TalkingBoxing News
Kaddour Gets Reality Check on ShoBox
MON June 21 - It’s back to reality for jr. middleweight AHMED “HOLLYWOOD” KADDOUR. Kaddour will be the first contestant from NBC’s reality series “The Contender” to return to the real world of boxing where he will be fighting in the eight-round jr. middleweight co-feature of the July 22 edition of SHOBox: The New Generation at the Chumash Casino Resort in beautiful Santa Ynez, CA.
Promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, the card will be headlined by a 12-round NABO lightweight title rumble between ROLANDO REYES and COURTNEY BURTON, who have a combined record of 45-6-2 (27 KOs) -- a winning percentage of 85% with 60% of their victories coming by knockout! SHOWTIME will televise both bouts live, beginning at 11 P.M. ET / 11 P.M. PT* (*on tape delay to west coast.)
Kaddour, 18-2 (9 KOs), proved to be one of the more popular fighters on “The Contender,” despite twice losing five-round decisions on the canceled show. Born in Lebanon and raised in Denmark, he now hails from Humble, TX, which is ironic because ‘humble’ he ain’t! This excerpt is from his biography on “The Contender” website (http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Contender/boxers/ahmed.shtml):
Good looking yet extremely vain, Ahmed plans to be a top model and movie star as well as a world champion boxer. He thinks his opponents don't take him seriously because he is "so pretty." He claims the truth is that the reason he's so pretty is because no one can hit him.
Reyes (24-3-2, 15 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., returns to the ring fresh from a ninth-round knockout victory of Santa Maria, CA favorite, Jose Antonio Ojeda, for the vacant California State jr. welterweight title. Ojeda had entered that fight riding an eigh-bout unbeaten streak. Reyes’ record is highlighted by a 10-round unanimous decision over former Mexican lightweight champion Omar Bernal on Sept. 20, 2003. The judges scored it 97-93 and 95-93 twice. In the eight-round rematch on July 23, 2004, Reyes again prevailed, this time by scores 79-71 and 78-72 twice. In his 2005 debut, Reyes registered a first-round knockout over Francisco Maldonado on Jan. 28, 2005, in Oxnard, Calif.
Burton (21-3, 11 KOs), of Benton Harbor, Mich., returns for the first time since his incredible fight against Ebo Elder at Chumash Casino Resort on the December 17, 2004 edition of SHOBox, a “fight of the year” candidate. Burton was ahead on two of the judges’ cards going into the final round when Elder, with both eyes nearly swollen shut, dramatically scored two knockdowns en route to knockout victory. Burton who had captured the NABO lightweight championship with a 12-round split decision over Francisco Lorenzo on December 5, 2003, has vowed to return better than ever. A three-time Silver Gloves and two-time Junior Olympic U.S. National champion, Burton’s professional resume includes victories over former world champions Gabriel Ruelas and Angel Manfredy, and former top-rated contender Emanuel Augustus.
The Chumash Casino Resort is located in Santa Barbara County, California, between Los Angeles and San Francisco in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley. In its 190,000 square foot facility, the Chumash Casino Resort offers Las Vegas-style gaming, 24-hours seven days a week. Tickets are priced at $70, $50, $40 and $30 and can be purchased at the Chumash Casino Resort Box Office or through Star Tickets Plus by calling (800) 585-3737 or http://premier.ticketsplus.net/TicketsPlus/default.asp
Vivian Harris Fields Questions from Press
MON June 21 - Emanuel: Training camp has been going very good. We could have been fighting this past weekend. He is in great condition and he is ready to go. It is like his first fight in to the foray of the top of the division. Being on this card is not about the money, it is about being on the big card. It’s a very important fight for him.
Vivian Harris: Training is good and I’m working hard like I usually do. I trained in Gleason’s gym in Brooklyn.
Maussa is in front of me now and that’s who I am looking at. Everyone knows I will fight whoever is there. I’m not calling anyone else when I have a fight coming up. A lot of fighters don’t want to fight me. I went to Germany twice and came back with my belt both times.
Statement?
Vivian Harris: I didn’t come here to make a statement. I can here to win regardless. Fight this fight and win this fight. I am focusing on the fight on June 25th and the world knows that I want to fight these guys. It’s these guys that don’t want to fight me. But I’m not thinking about those guys, I’m thinking about Carlos Maussa. Whoever wants to fight, I’m here and they know I want to fight them.
Emanuel: The reason we are taking this fight is Vivian is the dark horse and we fee that an impressive victory will put him in the middle of everything. No other 140-pounders wanted him on this card because they didn’t want him to be seen. One guy in particular, Mayweather, has no desire to fight him.
When people mention the top 140-pounders, Vivian is overlooked. Most people have not seen him defend his title. We want it known he is the best in the division. We want an impressive fight – very devastating. We are looking for a knockout. We want an impressive knockout.
Vivian Harris: I am already right there, but this fight is going to make a big statement. The people are going to see Vivian Harris.
I am at 140 right now and I feel great. I have no desire to move up to 147. The reason the others guys are saying they will move up is because the want no part of Vivian Harris.
It’s great just having to go to the doctor and take my physical and then go to Atlantic City instead of having to go to the hospital before I go to Germany. I was just thinking about how great that is today. I’m happy to be home fighting in a beautiful place.
Emanuel: For the second fight, I told Vivian to keep him at a distance and punch with more power. We are really concentrating on punching with a lot more power. We knocked out Urkal in the 11th round and at that time he had lost only two fights – to Tszyu and a controversial decision to Vivian. Vivian went back to Germany again and even into his own neighborhood and Vivian knocked him out. Since then, he has gone on to win the European championship.
I like to be a manager and a trainer, which is why I bought his managerial contract. He has a tremendous amount of talent, but right now he is a real big threat in the division. I could not pick any other over him. Cotto and Mayweather would give him a good fight, but I don’t think any of them could beat him right now and I would have to pick Vivian. I think with a devastating win, the public and the networks will get behind him and he could force himself into a big fight with Hatton, Mayweather or Gatti.
What did you learn in Germany?
Vivian Harris: I learned a lot about what it’s like when people don’t like you.
Emanuel: We trained in California and to get to Germany it was a 9-hour time difference. We were all light-headed and had problems waking up. At the end of the 8th round I told Vivian I thought he was losing the fight. So he went out there and knocked him right out in the 11th and what I learned the Vivian is an extremely strong-mined individual. There were threats on his life and the fight was in a neighborhood – not even an arena. And he still went out and knocked him out and then even the Turkish people gave him credit.
Emanuel on Gatti-Mayweather...
Emanuel: It is going to be very interesting. I, like most people will really be pulling for Gatti who is one of my favorite fighters, like Trinidad. But I don’t like the match-up, because like in the past Arturo has always had problems with boxers, like Ivan Robinson. He’s never had much success. I didn’t like that the fight was even made because he is so good for the industry. I have to give a slight edge to Mayweather because of the speed. If Arturo gets the momentum that he has had in recent fights and pressures Mayweather but not throw punches from too far out. He’s got to get right on top of him before he punches and not get into a boxing match. If he fights that type of fight and keeps the heat on and the crowd gets into it and he gets very close before he punches, he can pull the fight off. He is just so good for boxing. We’ve had so many guys beaten because of bad match-ups, this is one that I hope won’t happen. The injury factor favors Mayweather too. But Gatti, because of cuts and hand injuries, that is another variable that is against him. I think that Gatti is going to fight the fight of his life because as good as Gatti is and all of these great and thrilling fights he has given us, I don’t think he’ beaten a top quality fighter like Mayweather. So if he wins this fight, he will prove that he can beat a top guy. I expect Mayweather to have his hands full that night.
Undercard Announced for June 24th PPV
MON June 21 - The Yory Boy Campas (86-7, 70 KO's) vs. Matt Vanda (33-1, 21 KO's) main event (12-round super welterweight bout), and the Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Roberto Duran's epic victory over Sugar Ray Leonard are the main courses on the Battle for Pride! pay-per-view card presented by Team Freedom Promotions on Friday night, June 24, from the Target Center, in Minneapolis, MN, but three additional televised fights will serve as the appetizers on the program which retails at $19.95. The broadcast begins at 9:00 PM/ET and is available by contacting your local cable operator.
The co-featured attraction pits Santiago Samaniego (36-8-1, 29 KO's) against local Troy Lowry (24-5, 14 KO's) in a 10-round junior middleweight contest. Like Doran, Samaniego hails from Panama, while Lowery is another Minnesota hero from Minneapolis.
In another 10-round affair, this one featuring light middleweights, the undefeated Richard Gutierrez (18-0, 11 KO's) from Arjona, Columbia, squares off against Luis Santiago (18-6-1, 11 KO's) of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The come-backing heavyweight Michael Grant (40-3, 31 KO's) returns to the ring against Marcus McGee (13-6-7 KO's) in the opening contest of the televised card.
Duran Spars in Minny to promote Battle for Pride
Roberto Duran was back in the ring on Saturday for an action-packed, three-round sparring session at Canterbury Park in Minnesota for a local promotion. "I will do anything to promote the fight, but I am not making a comeback," said Duran.
Ellis Back vs. Lubwama
MON June 21 - Veteran Kenny Ellis (34-6-2, 22KO’s) ventures back into the ring at the Emerald Queen Casino’s Battle at the Boat boxing series this Saturday, June 25th at the I-5 showroom. The first bout is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Ellis will face the steely and unorthodox competitor, James Lubwama (16-2, 9 KO’s) from Florida. Ellis, still fueled from his 6th round TKO win over Aaron Norwood (21-6-2), is ready for action!
“Kenny will be busy,” said promoter Brian Halquist. “We are sending ratings packages out to all of the major sanctioning bodies after this fight and are looking for a money fight, a fight that will get Kenny back in the world ratings,” Halquist said. This additional incentive promises the energy and tenacity of any high-stakes fight.
Also on the card will be rising star, Walter “2 guns” Wright (6-1-0, 3 KO’s) who is coming off a win on ESPN2 against Darnell Boone (4-1-1). This will be Wright’s third fight in six weeks. “Walter is always on weight, always training and eager to go, and he will get big opportunities because of it,” Halquist commented when asked about Wright’s future prospects. “The ESPN2 fight was a last-minute decision, but because of Walter’s great training and his love of the ring, he was able to land his first of many TV spots,” Halquist said. Wright will face Jerome Elder (9-7-0, 9KO’s) out of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Crossroads Fights on ESPN2
MON June 21 - The George Khalid Jones-"Fabulous" Freddy Moore main event, as well as the Courage "No Limit" Tshabalala-Robert Wiggins co-feature, are true crossroads fights on Plymouth Rocks, presented by NER promotions, July 1 on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights from Memorial Hall in historic Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Jones (22-2-1, 13 KOs), the reigning NABA light heavyweight champion, fights former NBA title-holder Moore (30-3, 27 KOs) for the vacant USBA crown. Jones, fighting out of New Jersey, is rated #5 by the WBA, #10 by the IBF and WBC, and #14 by the WBO.
A victory for him in the 12-round main event may position him for a long awaited title shot against WBA champ Fabrice Tiozzo or IBF king Clinton Woods. Another possibility is a high-profile match against either Antonio Tarver or Glen Johnson.
South African-native Tshabalala takes on Wiggins (19-4-1, 11 KOs) of Providence in the 10-round co-feature. The survivor may have a legitimate shot at cracking the ratings. Oleg Maskaev, Dorroll Wilson and Brian Scott have defeated Tshabalala, while Wiggins' losses include matches to DaVarryl Williamson and Monte Barrett.
All-African junior welterweight Bethuel "Tyson" Usona (11-0, 4 KOs), the Namibian native now fighting out of Worcester (MA), makes his U.S. debut in a six-round bout against TBA. John Duddy is off the card.
In four-round matches are Weymouth (MA) junior welterweight "Nasty" Nick Morganelli (4-0, 3 KOs), 2004 New England Rookie of the Year, faces Mike Weaver (2-1-1, 1 KO); Harwich (MA) welterweight Jeff Tavano (1-0, 1 KO) squares off against Remy Ibraham (1-3).
Also on the show in four-round matches are 2004 Namibian Olympian, featherweight Joe "Smoke" Germini (1-0, 1 KO), now living in Worcester, Irish middleweight J. P. Keane (2-0, 1 KO), fighting out of Dorchester (MA), and super middleweight Benny "The Hornet" Lescarbeau (1-0, 1 KO) of Plymouth.
All bouts and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets are priced at $60,00 (ringside), $50.00 (reserved) and $30.00 (general admission). Tickets may be ordered by going to www.ticketweb.com and will be on sale at the doors the night of the show. Doors open at 6 pm., first bout at 7:30 pm.
NER Promotions is a division of New England Ringside whose boxing interests also include a monthly magazine, radio show (Thursday, 6-8 pm ET and Saturday, 7-9 pm ET on WWZN 1510AM The Zone; Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri, on 1310AM The Drive - Thursday's show from Boston is simulcast on 1310) and popular web site (www.newenglandringside.com). For more information about NER Promotions, New England Ringside or advertising/sponsorship inquires visit its web site or call 781.932.1190.
