Ustinov to face Vidoz

By Alexey “Oscar” Potapov

K2 Promotions Ukraine is planning a July 26 show in Kiev headlined by unbeaten EBA (European Boxing Association) heavyweight champion Alexander Ustinov (20-0, 16 KOs) against former Euro champ Paolo Vidoz (26-8, 15 KOs).

Vazquez warns Marquez

Three-time world champion Israel Vazquez says he will definitely be the winner when he and two-division world champion Rafael Marquez collide for a fourth time on Saturday’s highly anticipated “Once And Four All” fistic extravaganza at STAPLES Center on SHOWTIME. “My motivation to win is like none I have had before,” said Vazquez. “Mentally and physically, I feel like a new man. If Marquez is saying he is going to knock me out, he is making a big mistake. I am going to win this fight, no doubt about it. I can’t say how, that’s a mystery. But whether it goes the distance or ends early, I will be the winner again.” Vazquez currently leads the epic series, 2-1.

Weights from Tampa

Danny Santiago 177 vs, William Bailey 177.5
Marcus Willis 151.25 vs. Stalinn Lopez 152
Christina Swanson 135 vs. Jaqueline Hernandez 132.5
Azea Augustama 178.75 vs. Adam Collins (177
Marquis Davis 159.75 vs. Donald Clark (159.25
Reynaldo Cepeda 146.75 vs. Steven Benjamine 145.25
Enrique Rios 122.25 vs. Yuniel Ramos 123
Venue: Tampa Westshore Doubletree Hotel
Promoter: One Punch Productions

Bedak arrives in Puerto Rico

Jose I. Perez Cabrera

Unbeaten Universum-promoted Zsolt Bedak (15-0, 5 KOs) of Hungary arrived at the airport in Puerto Rico on Thursday. Bedak will challenge WBO junior featherweight champion Wilfredo Vázquez Jr. of Puerto Rico (18-0-1, 15 KOs) on May 29th in a 12 round world title main event. The bout will take place at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico with PR Best Boxing (Iván and Peter Rivera) in association with All Star Boxing’s Félix ‘Tutico’ Zabala promoting the event titled ‘Undefeated Champions.’ (more…)

Chavez-Attah June 11th

Former two-division world champion Jesus ‘El Matador’ Chavez (44-7, 30 KOs) will look to end a three fight losing streak as he takes on former world title challenger Daniel Attah (24-5-1, 8 KOs) who hopes to end a two fight slide. The bout will take place in Chavez’ hometown of Austin, Texas on June 11th and be a 10 round lightweight main event. Golden Boy Promotions will promote the fight card.

Weights from NYC

Shannon Briggs 258 vs Dominique Alexander 228
Mike Faragon 136.25 vs Francisco Palacios 137
Sean Monaghan 173.25 vs Simeon Trigueno 167
Sadam Ali 151 vs Martinus Clay 153
Hastings “Sting” Bwalya 149.25 vs Ashantie Hendrickson 148
Bowie Tupou 254 vs Alexis Mejias 238
Angel Concepcion 179 vs Charles Wade 180
Venue: Capitale New York in Manhattan
Promoter: The Empire
Tickets: $200, $150 and $50 General Admission. Doors open at 7 PM, and the first bout is at 8.

Concepion PR workout

Photo: PR Best Boxing Promotions/Jose Perez

Today in Puerto Rico world ranked challenger, Bernabe Concepcion held a media workout at the Wilfredo Gomez Arena in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, before returning the Philippines to prepare for his world title challenge against WBO Featherweight champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez on July 10 in Puerto Rico. Click here for more + photos.

Burgos ready for Castillo

Carlos Baeza/Thompson Boxing

Undefeated WBC #2 ranked Juan Carlos Burgos has set up training camp in the Jalisco capital of Guadalajara, Mexico, as he prepares for his duel with experienced Ricardo Castillo on May 29th. 
Burgos (24-0, 17 KO´s), will risk his high WBC ranking in the featherweight division against Ricardo Castillo (38-7-1, 25 KOs), a man that has had almost fifty fights and has twice challenged for a world title. (more…)

Relive the classic trilogy!

Photos by Chris Cozzone

Israel Vazquez (44-4, 33 KO’s) and Rafael Marquez (38-5, 34 KO’s) will face off in the fourth installment of what is one of the greatest boxing rivalries of all-time on Saturday, May 22, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles,live on SHOWTIME® at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast). Relive the first three wars, courtesy of Fightnews, below:

Vazquez vs. Marquez I
Vazquez vs. Marquez II
Vazquez vs. Marquez III

McGuinness battles at Mohegan

Photo courtesy of Hennessy Sports

Undefeated Canadian junior lightweight prospect Logan McGuinness will make his debut in the United States this Saturday, May 22nd against Columbian veteran Walter Estrada as part of the TKO Boxing Promotions’ “Hometown Heroes to World Champions” event at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.

“Hometown Heroes to World Champions” is headlined by an IBO Middleweight Title fight between Peter “The Pride of Providence” Manfredo Jr. and Chicago’s Angel “Toro” Hernandez.

After winning his five starts in 2009, the Ontario, Canada native McGuinness looked very sharp in his first start of 2010, defeating Mexican veteran Pedro Navarette on March 6th over eight rounds by unanimous decision. (more…)

“Toro” hits Mohegan Sun

Angel “Toro” Hernandez is shown arriving at the Mohegan Sun two days ahead of his Saturday showdown against Peter “The Pride of Providence’ Manfredo for the vacant IBO Middleweight Title.

“They picked the wrong guy, they think I’m old and slow, but they got it wrong. I trained properly for this fight, not just to lose weight like in the past, I’m here to beat Manfredo on Saturday night” said the native Chicagoan.

The Hernandez/Manfredo bout headlines an action packed ten bout HOMETOWN HEROES TO WORLD CHAMPIONS card presented by TKO Boxing Promotions. (more…)

Q&A: Fernando Vargas

Ricardo Conde

By Ricardo Conde

Former two time junior middleweight champion “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas (26-5, 22 KOs) of Oxnard, CA will be promoting his first event, “Melee at McDermont”, under the Vargas Entertainment Promotions banner, along with Roy Englebrecht Promotions, on Saturday, June 19th that will feature former super flyweight champion Martin “El Gallo” Castillo (35-3, 18 KOs) in the main event taking on Vernie Torres (27-12, 15 KOs) of the Philippines at the McDermont Field House in Lindsay, CA. Vargas reached super-stardom early on in his career by becoming the youngest champion in the junior middleweight division’s history and by always putting on an exciting show for the fans with his aggressive style, having fought the likes of Shane Mosley, Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad as well as many others. He now looks to do the same outside the ring as a promoter. (more…)

Don King in Germany (Video)

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Kennedy ready for Beranza

By Rick Scharmberg

Rick Scharmberg

When USBA super bantamweight champion Teon “The Technician” Kennedy made his pro debut on January 11, 2007, the knowledgeable fight crowd at the former New Alhambra in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania were quick to compare him with the great hall-of-fame bantamweight champion, “Joltin’” Jeff Chandler. While such praise is premature, one can easily envision the unbeaten Kennedy (14-0-1, 6 KOs) as a future world champion. “Hopefully, I am one-and-a-half years away from a big title shot,” stated Teon, who hopes to move one step closer on Saturday night, when he faces Jose Angel Beranza (32-17-2, 25 KOs), of Mexico City at Bally’s in Atlantic City. (more…)

Faragon looks to impress in NYC

By Matt Thompson

Undefeated Schenectady, New York lightweight Michael “Baby Face” Faragon (10-0, 4 KOs) will have his first fight for his new promoters, The Empire Sports and Entertainment, on their debut show, Capitale Punishment this Friday (May 21) at Capitale in Manhattan. Faragon will fight his first eight rounder as one of the main supporting bouts to former heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs main event against Dominique Alexander. (more…)

Rising StarsAthletics inks Nwodo

By Rick Scharmberg

Jim Bores, of Rising Stars Athletics informed Fightnews.com that his company has signed former USBA cruiserweight champion Emmanuel Nwodo (23-5, 19 KOs) to a promotional contract. Nwodo, of Baltimore, MD via Enugu, Nigeria won the vacant USBA crown with a third round TKO over Chris Thomas on July 1, 2006, but lost it to Darnell “Ding-a-Ling-Man” Wilson by highlight-reel knockout in his very next bout. “He is thirty-six years old, and we realize time is not on our side,” stated Bores. “But Emmanuel is rejuvenated. He is ready, willing, and able to fight anyone worldwide. We hope to get him a shot at a regional belt this summer against someone in the top-15.”

Don King in Germany

Eroll Popova

Legendary boxing promoter Don King enjoys a German beer and a traditional German eisbein (pickled ham hock) today in Rostock, Germany. King is town in support of his fighter Kali Meehan, who faces former heavyweight world champion Ruslan Chagaev on Saturday in a WBA eliminator. Click here for more photos…

Injury KOs McCullough

A hand injury has forced Wayne McCullough to withdraw from Prizefighter Super-Bantamweights at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Saturday May 29. Former WBC world champion McCullough had been training hard to make his comeback in Barry Hearn’s latest eight-man, one night tournament but the 39 year-old has been advised that he will be unable to fight for at least two months. “I am really devastated to be missing out on Prizefighter but the hand injury is pretty bad,” said McCullough. “My Doctor has advised me not to use the hand at all for training or fighting for the next 6-8 weeks. We are all packed and ready to go and we really wanted to be there but this is boxing and these things happen.” McCullough’s misfortune has thrown a golden opportunity to young Irish fighter Willie “Big Bang” Casey (5-0, 4 KOs) who will now take his place.

Darchinyan defeats Barcelona

WBC/WBA super flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan (35-2-1, 27 KOs) stepped up to bantamweight to take the vacant IBO bantamweight belt against Eric Barcelona (51-18-4, 19 KOs) on Thursday night at the Leagues Club in Parramatta, NSW, Australia. Darchinyan dropped Barcelona three times en route to a 120-103, 118-105 and 116-108 win. Barcelona was also deducted two points from low blows. More to come from Ray Wheatley…

Poonsawat retains title

WBA super bantamweight champion Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (41-1, 29 KOs) scored a fourth round KO over challenger Shoji Kimura (23-4-2, 9 KOs) on Thursday in Maha Sarakham, Thailand. It was the second defense for Poonsawat following his crushing second round KO over Bernard Dunne last September.

Chagaev-Meehan Workout Video

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Vitali Klitschko Speaks

Pavel Terekhov

Vitali Klitschko (41-2, 37 KOs), of Kiev (Ukraine) and Hamburg (Germany), participated yesterday in a media work out in his training camp in Austria. He discussed his upcoming WBC heavyweight title defense against former European Champion Albert Sosnowski (45-2-1, 27 KOs), of Warsaw (Poland) and Brentwood (UK). The eagerly anticipated heavyweight championship will take place on Saturday, May 29, at VELTINS-Arena Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

About Albert Sosnowski

“I expect Albert Sosnowski to be in the best shape of his life. I am sure that he will not run and hide like my last opponent Kevin Johnson. He said that he will give his all to get my belt, but I am well prepared and will not underestimate him. Albert Sosnwoski is not a big name and not so famous in boxing so far. But that does not count at all. He will be very powerful and will always go forward. He will do anything to get my title.” (more…)

Once And Four All Presser

Big Joe Miranda

By Rocco Morales

Wednesday afternoon, the Conga Room in Downtown L.A. was host to the final press conference for “Once and Four All” the appropriate name given to the highly anticipated fourth fight between Israel Vasquez (44-4-0) and Rafael Marquez (38-5-0). Of their three prior fights, Marquez was victorious in the first fight while Vasquez has won the prior two meetings. Their last fight was the only one to go to the scorecards and Vasquez was the split decision winner.

Their last two fights were all out wars that earned the accolade of “Fight Of The Year” for each 2007 and 2008. (more…)