News Beat: Hagler, Arnaoutis, Diaz, Witter, more

LEGENDARY CHAMPION MARVELOUS MARVIN HAGLER
TO ATTEND HALL OF FAME WEEKEND
Hall of Fame Weekend June 5-8th

CANASTOTA, NY – MAY 5, 2008 – Former undisputed middleweight champion and 1993 Hall of Fame Inductee Marvelous Marvin Hagler will attend festivities planned for the 19th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Weekend scheduled for June 5-8th in Canastota, NY.

“It’s very exciting to have Marvelous Marvin Hagler return to Canastota for the Hall of Fame Weekend,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Edward Brophy. “He’s a legend and a fan favorite.”

Hagler reigned as world middleweight champion from 1980 until 1987. He won the title with a 3rd round TKO over Alan Minter on September 27, 1980 and over the next seven years he successfully defended the crown 12 times with wins over Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, John Mugabi and Mustafa Hamsho. Now an actor based in Italy, Hagler was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1993.

The June 5-8th Hall of Fame Induction Weekend will feature over 20 exciting events including a banquet, parade, golf tournament, cocktail party, and the official induction ceremony honoring the Class of 2008. Living inductees to be honored at the Official Induction Ceremony on Sunday, June 8th are heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, junior welterweight champion Eddie Perkins, promoters Mogens Palle and Frank Warren and journalists Dave Anderson and Joe Koizumi. Posthumous inductees will also be honored. Over 50 boxing stars are scheduled to participate in weekend festivities. For more information on the Hall of Fame’s 19th Annual Induction Weekend please call (315) 697-7095 or visit www.ibhof.com.

Sensational Doubleheader At Bally’s Atlantic City on Friday, May 9

Arnaoutis Defends USBA Title Against Undefeated Tyner and Undefeated Heavyweight Devon Vargas Battles Philadelphia’s Dave Brunelli

Atlantic City, May 5, 2008 — Bally’s Atlantic City will host a terrific twin bill promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing on Friday, May 9, 2008. In the first co-main event, recently crowned USBA Jr. Welterweight champ “Mighty” Mike Arnaoutis (18-2-2, 9 KO’s) will make his first title defense against the undefeated Lanardo Tyner (19-0, 11 KO’s) in a 12 round bout.

“Mighty Mike” looked very impressive in his last bout on March 6, winning the vacant USBA JR Welterweight tile in dominating fashion from tough guy Harrison Cuello. Huge throngs of fellow compatriots were in attendance waving the flag of Greece, banging their war drums and cheering on Mike and the same is expected on May 9th.

Lanardo Tyner is very excited to get this opportunity and says he will be Mighty Mike’s Achilles’ heel. Since turning pro, Lanardo has laced a path of destruction on the way to an undefeated record and had this to say regarding hi upcoming bout, “The world has been asking who Lanardo Tyner is and on May 9th they will all find out, along with Mike Arnaoutis”

The second co-main event features a highly entertaining fight between 2004 U.S. Olympic team captain Devin Vargas (15-0, 6 KOs) and Philadelphia native Dave Brunelli (8- 3, 3 KOs) in an 8 round Heavyweight bout.

Vargas, who had a storied amateur career culminating with a win over fellow undefeated prospect Chazz Witherspoon and earning a spot on the 2004 Olympic team, looks to place himself in the mix of young American Heavyweight prospects and can do so with an impressive win on Friday night. Devin brings a crowd-pleasing style to the ring and will face a stern test when he steps into the ring with brawler Dave Brunelli. Brunelli learned his trade the hard way, in the Philadelphia gyms, and has become a fan favorite in the Philly area because of his brawling and relentless style.

Star Boxing head Joe DeGuardia had this to say about the match, “I am very excited that the public will finally get a chance to see Devin Vargas in action. Devin is a good young prospect and I expect big things out of him.”

“Once again I am happy to be able to give our loyal fans what they want, we have a spectacular line up with something for everyone to enjoy, ” said Star Boxing head honcho Joe DeGuardia. “Both of these fights are main events, so fans will be able to see two main events in one night, and I know we will see plenty of fireworks on May 9th”.

Ken Condon, Sports and Entertainment Consultant for Harrah’s Entertainment, echoes those sentiments stating, “Bally’s Atlantic City has always been a terrific venue for championship boxing and has hosted some tremendous bouts throughout the years. This is certainly no exception. With the exciting fighters on this card we are sure to see some tremendous action that will not disappoint.”

The bouts will be telecast on the popular “Friday Night Fights” series on ESPN2 in association with Bally’s in Atlantic City, NJ. Tickets, priced at $90-$60, are available at all Ticketmaster, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and first bell is at 7:30.

FIGHT NIGHT AT THE MUNICIPAL

NABA Welterweight Champion, Oscar Diaz, returns to the ring on Friday, May 30th at the Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas..The 25 year old Diaz, 25-2, will be stepping back into the ring after a 10 month layoff against veteran Roberto Valenzuela, 44-36 of Tucson, AZ. Diaz suffered a severe cut from a head but against Juan Buendia on July 14, 2007 which was followed by the tragic death of his father.

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring, it’s been a rough year and it’s time to go to work! My promoter and I decided to come back to my hometown, where I turned pro and fought most of my fights the first two years of my career. We have the best fans in the country, and this is where I wanted to get back in the ring after this long lay off.” stated Diaz.

“Besides the Diaz bout, we have a great co-feature pitting prospect Michael Torres, 10-0 against Austin’s Gilbert Vera, 8-1 as well as the best of San Antonio prospects Joseph Rios, Julio Valadez, Emanuel Ledezma and James Cantu. A special 4 round bout will pit locals Mirabel Zurita against Bianca Ledezma. This is going to be an exciting, all action show and I hope all the fans come out to support Oscar and enjoy the action!”, stated Diaz’ promoter Donna Brooks.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, May 7th at the Municipal Auditorium , Ticketmaster outlets and The Loft Club in San Antonio and are priced a reasonable $50, $30, and $20. First bout is at 7:30pm.

King Arthur in France

Since Sunday IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (26-0, 21 KOs) is back in Germany. But after his altitude training camp in Samnaun, Switzerland, he will leave Berlin on Tuesday again. Before his upcoming fight on June 21 against Edison Miranda (30-2, 26 KOs) King Arthur will travel to France. In Pont-Audemer he will support his younger brother Alexander (19-0-1, 14 KOs), who will box against french super welterweight Mehdi Azri (12-5, 2 KOs) on May 6.

“Alexander is very close to my heart. He has supported myself a lot of times, I want to keep my fingers crossed for him in France too. He is undefeated, if he wins he will have good chances to make bigger fights. I´m his brother, so I´m very excited”, says King Arthur. Beyond the 26-year-old Alexander Abraham super welterweight Koko Murat (5-0-1, 3 KOs) will be on the card also. The main event will show WBC youth super lightweight champion Ali Chebah (24-0, 18 KOs) against nicaraguan Nelson Lara (15-1, 8 KOs).

WORLD BOXING ASSOCIATION

President Mendoza received Ana “LA POLLA” Fernandez

April 4, 2008 – World Boxing Association (WBA) President Gilberto Mendoza received Venezuelan Ana “La Polla” Fernández, who crowned herself as the new FEDEBOL and FEDECARIBE Minimum champion last April 19th in Trinidad & Tobago.

The reason of the visit was for Fernández to thank Dr. Mendoza for his actions aimed to the legalization of female professional boxing in Venezuela, a country where it is not still officially approved.

Countdown Begins For Hatton’s Return Against Lazcano

Saturday, May 24 sees a record breaking show in the United Kingdom with 55,000 fans packed into the home of Manchester City Football Club to witness the homecoming of their favorite son, Ricky Hatton.

Ricky defends his IBO light welterweight crown and the most prestigious title in world boxing, the Ring Magazine belt, against Mexican-American hard man Juan Lazcano.

The eyes of the boxing world will be firmly focused on May 24 at 10PM when the first bell goes to see which Ricky Hatton steps into the ring. The big question will be has the loss to Floyd Mayweather done anything to the man’s boxing ability and his belief in himself?

Very few fighters throughout history have stayed undefeated including such greats as Roberto Duran, Lennox Lewis, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard, but it is the nature of how a fighter comes back after a loss that is very important and that is what everyone will be judging Ricky Hatton upon.

In Autumn, Ricky Hatton is expected to step into the ring with IBF light welterweight champion Paul Malignaggi, who is certainly not shy about coming forward and voicing his opinion on the Hatton situation.

Malignaggi will be defending his world title against Lovemore Ndou in a rematch on May 24 at City of Manchester Stadium. Both Hatton and Malignaggi know there is so much on the line and understand that they have to each give their best so the public will demand a match between them later this year.

One of the most intriguing contests on this five title fight card is a Commonwealth Welterweight title bout between two Mancunians. The champion, Craig Watson, who against all odds beat the more experienced Ali Nuumbembe to win the title on December 8, faces Matthew Hatton, the younger brother of Ricky, who is looking to add the first major professional title to his name in pursuit of his own world title honours. This bout has definitely caught the imagination of the British fight fans.

The other two championship fights feature an English light middleweight title bout between the champion, the much avoided Andrew Facey, against Manchester’s Thomas McDonagh and for the vacant English super bantamweight title, Liverpool’s Mark Moran goes against Danny Wallace, the half-brother of former British super feather champion Carl Johanneson. Both Moran and Wallace know that a good win could put them in for a shot against European champion Rendall Munroe.

Doors open at 5:00PM, boxing starts at 5:30PM and the show will be over by 11:00PM so the fans can go out and enjoy the hospitality of Manchester’s restaurants, bars and clubs.

Any remaining tickets to Hatton vs. Lazcano can be purchased on www.ticketmaster.co.uk , www.seetickets.com , www.gigsandtours.com and www.rickyhitmanhatton.co.uk .

For those unlucky enough to not be among one of the 55,000 to witness this event in person, it can be viewed live on Sky Boxing Office starting at 7:30PM.

Frank Maloney Promotions also announce the British light heavyweight title fight between champion Tony Oakey and challenger Dean Francis on Friday, June 13 at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth, England.

JUNIOR WITTER TO DEFEND WBC 140-POUND TITLE AGAINST TIMOTHY BRADLEY IN A SPECIAL SATURDAY EDITION OF SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION FROM ENGLAND

Saturday, May 10, 2008, at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME

Trent FM Arena, Nottingham, England

NEW YORK (May 5, 2008) – ShoBox: The New Generation returns to the United Kingdom on May 10, 2008, with an outstanding world title showdown and a promising undercard bout featuring two undefeated prospects.

On a special Saturday night edition of the popular, prospect-oriented SHOWTIME boxing series, World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Lightweight Champion Junior Witter will defend his crown for the third time when he takes on WBC No. 1 contender Timothy Bradley at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, England (same day tape delay at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME).

In a spectacular co-feature pitting two young undefeated British prospects against each other, hard-hitting John Murray will take on the slick John Fewkes in a 10-round lightweight bout. The evening of boxing will be promoted by Hennessy Sports.

In his last outing, Witter (36-1-2, 21 KOs), of Bradford, England, successfully defended his WBC title for the second time by scoring a stunning, seventh-round knockout over Vivian Harris on Sept. 7, 2007. In his initial 2007 outing, Witter defended his world championship for the first time by out-boxing Arturo Morua en route to a ninth- round TKO on Jan. 20.

“I know how to prepare for Bradley,” Witter said. “This isn’t my first title defense. Bradley will be a tough out, but I’m confident that I will be the winner. I have the strength, power and experience to take care of him.”

Bradley (21-0, 11 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., is no stranger to the bright lights and big stage of national television, as he will make his fourth ShoBox appearance on SHOWTIME. If victorious against Witter, the promising unbeaten will become the 25th ShoBox fighter to win a world title.

Long considered to be one of the super lightweight division’s top prospects, Bradley has won his last two fights by lopsided unanimous decisions.

“This is what boxing is all about,” Bradley said. “You work hard and put in the sweat and long hours in the gym so one day you set yourself up for a title shot. This is what I’ve been waiting for all my life. I can’t see myself losing this fight. I can see myself becoming a world champion on May 10.”

Murray (23-0. 12 KOs), of Manchester, England, is a promising, young boxer with legitimate championship aspirations. The WBC Youth lightweight champion won Britain’s Young Boxer of the Year Award in 2006 and has looked impressive since stepping up his opposition in his last four bouts.

In 2007, the 23-year-old fought on the undercard of two marquee events in Las Vegas for the first time: taking on Lorenzo Bethea on May 5 (Mayweather-De La Hoya undercard); and on Dec. 7, against Miguel Munguia (Mayweather-Hatton). Murray thinks the experience of fighting in Las Vegas has prepared him for any challenge.

“It was a great experience to be part of the build up on two fantastic shows,” said Murray, who also sparred with Hatton before his knockout victory over Dean Hickman on Nov. 9, 2007. “I learned a lot, like how the top boxers conduct themselves in and out of the ring.”

“John Fewkes is a slick boxer and he is coming down in weight, so I’m just going to stick to my boxing,” Murray said. “I hope a win over Fewkes will lead to a British title shot. I know that I am ready.”

Fewkes (17-0, 2 KOs), of Sheffield, England, lacks the knockout power that Murray possesses, but makes up for it with his blazing speed and aggressive body shots. He edged out Murray by just one vote to win the 2007 Britain’s Young Boxer of the Year Award, and now has a chance to step into the ring and prove which young British prospect is more deserving of a title shot.

“This will be a furious fight,” Fewkes said, 23. “He’s one of the best talents in England. I know I’m going in as the underdog because he has more experience. I know what I have to do to win, and I have no doubt that I will.

“I want to be a British champion, a European champion and a world champion,” Fewkes continued. “A win over Murray will put me closer to my goal. I will not accept anything less.”

For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive video, photos and news links on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and EliteXC mixed martial arts telecasts, please go www.SHO.com/sports.

Full Frank Maloney Nottingham Card Report
Friday night at Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre in Nottingham, England, Frank Maloney Promotions held a fight card headlined by European super bantamweight champion Rendall Munroe, who made a successful title defense against European Union titlist Salem Bouaita of France.

Munroe kept a tight defense early, picking off the roundhouse efforts of the Frenchman with great patience and allowing the visitor to largely wear himself down before going on the offensive in the fifth round.

Once the reigning champion opened up with his southpaw attack, Bouaita was forced onto the backfoot until being invariably cuffed along the ropes by Munroe. The sixth saw Munroe increase the pressure, shaking the challenger with a sizzling power left hand.

Munroe, 15-1 (7), really found range in the seventh and punished Bouaita, 19-13 (6), with a lashing two-handed attack that had the challenger’s corner pulling the Frenchman out of the contest at the end of the frame, claiming an arm injury.

Chief support saw British bantamweight champion Ian Napa wage war in a phone booth with hardened Irish titlist Colin Moffett for twelve spirited rounds and come out the winner and proud new owner of the Lonsdale Belt.

Moffett sought to press Napa and the champion let him do it, setting up shop along the ropes and forcing the challenger to throw. It was a masterclass in upper body movement from Napa, who won rounds with buffeting counters that found the holes the willing Ulsterman’s defense but still Moffett kept on the pressure.

In the later rounds, Napa, 17-6 (1), began to use his pure boxing skills to great advantage and consistently drilled Moffett, 8-12-4 (3), from range, even flooring the Belfast battler in the eleventh frame, before posting a wide points verdict of 119-108, 119-109 and 117-111.

On the undercard, one of the brightest young stars of the Maloney stable, light welterweight Scott Haywood, shone against seasoned French campaigner Frederic Gosset, becoming only the second man to finish off the veteran early over his last 30 appearances.

Haywood, 18-2 (4), proved to have too much firepower for his rival from the start as the lanky 26 year old unleashed his full arsenal, peppering Gosset, 11-44-2 (3), with a two-fisted torrent that produced a cut in the first before a lethal body assault finished the Frenchman off at 1:06 of the second round.

Three more rising young talents under the Maloney banner were on display with middleweight Kevin Concepcion, 11-0 (3), putting in six quality rounds against iron-chinned journeyman Ernie “Gypsy Boy” Smith, 12-67-1 (0), to remain undefeated with a score of 60-54 on referee Nigel Gill’s scorecard.

Light middleweight Sam Webb, 10-1 (3), returned to the fold with a sterling effort against durable road warrior David Kirk, 11-71-3 (0), canvassing the southpaw in the second before outboxing his foe over six to a score of 60-53 while 20 year old light heavyweight Adie Whitmore, 8-0 (5), dispatched fellow combatant Carl Wild, 6-8 (1), with a booming right hand at 2:15 of the first round.

The rest of the bill featured high energy novices going at it in a quartet of four rounders that saw middleweight Olly Newham, 3-0 (2), belt out Paul Brown, 2-1 (1), in the final frame of an all-action thriller, super feathers Barrington Brown, 5-3-2 (2), and Dean Mills, 2-1-1 (1), slug it out in a highly competitive draw, middleweight Kevin Hammond, 2-0 (1), retire opponent Gavin Brook, 0-1-1 (0), after the first round and professional debutant Steve Jevons, 1-0 (0), saw off Bheki Moyo, 0-8-1 (0), at welterweight.

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