TalkingBoxing News
Rahman Headlines on VERSUS, June 14
TUE May 8 - A 10-round heavyweight bout pitting former two-time WBC heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman (41-6-2, 33 KOs) against former NABA champion Taurus Sykes (25-3-1, 7 KOs) headlines the next Fight Night on VERSUS in collaboration with Top Rank Boxing on Thursday, June 14 at 9 p.m. ET from the Main Street Armory in Rochester, New York.
Rahman will be making his first appearance since losing the WBC title to Oleg Maskaev on a 12th round TKO last August. He first emerged as a heavyweight champion when he knocked out Lennox Lewis in the fifth round of their first clash in 2001. Lennox took the title back in their rematch.
Also featured will be Kid Diamond (24-1-1, 14 KOs), of Las Vegas defending the NABF Lightweight championship against Columbia ’s Jose Leonardo Cruz (11-2-2, 7 KOs). The two lightweights first met in the 2000 Olympic Games with Kid Diamond emerging victorious. Diamond, whose real name is Almzabek Raiymkulov, is a native of Kyrgystan. In his last fight, Sept. 14, 2006 in Las Vegas , which was televised by VERSUS, Diamond scored a 7th round TKO against Jairo Ramirez.
VERSUS (VERSUS.com) celebrates real competition in all its forms. The network is the national cable home of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Stanley Cup Playoffs as well as best-in-class events like The Tour de France, the America 's Cup, the Dakar Rally, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), Professional Boxing, the Boston Marathon and Davis Cup. Now in more than 72 million homes, the network features the best field sports programming on television and is a destination for sports fans, athletes and sportsmen to find exclusive, competitive events that audiences can't find elsewhere. The network offers unique, competition-themed original programming and is the exclusive home of Survivor in syndication. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States .
Taylor Ready to Defend Against Spinks on May 19
TUE May 8 - While "The World Awaited" for another bout, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri fight fans are waiting for one too. Jermain Taylor and Cory Spinks are in the final stages of preparation for their WBC and WBO middleweight championship on Saturday, May 19 from FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. The bout will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing at 10:15pm (ET) / 9:15pm (CT) / 7:15pm (PT).
Jermain Taylor, from Little Rock, Arkansas, is universally recognized as the World Middleweight Champion. He defends his belts against St. Louis native, and current champion in Cory Spinks, who is more than a fighter with a famous last name. “Cory is a very good fighter, he’s a World Champion so that tells you a lot right there,” said Taylor. “He’s very fast and a top-notch fighter and I know he will be well prepared to do battle. I'm approaching this fight with Cory just like any other challenge to my belts, very serious.”
Because Spinks is a southpaw, Taylor has made sure his sparring partners are left-handed fighters and men who are quick. Spink's speed isn’t much of a concern for Taylor but he does understand you must prepare for it. Taylor has taken on southpaws and fighters with complex styles like Winky Wright and Kassim Ouma in the past. “We’ve had a great training camp and the sparring partners have been good,” Taylor said. “These guys have always kept me in shape and make sure I’m ready for a big fight. The sparring sessions have been very serious and intense with this training camp.”
Helping Taylor take his game to another level is Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward. The veteran trainer said this is one of the best camps he’s been involved with.
“Jermain has been fantastic,” Steward said. “Our chemistry is getting so much better and he really wants to beat this guy and look impressive. There are a lot of fights we could have taken, easier fights, but Cory is an excellent fighter. He’s been on a big stage in his career and we don’t expect an easy fight, but we are confident in Jermain’s abilities.”
Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment and promoter for Jermain Taylor is expecting an exciting night of boxing on May 19th at FedExForum. "Memphis will be electric for the great show and the entire weekend will be a celebration. I'm excited that tickets are moving so well," said DiBella.
With the fight close to both fighter's hometowns it will be interesting to see where the crowds will come from. Taylor has a huge following from Little Rock and he knows his hometown will support him for a “road” game. “My fans are great and have been supportive of me my whole career,” Taylor said. “That’s why the fight is here in Memphis so Cory’s people can show up and my people can be there. The environment will be great for both of us.”
Tickets are priced at $550, $450, $250, $125, $95, $45 and $25 for (students, seniors, and active military). Tickets are available at the FedExForum Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, http://www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 901.525.1515. For more information, visit www.fedexforum.com
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