Moses, Acosta make weight

Gabriel F. Cordero

By Gabriel F. Cordero

At the Windhoek Hotel, Resort and Country Club in Namibia, Venezuelan Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta (26-3-2, 20 KOs) and Namibian Paulus “The Hitman” Moses (25-0, 17 KOs) both came in under the lightweight limit in advance of their clash this Saturday to unify the WBA lightweight Interim and regular championship. Acosta weighed in at 134 and Moses tipped the scale at 132. For more details and photos click here…

Klitschko-Sosnowski weights

Pavel Terekhov/Team Klitschko

By Alexey “Oscar” Potapov

Vitali Klitschko 247 (112 kg) vs Albert Sosnowski 224.5 (101,8 kg)
(WBC heavyweight championship)
Johnathon Banks 225.5 vs Jason Gavern 225.5
(NABF heavyweight title)
Nendad Borovcanin 219 vs Raymond Ochieng 218
Venue: Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Promoter: K2 Promotions and Klitschko Management Group
PPV: Distributed in North America by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3 PM/ET – 12 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, Avail-TVN and DISH Network in the United States, as well as Bell TV, Shaw PPV and Viewer’s Choice in Canada, for a suggested retail price of $24.95. Click here for more photos…

Q&A: Miguel “Mikey” Garcia

Ricardo Conde

By Ricardo Conde

In his last outing, USBA featherweight champion, Miguel “Mikey” Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs) of Oxnard, CA, under the watchful eye of his brother, former junior lightweight champion Robert Garcia and his father Eduardo Garcia, defeated Pedro “El Vaquero” Navarrete (24-8-3, 13 KOs) of Mexico via unanimous decision on Latin Fury 14, which featured the return of the “Tijuana Tornado” Antonio Margarito, in Aguascalientes, Mexico. (more…)

Weights from Quebec City

By Dave Spencer/Fightnews Canada

Librado Andrade 169.1 vs. Eric Lucas 169.3
Renan St-Juste 159.7 vs. Marcus Upshaw 159.7
Pier Olivier Cote 134.9 vs. Hugo Armenta 135.4
Pipino Cuevas Jr 131.5 vs. Benoit Gaudet 131.3
Francy Ntetu 170.5 vs. Ahmad Selemani 170.8
Eric Martel 246.8 vs. Chad Thrun 218.1
John Hoffman 153.1 vs. Mikael Zewski 150.8
Venue: Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Promoter: Interbox
Television: ESPN2

M’Baye, Decarie make weight

By Gabriel F. Cordero

Souleymane M’Baye and Antonin Decarie both came in under the welterweight limit as they get ready to clash this Friday for the vacant WBA Interim welterweight championship. M’Baye weighed in at 146.2 and Decarie tipped the scale at 146.7. The fight will be In Levallois Perret, France. Referee Mikael Hook (Sweden) will be the third man. The three judges are Pierluigi Poppi (Italy), Jose Ignacio Martinez (Spain) and Jhon Coyle (England). The fight supervisor is Gilberto Jesus Mendoza (Venezuela), who is also the WBA executive Vice-President.

Briggs, Calloway at the scales

Report & photos by Chris Perry

The official weigh-in for the International Championship Boxing Knockout Series May 28 event at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia was held on Thursday at Knuckleheads Roadhouse in Virginia Beach. On a quest for another heavyweight title opportunity, Shannon Briggs will challenge ring veteran Rob Calloway in Friday night’s main event. Briggs (50-5-1, 44 KOs) weighed in at 266 pounds while Calloway (75-11-2, 60 KOs) was 212 pounds.  (more…)

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Briggs wants to make noise

Story by David L. Hudson

This power-punching heavyweight has won 50 professional boxing matches, including a literal last-second win over Sergei Lyakhovich to win the WBO world heavyweight title. He possesses devastating power as witnessed by his 44 stoppages, but this pugilist has shown severe stamina problems at times in part due to his asthma. He has squared off against former heavyweight champions George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, Ray Mercer and Sultan Ibragimov in a career that began in 1992 with 10 first round stoppages in his first 12 bouts. He reeled off 25 consecutive victories to begin his career before a surprising kayo loss to Darroll Wilson.

His name is Shannon Briggs  . . Click here for more

Q&A: Rob Calloway

Interview by David Finger

After a career that has spanned nearly 18 years, it appears that Rob “All-American Prizefighter” Calloway (70-11-2, 57 KO’s) is close to calling it a career.

Besides owning one of the most successful fitness clubs in St. Joseph, Missouri (the Team Calloway Family Heath & Fitness Club) he also has started working as a physical therapist. It appears that Calloway looks poised to enter his post-boxing life with more going for him than most former fighters . . . Click here for more

USS Cunningham hits Berlin

Photo Wende

Steve “USS” Cunningham (22-2, 11 KOs) has moved his training camp to Berlin´s famed Max-Schmeling-Gym where the former champion continues his preparation for the showdown with Troy Ross (23-1, 16 KOs). The duo will clash for the vacant IBF Cruiserweight Title in Neubrandenburg, Germany on June 5 when Cunningham makes his first fight under the promotional banner of Team Sauerland. “It is great to be back in Germany,” Cunningham said. “I only have the best memories of the country and the fans. We have been received very well here in Berlin. The set-up in the Max-Schmeling-Gym is great. We got all we need to prepare for the big fight next week.” (more…)

Q&A: Sebastian Sylvester

Photo Wende

IBF Middleweight Champion Sebastian Sylvester (33-3, 16 KOs) will make a second defence of his title in Neubrandenburg, Germany on June 5 when he takes on mandatory challenger Roman Karmazin (40-3, 26 KOs). Boxing-Online.com has caught up with the 29-year-old “Hurricane” ahead of what could be the most difficult fight of his career. (more…)

Hasim Rahman workout

Mary Ann Owen

By Mary Ann Owen

Hasim Rahman training at the new gym called “The Hit Factory” in Las Vegas Nevada located at 2206 Paradise Rd. The gym is owned by William Haney and Stephen Grant. The gym doors are locked, everyone has to ring the door bell in order to gain access. Haney said he wanted to maintain security for his gym and give the fighters more privacy so they can train without any distractions. The gym also has an amateur program. For more details and photos click here…

John Duddy workout

Ireland’s John Duddy works out in the Pocono Mountains preparing for Son of the Legend Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. The fight card will be broadcast live on Pay-Per-View.

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Don King Kiev presser

By Alexey “Oscar” Potapov

Alexey 'Oscar' Potapov

Legendary promoter Don King held a press conference in Kiev, Ukraine together with Kiev mayor Leonid Chernovetskyi and Ukrainian promoters Vadim Bukhkalov and Stepan Chernovetskyi. King, who was in the Ukraine on the invitation former WBA light welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik, was delighted with his warm reception.

“I am very glad that I could visit Ukraine, in Kiev. It is a magnificent city,” said King, “I can compare it to New York and Paris. You are very hospitable, open people. I love Ukraine. I love the Ukrainian people. I shall become a voice which will shout all over the world about what a remarkable country this is and what fine people live here! The beauty of the Ukrainian women has especially amazed me. They are fine! Here again, I see all the beauties here. I’m proud that I will work with Ukrainian boxers and represent Ukraine on the world scene.” (more…)

Zewski ready for battle

Photo courtesy TKO Boxing

Top welterweight prospect Mikael Zewski will face veteran John Hoffman in a scheduled four round bout in his Canadian debut Friday night, May 28th, at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

The Zewski/Hoffman scheduled four rounder is one of the featured undercard bouts on the ESPN2 televised, highly anticipated showdown between legendary Quebec former world champion Eric Lucas and perennial contender Librado Andrade. (more…)

Yuri Foreman ring entrance

Just prior to undefeated WBA super welterweight champion and future rabbi Yuri Foreman’s ring walk to his first world title defense will be the sounding of the shofar. The shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. The sounding of the shofar is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. “Welcome to Yankel Stadium,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “We are very fortunate to have Israel’s No. 1 entertainer Yoni Dror of Tel Aviv attending the fight to sound the shofar immediately prior to Yuri’s ring walk. Yoni was thrilled when we asked him and we were even happier he accepted. Yoni is beyond compare when it comes to sounding the shofar. It will be a very dramatic beginning to a very symbolic event.” (more…)

Chavez, Barrera Presser

Photos: Rafael Soto, Top Rank/Zanfer

Undefeated and number one world ranked Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and the three-time world champion, Marco Antonio Barrera were in San Antonio today to promote their upcoming fights on the big “Latin Fury 15″ boxing card that Top Rank will be telecast on pay-per-view from the Alamodome on Saturday, June 26. Chavez Jr (40-0-1, 30 KOs) of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico will take on John Duddy (29-1, 18 KOs) of Ireland in the main event of the card that is being promoted by Top Rank, Promociones Zanfer and Tecate beer. (more…)

“Fists Of Steel” PPV Fact Sheet

WHAT: “Fists Of Steel” PPV
WHEN: Saturday, May 29, 2010 – 3PM/ET, Noon/PT
WHERE: Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
PROMOTER: K2 Promotions and Klitschko Management Group

WBC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
MAIN EVENT – 12 ROUNDS
Vitali “Dr. Ironfist” Klitschko (39-2, 37 KOs)
vs Albert “The Dragon” Sosnowski (45-2-1, 27 KOs)

NABF HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
CO-FEATURE – 12 ROUNDS
Johnathon Banks (24-1, 17 KOs)
vs Jason Gavern (19-7-3, 8 KOs)

CRUISERWEIGHTS — 6 ROUNDS
Nendad Borovcanin (25-0, 18 KOs)
vs Raymond Ochieng (21-10-2, 17 KOs)

PAY-PER-VIEW INFORMATION: Distributed in North America by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3 PM/ET – 12 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, Avail-TVN and DISH Network in the United States, as well as Bell TV, Shaw PPV and Viewer’s Choice in Canada, for a suggested retail price of $24.95. (more…)

Cotto-Foreman WBA officials

By Gabriel F. Cordero

American referee Arthur Mercante Jr. will be the third man in the ring when WBA super welterweight world champion Yuri Foreman (28-0, 8 KOs) and former world champion Miguel Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs) meet at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York on June 5. The three judges are Alfredo Steve Weisfeld (USA), Don Ackerman (USA) and Tony Paolillo (USA). The fight supervisor is Aurelio Fiengo (Panama).

Cotto guarantees victory

By Karl Freitag

Two division world champion Miguel Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs) guaranteed that he’ll become the new WBA super welterweight champion when he challenges WBA 154lb titleholder Yuri Foreman (28-0, 8 KOs) on June 5th at Yankee Stadium. Cotto wouldn’t specify whether it would be a KO or a decision, but he vowed that he would leave the ring as champion. Cotto’s new trainer Emanuel Steward stated Cotto’s best weight is probably around 150 so the 154lb division is perfect for him. Steward also said Foreman punches better than his record indicates.

Official IBF Statement

On Tuesday, May 25, 2010, the Board of Directors of the IBF/USBA called a special meeting to address issues concerning the governance of the organization. Concerns had grown among some of the Board members regarding the President, Ms. Muhammad’s, management of the organization and whether or not certain actions and decisions were in the best interest of the organization or were fiscally sound. During the meeting, a vote was taken and, by a majority vote, Ms. Muhammad was removed from her position as President of the organization, a position she has held since October 2001. She was also removed as one of the directors.

The decision to take these actions was not an easy one, as the Board had great appreciation for Ms. Muhammad’s dedication to the organization from its inception. This was not a matter of personal differences, but a matter of concern as to the leadership and management of the IBF.

Former Ratings Chairman Daryl J. Peoples, who has been with the IBF since 1995, was appointed by the Board of Directors as President. He will serve for the remainder of Ms. Muhammad’s term. Lindsey E. Tucker has also been reappointed to his post of Championships Chairman. Mr. Peoples’ former position of Ratings Chairman remains open, but will be filled in the near future.

The IBF/USBA now looks forward to an informative and productive annual convention in Puerto Rico next week and to continuing as one of the leading sanctioning organizations in the world with the help of its membership.