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By: William Holmes
The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of August 5th to August 12th covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.
Seth Mitchell to Face Chris Arreola on Friday, September 6th
Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell (26-1-1) will face Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (35-3) in a heavyweight showdown on Friday, September 6th at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California on Showtime Boxing Special Edition. This will be a twelve round fight for the WBC Silver Championship.
Rafael Marquez (41-8) will also fight on this card when he faces California prospect Efrain Esquivias (16-2-1) in a ten round featherweight bout. Tickets can be purchased online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com
Monday Night Boxing to Premiere on Fox Sports 1
On Monday, August 19th Monday Night Boxing will premiere on the new channel Fox Sports 1. Golden Boy Promotions will be the lead promoter which features a main event of Danny Jacobs vs. Giovanni Lorenzo in the Middleweight division. Eddie Gomez will also face Steven Upsher Chambers as the co-main event. Olympian Marcus Browne and prospects Claude Staten Jr. and D’Mitrius Ballard will also be on the undercard.
This card will take place at the Best Buy Theater in New York, NY and tickets can be purchased online at https://tickets.axs.com/eventShopperV2.html?wr=67cd5fe9-f70e-443f-8d4e-8c741c0fd42a&skin=bestbuy&preFill=1
Wegner and Huck Visit Correctional Facility in Berlin
Ulli Wegner and Marco Huck took a brief time out from their current training camp in Neuruppe and attended a meeting with prisoners at the penal institution Tegel in Berlin, Germany. The differences between the WBO Champion and the captives could not be bigger: whereas Huck can enjoy life due to his success as a professional boxer, the prisoners are frustrated as well as bored. As an invitation loomed to get into contact with the inmates, Huck and Wegner did not hesitate to stop by, telling stories about their lives to give them a temporal change.
Wegner especially has seen a lot being 71 years of age. Therefore, he knows that sometimes there is just a small detail that determines if somebody lands in jail or comes to grips with his life. Marco Huck could have been such a person, as the coach quotes from his autobiography. Therein, Wegner retells the story of his first meeting with the current cruiserweight titlist. “In 2004 he knocked at the door of our gym, which was located in Cologne back then,” Wegner still knows. Huck chimes in: “I was just 19 at that time. I said who I am and added that I want to become a world champion.” What followed was a sparring session with former heavyweight contender Cengiz Koc and a few weeks later Huck got his first contract as a professional fighter.
“Looking back, getting to know and working with Mr. Wegner is the best thing that has happened to me. He made me not only a world champion but also a wealthy man. It does not bear contemplating what could have happened if he would have rejected me,” said the man nicknamed “Captain” Hook.
Teon Kennedy to Take on Joselito Collado on Saturday, August 24th
On Saturday night, August 24th, former world title challenger Teon “The Technician” Kennedy returns to the ring when he takes on upset-minded Joselito Collado in a ten round Super Featherweight bout that will originate from Ballys Atlantic City and will be streamed LIVE all over the world on www.pandafeed.tv.
Kennedy of Philadelphia has a record of 18-2-2 with seven knockouts and will be looking for his 2nd consecutive win after falling short in his bid to win the WBA Super Bantamweight title against Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Collado of Queens, New York 13-2 with three and knockouts and he won his first 12 bouts. He has wins over Jules Blackwell and Rafael Lora and is coming off a eight round unanimous decision to then undefeated Jerry Belmontes (16-0) on September 8th.
In the eight round co-feature, rising Jr. Middleweight prospect DeCarlo Perez will squaring off with once-beaten Jamar Freeman. The twenty-two year old Perez has a record of 10-2-1 with four knockouts. The Atlantic City native has won four in a row as he has greatly stepped up the competition with wins over Shamone Alvarez (21-5), Dante Moore (8-0-2), and the bout when he stopped the granite-chinned Julius Kennedy in five rounds on April 19th in Chester, PA.
Mayweather vs. Alvarez PPV Card is Complete
“The One: Mayweather vs. Canelo” just got bigger as a third world championship bout and a meeting of two rising stars help make this the must-see event of 2013. In a 12-round battle for the IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship, Mayweather promotions star and Las Vegas’ own Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith (25-5) defends his crown against feared top contender Carlos Molina (21-5-2).
The opening bout on the Showtime PPV will be a ten round welterweight showdown between Pablo Cesar Cano (26-3-1) and England’s Ashley Treasure Theophane (33-5-1), the most recent fighter to sign with Mayweather promotions.
Jhonatan Romero Quotes:
Last week Romero put the finishing touches on an excellent training camp and had this to say regarding his upcoming title defense:
On the pressure of defending his world title:
“This is what boxers work towards,” Romero said. “We all want to be champions, but defending what we worked so hard for is the best kind of challenge to embrace. I have the same motivation and focus going into this fight as I have had for others, but getting this victory will prove to everyone that I have staying power in the junior featherweight division.”
On his training camp and relationship with famed Colombian trainer Orlando Pineda:
“Orlando and I have a great relationship and it shows in our training sessions,” Romero said. “He knows when to push me and when to scale back. There is an ebb and flow to any training camp and its important to have someone that understands where you are mentally and physically. He and I are the same in that we have a tireless work ethic.”
Cleverly Gives Prediction on Bout with Kovalev
WBO World Light-Heavyweight Champion Nathan Cleverly predicts a stunning Welsh sporting double this Saturday with a win over Sergey Kovalev and Cardiff City beating West Ham.
Cleverly faces a massive test against the dynamite-punching Russian in the sixth defence of his title at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena, while earlier in the day The Bluebirds’ make their Premier League debut at the Boleyn Ground.
The Cardiff City fanatic reckons they’ll win and he’ll shock the boxing world by beating the invincible Kovalev, who’s destroyed 19 out of 21 opponents with 18 coming inside three rounds.
“It’s going to be a great double for Welsh sport this Saturday with Cardiff City in top flight football for the first time followed by my world title showdown against the best challenger in the division in Kovalev,” Said Cleverly.
“This is a massive opportunity for them to show what they can do against the best teams in the country starting at West Ham and I’m predicting it will be a win for them. The players want to get back to the Motorpoint to be ringside to support me in my fight and it will be great having them there”
Broadcast Team Announces For Golden Boy Live! Series Premiere
The August 19th premiere of the Golden Boy Live! Series on FOX Sports 1 just got a little more star power, as the broadcast team for the event has been announced.
Handling blow-by-blow duties is veteran, award-winning commentator Dave Bontempo. He is joined on the coverage from the Best Buy Theater in New York City by color commentators Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins and Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi.
Quotes from Danny “Swift” Garcia’s Philadelphia Media Workout
DANNY “SWIFT” GARCIA:
“This fight is very exciting for me. We are part of the biggest night in boxing and I will be ready. I feel like I was born for this – fighting at this level on the biggest stage in boxing.
“Every fight is important to me. I am training as I always do but I have a new gym so it is nice to be able to train in privacy. What better way to invest in my future in boxing than investing in my own gym. We built in the same neighborhood where my Dad grew up. We are Philly through and through. I love having my own gym.
“As for Matthysse, he has power but I have power, too. I fought a lot of guys with power. Trust me, I plan to take away his power, make him miss and make him pay.
“If he [Matthysse] opens up early to try to get me out of there, trust me, he’s making a big mistake. He tries that and the fight’s going to be over quickly!
“I’m not going to skip anything for this fight in training. I am going to work just as hard. I know what I have to do September 14, and I plan to do it the right way, the smart way.
“To me Matthysse is just a regular fighter. He already has two losses. I don’t consider him one of the best. He doesn’t even have a world title and when he fought for one,he lost. Let’s see what happens when I show him different looks, back him up, work angles. I can fight backing up. Can he?
“I thought his fight with [Zab] Judah was a close fight. I know I can’t make this a close fight. I am going to stick to my fight plan, give him different looks and be smart. I’m definitely not going to give him something easy. He’s going to have to earn anything he gets in the ring that night. Let’s see if he knows how to earn it.
“It doesn’t matter who’s stronger. It’s who’s smarter. I always find a way to win.
“I definitely learn every time I get in the ring. I learned a lot in the Judah fight. Things changed quickly but I was happy for the experience. It taught me a lot.
“I think this fight will give me a new level of respect. I feel that after this fight I am going to show people I am one of the best 140-pounders to ever put on a pair of gloves.”
ANGEL GARCIA:
“My job is not to worry about Matthysse. I am not worried. He doesn’t put fear in me. His coach doesn’t put fear in me. His people don’t put fear in me. His country doesn’t put fear in me. Nobody puts fear in me. The only one I fear is God.
DiBella Entertainment and SMS Promotions Broadway Boxing Complete Card Announced:
On August 14, DiBella Entertainment (DBE) and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s SMS Promotions return to B.B. King Blues Club and Grill with an exciting eight-bout card. The event will be the latest installment of NYC’s popular Broadway Boxing series.
Already announced fighting on the card are New York natives Tor Hamer (20-2, 13KO’s) and Boyd Melson (11-1-1, 4KO’s), both seeing action in separate eight-round bouts. The heavyweight Hamer will face off against hard-hitting Kertson Manswell (23-7, 17KO’s), while Melson will fight a rematch against Brooklyn’s Jason Thompson (5-6-3, 4KO’s). Melson and Thompson fought to an entertaining six-round draw last year.
SMS-promoted former amateur standout Donte Strayhorn (2-1) is set to see action against Justin Robins (1-2) in a four-round junior welterweight matchup. SMS stable-mate Luis Olivares (4-0, 3KO’s) was also set to see action on the card, but unfortunately was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury during training.
Also appearing on the card in separate six-round bouts will be super middleweight Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen (16-0-1, 10KO’s) and hard-hitting lightweight Amos “2 Smooth” Cowart (7-0, 5KO’s). Allen returns to the ring for the first time in a little over a year when he takes on heavy-hitting Michael Gbenga (13-8, 13KO’s) in a six-round super middleweight contest. The promising up-and-coming Cowart ,who recently signed with DBE, will square off against former NY Golden Gloves Champion Chazz McDowell (6-3, 1KO).
More information can be found at www.dbe1.com
Amir Mansour and Maurice Harris to Battle for Three Title Belts on August 23rd
Unbeaten heavyweight Amir “Hardcore” Mansour will resume his quest for a shot at the world heavyweight championship in the Friday Night Fights on August 23 at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Dover, Del.
Mansour, now 18-0 with 14 knockouts, will battle Maurice “Mo Bettah” Harris in a scheduled 12-round bout for the IBF’s vacant U.S. Boxing Association heavyweight title as well as the WBA’s NABA belt. Mansour will also be defending his WBF Intercontinental title. Both boxers are in the USBA’s top ten, and Mansour has used two first-round victories in 2013 to up his position in other major ratings services. Harris brings a 26-17-2 record into the match, with 11 knockouts.
Fighting out of Wilmington, Del., Mansour is a crowd favorite in Dover where he will fight for the ninth time. In nine bouts in the last three years, only Epifanio Mendoza and Dominick Guinn survived three rounds with Mansour, who scored a sixth-round TKO over Mendoza and won a unanimous decision over one-time contender Guinn.
Mansour, who relentlessly stalks opponents, is known regionally for his crashing combinations and tenacious focus.
The southpaw has expressed frustration in recent months, feeling he has been dodged by top-ten opponents, but believes a convincing victory in Dover will elevate him into bouts with highly-rated contenders. “We’ve offered to fight anyone, and they simply don’t seem to want to fight someone that is obviously as dangerous as I am,” said Mansour. “But I hope when the fans around the country see me fight they will really want to see what I can do against the best in the world.”
The co-feature at Dover Downs is a scheduled ten-rounder for the NABA Junior Welterweight title between New York’s Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana (27-4, 18 KOs) and Michael Clark of Columbus, Ohio.
