TalkingBoxing News
Undefeated Cruiserweight on "Contender" Card
SAT February 11 - PROVIDENCE – Cruiserweight champion Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey (10-0, 4 KOs) is locked and loaded for his Sunday night (Feb. 12) showdown against veteran Ernest “M-16” Mateen (28-11-3, 10 KOs) in their six-round bout on “The Contender Special – East Coast Pride” at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence.
Godfrey, rated No. 25 by the World Boxing Council, will be fighting in front of his hometown fans against his most talented opponent to date. “Training has been excellent,” the 24-year-old said. “I had plenty of time to prepare for this fight, six weeks, and I’m in outstanding shape. I’m going in against somebody with a lot of experience and there’s no way I’m looking past him. He knows all of the tricks, but I’m going to win this fight.”
During the course of his 14-year pro career, former IBU cruiserweight champion Mateen has beaten ex-IBF champion Uriah Grant, John Scully and David Telesco twice apiece, as well as Drake Thadzi and Steve Pannell. He’s also fought current undisputed world cruiserweight title-holder O’Neil Bell to a draw and been in against the likes of Antonio Tarver, James Toney and Vassiliy Jirov.
Matt will be sharing the spotlight with two close friends who all started boxing at Manfredo’s Gym in Pawtucket (RI), Peter Manfredo, Jr., The Contender finalist in the recently concluded reality television series, and his current CES stable-mate, 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason Estrada.
Godfrey is rated No. 7 by the NABF, as well as No. 15 by the NABA and USBA.
For more information about Matt Godfrey visit his web site at www.mattgodfreyboxing.com.
Lacierva and Martinez Duke It Out for GBU Featherweight Championship
Title
SAT February 11 -
San Manuel Indian Nation, Calif.- Boxing fans are in for
a treat on Thursday, Feb. 23, as Jorge Lacierva (26-6-6, 18 KO'S), the
world class fighter out of Mexico City, looking to get back into
contention for a World Championship, takes on the crafty and speedy
Jorge Martinez (13-3-2, 4 KO'S), from San Diego, for the GBU (Global
Boxing Union) Featherweight Championship title at San Manuel Indian
Bingo and Casino in Highland. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. in the
Yuhaviatam showroom.
Martinez has established himself as one of the top Featherweights in the world in a very short period of time. Only after 12 pro fights did he win the NAB Featherweight Championship, which was his first scheduled 10 round fight. At the age of 27, he is just now hitting his prime and he is looking to get a shot at the World Championship soon. This fight with Jorge Lacierva is a cross roads fight for Martinez. If he can win, it will put him in great position for a title fight. Martinez has fought on Fox Sports and Telemundo Networks.
Jorge Lacierva is a classic Mexican fighter with excellent power and good boxing skills. He is a world class fighter who has fought on Telemundo, Telefutura, ESPN, and Fox Networks. Lacierva has won several titles including the WBC Latino Title, IBA World Championship, NABO Championship, and he has challenged for the IBF World Championship only to lose by technical decision to Mark Johnson. He is a very exciting action fighter who is very popular with the Mexican fight fans. In addition to the titles he has held, Martinez has an impressive resume of victories over Harold Grey, Jesus Perez, Gerardo Espinoza, Jose Lopez, among many others.
Also on the exciting undercard is the fresh new comer, 18-year-old Kaliesha (Kay) West of Redlands, Calif. In her pro debut, she will take on Suszannah Warner (2-2-0) of London, England. Kay was one of the very best amateur fighters in the country and many local fans are excited about Kay making her professional debut. As an amateur she won a National Championship, however she has longed to turn to the professional ranks for quite some time now. West is a very popular and likeable young boxer who has also has excelled in other sports. In High School, she made the CIF conference finals in Track as she ran the 880 and the two mile runs.
Tickets for "Thursday Night Thunder" are on sale for $35, $45 and $65 and can be purchased at the San Manuel box office or by calling 800-359-2464.
Back to the Future II
SAT February 11 - Undefeated jr. middleweight Giovanni Lorenzo to battle “The Shark Attack”, highlighting a seven-bout fight card from Schuetzen Park on March 10
Main Events returns to North Bergen’s
Schuetzen Park for “Back to the Future II”, the second in a series of planned
boxing events in north Jersey, it was announced today by Main Events CEO
Kathy Duva. The main event features a 10 round jr. middleweight bout between undefeated Domincan Republic native Giovanni Lorenzo and “The Shark Attack” Archak Ter-Meliksetian.
Tickets, priced at $150 (VIP), $50, and $25, can be purchased by calling Main Events at (973) 893-9100. The $150 VIP ticket entitles the owner to a dinner, drinks, and a “Meet and Greet” with boxing celebrities in attendance. The first “Back To The Future” card on Nov 30, 2005, sold out.
Lorenzo (18-0, 10 KO’s) is a 25-year-old Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native who has knocked out five of his last six opponents. On April 2, 2005, Lorenzo stopped Rafael De La Cruz in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic in two rounds to win the Dominican Republic middleweight championship (TKO 2).
Ter-Meliksetian (15-2, 12 KO’s) has won seven of his last eight bouts. The 27-year-old Armenian lost a decision to Sechew Powell in his last bout on Nov 4, 2005 (L 10). Ter-Meliksetian has stopped nine opponents in the first round.
Also appearing on the seven bout fight card will be the following:
• Henry Crawford (9-0-1, 3 KO’s): Crawford is an undefeated 24-year-old Paterson, NJ welterweight who compiled an amateur record of 90-10. He is a graduate of Kennedy High School
• Wayne Johnsen (10-1, 5 KO’s): Johnsen is a 28-year-old Lyndhurst, NJ super middleweight who has stopped three opponents in the first round. The former NJ Golden Glove Finalist served as a sparring partner for world middleweight champion Jermain Taylor as Taylor prepared for his Oct 23 rematch against Bernard Hopkins. Johnsen works full-time as a contractor.
• Danny McDermott (3-0-1, 1 KO): McDermott is an undefeated 26-year-old Jersey City, NJ jr. lightweight who is trained by former world champion James “Buddy” McGirt. McDermott served as a sparring partner for two-time world champion Arturo Gatti to help Gatti prepare for his mega-showdown with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. McDermott was a two-time NJ and NY Golden Glove Finalist. Besides Gatti, McDermott has also sparred with former world champions Junior Jones, Stevie Johnson and Sharmba Mitchell.
• Marius Wach (6-0, 2 KO’s): Wach is an undefeated heavyweight from Krakow, Poland who captured his first win in the United States on the Jan 28, 2006, Arturo Gatti-Thomas Damgaard undercard when he decisioned Adele Olakanye (W 4). The 6 ft, 6 inch, 250 lb prospect is advised by Ziggy Rozalski, former manager of Andrew Golota.
Main Events will promote the evening of boxing.
Lord Of The Flies
SAT February 11 - SANTA YNEZ, CA - Promoter Gary Shaw announced today the signing of undefeated IBF/IBO flyweight champion VICTOR DARCHINYAN to an exclusive promotional agreement with Gary Shaw Productions, LLC. Darchinyan will be making his next title defense, Friday, March 3, against Diosdado Gabi, world-rated No.2 by the WBC and No. 4 by the IBF, at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, CA. Showtime will televise it live as the main event of "SHOBOX: The New Generation" at 11 P.M. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast.)
Born in Armenia, Darchinyan, 24-0 (19 KOs), resides in Australia where he trains with former world champion Jeff Fenech. Darchinyan captured the IBF title by knocking defending champion Irene Pacheco, in the 11th round of their December 16, 2004 rumble. The undefeated Pacheco,
30-0 (23 KOs), had successfuly defended his title six times -- five by knockout -- since winning it in 1999. Darchinyan added the IBO title to his trophy case in his next fight, knocking out Mzukisi Sikali in the eighth round of their title unification bout, March 27, 2005. In his last bout, Darchinyan knocked out Jair Jimenez in the fifth round to retain his titles.
"After I take care of business with Gabi, I want Jorge Arce," declared Darchinyan. Arce is the interim WBC flyweight champion. "We met face to face in El Paso last week and I told him I wanted to fight him. I loved his response. 'I'll fight you, but remember this was YOUR idea.' He will find out the meaning of 'interim' when he gets into the ring with me!"
"I am very happy to have Vic in the GSP family," said Shaw. "He may be a flyweight in size, but he is a heavyweight when it comes to power and heart. Vic can fight and I expect him to be a wolrd champion for years to come. I can't wait to see him in the ring on March 3."
Gabi, 26-2-1 (18 KOs), from The Philippines, trains in Hollywood, CA with Freddie Roach. A former WBC International flyweight champion, he returns to the ring riding a four-year, 14-bout unbeaten streak, including eight knockout victories.
Tickets to the Darchinyan-Gabi world flyweight championship are priced at $70, $50, $40, $30 and are on sale at the Chumash Casino Resort box office. Tickets can also be purchased online through Star Tickets Plus.
Gatti Repairs Ligament in Right Hand
SAT February 11 - BLOOMFIELD, NJ – Today boxing superstar Arturo Gatti underwent minor elective surgery to repair the torn ligament in his right hand that has caused him problems in his past few bouts, it was announced today by Main Events CEO Kathy Duva. Gatti chose February for the elective surgery so that he would be ready in plenty of time for his June/July return to the ring on HBO.
Gatti’s manager Pat Lynch reports that Gatti’s ligament was re-attached by Dr. Charles Malone at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, NY. Lynch also said that Malone cleared Gatti to fight in June or July. Gatti’s promotional firm Main Events is in discussions with several top-rated welterweights, including Carlos Baldomir, and also plan to meet with the winner of the Oktay Urkal-Luis Collazo bout.
In his last bout on January 28, 2006, Gatti (40-7, 31 KO’s) stopped undefeated Danish welterweight Thomas Damgaard (TKO 11).
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