao (45-3-2, 34 KOs) eked out a Split Decision win after Marquez (48-3-1, 35 KOs) who out boxed him in nearly every round. Judge Duane Ford had it 115-112 for Pacquiao while Judge Jerry Roth saw it 115-112 for Marquez. The tie breaker was Judge Tom Miller who saw it 114-113 for Pacquiao and the Split Decision victory.

As it was with their first fight, the atmosphere for this Championship fight was electric. A sell out crowd of rabid Mexican and Philippino boxing fans filled Mandalay Bay Events Center to the rafters. After stirring renditions of the Philippine, Mexican and US national anthems, Michael Buffer stirred the crowd to a frenzy with his patented Lets get ready to rumble. The first started pretty slow as both were very cautious with their opening advances. They got busier in the second with Marquez boxing and moving effectively and landing a solid power shot at the bell. Early in the third Marquez appeared to be in control with superior boxing skills when just when it looked like he was going to take over, Pacquiao lands a solid left that knocks Marquez on his butt. Im thinking, here we go again, but Marquez beats the count and manages to last out the round although shaken. Pacquiao buoyed by his success in the third continued his mastery into the fourth while Marquez tried to gather himself. This round had several good exchanges with Pacquiao coming out ahead on most. Marquez came back in the fifth to control the action, getting off first with a sharp jab and not allowing Pacquiao to get set. This pattern continued for the next several rounds with Pacquiao stalking and Marquez keeping out of his way while landing jabs, good one-two combinations and countering effectively when Pacquiao got wild. Marquez was cut over the right eye in the seventh when heads came together. In the later rounds Pacquiao made a better effort although evidencing some desperation. He forced several exchanges and landed some good blows but Marquez weathered them and landed some good shots of his own, all the while trying to keep on doing what was winning the earlier rounds for him. There were no more knock downs and both looked bloody and beaten by the end of the twelfth. When it was all over, Marquez had exhibited superior boxing skills, while Pacquiao had demonstrated his superior power. Somebody had to leave disappointed and tonight it was Marquez, who despite being knocked down felt he won the fight. Punch stats showed he threw more blows and landed at a higher percentage but the only thing that counts is the judges scores. Maybe the promoters can get these guys together again without waiting another four years, its a show I wouldnt mind seeing again.

WBO Featherweight Title

Luevano vs. Jandaeng

WBO Featherweight Champ Steven Luevano (34-1, 15 KOs) of La Puente, CA took on challenger Terdsak Jandaeng (29-2, 19 KOs) of Thailand for the title. Luevano was nearly perfect in his title defense tonight winning a Unanimous Decision despite being knocked down in the fourth. Luevano controlled the action every round using his stiff jab followed by the occasional combination and countering effectively against a sometimes wild and obviously frustrated Jandaeng. About a minute into the fourth, Luevano stopped to mix it up and got caught with a straight left that put him on the seat of his pants. He shook it off quickly and continued knocking Jandaeng down in return late in the round, but Referee Robert Byrd called it a slip. Some of the judges evidently disagreed as one judges scored this round 10-9 for Luevano and another scored it 10-9 for his opponent, not the standard 10-8 advantage given for a knock down. Other than this controversial round, Luevano put on an excellent boxing demonstration and stuck to his formula for victory. Judge Duane Ford had it 118-109, while Judges CJ Ross and Paul Smith saw it 119-109 all for Steven Luevano who easily retains his title.

NABO Bantamweight Championship

Mares vs. Gabi

Abner Mares (15-0, 9 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico made quick work of Diosdabo Gabi (30-3-1, 22 KOs) of the Philippines in one of many Mexico vs. the Philippines matches on tonights card. Gabi was boxing nicely in the first controlling the action when he was rocked twice by Mares counter punches. Gabi kept his feet but was hurt both times. Early in the second Mares dropped for Gabi with a right for an eight count then again with a series of follow up blows. Gabi beat the count but appeared too unsteady to continue in the opinion of Referee Jay Nady who waived off the bout at the 49 second mark. Mares gets an easy victory to retain his title.

Diaz vs. Montano

In a non-title fight WBC Lightweight Champ David Diaz (33-1-1, 17 KOs) took on upstart Ramon Montano (15-4-2, 1 KO) of Las Vegas. The only reason Montano was here tonight was to give Diaz some work while he waits for a big money title defense later this year against Manny Pacquiao. Diaz won the WBC title last August when he defeated Erik Morales. Frankly, Diaz didnt look that good in his Majority Decision victory tonight as Montano gave him a good fight and scored effectively at times. There was lots of close action and toe to toe encounters that Diaz didnt always win. After ten rounds, Judge Robert Hoyle saw it 97-93 and Judge Dave Moretti had it 99-91 for Diaz. Judge Glen Trowbridge scored the bout even at 95 each. So Diaz scores a Majority Decision but doesnt look pretty doing it. Hell have to be better prepared to take on Pacquiao later this year.

Undercard Bouts

In the opener, Esau Herrera of Mexico fought to a Majority Draw with Byron Tyson of Seattle, WA in a 6 round Jr. Middleweight match. In a Featherweight bout Michael Farenas of the Philippines got an unusual TKO victory in the first Mexico vs. the Philippines match of the night. He fought Bandel Cardenas of Los Mochis, Mexico. After a slow first round, Farenas dropped Cardenas twice in the second with great body shots. Cardenas tried to claim they were low blows but the replays showed they were clean. Late in the third Farenas landed a blow so low and so hard that Cardenas will likely have trouble producing heirs. Cardenas went to the canvas and laid there for a good five minutes before it was determined that he could not continue to fight. The low blow was determined to be accidental so Farenas was given a TKO win at 2:47 of the round.

March 14, 2008

Tye Fields Wins By TKO

by: Steven Robinson

Top Rank Boxing on VERSUS was at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Thursday night. Lots of local boxing fans turned out to see boxers with local connections aspiring to make it to the big time and a few guys who are on the cusp of greatness and about to get some big fights.

The night started out with a couple of amateur fights so the promoters could get a look at some of the future local talent and the kids could get a chance to fight in front of somebody other than their relatives. In the opener Sakhi DurMohammad representing Henderson PAL defeated Maxim Justin of Barrys Boxing by points in a 141# bout. Next Jessie Magdaleno of Barrys Boxing defeated Xavier Montelago representing Solid Rock, CA by points in a 125# match.

Professional Undercard

Navarette vs. Rodriguez

The first pro bout was a lightweight match between Jose Navarette (12-14-2, 5 KOs) of Cd. Hidalgo, MX and Gamalier Rodriguez (6-1-2, 2 KOs) of Puerto Rico, The fighters weighed in at 133 and 134 respectively. Navarette did was he was brought in to do, give this upstart a taste of an experienced boxer. Rodriguez was more talented and hit harder but Navarette took all he could throw and kept on fighting. Rodriguez lost a point in the first for repeated low blows but other than that dominated the action. After six rounds Referee Adalaide Byrd saw it 59-54, Dalby Shirley had it 59-53 and Paul Smith had it 57-56, all for Rodriguez. Rodriguez despite throwing every dirty shot in the book clearly has talent and if he cleans up his act, will be a contender in the future.

Pacquiao vs. Antillon

In the first TV bout of the night Bobby Pacquiao (29-13-3), best known for being Mannys brother, took on the WBC #2 rated Lightweight Urbano Antillon (21-0, 14 KOs) in a scheduled 10 rounder. Pacquiao started the first with a stiff jab and then went to work on Antillons body while Antillon seemed to be throwing mostly power shots. Late in the round Antillon landed a left hook to Pacquiaos head followed by a left to the body the caused Pacquiao to crumple to the mat. Pacquiao struggled but couldnt get to his feet before Referee Joe Cortex reached the ten count at 2:49. Antillon notches another victory by KO in the first and shows he deserves a title shot.

Rios vs. Mercado

Since the previous bout was so short we got to see a swing bout between Joseph Rios (3-1, 1 KO) of San Antonio, TX and Alex Mercado (4-0, 4 KOs) of Las Vegas in a Bantamweight event. Mercado had to settle for a Unanimous Decision tonight dropping Rios once in the second. Rios was the toughest opponent yet in Mercados young career. The judges scored it 40-35, and 39-36 twice to notch the win for Mercado.

DeLaTorrre vs Julaton

In a Ladies Super Bantamweight match Ana Julaton (2-0, 2 KOs) took on Clara DeLaTorre (1-3, 1 KO) of Sante Fe, NM. Julaton, who had Trainer Freddy Roach in her corner, dominated the action against a taller, lankier DeLaTorre for four rounds to take a Unanimous Decision and remain undefeated

Main Event

Willis vs. Fields

It didnt take Tye Fields (39-1, 35 KOs) long to dispatch Roderick Willis (13-2-1) of Richardson, TX. Fields unloaded a barrage of big lefts, right-left combos and more left-left combos until Referee Richard Mora had seen enough and stopped the fight. The time was 1:37 of the first. Trainer Jesse Reid said he turned Fields loose tonight and theyre ready for anybody. As he has shown in the past, Fields is certainly ready for a higher level of competition.

Gomez vs. Magdaleno

In the first bout after the short Main Event, local favorite Diego Magdaleno (2-0, 1 KO) took on Jose Gomez (1-1, 1 KO) out of Kent, WA. The southpaw Magdaleno dominated the first with unending right-left combos and big left hooks. Gomez proved at best that he could take a big punch and keep his feet. Early in the second, Diego landed a series of blows that caused Gomez to go face first onto the canvas where Referee Jay Nady waived off the count at 50 seconds giving Magdaleno a TKO win.

Fontanilla vs. Sarabia

In the walk off match, Ernal Fontanilla (6-3-1, 5 KOs) came all the way from the Philippines to take on Manuel Sarabia (16-23-8, 10 KOs) of Los Mochis, MX. Fontanilla dominated the first two rounds throwing nothing but power shots. He rocked the tough Sarabia several times but was never able to knock him down. Sarabia showed great resiliency by coming back after each beating with some good blows of his own. The final two rounds saw Fontanilla slow and Sarabia begin to dictate the action with a workmanlike approach gained from his 47 fights of experience. After four rounds Referee Chuck Giampa saw it 39-37 for Sarabia, while Judges Smith and Houck had it 38-38 for a Majority Draw.

March 11, 2008

Great Week for Boxing in Las Vegas

by: Steven Robinson

Local boxing fans will get their fill of good matches this week in Las Vegas.

First, Thursday night at the Hard Rock, Top Rank and the VERSUS Network put on a show at 5:00 pm. Featured will be Heavyweight Tye "Big Sky" Fields and Bobby "Manny's Brother" Pacquiao in the main events. Also a lot of local favorites including Angel Flores, Alex Mercado and Diego Magdaleno.

Saturday at Mandalay Bay Events Center Manny Pacquiao will face Juan Manuel Marquez in the Main event. Also featured will be Steven Luevano and Davis Diaz in events that will be televised on HBO PPV.

Two nights of good boxing with tickets still available for both events. Get out and see the action live. There's nothing better.

March 8, 2008

McCarter Wins By TKO

by: Steven Robinson

Orleans Hotel and Casino

March 7, 2008

Womens GBU Lightweight Championship

Amazing Layla McCarter dominated the action at The Orleans Friday night to retain her title against Dominga Olivio. These two fought to a draw last year in Colorado in a match where each won on one judges card and the third judge saw it even. This time McCarter decided not to leave it up to the judges. McCarter (28-13-5, 6 KOs), after a cautious but active first round, came out in the second with a vengeance and floored Olivio (5-2-1) with a strong left-right combination. A tough Olivio got to her feet, regained her senses and fought back hard only to get caught with a solid right that dropped her again late in the round. Were used to seeing McCarter exhibit her boxing skills, so we were surprised with her display of power which continued into the third when she landed several big shots, once knocking Olivios mouthpiece across the ring. For the next two rounds McCarter dominated the action landing everything she threw, while a hapless Olivio provided an easy target while throwing wild shots that mostly missed. By the end of the fifth Olivio had taken a beating and her corner opted to not let her answer the bell for the sixth. Leyla McCarter notches a well deserved TKO victory and gets the Championship belt. The mostly local crowd was full of McCarter fans and she put on another great boxing show to complete a night of great exciting boxing.

Undercard

Marin vs. Hernandez

The opener was a Lightweight match between Oscar Marin (3-4) and Antonio Hernandez (4-1) both of Las Vegas. In the first Hernandez showed faster hands and was able to land the cleaner blows but got a little sloppy in his defense and left himself open to some good Marin counter shots. In an action packed second Hernandez landed good left-right combos and straight rights and staggered Marin late in the round with a solid blow to the midsection. Hernandez backed off in the third opening the door for a tough Marin to move constantly forward and throw lots of leather. Hernandez landed another good body shot late in the round but was unable to follow up. The final round saw both have their moments  Hernandez with his speed and Marin with some good power shots. After four rounds it went to the scorecards where Judge Jerry Roth had it 39-37 for Hernandez and Judges Richard Ocasio and Lisa Giampa saw it 38-38 for a Majority Draw.

Springer vs. Pacheco

Next up was a Bantamweight bout between David Springer in his pro debut and Jose Pacheco (0-1-2) of Los Angeles, CA. Usually with these small guys you can expect lots of action and we got it, but it was mostly in close and there was lots of holding for four rounds. Springer appeared to be quicker and Pacheco appeared to be tougher, not damaged by anything Springer could throw. There were not a lot of clean blows landed by either and neither dominated as reflected in the judges scores of 39-37 and 38-38 twice for another draw.

Calabria vs. Ruvalcaba

Next up were Middleweights Joey Calabria (1-0) and Simon Ruvalcaba (3-9-2). I usually like Middleweight bouts because the boxers are big enough to do some damage and fast enough to show lots of action. Tonight that wasnt to be the case. Calabria was a little quicker but didnt have anything behind his punches and Ruvalcaba threw a few harder shots but mostly missed. The crowd booed the inactivity or inaccuracy several times during the bout while I mostly yawned. After for rounds Judge Lisa Giampa saw it 39-37 for Calabria, while Judge CJ Ross saw it 39-37 for Ruvalcaba. Judge Jerry Roth broke the tie with a 40-36 verdict for Ruvalcaba giving him the Split Decision in a fight that neither deserved to win.

Kambala vs Goings

In a Heavyweight match that drew a big crowd of supporters for former UNLV basketball star Kaspars Kambala (0-0-1), he took on Mike The Plumber Goings in his pro debut. Kambalas pro debut a few months ago was less than impressive when he was lucky to pull out a draw. Tonight he showed better preparation, dominating the action from the opening bell. Kambala landed powerful jabs that snapped Goings head and followed up with good left-right combinations that did damage. The biggest surprise in the first was that Goings was able to keep his feet. Kambala came out strong in the second landing bombs that floored Goings twice. The second time Goings stayed on the floor while he was counted out at the 1:47 mark giving Kambala his first victory by KO. Kambala needs a few more matches like this to build his confidence and experience before stepping up to more experienced foes but he clearly demonstrated his strength and power and may be someone to be reckoned with in the future.

Taunton vs. Jett

After an unnecessary and interminably long intermission Lt. Welterweights Johnny Taunton (5-0-1) got it on with Terrance Jett (3-8-2) in a rematch of fight that came out even in January. Taunton started out fast showing a speed advantage while Jett kept up a steady pace and kept coming forward chasing Taunton around the ring. These guys knew each other well and it showed as they both had their good rounds in a well fought fight full of action. After six rounds it went to the score cards where Judge Al Lefkowitz had it 57-57 for a tie and Judges Ocasio and Ross saw it 58-56 for Taunton who avenges to only blotch on his record with a Majority Decision. Jett demonstrates he is a better boxer that his record indicates,

February 20, 2008

Friday Night Fights on March 7th

by:

Crown Boxing Inc.

FROM THE BOXING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

ALONG WITH

BUDWEISER THE GREAT AMERICAN LAGER

AND

The Orleans Hotel & Casino

Las Vegas, Nevada

PRESENTS FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS

MARCH 7th, 2008

Mardi Gras Ballroom, Doors open 6pm / First bout 7pm.

FEATURING

GBU LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

OF THE WORLD

Layla AMAZING McCarter 28-13-5 vs Dominga Olivo 5-2-1

JR. WELTERWEIGHT (REMATCH)

Johnny The Cobra Taunton 5-0-1 vs Terrance Jett 3-8-2

FEATHERWEIGHT

Tomas Bernal 3-5-2 vs Manuel Diablito Sarabin 16-22-8

HEAVYWEIGHT

Kaspars Kambala 0-0-1 vs Mike Plumber Going 0-0-0

LIGHTWEIGHT

Oscar Wonderboy Marin 3-4-0 vs Michael Peralta 2-2-0

JR. MIDDLEWEIGHT

Joe Calabria 1-0-0 vs Simon Ruvalcaba 3-9-2

(Card subject to Change)

SPECIAL ATTRACTION

KASPARS KAMBALA FORMER UNLV BASKETBALL STAR

SEEKING HIS FIRST WIN

Tickets on sale now at The Orleans Box office at 702-365-7075 702-365-7111

Ticket can be purchased for $50 Ringside and $25 Reserved

February 18, 2008

Hopkins vs. Calzaghe

by:

LOS ANGELES, February 7, 2008 – Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe, fighters with a combined 43 wins in world championship bouts met today in London to confirm that on Saturday, April 19, in the Planet Hollywood (PH) Ring in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a rare contest between linear champions, light heavyweight champion Hopkins will defend his title against Calzaghe, the undisputed super middleweight champion, in a 12-round bout for Hopkins’ Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Championship to determine the true premier champion of this era. Tickets for this epic battle go on sale today.

Hopkins vs. Calzaghe “Battle of the Planet” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Frank Warren’s Sports Network and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and will take place in the PH Ring at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday, April 19. Tickets, priced at $1500, $1200, $450, $350 and $250, are on sale and may be purchased by calling 866-USFIGHT or online at planethollywood.com. The match-up will air live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. PT.

“I respect what Joe Calzaghe has accomplished in this game over the years, but he will be stepping into a different realm on April 19th,” said Hopkins today in London. “All Joe’s other American opponents had to go to Wales or England—let’s see how Joe performs in the United States—the USA is the stamp of approval. There’s old Poppy Hopkins standing at the gate of America waiting for Joe to bring the key to try and open the door.”

“This will be Bernard’s last fight—I am going to be a legend after this fight. I’m going over there to win and you will see an awesome performance,” said Calzaghe at today’s press conference in London. “I’ve trained like a challenger every single fight, that’s why I have been a champion for ten years. I’ll be in the best shape, enough to do 15, 20 rounds. You haven't seen Hopkins flat out on his back yet—you will in the PH Ring on April 19.”

“This is a match we’ve all been waiting years to see, and finally, the time is right for Hopkins and Calzaghe to meet,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Hopkins holds the record for most middleweight title defenses and Calzaghe holds the record for most defenses at super middleweight and no one today comes close to either of them when it comes to longevity at the elite level. This is the only logical Super Fight for both of them and fans are going to love this match-up.”

“Joe Calzaghe has conquered every obstacle put in front of him over the last 14 years and with no more challenges left for him at super middleweight this was the only fight he wanted,” said Frank Warren of Sports Network. “I’m pleased that we were able to work together with Golden Boy Promotions to bring this mega-fight to boxing fans and to see once and for all who the better fighter is - Hopkins or Calzaghe.”

“Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is the new contender on the Las Vegas Strip and is emerging as a very powerful force in the entertainment capital city of the world,” said Robert Earl, Co-Chairman of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. “I am delighted that Planet Hollywood is presenting its first major sporting event with the sport that Vegas is most famous for - boxing - and this mega-fight between Hopkins and Calzaghe. Having partners like Golden Boy Promotions, Sports Network and HBO make this event, at the PH Ring, all the more exciting."

“HBO Sports is thrilled to present the fight between Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe live on the network,” said Ross Greenburg, President of HBO Sports. “This is the type of big event programming that has been a staple of our World Championship boxing franchise for 35 years.”

One of the greatest middleweights of all-time, Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs) has epitomized excellence for almost two decades in the fight game. Owner of the middleweight title for over ten years and for a record 20 successful defenses, Philadelphia’s Hopkins moved up to the light heavyweight division in 2006, and immediately won The Ring Magazine World Championship with a dominating 12 round decision win over Antonio Tarver. In his last fight, on July 21, 2007, Hopkins continued his amazing run at the age of 42, outpointing Winky Wright. Now it’s on to Calzaghe.

Unquestionably one of the greatest super middleweights in boxing history and currently The Ring Magazine Super Middleweight World Champion, Newbridge, Wales’ Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs) has never tasted defeat in his pro career and has held the world super middleweight title since he defeated Chris Eubank in 1997 for the World Boxing Organization Championship. Twenty-one consecutive title defenses followed that victory -- fourth-best on boxing’s all-time list -- and after big wins over undefeated champions Jeff Lacy in 2006 and Mikkel Kessler in 2007 in which he added the International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) championship belts to his collection, he now seek a bigger challenge at 175 pounds where Hopkins awaits.

Hopkins-Calzaghe is only the second time two reigning Ring Magazine champions have fought since the new championship policy was established in April 2002 (the first contest happened on December 8, 2007 when Floyd Mayweather met Ricky Hatton for Mayweather’s Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship).

February 17, 2008

"The Epic Battle Continues"

by: Steven Robinson

The Epic Battle Continues

Jermaine Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik

Its about 8:15 pm and most of the crowd (larger than I thought would attend) including past boxing champs and a handful of celebrities has arrived to see the main event. Taylor enters the ring first to a mix of jeers and cheers and then a Youngstown Ohio crowd warmly welcomes the Middleweight Champ Kelly Pavlik. Michael Buffer stirs the crowd to a fever pitch with his Lets get ready to rumble and the fight of the night is ready to begin. The crowd obviously favors Pavlik with their greeting.

When the opening bell rang it didnt take these two long to get down to business. They both had a plan and they knew each other well. Taylor started fast with good jabs using his speed to his advantage. Paklik came back strong with several good head shots. The second continued as expected with Taylor staying on the outside using his hand speed and Pavlik trying to institute his power. Then the pattern began to change as Taylor abandoned his jab and started to throw haymakers. For the rest of the fight Pavlik was busier, throwing more punches and Taylor was more effective, landing less often but harder, cleaner blows. So tonight, Kelly Pavlik, known as a puncher with power in both hands, becomes the boxer and executes a strategy of outworking his opponent and going the distance. Taylor, known as a skilled boxer, throws less punches but lands with authority and power. Unlike their first fight, there were no knockdowns and the fight went the distance.

When it went to the judges scorecards, Judge Patricia Morse Jarman saw it 115-113, Judge Dave Moretti had it 117-111 and Judge Glen Trowbridge scored 116-112 all for Kelly Pavlik who remains undefeated. The judges scorecards all had Pavlik winning all or most of the last six rounds. Compubox punchstats showed Pavlik throwing 845 total punched to Taylors 456. Pavlik landed 267 to Taylors 178. So Pavliks strategy of keeping busier paid off and he remains undefeated going to 33-0.

This fight didnt have the drama or excitement of their first battle, but it gave Kelly Pavlik credibility and proved his last win over Taylor was no fluke. Pavlik is ready to defend his title and continue taking on the top competitors in his division while Taylor is now on the comeback trail.

February 16, 2008

MGM Undercard

by: Steven Robinson

Undercard

Im always disappointed when nobody but a few relatives shows up for the early bouts for these big TV events. Even very few of the media cover these fights. Theyre missing the chance to see the future of boxing in America and some outstanding prospects in action. That said, there were some pretty good boxing demonstrations, although one-sided, on the Undercard tonight.

Toribio vs. Martinez

The opener was a Jr. Middleweight match between David Toribio (14-10, 8 KOs) of Miami, FL and Sergio Matinez (41-1-1, 22 KOs) of Madrid, Spain. The southpaw Martinez took control early with a quick right jab followed by multiple lefts. Although Toribio was tough and aggressive early he was too slow getting out of the way of Martinez punches and did little to slow the attack. Martinez stepped up the action each round for total control by the end of four. Judge Al Lefkowitz had it 39-35, while Judges Duane Ford and CJ Ross saw it 40-36 all for Sergio Martinez who gets a UD victory.

Garcia vs. Ruiz

Next up was a Super Featherweight bout between Jorge Ruiz (5-3-1, 0 KOs) of Los Mochis, MX and Miguel Angel Garcia (10-0, 8 KOs) of Oxnard, CA. For the first four rounds Garcia threw left-right combos while Ruiz countered and missed. Ruiz did the job he was brought in for, which was to get hit and give Garcia some experience. Just as I thought this fight would end with more of the same, Garcia landed a big straight right that floored Ruiz. Ruiz staggered to his knee but went down again as Referee Toby Gibson waived off the count at 1:35 of the 5th. A Its another KO victory for Garcia who is ready to take on better opponents.

Volkov vs. Jacobs

Alexander Volkov (0-0-1) of Denver, CO took on Daniel Jacobs (2-0, 2 KOs) of Brooklyn, NY in a Middleweight contest. Jacobs dominated the first with fast hands, good combinations and superior power. The only surprise was that Volkov kept his feet all round. But it wasnt long into the second that Jacobs skills paid off as he knocked Volkov down three successive times to gain a TKO victory. The time was 2:57 of the second round.

Lopez vs. Viloria

The last fight before the broadcast fights was a Flyweight match between Cesar Lopez (20-5, 4 KOs) of El Paso, TX and Brian Hawaiian Punch Viloria (20-2-1, 12 KOs) of Waipahu, HI. Both boxers weighed in at 111 ½ pounds. (Im always amazed that a grown man can weigh that little) Viloria is the former Light Flyweight champ. Valoria was the aggressor from the beginning with faster hands and better accuracy. The action repeated itself until the 5th when Viloria went down from what appeared to be a body shot but Referee Toby Gibson called it a push; then Viloria landed a beautiful right that staggered Lopez back and he finally went down for an eight count. Lopez went down again but unfortunately it was from a Viloria low blow landed when trying to finish Lopez off. Viloria controlled the next few rounds while Lopez went into survival mode and tried to stay away from any more damage. Lopez finally made a real effort in the last and probably won the round with some heavy blows, but it was too little, too late as the judges scored it 78-73 twice and 77-74 all for Brian Viloria.

February 16, 2008

Pavlik Retains Title

by: Steven Robinson

Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik wins by Unanamous decision 115-113, 117-111 and 116-112. Full story to follow.

February 16, 2008

Telvised Undercard

by: Steven Robinson

TV Undercard

Juan Estorga vs. Ronald Hearns

The first HBO televised was a Super Middleweight event between Juan Estorga (11-1-1, 6 KOs) of Topeka, Kansas and Ronald Hearns (17-0, 13 KOs) of Detroit, MI. Both fighters weighed in at 154 pounds. Hearns will forever be most famous for being the son of former champion Thomas Hitman Hearns. Hearns started fast with clean jabs and hard body shots to control the first. Ronald remained in control until the fifth when Estorga appeared to be making a minor comeback, when Hearns lands a pretty right that put Estorga down for an eight count. Hearns controlled the remainder of the fight until the final round when he landed a left that staggered Estorga across the ring followed by two rights that put him down Estorga beat the count but Referee Jay Nady looked into his eyes and called off the bout at 1:10. Ronald Hearns puts on an excellent boxing exhibition and shows power in his TKO victory to remain undefeated.

WBC Super Flyweight Championship

Jose Navarro vs. Cristian Mijares

In the first Championship bout of the night Jose Navarro (26-3, 12 KOs) challenged Cristian Mijares (33-3-2, 13 KOs) for the WBC Super Flyweight title .Both tipped the scales at 115 pounds. From the opening bell these little guys went after each other every minute of every round. Most rounds I couldnt comfortably discern who won it as there were so many exchanges where first Navarro would land a few then Mijares would return the favor and land a flurry of his own. Just when it looked like one was going to take control of the round, the other would make a good comeback and make an argument for the win. The back and forth action continued almost nonstop. In the eleventh Navarro was cut over the right eye and the ring doctor examined it twice and allowed the fight to continue. After twelve rounds both were bloodied and beaten and I had it all tied in a very close bout that neither deserved to lose. Judge Adelaide Byrd saw it 117-111 for Mijares, Judge Chris Wilson saw it 115-113 for Mijares and Judge Doug Tucker had it 120-108 for Navarro to give Mijares a split decision victory and retain the title

WBO Super Flyweight Championship

Martin Castillo vs. Fernando Montiel

In the next Championship match Martin Castillo (33-2, 17 KOs) took on Champion Fernando Montiel (35-2-1, 26 KOs) for the WBO Super Flyweight Championship of the World. Castillo was off to a quick start until he walked into a Fernando Montiel left hook that floored him midway thru the first. He beat the count but was rocked agin late in the round. Castillo continued to get off often in the second and third but Montiel landed with authority and took the rounds. Midway through the fourth Montiel landed a series of head shots that rocked Castillo followed by a body shot that put Castillo to his knee. He remained there while Referee Joe Cortez reached the count of ten for a KO. The time was 1:56 of the fourth as Fernando Montiel retains his WBO Title.

February 15, 2008

The Epic Battle Continues

by: Steven Robinson

Pavlik vs. Taylor II  The Epic Battle Continues

"Nice guys finish last". If that old saying is true, nobody's going to win the main event Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Two of boxings' good guys, both in and out of the ring, will meet in a rematch of their September 2007 Atlantic City title bout that saw Kelly Pavlik come back from a second round knockdown to KO Middleweight Champ Jermaine Taylor in the seventh. Scenarios like that are the best boxing has to offer and boxers like these guys are the best boxing has to offer too.

Unfortunately this fight will probably not draw a big crowd. These guys aren't all hype and show biz. They haven't been arrested for spousal abuse or any felonies and they aren't seen around town in flashy cars or on B-List celebrity TV shows. They both came up through boxing's US amateur program and even met as amateurs in Olympic qualifying. As professionals they were both carefully managed for several years while they learned their trade. They're not flashy showmen, they're just good boxers. In today's world it seems to take more than that to sell tickets.

Both Pavlik and Taylor are small town guys and they're both heroes to their hometown fans. Pavlik is from Youngstown, Ohio and Taylor hails from Little Rock, Arkansas,; relatively small cities in economically depressed areas. Another reason this match probably won't be well attended. Their fans aren't Hollywood stars or sports superstars; they're the everyday working guys who like a good fight and respect a good fighter.

Local casinos posted odds with Pavlik as the favorite at -185 vs. Taylor at +165. Personally I'm staying away from any action on this bout. I think either of them can take it as they are both smart boxers with good skills and well trained. Pavlik will look to his power and stamina to overcome Taylor's boxing skills Taylor, despite claims that "I'm here to fight and I'm going to him", will probably try to keep away from Pavlik's power and try to box his way to victory. Even though their previous fight was for the Middleweight title, the boxers will fight at a catch weight of 166 lbs as Taylor has had a hard time making the 160 lb middleweight limit, so no title is on the line for this match.

In addition to a great main event, this card is loaded up with a great Undercard with two Super Flyweight title bouts. Fernando Montiel defends his WBO title against Martin Castillo while Cristian Mijares takes on Jose Navarro for the WBC version. In my experience, these 115 pound fighters go nonstop for every round and put on a great show for the fans. Also on the card is Ronald Hearns, son of former champ Thomas "Hitman" Hearns and Brian "Hawaiian Punch" Viloria. Doors open at 3:30 pm with the first fight on the Undercard scheduled for 4:00 pm. TV bouts start at 6:00 pm on HBO PPV (a bargain at $49.95) with the main event set to go off around 8:00 pm PST.

February 11, 2008

USA Seniors Regional Championships

by: Steven Robinson

The USA Boxing Seniors Regional Championships were held last Saurday at Las Vegas Boxing Gym on Commerce Street. Boxers age 16 and up from three California areas and Nevada competed for the opportunity to fight in the National Tournament. Ordinarily we only report the results of amateur boxing events but the level of competition was so good that I am compelled to state that the bouts were excellent and so close that nearly every match was a treat to watch. I encourage local boxing fans to get out and support the local boxing shows and to see some excellent young boxing talent when the opportunity is available. Some of these guys are the future of boxing in America.

Results

119# Teddy Padilla(Barry's Boxing) over Rogelio Lugo (Chico's Boxing Club) - Points

125# Lesley Walker (Elite Boxing) over John Juarez (Meadow Brook) - Points

132# Jose Roman (Jerome) over Adrian Vargas (CYA Center) - Points

152# Jose Elizondo (Bruno's Boxing) over David Garcia (LaColina) - Points

165# Christopher Chatman (City Boxing) over Marcos Vega (Pacoima) - Points

178# Faamanu Pritchard (Unattached) over Ulises Sierra (CYA Center) - Points

201+# Alex Rivera (Coachella) - Unopposed

Off Tournament Bouts

106# Fabian Cervantes (Pacoima) over Gino Padilla (Barry's) - Points

112# Randy Caballero (Coachella) over Louie Padilla (Barry's) - Points

141# Luis Mora (LA PAL) over Bronson Stultz (UNLV) - Points

201+# James Thomas (Champs For Life) over DuJuan Looper (Barry's) - Points

165 # Christopher Eubanks (Barry's) over Christopher Chatman (City Boxing) - Points

February 8, 2008

Hard Rock Top Rank Undercard

by: Steven Robinson

As has been their custom, Top Rank put together a good mix of local up and coming boxers and experienced boxers trying to work their way back to big feature bouts for an entertaining night at The Hard Rock and shown on the VERSUS Network.

Undercard

Magdaleno vs. Webb

The opener features a new local favorite, Diego Magdaleno in his second pro fight in the Super Featherweight division against Quinten Webb (0-1) out of Canton, OH. This fight was over before it started as Magdaleno dropped Webb three times in the first before Referee Kenny Bayless waived off the fight at 1:59. Webb was dropped early by a straight left to the head, again by a left to the body and for the last time by a combination of punches that put him to his knee for the final time. Magdaleno improves to 2-0 with 2 KOs. I dont think Webb will get anymore free trips to Vegas for his efforts.

Martirosyan vs. Munoz

The first TV bout was a Super Welterweight match between Jorge Munoz (20-1, 12 KOs) of Topeka, KS and Vanes Martirosyan (18-0, 12 KOs) of Glendale, CA by way of Eastern Europe. Munoz looked a little soft around the middle and Vanes didnt take long before he went to work on his body. Munoz was dropped midway through the first but weathered the rest of the round even though he continued to be battered about the ring. Martirosyan controlled the second landing everything he threw, dominating the round with a stiff jab, great body shots and big rights to the head. Munoz took a knee early in the third from a delayed reaction to a right and then got beat up for another few minutes before his corner threw in the towel. Martirosyan was just too fast for the tough Munoz and gets another KO win to remain undefeated.

Mercado vs. Garcia

Bantamweight Alex Mercado (3-0, 3 KOs) of Las Vegas set his sights on Jose Garcia (3-2, 1 KO) of Dallas, TX. Mercado dropped the lanky Garcia once in the first and again in the second for eight counts while Garcia flailed away and mostly missed the target. Early in the third Mercado took complete control of the bout and battered Garcia against the ropes until Referee Robert Byrd stepped between the fighters at the 37 second mark. Mercado pads his record with another TKO win.

February 8, 2008

Main Event at the Hard Rock

by: Gregory Robinson

Ben "Wonder" Tackie vs Kendall Holt

The last time WBO Ranked #2 fighter Kendall Holt was in the ring, a beer can had been thrown into his face. After that insult and a series of other questionable events during his title fight with Ricardo Torres in Columbia, its no surprise that Holt was upset by his loss. Tonights fight against the tough-as-nails but very beatable fighter Ben Tackie was a perfect chance for him to put the unfortunate fight behind him.

I wont hold out on the ending: Holt won after 10 relatively uneventful rounds. Tackie has been clobbered by the very best the division has to offer, and his approach was predicable: he plodded in, cutting off the ring, completely unconcerned with anything Holt might be able to offer. In response Holt circled, wearing a grove into the outer edges of the ring as he consistently dodged Tackie's straight-on assaults. Holt was quick enough to keep Tackie from landing any real power punches, and he was smart enough to tie up Tackie when they got against the ropes. However, he was also unable to effectively run and score at the same time, making the fight a somewhat frustrating endeavor since neither fighter could really hit the other. Holts best round was round six, when he managed to stagger Tackie with a quick one-two, then did it again just to prove it wasn't a fluke. Tackie wasn't really in much danger though, and the fight continued just as it began, with Tackie chasing and Holt circling. After ten rounds, one judge scored the bout a draw, the other two scored it 98-92 for Holt.

Walberto Gaxiola vs. Angel Flores

The walkout bout didn't even give people time to walk out as Angel Flores unleashed one of the most spectacular body shots I have seen in a while to the belly of Gaxiola, putting him down on the canvas reeling and holding his stomach after only 35 seconds.

January 20, 2008

Fireworks In The Cage IV

by: Tim Hipkins

Due to technical difficulties the results of RICHARD Steeles Fireworks in the cage 4 have been delayed.

Here are the results,reported by Tim Hipkins.

Buddy Roberts 227# vs Dennis Bacon 240#

Buddy Roberts(2-1) defeated Dennis Bacon(1-1) at 1min 6sec of Rd 1 via rnc submission.

Brad Peterson 204# vs Ryan Bader 205#

Bader(5-0) defeated Peterson(2-1) by UD 30-27.I had the same tally,Bader dominated standing and on the ground.

Jeff Cox 155# vs Joe Cronin 155#

Cox (8-4) won the first 2 rds 10-9 over Cronin(9-7-1). The third rd was over 55 seconds in from a Jeff Cox overhand right,officially a TKO.

Reynaldo Duarte 145# vs Dennis Davis 145#

Davis(12-6) controlled Duarte(6-2) with movement in the stand up game to win a UD. Duarte got a third rd takedown but it was too little too late.

Tammie Schneider 115# vs Elena Reid 114#

This fight was never close, Reid dominated the action earning a second rd TKO at 2min 5 sec. You might want to keep an eye on Elena Reid, she could have a bright future in this sport.

Brandon Foxworth 135# vs Del Hawkins 134#

Del Hawkins(28-9) won this IFO Bantamweight Title fight by TKO 3:42 in rd 3. Foxworth(16-4) was game but Del was just too experienced and slick.

Jesse Veium 205# vs Travis Wiuff 205#

This was for the IFO Lt.Heavy title. Wiuff defended his championship with a big body slam and some gnp to get the first rd TKO at 3:25. Wiuff is now 49-11 while Veium fell to 14-4.

January 12, 2008

Crown Boxing at The Orleans

by: Steven Robinson

The boxing venue at The Orleans was sold out tonight where the Standing Room Only crowd of Las Vegas boxing fans started off 2008 in anticipation of a great night of boxing and they werent disappointed.

IBA Continental Heavyweight Championship

Wreckless Willie Chapman (227#) used all his years of experience in a fruitless attempt to overcome three knockdowns in a split decision loss to Carlos Barnett (249#). Barnett (10-1) knocked Chapman (21-28-4) of Las Vegas down twice in the second and again in the sixth. Willie got right back on his feet each time and was able to win subsequent rounds but it just wasnt enough to overcome the three point deficit. Chapman was consistently the aggressor but was also often wild and when he missed he left himself wide open for the bigger Barnett to land some big shots that dropped him for eight counts. After ten rounds Judge Dick Houck saw it 94-93 for Chapman. Judges Chuck Giampa and Dave Moretti had it 94-93 for Barnett giving him the split decision and the IBA Continental belt. LVBoxing.com had it 95-95 evidencing the closeness of the fight. Chapman adds another disappointment to career that has been full of disappointments but because of his never ending effort and desire to win Im sure well see him again in the future.

Leyla McCarter vs. Cindy Serrano

The ladies fought a Lightweight match tonight to the delight of local fans. Las Vegas own Leyla McCarter (27-13-5) and holder of the WBA Championship Belt, took on upstart Cindy Serrano (15-1-1) of Brooklyn, NY in a six three minute round attraction. McCarter, who has headlined many recent Crown Boxing cards, ruled nearly every minute of every round to win a dominating Unanimous Decision victory. McCarter hit Serrano with every punch in her arsenal growing stronger and more dominant with each round. At the end of six the scores were 60-54, 60-54 and 60-52 all for McCarter. Serrano to her credit demonstrated an excellent chin and the character not to quit even when all was lost.

Kaspars Kambala vs. Alvaro Morales

Kambala, the former center for the UNLV Runnin Rebels, made his much anticipated pro debut tonight in a Heavyweight match with another local, Alvaro Morales 1-0-2). Kaspars has a large local contingent of friends and basketball fans including former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian to see him in his first pro fight. Kambalas inexperience was evident from the beginning as he was unable to land clean blows with consistency. By the third round Kambala was sucking wind and appeared to tire. Perhaps it was Morales dancing around the ring with belly and mammaries bouncing that distracted Kaspars. After four pretty sloppy rounds one judge scored it 40-36 for Kambala while the other two saw it 38-38 for a Majority Draw. Truly Kambala has a lot of work to do before he takes on a credible opponent.

Brian Battease vs. Tomas Bernal

The opening bout was a Featherweight match between Brian Battease (1-0-0) of Hawaii and Tomas Bernal (3-4-2) OF Los Angeles. For four rounds Battease appeared to be quicker, often getting off first and dancing away, while Bernal walked right through his punches to get inside and wail away. Bernal appeared to land more than he caught and landed the harder blows. However at the end of four rounds Judge Robert Hoyle had it 40-36, and Judges Paul Smith and CJ Ross saw it 39-37 all for Battease. LVBOXING.COM saw it 39-37 for Bernal as did others on the press row. But what we think doesnt count so a lucky Battease gets a UD victory and goes to 2-0.

Calvin Rooks vs. DeMark Scott

Cruiserweights Calvin Rooks (1-1-0) and DeMark Scott (1-1-0) met in a rematch of a previous Crown Boxing bout. I guess these guys learned too much about each others style the last time they met, because they were both, at best, ineffective against each other. After four uneventful rounds Judge Jerry Roth saw it 39-37 for Rooks. Judge Paul Smith had it 39-37 for Scott and Judge Richard Ocasio had it 38-38, even. Therefore the fight was a draw and truly, neither deserved to win.

The next Crown Boxing card will be held March 7, 2008 at The Orleans.

January 10, 2008

Local Favorites Highlite Friday Night Fights

by: Steven Robinson

Local boxing fans will have a lot of their favorites to cheer for Friday night at The Orleans when Crown Boxing features some of Las Vegas best.

Former UNLV Basketball star center Kaspars Kambala will make his pro debut in a heavyweight bout against Alvaro Morales. Look for Kambala to KO this guy early. Although inexperienced, he's big, tall and tough and looking to start with a bang. Kambala is trained and promoted by Boxing Hall of Fame Referee Richard Steele.

Also on tap is local favorite "Amazing" Layla McCarter in a women's lightweight match against Cindy Serrano of Brooklyn, NY. McCarter always puts on a good show and the ladies will be boxing 3 minute rounds just like the guys. Guaranteed that this won't be a snoozer.

The Main Event is a Heavywieght Title (IBA) bout between Carlos Barnett (10-0-1) and local "Wreckless" Willie Chapman (21-28-4). Chapman has been in the ring with some of boxing's best (Never beat them but he was there)and is counting on his experience and "heart" to upset Barnett.

A total of six matches are on the card for Friday night when the doors open at 6:00 pm.

December 22, 2007

"The Truth" Hurts

by: Gregory Robinson

In a twelve round bout at the Hard Rock Casino, Joshua "Hitter" Clottey handed Shamone "The Truth" Alvarez his first loss tonight by means of a 12 round decision. Although it was not a particularly action packed fight, it was a good display of technical, smart boxing as both fighters stayed cool and carefully picked their shots. Alvarez pawed with jab and exploded when he got in close, but wasted a lot of punches on Clottey's arms. Clottey, on the other hand, regularly beat Alvarez to the punch and found his way through Alvarez' defenses, racking up points with the judges and taking rounds. Alvarez never seemed to be in trouble, but he did seem frustrated by Clottey's experience. After twelve rounds, I had the fight 118-110 for Clottey. The judges were slightly more sympathetic to Alvarez, but the result was the same: Clottey by clear unanimous decision: 116-112, 115-113, 118-110.

The real question is: what happens with Clottey now? He is a smart and strong fighter who deserves his ranking, but in a tune up fight, I would have liked to see him do more. Clottey seems content just to win a fight, not to own it. There is no doubt that he could give fighters like Cotto and Mayweather a solid fight, but there is also little chance that he could walk away from either match with a victory.

Frank Gutierrez vs. Alex Mercado

In the first (untelevised) bout of the evening, local fighter Alex Mercado made short work of Frank Gutierrez, knocking him out in 2:21 of the second round. Mercado, who is trained by Augie Sanchez at Barry's Boxing, landed some big shots to Gutierrez' body in the first round and finished him off with a beautiful right that sent Gutierrez sprawling to the canvas. Mercado improves his record to 3-0 and wins a few more fans.

Tye "Big Sky" Fields vs. Chris "Special K" Koval

I'm guessing that Koval (at 280 pounds) adopted the nickname "Special K" from his last name and not the Kellog's cereal that is marketed to those that want to slim their waists. That said, size didn't seem to be a factor tonight as it took Fields longer to walk to the ring and shake everyone's hand than it did to dispatch with Koval. 43 seconds into the fight, Fields threw a big left, Koval dropped with a goofy look on his face, and the Fields fans went nuts.

December 21, 2007

Undercard at The Hard Rock

by: Steven Robinson

Undercard Bouts

The Undercard was a plethora of local boxers and local favorites including Tye Big Sky Fields, Angel Baby Boy Flores, Donnie Boy Orr, Alex Mercado and Diego Magdaleno in his debut. This brought out lots of fans, friends and relatives to watch the action at The Hard Rock tonight.

Wallace vs. Maritiroysan

This is the sixth time the Armenian born Vanes Martiroysan (16-0, 11 KO), now fighting out of Glendale, CA, has fought this year. Tonight he faced Dan Wallace (9-2, 3 KOs) of Adrian, MI in a scheduled 6 rounder in the Super Welterweight division. Vanes has KOs all his opponents this year except for one where he won a Unanimous Decision and didnt lose a round on any judges card. Tonight Vanes started with a jackhammer jab that rocked Wallaces had back early in the first. These were followed by straight rights that never missed their mark. Finally a big one landed that floored Wallace so that his head bounced on the mat. He struggled to his feet before the count of ten but stumbled into the arms of Referee Russell Mora who waived off the count. Martirosyan gets a TKO at 2:21 of the first proving that hes ready to step up to tougher opponents.

Gallegos vs. Orr

Next up was a Middleweight event featuring former Canadian Olympian Donnie Boy Orr (9-0, 4 KOs) whos been fighting in Las Vegas for the past two years. His opponent tonight was Enrique Gallegos (6-2, 1 KO) out of Medford, OR. For six rounds the boxer Orr gave the brawler Gallegos a boxing lesson. A surprisingly tough Gallegos took all that Orr could land but kept his feet but wasnt able to mount much of an offence. At the end of six rounds Judge Dick Houck saw it 60-54, while Judges CJ Ross and Robert Hoyle had it 59-55, all for Donnie Orr who picks up a decisive Unanimous Decision.

Palacios vs. Magdaleno

After the Main Event, Las Vegan Diego Magdaleno made his pro debut against Francisco Palacios (1-2-4) of Bronx, NY. Magdaleno has an extensive amateur career boxing out of Barrys Boxing and is trained by Augie Sanchez. Diego started a little slow in the first but warmed up and won the round with a late flurry. Palacios was an awkward opponent who keeps on coming even when you hit him with your best stuff. In the second Magdaleno showed new confidence with a strong body attack followed by lefts to Palacios head. Magdaleno controled the remaining two rounds with a similar attack but there was no quit in Palacios who kept after him until the final bell. Judges Giampa, Shirley and Smith all saw it 40-36 for Diego Magdaleno who notches his first victory with a Unanimous Decision.

Spruiell vs. Flores

The walk off bout was a lightweight match between Geoffrey Spruiell (4-5, 1 KO) of Pueblo, CDO and Angel Baby Boy Flores (9-1, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas. This was an ugly fight from beginning to end with neither seeming to get the upper hand. The 34 year old Spruiell threw nothing but arm punches and Flores didnt seem able to get close enough to score effectively. After 6 long rounds the judges saw it 58-56, and 59-55 twice all for Spruiell who gains a UD and disappoints all of Flores friends and family in attendance.

December 18, 2007

MMA at The Riveria on 12/28/07

by: Tim Hipkins

Hall of Fame Boxing Referee Richard Steele and Steve Oshins, co-owners of Steele Cage Promotions, LLC (www.steelecage.com) and the International Fighting Organization, LLC (IFO), announce the fight matchups for their highly anticipated Fireworks in the Cage IV event taking place on Friday, December 28th at the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada with the first bout starting at 7:00pm. Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling the Riviera Box Office at 702-794-9433, Ext. 2. One or two more fights will be added to the following partial fight lineup: IFO TITLE FIGHTS 205 Travis Wiuff (48-11) vs. Cyrille Diabate (12-6-1) 135 Del Hawkins (28-9) vs. Brandon Foxworth (15-3) IFO NON-TITLE FIGHTS 145 JR Sims vs. Reynaldo Duarte 155 Joe Cronin vs. Jeff Cox 205 Ryan Bader vs. Ryan Peterson 170 Waachim Spiritwolf vs. Joey Varner 265 Buddy Roberts vs. Dennis Bacon About Mixed Martial Arts: Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) encompasses many different styles of fighting in which a wide variety of fighting techniques are used, In addition to Steele Cage Promotions and the International Fighting Organization, other popular MMA organizations include the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), PRIDE Fighting Championships, Strikeforce, BodogFight, the International Fight League (IFL), EliteXC and World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC)."

December 16, 2007

Amateur Boxing Results 12/15/07

by: Steven Robinson

USA Boxing Senior State Tourney

125 lbs Lesley Walker (Elite Boxing) over Parnell Fisher (Barrys Boxing)  Pts

Off Tournament Bouts

128 lbs Eric Ramos (Las Vegas Boxing) over Alexis Hernandez (LV Boxing)  Pts

125 lbs Andre Catlin (Unattached) over Justin Aleman (Henderson PAL)  Pts

70 lbs Elisio Duran (Las Vegas Boxing) over Aaron Hernandez (Henderson PAL)  Points

145 lbs Marcos Terriquez (Unattached) over Juan Contreras (Lass Vegas Boxing)  Points

143 lbs Alrick Harris (Barrys Boxing) over Jose Amaro (Westside)  DQ

201+ lbs Amos Barros (Las Vegas Boxing) over Wendell Smith (Unattached)  RSC

135 lbs Jerome Foster (UNLV) over Hugo Navarro (Unattached)  Points

153 lbs Jose Elizondo (Brunos Boxing) over Kevin Arnold (Las Vegas Boxing) - Points

December 12, 2007

Heavyweight Tye Fields Vs. 'Special K' Koval, Plus...

by: ..

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fight Notes - Doors open 5 pm; first bell 5:30 pm.....

December 9, 2007

Jolly Ol' Mayweather Offers Hatton a Christmas Pummeling

by: Gregory Robinson

This was the fight we had been waiting for since July, even though we knew how it would end. Nevertheless, everyone hoped that Hatton would find some sort of Achilles' heal in Mayweather and finally send him sprawling to the canvas. Sadly, that is a Christmas wish that did not come true.

And although everyone deserves second chances, I am not sure why anyone would give Hatton another shot at this fight. He was a monument to determination, heart, and strength, but even in his best moments, Mayweather was never in trouble. The best that could be said is that Hatton managed to push Mayweather out of his comfort zone from time to time, pressing him up against the ropes and sinking in short shots before Mayweather could tie him up.

However, the price of charging in on Mayweather is high, and for every time that Hatton was successful, there were multiple other times when he was met with a single, sharp counter right that mucked up his face more each round. In round three, one of those rights finally opened a cut over Hatton's right eye. Two rounds later, Hatton retaliated for the cut by pressing Mayweather pack through the ropes and then hitting over the rope to tag weather in the back of the head. Referee Joe Cortez, who was disturbingly loquacious this evening, was not amused and took a point away. After that, the crowd's song ("There's no one, like Ricky Hatton") transformed into a kind of funeral dirge. Hatton found less success pushing Mayweather backwards, and Mayweather began to take over the center of the ring. There, he could land long rights almost at will, and as Hattons head snapped back multiple times, Mayweather came in for the kill. Hatton managed to survive Mayweather's assault until round 10. Hatton came in with a left hook only to have Mayweather step to the side and deliver his own left hook that connected with brutal accuracy. Hatton was floored. He managed to beat the count, but Mayweather was on him again, this time with a left that looked like it put him out on his feet. As Mayweather stepped in finish Hatton off, Joe Cortez stepped in and pulled him off, allowing Hatton to fall to the canvas and bounce like a freshly cut Christmas tree.

Lacy vs. Manfredo makes Santa Cry

I hate to complain, but really, matches like this are not just dull, they are bad for the sport. Why are all the kids watching the UFC every night and skipping boxing? Why is the arena empty until the main event?

Long, slow fights like this one and the ones that preceded it.

There was one moment worth noting in the fight: In round four, a quick right from Lacy sent Manfredo sprawling into the ropes. Manfredo beat the count and launched a counter attack, landing some nice shots of his own but failing to take back the round. The fight then returned to its dreary pace, and the crowd went back to singing and doing other things until the main event started.

December 9, 2007

Mayweather Undercard

by: Steven Robinson

Undercard Bouts

Wes Ferguson vs. Edner Cherry

The opening TV bout featured a rematch of a June 13, 2007 Lightweight match between Floyd Mayweather protégé Wes Ferguson (17-2-1, 5 KOs) and Edner The Cherry Bomb Cherry (22-5-2, 10 KOs) of The Bahamas. In their first meeting, Cherry outworked Ferguson to earn a decisive Unanimous Decision.

The first round looked like a heavyweight match with lots of holding and not much action. Ferguson threw most of the punches, while Cherry was content to move in and hang on without throwing any leather. Cherry got to work in the second with some good body shots early and countered effectively while controlling the action. For the next three rounds Ferguson fought his way back into control of the fight using superior hand speed and quicker feet to keep out of Cherrys grasp. He landed flurries of punches and managed to get off first in most encounters stifling Cherrys action. By the end of the 5th round it looked like Ferguson had the fight well in his control. Early in the sixth we were surprised when Cherry landed a quick left hook that put Ferguson onto the canvas. Ferguson was up quickly and took the eight count on his feet. He appeared unhurt and quickly regained his composure resuming his control strategy that won the earlier rounds. Just as the round was ending, Cherry lands a vicious left hook that absolutely floors Ferguson. There was no doubt when Fergusons head bounded off the canvas that he would have a hard time regaining his feet. He struggled to his knees and crumpled to the mat again as Referee Vic Drakulich waived off the count ending the fight. Cherry gets a KO victory to prove his first defeat of Ferguson was no fluke.

Daniel Ponce De Leon vs. Eduardo Escobedo

Next up was the WBO Junior Featherweight Title match between Champion Daniel Ponce De Leon (33-1, 30 KOs) and challenger Eduardo Escobedo (20-2-0, 14 KOs). This was a fight that promised to be action packed with the powerful slugger DeLeon and his 30 KOs up against the well schooled Escobedo who trains with the Marquez brothers. DeLeon, who is not known for his defensive skills, enhanced his reputation early in the fight by walking through Escobedos best shots, and throwing wilding looping hooks with both hands that you could see coming from a mile away. Ordinarily in a championship fight this would not be an effective tactic as it leaves you open to big counter punches and lets your opponent sidestep your telegraphed blows. When every punch you throw is a knockout blow you have to land one every now and then. But tonight it worked because Escobedo landed his best shots when DeLeon was wide open, but Deleon walked right through them showing his great chin and continued a relentless attack. This wasnt the prettiest or most interesting fight to watch as neither went down or was hurt and although Escobedo had his moments he was clearly dominated by the relentless DeLeon. Punch Stats at the end of the fight showed that DeLeon threw 1096 blows of which on 17% (184) landed and 176 of those were power shots. Judge Adelaide Byrd had it 115-113, Duane Ford saw it 117-111 and Robert Hoyle scored it 118-110, all for Daniel Ponce De Leon who retains his title with a Unanimous Decision victory.

November 3, 2007

Michael Hunter of Las Vegas to Compete

by:

Fox to Air 2007 AIBA World Championships Action on Sunday, November 4

(CHICAGO, ILL.)  Fox will air final round action from the 2007 AIBA World Championships, October 23-November 3 on Sunday, November 4. Tune into see the best boxers in the world vie for a world title at 3:30 Central time on Sunday in most locations.

The 2007 World Championships are the largest world championships in history with nearly 600 athletes from over 100 countries vying for both a world championship and berth in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

The United States team is off to an outstanding start, going 17-3 through the first six days of competition with eight U.S. boxers remaining in contention for both a world title and spot in Beijing. Light flyweight Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas); flyweight Raushee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio); bantamweight Gary Russell, Jr. (Capitol Heights, Md.), featherweight Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio); light welterweight Javier Molina (Commerce, Calif.); welterweight Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.); middleweight Shawn Estrada (E. Los Angeles, Calif.); and super heavyweight Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) have all advanced to third round action. Hunter needs to record two more wins to earn an Olympic berth while the remaining seven U.S. athletes stand one win away from winning an Olympic spot.

Dont miss the best amateur boxing has to offer less than a year away from the Olympic Games on Sunday, November 4. Check your local listings for the time in your area.

November 3, 2007

Crown Boxing at The Orleans

by: Steven Robinson

Friday Night Fights at The Orleans is an event that cant be missed by loyal local boxing fans. Nearly every month Crown Boxing puts together a card of 5 or 6 fights, mostly featuring local up and coming boxers, who give their all to entertain us and make a name for themselves in the local boxing scene. I have to mention that the night started out with the most stirring rendition of the Star Spangled Banner Ive ever heard. Acapelo group April Rain harmonized our national anthem in a wonderful rendition that started out the night on a high point. Introduced to the crowd was former champ Jorge Paez, the Clown Prince of Boxing. And where else do the pretty ring girls pose for pictures with the fans? This is great fun and a great night of boxing at its best.

Undercard

Leading off the night was a Welterweight match between Manny Cotrich (Pro Debut) and Terrance Jett (2-7-2). Tonight Terrance Jett didnt look like the guy everybody wants to fight on their first night in the pros. Jett caught Cotrich early with a quick right that made him stumble and touch his gloves to the canvas, which is technically a knockdown and Cotrich had to take an eight count. Cotrich came barreling back and threw a lot of leather but Jett was not hurt and weathered the remainder of the first. Just to prove it was no fluke, Jett put Cotrich down again early in the second. Jett fights off the ropes for the remainder of the second countering a strong Cotrich who has a sloppy defense. At the end of four rounds two judges saw it 40-35 and another 38-36, all for Terrance Jett who gains a Unanimous Decision victory and earns my respect despite his lackluster record.

Next up was a Super Bantamweight match between Brian Batease in his pre debut and Brice Yoeneke (0-1-0). For four rounds Batease looked like a seasoned veteran rather than a rookie as he out boxed Yoeneke , getting off first and often, controlling the action and landing the big shots when an opening appeared. Yoeneke proved he can take a punch and keep his feet. After four rounds all three judges scored the match 40-36 for Brian Batease who opens his pro career with a victory.

In a Featherweight match, veteran Manual Sarabia (16-21-8) took on relative new comer Ronald Hurley (1-3-2). For four rounds, Sarabia out boxed Hurley, except for thee fact that he couldnt keep his punches above the belt. Sarabia landed penalty low blows in the first, second and fourth rounds losing points for the second two offences that made the difference in the fight. The judges scored the bout 37-37, 38-36 and 38-36 giving Hurley a Majority Decision.

The biggest fighters of the night were Cruiserweights Calvin Rooks (0-1-0) and Demark Scott (Pro debut) both of Las Vegas. Rooks uses his reach advantage to control the first until the end when a frustrated Scott decides to mix it up and gets floored for an eight count. The remainder of the fight was uneventful but at the end of four the judges had it 40-35, and 39-36 twice, all for Calvin Rooks, evens up his record with his first victory.

After a lengthy and unnecessary intermission, Flyweights Cesar Grejada (3-0-0) and Elton Dharry (1-1-1) put on a memorable show. They both had very different styles, with Grejada using a charge and flurry attack, while Dharry started everything with a fast effective jab. Although Dharrys jab seemed to control the action and Grejeda seemed to mostly miss and hold on, the judges had it 57-57, 58-56 and 58-56 all for Grejeda who remains undefeated. The decision was jeered by the crowd and Grejeda improves to 4-0.

The Main Event was a Middleweight attraction between two local boxers, Rodrigo Aguiar (4-1-0) and Deshawn Cohen (5-2-0). Cohen controlled the first with a good jab and right-left combinations and dropped Aguiar for an eight count just before the bell. Aguiar was never able to figure the left hander out for the remainder of the fight. He tried to out-muscle the clever Cohen, who always managed to box his way out of trouble and punish Aguiar for his efforts. It was all Cohen until the last when Aguiar got Cohen on the ropes and worked him over, only to have Cohen come back to return the favor. After six rounds Judge Moretti had it 59-54, while judges Ocasio and Roth saw it 60-53, all for Deshawn Cohen who notches a Unanimous Decision victory.

October 28, 2007

Friday Night Fights

by:

Crown Boxing Inc.

FROM THE BOXING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

PRESENTS THE FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS LIVE

ALONG WITH

BUDWEISER KING OF BEERS

AND

The Orleans Resort & Casino

Las Vegas, Nevada

NOVEMBER 2, 2007

Mardi Gras Ballroom.

Doors open 6pm / First bout 7pm.

Tickets on sale now at The Orleans Box office at 702-365-7075 (702) 365-7111

Ticket can be purchased for $50 Ringside and $25 Reserved

FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS

Featuring

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Rodrigo The Body Hunter Aguiar 4-1-0 vs. Deshawn Cohen 5-2-0

FLYWEIGHT

Cesar Grajeda 3-0-0 vs. Elton Dharry 1-1-1

SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT

Manual Sarabia 16-21-8 vs. Ronald Hurley 1-3-2

SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT

Brian Batease 0-0-0 vs. Brice Yoeneke 0-1-0

CRUISERWEIGHT

Demak Scott 0-0-0 vs. Calvin Rooks 0-1-0

LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT

Manny Cotrich 0-0-0 vs. Terrance Jett 2-7-2

(Card subject to Change)

October 8, 2007

Will to Win!

by: Gregory Robinson

Manny Pacquiao vs Marco Antonio Barrera

Tonight, Manny Pacquiao faced off for the third time against the Baby Faced Assassin Marco Antonio Barrera. There seems to be a singular lesson learned by all that have faced Pacquiao: stay away, stay very far away. Those that go toe to toe with him tend to get beaten silly. Barrera seemed to take this lesson to heart tonight as he avoided head to head confrontations in favor of smart counter-punching. It would have been enough to frustrate most of the super featherweights, but its been clear for a while now that Pacquiao is in a class of his own. Despite Barreras skillful movement, Pacquiao simply out-timed and out-punched Barrera in each of their encounters. For the first four rounds, Pacquiao was successful, but mostly he managed to do just enough to take rounds. In the fifth and sixth, Pacquiao landed some of the strongest blows in the fight, including a big right in the fifth that hit Barrera like a depth charge. Barrera stood firm though and showed no sign of being hurt. As the fight progressed, the action slowed a bit; rounds 8 through 10 saw both fighters sneaking in blows but neither fighter established any real dominance. In round eleven, Pacquiao knocked Barrera into the ropes, and a cut opened under Barreras eye, although it wasnt clear what caused it. What was clear is that Barrera was mad enough to pop Pacquiao on the break, which cost Barrera another point and sealed his defeat. Pacquiao was just too fast, too strong, too young. After 12 rounds, the judges scored the bout 118-109, 118-109, 115-112, all for Pacquiao. Sadly, Barrera has publicly stated that this is his last time in the ring. Its a bit depressing to see him go out with two defeats, but they really dont do much to tarnish his incredible career. Thanks for all the great fights Marco (and remember Rocky came out of retirement and made two more movies.)

Francisco Bojado vs. Steve Forbes

Broad shouldered Bojado looked like a giant compared to the sleek Steve Forbes, but the two put on a pretty even fight for ten rounds. Bojado had youth and strength on his side, Forbes had speed and experience. The two traded blows back and forth for the first five rounds then turned it on in round six: Bojado came out with a flurry that sent Forbes backpedaling, and Forbes responded with a barrage of right uppercuts that should have taken Bojados head off. Bojado proved his mettle though and weathered the storm. In the rounds that followed, both fighters landed a few good blows, but neither fighter established any real dominance. After 10 rounds, the judges scored the bout 96-94 for Bojado, 97-93 for Forbes, and 96-94 for Forbes, giving Forbes the split decision. After the fight, Forbes stated that his speed surprised me and he was able to evade some of my shots even when he got tired. Although Im sure Bojado appreciated the sign of respect from Forbes, he would have rather won it from one more judge.

Librado Andrade Yusaf Mack

This was the first action-packed fight of the evening. Mack came out like a tornado and popped Andrade with a textbook left hook that sent him sailing to the canvas. After the fight, Librado said I thought the world came on top of me when he hit me with that shot&man what a beautiful shot. However, this got Andrade mad and he came back in the next round to get his revenge, punishing Mack intense infighting. This, in turn, got Mack mad, inspiring him to come back and punish Andrade from the outside. However, even as Macks looping punches found their mark, Andrade wasnt going to be surprised again. Mack took the next three rounds, but effectively punched himself out. By round 7, he was tired, and Andrade unleashed hell, knocking him down three times and forcing Nady to step in a stop the fight at 2:34. Compubox stats show that Andrade landed 36 of 66 power punches in this round. He takes the USBA Super middleweight belt and (despite the first round knockdown) continues to be a force in the division.

Steven Luevano vs Antonio Davis

Davis is remarkably strong for a 126 pounder, but he was unable to capitalize on that strength tonight. He pressed forward bravely, and found some success when he was able to pin Luevano against the ropes, but Luevano simply had more skill  he quickly and repeatedly tagged him with a sharp jab and then slipped out of his way before David could respond. Luevanos jab, along with an occasional quick hook, landed on the same spot every time, and after about six rounds, Davis left eye was showing signs of repeated trauma. The doctors checked the eye in round 8, but let the fight continue, giving Luevano a bright red target. Davis continued plowing forward, and Luevano continued pounding on his eye. At 2:59 of round 11, Davis pressed Luevano into the ropes, but Luevano spun out and pounded David with a hook that put him down just as the bell rang. Davis managed to beat the count, but the fight was lost. Vegas favorite Steven Luevano keeps his belt and proves that he deserves his place at the top.

October 7, 2007

Will to Win - Quick Results

by: Gregory Robinson

Michael Farenas clobbers Arturo Valenzuela TKO 0:59 R2

Alejandro Perez takes out Jaime Villa TKO 0:27 R5

Vincente Escobedo wins over Miguel Angela Muguia UD (78-74, 78-74, 80-72)

Steve Forbes beats Francisco Bojado by Split Decision (96-94, 97-93, 96-94)

Librado Andrade pummels Yusaf Mack TKO 2:34 R7

Steven Luevano wins over Antonio Davis UD 119-108, 119-108, 118-109

Manny Pacquiao beats Marco Antonio Barrera UD

October 5, 2007

Top Rank Boxing at The Hard Rock

by: Steven Robinson

A great night of fights at Top Ranks Boxing on VERSUS at The Hard Rock with 5 KOs out of six fights.

Main Event

WBO Super Flyweight Championship

Fernando Montiel (34-2-1, 25 KOs) vs. Luis Melendez (25-2-1, 20 KOs)

A very good championship bout tonight where WBO Superflyweight Champion Fernando Montiel of Los Mochis, Sinola, Mexico survived a knock down in the seventh round to dominate a tough Luis Melendez of Columbia and win by a TKO in round twelve.

Montiel started out early loose and confident against a stiff Melendez. Montiel controlled much of the early action moving in and landing 1 to three blows, then backing off. Melendez took an aggressive stance always moving forward but was mostly greeted with blows from every angle. Melendez best work came after being rocked by a hard blow when it seemed to wake him up and he would aggressively attack but the attack was not sustained. The third was Melendez best early round where both boxers seemed to be trying to knock their opponents head off with every blow. Melendez got Montiel on the ropes and worked him over pretty good and must have convinced Montiel not to stand toe to toe with this guy. The next three rounds followed the pattern of Melendez charging out early with a short attack and Montiel landing punches in bunches, then backing out to control the action. The pattern continued into the 6th when near the end Montiel landed a series of blows culminating with a straight right that dropped Melendez to his back just as the bell rang. Melendez got to his feet before the eight count and returned to his corner. Melendez, inspired by desperation, came out in the seventh and landed a left that dropped Montiel to the canvas. Montiel took the eight count and managed to survive the round was battered and bleeding by the end with a cut over his left eye and a big mouse under his right eye. Montiel got back to business for the next several rounds doing what had won him the earlier rounds and controlling the action. Melendez was visibly tiring by the 11th mamaging only to land the occasional counter punch while Montiel continued to control the fight. Half way through the 12th, just when you thought the fight would end as it had been fought for the past several rounds, Montiel lands a blistering left to Melendez midsection that drops him grimacing to his knee. He gets to his feet on time only to have Montiel pumme him until Referee Kenny Bayless stops the fight at 1:58 of the round. At the time od the stoppage Montiel was leading on all three judges cards with scores of 107-100 twice and 107-101. Fernando Montiel shows the heart of a champion, coming back from a knock down to win a well deserved TKO victory and retains his title.

Under Card

Concepcion vs. Garcia

The opener was a Super Bantamweight match between Philippino Barnabe Concepcion (22-1-1, 12 KOs) and East LAs Sal Garcia (14-5-2, 7 KOs). A shorter Concepcion (123#) controlled the action in most rounds as he was able to work his way inside and unleash good body shots and come up to the head of Garcia (123 ½) with combinations. Garcia was unable to keep Concecion outside and couldnt land many effective blows in close. Concepcion dominated the action until the 9th when after a series of unanswered blows Referee Robert Byrd stepped between the boxers and stopped the action at 47 seconds. Concepcion gets a well deserved TKO win.

Antillon vs. Alcorro

Next up was a Lightweight bout between Urbano Antillon (19-0, 12 KOs) of Maywood, CA and Wilson Arcorro (25-8, 17 KOs) of Columbia. A younger Antillon (25) takes on a grizzles looking Alcorro (33) and controls the action with quicker, cleaner punches in the first. Antillon continues to control the action in the second when he lands a straight right that floors Alcorro. Alcorro struggles to his feet just at the ten count but is very unsteady and Referee Jay Nady waives off the fight at 2:36. Antillon remains undefeated and cards another KO victory.

Martirosyan vs. Thompson

In a Junior Middleweight match Vanes Martirosyan (15-0, 11 KOs) of Glendale, CA took on Patrick Thompson (11-9-1, 4 KOs) of Lincoln, NE. Martirosyan is trained by Freddy Roach who also trains Manny Pacquiao among others. Martirosyan, who brought in every Armenian fight fan for miles around, dominated the fight in all aspects. Time and time again he controlled the action as Thompson took an aggressive stance and worked his way inside but was unable to do anything when he got there except tie up his opponent. The only thing Thompsn accomplished was to prove he had a great chin as he took everything Martirosayn could throw at him. At the end of six scheduled rounds, neither had been down but all three judges saw it 60-54 giving Vanes Martirosyan a Unanimous Decision victory.

Gesta vs. Vinan

After the Main Event, Super Featherweight procpect Mercito Gesta (11-0-1, 3 KOs) of The Philippines took on tough Ecuadorian Carlos Vinan (7-4-3, 1 KO). The underdog Vinan came out strong in the 1st out-muscling anf out working Gesta with an aggressive body attack. Gesta let his hand go in the second out-boxing the slower Vinan. In the 3rd Vinan was dropped by a fast combination but was immediately back on his feet, unhurt. Gesta took complete control of the fight in the fourth was was working Vinan over in the middle of the ring when Vinan was staggered and Referee Kenny Bayless stepped between the boxers and stopped the fight. Mercito Gesta gets a TKO victory at 1:20 of the 4th and remains undefeated.

Flores vs. Alexander

The final bout of the night featured Las Vegas resident Angel Flores (8-1, 1 KO) against Ricky Alexander (7-4, 5 KOs) of Oklahoma City, OK. The first was kind of sloppy, with neither dominating and both trying to figure the other out. In the second, Flores got a tiring Alexander on the ropes and worked him over until Referee Robert Byrd stopped the action at 2:37. Flores gets a TKO win to please his local followers and end up an evening of good boxing in Las Vegas.

October 3, 2007

Thurrsday Fights at The Hard Rock

by:

Fernando Montiel-Luis Melendez WBO Super Flyweight Championship Bout Headlines Next VERSUS "Fight Night" LIVE on October 4 at 9 p.m. ET

Undefeated WBC #2-Ranked Urbano Antillon Meets Allan Visayas in Super Lightweight Bout on Undercard

STAMFORD, Conn. (October 3, 2007) - A 12-round showdown between Fernando Montiel (34-2, 25 KOs) and Luis Melendez (25-2, 20 KOs) for the WBO Super Flyweight Championship will be featured on the next edition of Fight Night on VERSUS in collaboration with Top Rank Boxing, Thursday, October 4 at 9 p.m. ET from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 28-year-old Montiel, a native of Los Mochis, Mexico, last defended his WBO Super Flyweight title against Cecilio Santos on July 14, 2007 on Sonora, Mexico, by TKO in the 10th round. Melendez, the 27-year-old Colombian contender, defeated opponent Rafael Castillo (KO) in the 4th round of his last bout, on June 30, 2007 from Cartagena, Colombia.

The undercard will be headlined by a 10-round bout between Urbano Antillon (19-0, 12 KOs) and Alan Visayas (21-7, 15 KOs). Antillon, the 25-year-old Mexico native who trains out of Maywood, California, has not lost a fight since he first entered the Super Lightweight circuit on November 30, 2000. In 19 victories, only one has come by way of split decision: a 10-round bout against Fernando Trejo from Sycuan Resort & Casino in El Cajon, California on December 23, 2005. Visayas, the 33-year-old challenger from the Philippines was defeated by Roger Gonzalez (KO) in the fourth round of an 8-round bout from Maywood, California on April 13, 2007.

Veteran fight announcer Nick Charles and Wally Matthews, a veteran boxing writer who has covered the sport for two decades, will host. Michael Buffer, the tuxedoed announcer who coined the catchphrase "Let's get ready to rumble!" will again serve as the ring announcer for fight.

September 30, 2007

Amateur Boxing at Trinity High School

by: Steven Robinson

Results 9/29/07

70-75 lbs - Francisco Cdevaca (KO Boxing) over Blake Flores (Elite) - Points

115-120 lbs - Oscar Valdez (Westside Boxing) over Taylor Larson (Elite) - Points

133-138 lbs - Jose Portillo (Unattached) over Jerome Foster (UNLV) - Points

159-166 lbs - Bradley Blankenship (Elite) over Greg Murrell (UNLV) - Points

162-166 lbs - James Alexander (Steele Boxing) over Robert Caton (Westminster) - Points

Super Heavyweight - Kaspars Kambala (Steele's) over Joseph Schultz (Unattached) - RSC

September 23, 2007

Back To School Boxing at Barry's

by: Steven Robinson

Results of Saturday's Amateur Matches

Antonio Rangel (East Valley) over Noah Contreras (Mohave Valley) - Points

Elisio Duran (Las Vegas Boxing) over Jose Gurrara (Salvation Army) - Points

Gerardo Prieto (Mohave Valley) over Hector Catala (Barry's) - Points

Carlos Mendez (Barry's) over Luis Mena (A-T Gym) - Points

Andres Valdez (Barry's) over Adrian Cruz(East Valley) - Points

Steven Jones (Barry's) over James Lundsden (Barry's) - Points

Luis Rivera (Barry's) over Fernando Urbaneja (A-T Gym) - RSC

Rigaberto Lugardo (East Valley) over Maxim Jestin (Barry's) - Points

Jose Espinosa (A-T Gym) over Zachery Fox (Unattached) - DQ

Ricardo Calzada (Unattached) over Jorge Prieto (Mohave Valley)- Points

Marco Torres (Mohave Valley) over Raul Duhart (Las Vegas Boxing)-Points

Christopher Eubank (Barry's) over Benjamin Upton (Unattached)-RSC

Alexis Hernandez (Las Vegas Boxing) over Erik Ramos (Las Vegas Boxing) - Points

September 18, 2007

Mayweather vs Hatton Sold Out

by:

MAYWEATHER VS. HATTON TICKETS SOLD OUT

FOR FIGHT AT MGM GRAND IN DECEMBER

MGM MIRAGE To Host Closed Circuit Viewing; Tickets Now On Sale

LAS VEGAS  With tickets for UNDEFEATED, the welterweight championship fight between Floyd Mayweather and Ricky Hatton, having sold out immediately earlier this morning, MGM MIRAGE will host closed circuit viewing at several properties, including MGM Grand, where tickets went on sale today. The championship card scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena will be produced and distributed live by HBO-Pay-Per-View at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST.

Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Treasure Island, New York-New York, Luxor, Monte Carlo and Excalibur also will host closed circuit viewing with tickets going on sale Monday, Oct. 1. Tickets for the closed circuit telecast are priced at $50, not including handling fees.

The venues will televise the most highly anticipated welterweight showdown in years and will open doors at 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at each individual propertys box office outlets or by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. For MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay venues, tickets also will be available by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 702-474-4000. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person and all seats are general admission.

The fight features two undefeated welterweights with a combined record of 81-0. Mayweather, a six-division champion and boxings pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, will face the British icon Hatton, a two-time world champion and universally recognized as the best junior welterweight in the world today. This will be the biggest match-up of two undefeated welterweights since the record-setting mega-fight between Oscar de la Hoya and Felix Trinidad in 1999.

September 18, 2007

Marquez - Juarez Back On

by:

MARQUEZ VS. JUAREZ BACK ON  NOVEMBER 3!

SHOWTIME To Televise 130-Pound World Championship Bout, Plus, Featherweight Title Bout Between Guerrero and Honorio In First SHOWTIME Televised Golden Boy Event Saturday, November 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 15, 2007)  Boxing fans were left disappointed last week by the announcement that the WBC super featherweight title bout between Juan Manuel Marquez and Rocky Juarez was called off due to a Marquez injury, but thanks to some quick work by Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME, this championship bout has been quickly rescheduled  along with the IBF featherweight title bout between Robert Guerrero and Martin Honorio  for Saturday, Nov. 3.

Marquez-Juarez is a fight the fans wanted to see, and we pulled out all the stops to make it happen before the end of the year, said Oscar de la Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions. But we couldnt have done this without Ken Hershman and SHOWTIME. We thank them for helping us put this great fight back on and are excited to be promoting our first SHOWTIME event.

Delivering real fights for real fight fans on the first Saturday of every month is our trademark, said Hershman, senior vice president and general manager, Showtime Sports & Event Programming. We are excited to be working with Oscar and his company and were proud to deliver such a compelling match-up on the network.

Marquez, the WBC super featherweight champion, was forced to withdraw from his original date with Juarez (this Saturday, Sept. 15) after suffering an infection in his right hand. Doctors have assured the champion that he will be healed and ready to go for the rescheduled date of Nov. 3.

Marquez vs. Juarez, which headlines an exciting night of world-class professional boxing presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Romanza Productions, will air live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Mexico Citys Juan Manuel Marquez (47-3-1, 35 KOs) captured his second world championship and launched himself back into the upper reaches of the pound-for-pound list with a thrilling victory over the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera on March 17 of this year. Marquez, one of the best technicians of this era, is also known for his warrior heart, which led him to get off the canvas three times in the first round and battle to a 12-round draw against Manny Pacquiao in their Fight of the Year candidate in 2004. Houstons Rocky Juarez (27-3, 19 KOs), a 2000 Olympic Silver medalist for the United States, has also met with great success in the pro ranks. Best remembered for his two bout series with Marco Antonio Barrera, the aggressive Juarez has won two in a row in 2007 and is eager to make it three by taking Marquez world title.

One of the most exciting young champions in the sport today, Robert The Ghost Guerrero (20-1-1, 13 KOs) was considered to be a slick boxer early in his pro career, but has since developed into a two-fisted boxer-puncher who is deadly in all aspects of the sweet science. In his last bout, the 24-year old from Gilroy, California won the vacant IBF featherweight crown with an impressive ninth round TKO of veteran Spend Abazi. In Martin Honorio (24-3-1, 12 KOs), Guerrero will be facing a hungry contender who has waited a long time for his shot at the world title. Unbeaten in his last seven fights, this Mexico City resident is coming off solid back-to-back wins over Rogers Mtagwa and Joe Morales to earn this title opportunity.

A venue for the Nov. 3 Marquez vs. Juarez fight will be announced shortly.

September 17, 2007

Arce Wins By TKO

by: Steven Robinson

Main Event WBC Latino Bantamweight Championship

Arce vs. Rojas

In the past few years we have seen Jorge Arce (46-4-1, 35 KOs) dominate several opponents on undercards of Top Rank boxing events. Last April Arce fought in San Antonio, TX for the WBC World Championship against defending Champ Christian Mijares and lost a one-sided Unanimous Decision. Tonight at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Arce was the featured fighter on his come-back trail to another championship bout. He took on Tomas Rojas (25-8-0, 17 KOs) of Veracruz, Mexico who has lost four of his last nine fights, one of whi