New Faces: Nicholas Walters

The Jamaica Observer

By Robert Coster

Featherweight Nicholas Walters (14-0, 11 KOs) is the first serious boxing prospect to come out of Jamaica in years. The 24-year-old, based and fighting in Panama, entered the WBA rankings last December when he won the WBA Fedelatin title. Walters is now ranked 11th and his fights are being eagerly followed by the Jamaican press and the island’s boxing fans. (more…)

Windy City Boxing

By Jacob Chavez at Ringside
Photos by John Booz

Fight fans in Chicago, IL were treated to a night of solid action this past Saturday at the UIC Pavilion as promoter Dominic Pesoli of 8 Count Productions presented a card that showcased young talent looking to make a statement in their respective divisions. (More)

Marrone returns with KO

Last Saturday night, professional boxing made its return to Miami Beach, on historic Collins Avenue and 67th street at the Deauville Beach Resort with a card presented by Jeff Gibson’s Elite Promotions.

In the main event, 24-year-old heavyweight Mike Marrone (19-1, 14 KOs) made an impressive return to the ring after a two year absence by knocking out a game, hard fighting 31-year-old Joseph Rabotte (8-14-1, 3 KOs) who had gone the distance his previous nine bouts and winning one by TKO. In the scheduled eight rounder, Marrone was able to score the knockout by displaying strong jabs and body shots throughout the fight which lead to a powerful right at 1:49 of the fifth round that ended the fight. (more…)

Chavez Jr in San Antonio

Photo by Rafael Soto/Top Rank

Undefeated and world ranked Julio Cesar Chavez Jr landed in San Antonio, Texas today where this Saturday’s clash will take place when he takes on John Duddy in the main event of “Latin Fury 15″ on a big pay-per-view card at the Alamodome. Chavez Jr arrived with his new trainer Freddie Roach and his assistant Alex Ariza. Chavez Jr will participate in a media workout today in the Jesse James Leija gym in San Antonio on Tuesday. Click here for more photos…

Castillo victorious in return

Photo by Zanfer

Former lightweight world champion José Luis Castillo decided to give himself another chance and returned to the ring with a unanimous decicion over veteran Roberto Valenzuela over eight rounds at 142 pounds. The fight took place in Tijuana’s Auditorio Municipal and was part of the show supporting the “Torneo Guante Azteca” with more than 3000 people in attendance. Castillo bested Valenzuela in a duel of two fighters from Sonora, reaching victory number 60 in his carreer, 52 of them by knockout, along with ten losses and a draw. “Honestly I felt really good. I was testing myself. I wanted to show that March 13 in Arlington was a bad night. Now I want a chance for a world championship at super lightweight. That’s my goal for this year,” commented Castillo who looked in excellent shape.

Lo Greco stops Ziemliewicz

Italian Canadian Phil Lo Greco (20-0, 11 KOs) won the vacant WBC International welterweight title for TKO in round 9 against brave Poland Slawomir Ziemliewicz (20- 6-2, 4 KOs) last Friday night in the island of Sicily, Italy. It was the first fight in Italy for the 25 years old Lo Greco. His parents are from Sicily. On the undercard 22 years old lightweight knockout artist Luca Giacon (11-0, 11 KOs) keep is record perfect with a fifth round stoppage of usually durable Araik Sachbazjan and cruiserweight Vincenzo Rossitto (39-6-2, 23 KOs) decisioned an unwilling to fight Jiri Svacina on eight rounds. OPI 2000 (Salvatore and Christian Cherchi) promoted the show with Dahlia TV televised the all card live in Italy.

Ward-Green: Full Report

Ringside Report: Robert Hough and Rocco Morales
Photos: Laura De La Torre

Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (22-0, 13 KOs) beat up Allan “Sweetness” Green (29-2, 19 KOs) for twelve rounds during the final Group Stage 2 matchup of the SHOWTIME “Super Six” tournament at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., to retain his WBA super-middleweight title and guarantee himself a position in the Super Six semi-finals prior to his Group Stage 3 bout against Andre Dirrell. (More)

TKO Boxing inks Alantez Fox

Sensational amateur prospect Alantez “TEZ” Fox has signed with TKO Boxing Promotions, it was announced today by its CEO Chris Middendorf. “Alantez is one of the best, young amateur prospects in the world and we’re very excited to welcome him to the TKO Boxing team” said Middendorf. “He’s a terrific young man who’s very anxious to get started in his pro career.” Fox joins an excellent crop of recent signees by TKO Boxing Promotions which includes flyweight Randy Caballero, super bantamweight Dodie Boy Penalosa Jr., junior middleweight Mikael Zewski, middleweight J’ Leon Love and welterweights Michael Finney and Eric Mendez. (more…)

More Results From Spokane

By Sam DiTusa at ringside

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights from Spokane aired three fights, but as is usual the undercard of unknowns, up and comers, and down and outers offered good dollar value for the boxing fan. (more…)

Cano headlines Friday

This week’s Telefutura telecast features unbeaten lightweight Pablo Cesar Cano (18-0-1, 15 KOs) in a tough test against Colombian veteran Oscar Leon (28-12, 18 KOs) on Friday night at midnight from the Plaza La Condesa Auditórium in Mexico City. The co-feature has undefeated light heavyweight prospect Marco Antonio Periban (7-0, 4 KOs) against TBA.

Titov wins EBU purse bid

Russian promoter German Titov won the EBU purse bid for the vacant European heavyweight championship between Alexander Dimitrenko and Denis Bakhtov. Titov bid 260,000 euros, outdistancing bids of Arena 157,000 euros and Universum 156,800 euros.

Brähmer opponent named

WBO light heavyweight world champion Jürgen Brähmer (36-2, 29 KOs) will defend his belt against reigning WBO-Europe champion Alejandro Lakatos (31-5-2, 23 KOs) of Spain on the July 17 “Universum Champions Night” in Schwerin, Germany. “He’s very experienced,” said Brähmer, “a compact kid, very strong. I saw his fight against “The Tiger” (Dariusz Michelczewski) in 2001 because I boxed on the same event. If I concentrate on outboxing him, nothing should go wrong.” Promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl added “Lakatos is a hard nut to crack for Jürgen. He was ahead against the Tiger until he ran into a knockout punch by Dariusz. He’s #8 in the WBO rankings and a real test for Jürgen. He will be putting pressure all the time.”
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It was also announced that on the same card “The Killer Queeen” WBO/WBA/WIBF flyweight champion Susi Kentikian (27-0, 16 KOs) will defend her title against unbeaten Arely Mucino (11-0-1, 6 KOs) of Mexico. “My trainer Magomed Schaburow told me that Arely is very awkward to box. We must be prepared for anything,” commented Kentikian.

Full report: Reynoso-Ambriz

By Francisco Salazar
Photo by Big Joe Miranda

Back in January, Ariz Ambriz and Jose Reynoso fought to a spirited, yet disputed split-decision draw. On Friday night, Reynoso took the initiative in their rematch, working hard to have his arm raised in victory as opposed to both fighters’ arms five months prior. Reynoso was able to control the middle rounds and was the more effective fighter in the end, winning an eight round majority decision before a boisterous crowd of about 1,400 at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA. The bout headlined a five-bout “New Blood 2″ card, presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions. For more details and photos click here…

Dimitrenko-Bakhtov purse bid

At noon Monday, the European Boxing Union EBU will hold a purse bid ceremony for the vacant European heavyweight championship between Alexander Dimitrenko and Denis Bakhtov at the EBU office in Rome. While Dimitrenko’s promoter Universum has already announced to stage the title fight between Alexander Dimitrenko and Denis Bakhtov on July 31st, Russia’s German Titov and ARENA Sports-Promotion who share the promotional rights on Bakhtov are both expected to place their bids for the championship bout as well. If ARENA or Universum place the winning bid, the fight will most probably take place in Germany. Titov will try to bring the fight to Russia.

The Path of John Duddy

Story: Matt Richardson
Photos: Ed Mulholland

Life, it is said, is a series of goals and destinations. Work and rewards. Dreams and hopes. One inevitably leads to another. Go to a good school and you’ll get a good job. Get a good job and you’ll make some money. With the money come the cars. Somewhere a long the line you’ll meet your spouse and get married. You’ll have kids and buy a home. That’s the way it’s supposed to work, or, at least, the way we’re told it’s supposed to work. (More)

“Smiley” Stuns Carter

By Damien St. Pierre / www.gulfcoastboxing.com

The comeback of 44-year-old cruiserweight Dominick Carter (30-10, 17 KOs) was spoiled on Saturday night at the Sugarmill in New Orleans, Louisiana. The spoiler, “Smiley” Martin Verdin (17-15-1, 10 KOs) of Dulac, Louisiana. Verdin had Carter down in round one and quicky finished him off with a big right hand in round one. Carter was returning after a ten year layoff. This bout was the main event of a 12-bout MMA / boxing event. It was the only boxing match of the night.

Ward finishes the conversation

By Robert Hough
Photos by Laura De laTorre

Andre Ward couldn’t resist grinning a little and asking the question–“Hummingbird?”– to Lou DiBella, Allan Green’s promoter, at the post-fight press conference. Green, who said before the fight that Ward was speedy, elusive and harmless, “a hummingbird,” wasn’t there. He was taken to a hospital for a check-up after Ward hammered him for 12 rounds at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. For more details and photos click here…

Serrano, Wright win in Tacoma

By Sam DiTusa at ringside

Tacoma, Washington’s Emerald Queen Casino was rocking on Saturday night in anticipation of the return of one of the areas favorite fighters, Walter Wright. Wright had been on a two year hiatus and was generally inactive since his stint with the Contender TV show. Wright chose to return to the ring against Joshua Snyder, (8-5-1), which turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. While Wright was heavy, 167 pounds, he still had his quickness and ability to counter punch. Considering his long lay-off, timing and reflex issues were expected and evident, but Wright made his way through five uneventful rounds until he hurt Snyder in round six and finished with a flurry. Wright won a unanimous decision. (more…)

Mendez victorious

Before a vocal crowd of 1,072 boxing fans at the Mc Dermont Field House in Lindsay, California, area boxing star Paul Mendez scored a hard fought unanimous decision over a game Mario Ortiz in the featured bout of the inaugural melee at the McDermont boxing show co-promoted by Fernando Vargas’s Vargas Entertainment Promotions an Roy Englebrecht Promotions. (more…)

Sakkreerin defeats Origenes

By Ray Wheatley–World of Boxing
Photo by Johnny Chaichotchuang

Former world rated featherweight Fahsai Sakkreerin (27-2, 12 KOs) was impressive in scoring a six round technical decision over Filipino Ericson Origenes (7-2-2, 5 KOs) at the Holland Beer Entertainment Center in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday. Sakkreerin connected with solid left hooks and right hands consistently on the taller Origenes in rounds one, two and three to control the action. The Filipino scored with solid straight lefts and power right hands in rounds four to edge the round. In round six Sakkreerin suffered a cut over the right eye due to accidental head clash and the doctor ruled it too severe to continue at 2:44. It went to the score cards and Sakkreerin was awarded a decision: 59-55, 59-55, 59-55. For more details and photos click here…

Extraordinary Women Of The Ring

The first “Extraordinary Women Of The Ring” book signing in the USA was at the Women’s Golden Gloves in Hollywood, Florida on June 17-19. Boxer’s Alicia Ashley, Bonnie Canino and Barbara Buttrick, who are in the book were there with Mary Ann Owen author/photographer doing book signings. Many fans were purchasing multiple copies of the book. Book signings are planned for Las Vegas, New Mexico, California and NYC. “Extraordinary Women Of The Ring ” is the first book of its kind to focus on women’s boxing. Click here for more photos…