Former amateur standout and Chicago fan favorite Frankie Tafoya will return to the professional boxing ring this Friday night, December 14th at DECEMBER FURY, another evening of world class professional boxing presented by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING.
Advance tickets for DECEMBER FURY are available in advance by calling 312-226-5800. Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie, just minutes from the Eisenhower and Stevenson Expressways. Doors for this event will open at 5:30pm with the first bell at 6:30pm.
The 24 year old Tafoya, 5-0 with three knockouts, returns after a two year absence to face Atlanta’s Oscar De La Cruz, 4-4 (2KO’s) in a lightweight battle.
Said Pesoli, “We’re very happy to have Frankie on our card this Friday. He’s a terrific kid and judging by the fans response the last three weeks they’re very excited to see him back in the ring.”
The Tafoya/De La Cruz bout is featured on the massive nine bout DECEMBER FURY/SOLO BOXEO TECATE event presented by Chicago’s 8 Count Productions and Bob Arum’s Top Rank Incorporated along with TCF Bank, Tecate Beer and AeroMexico, Mexico’s premier airline travel headquarters. The SOLO BOXEO TECATE broadcast will be viewed in 42 US markets and 70 foreign countries.
In the main event at DECEMBER FURY, two time world title challenger Orlando Salido, 29-9-2 (18KO’s) of Sonora, Mexico will face Hector Julio Avila, 39-3 (36KO’s) of the Dominican Republic in a ten round featherweight bout.
The co-main event will pit Miguel “EL ANESTESISTA” Huerta, 25-8-1 (17KO’s) of Mexico City against Puerto Rican Daniel Alicea, 30-6-2 (22KO’s) in a ten round lightweight bout.
The outstanding DECEMBER FURY undercard includes world ranked light heavyweight Tavoris Cloud, bantamweight fan favorite Francisco Rodriguez, middleweight Victor Polyakov and heavyweight Carl Davis.
Also appearing at DECEMBER FURY are newcomers Eric Estrada and Greg Dziubek.
The Master of Ceremonies for DECEMBER FURY will be Lupe Contreras, the internationally recognized voice of Latino boxing.
It’s a special edition of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING when HBO Sports presents FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. RICKY HATTON, the exclusive replay of the welterweight showdown, this SATURDAY, DEC. 15 at 10:15 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO. The HBO Sports broadcast team, which was ringside for the live event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, will call all the action. The replay will be available in HDTV.
The Dec. 8 fight, carried live on HBO Pay-Per-View, featured the highly anticipated showdown between two undefeated superstars in the prime of their careers: Floyd Mayweather and Ricky Hatton. Mayweather scored a thrilling 10th round KO triumph to close out a banner year for the sport's pound-for-pound king.
After being voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year and unifying the super-middleweight division, Joe Calzaghe's year could get even better as hopes rise that he can finally nail down a fight against Bernard Hopkins.
Frank Warren and Golden Boy Promotions, Hopkins handlers, are in on-going talks about staging the fight in 2008.
It would give Calzaghe the opportunity to avenge Ricky Hatton's defeat at the weekend - against Floyd Mayweather - in a second great battle between Britain and America.
And if he defeated Hopkins, it would confirm his legacy as one of the greatest fighters of all time.
Calzaghe was in Las Vegas over the weekend to support Hatton, and became involved in a slanging match with the former middleweight king and current light-heavyweight number one at the MGM Grand.
But if Warren has his way, Calzaghe and Hopkins will get it on for real next year.
"Both boxers want the fight, I want the fight, the fans want the fight and HBO want the fight, so there's no reason for it not to happen." Said Warren.
"Joe is flying back this week and I'll be sitting down with him to discuss things, and we'll move on from there."
Calzaghe added: "Coming face to face with Hopkins over the weekend made me want the fight even more. He can talk a good fight but he can't beat me.
"I'll go to America and take the fight, no problem at all. Bernard's a great fighter, but he's not as good as me.
"2007 has been a fantastic year for me, what with beating Kessler and then winning the BBC award on Sunday night.
"I've got my fingers crossed that 2008 will be even better, with a fight against Hopkins, and a win that will finally show everyone in America that I deserve all the praise I get."
Eight-time world champion Roy Jones Jr. visited the home of five-time world champion Felix "Tito" Trinidad for a press conference at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico last Thursday.
While both boxers have been good sportsmen at previous media tour stops in New York and Los Angeles, the emotion of being on his native island caused Trinidad to sharpen his words towards Jones concerning their Jan. 19 showdown at Madison Square Garden and on HBO Pay-Per-View.
Trinidad became very serious at the end of the media-packed press conference, striking the podium and telling his interpreter to translate what he had to say in English because he wanted to make sure Jones would hear him.
"Roy, I am telling you this and I am serious this time," Trinidad said. "Every time I hit you it's going to hurt. I think Roy has a bad memory when he says he's going to win in four rounds. What are you going to do when I knock you out in the second round, Roy?"
Jones responded, "Tito's got to go in fo. He's doing a lot of talking now. He's got a big mouth. That's a bad sign."
Roy Jones Jr.: "I love Puerto Rico. It's a great place. I've got to give credit to Miguel Cotto for his performance against Shane Mosley. He came out and out-boxed the boxer. Watching the Cotto-Mosley fight caused me to go home and tighten up all of my bolts and screws because Tito comes from the same place Cotto does so I've got to be on the top of my game.
"I love to fight. Tito is a great world champion who loves to fight. We are going to both come to fight on January 19 at Madison Square Garden. Fans don't want to see a boring fight. They want to see somebody's ass hit the grass.
"I'm going to take Tito down in four. He must go in fo."
Felix "Tito" Trinidad: "It's great to be on my island. Roy Jones and I are donating money from our purses to help fight breast cancer and that is a good thing.
"I want all of my friends and fans who know I have been out of the ring for over two years to know that I am a clean person. I don't smoke or drink so my body has been responding well to the conditioning for my return to the ring. I am very happy with my performance in training. I want to tell my fans once again that I am fine. I am ready. And I will do fine on January 19.
"Roy Jones is a great eight-time champion of the world. He's been a great champion and was undefeated for many years. He stepped up to heavyweight and beat John Ruiz. All of this is true but on Jan. 19, Roy Jones, you will have the toughest fight of your life. Every time I come into the ring I come to fight. I come with only one bag into the ring, the bag of hitting you. The bag of getting hit I left at home.
"I'm very sure Madison Square Garden will be sold out. You [Roy] will see a Boriqua Tito punching Roy Jones around the ring. I want you to be prepared Roy because every time I hit you, you're going to feel it. I want my translator to say this in English because I want him to understand what I am about to say. Roy, I'm telling you this and I am serious this time. Every time I hit you it's going to hurt.
HOLLYWOOD, FL - You only have one chance to make a first impression, and Jean Pascal did not impress Edison Miranda this past Friday night during his 10 round bout with Brian Norman at the Bell Center in Montreal.
“I came all the way from the sunny weather of San Juan to the snow in Montreal, to watch nothing more than a club fight. They pulled Jean’s opponent right out of the circus to give him an easy night, but it was the opposing clown who stole many rounds away from Jean. If this guy thinks he has any chance in beating Edison Miranda he better go back to school and learn how to fight like a real man. The only thing that impressed me was the wonderful fans of Canada. I admire their desire to see a great fight, but felt bad for them with this disappointing circus event that Pascal delivered. They came out on a snowy cold night and were given nothing to cheer for during this bout. I will ma! ke a promise to these great fans. When Edison Miranda comes back to town they will have a reason to cheer. Listen to me Jean: by the end of the night, you will be lying on the canvas and 15,000 fans will chanting ‘panthère’ (French for Pantera). You are nothing more than a Chinatown boxer.”
Pantera and Jean Pascal will again be side by side on Jan 11th on ESPN Friday Night Fights. The event will be broadcast live from the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood Florida.
As the dust settles on Chris Edwards’ historic victory, the first boxer from Stoke to win a British title for 85 years took time out to thank the team at Impact Boxing who had assisted him in his quest to capture the inaugural super-flyweight Lonsdale Belt.
“I couldn’t have achieved this without Impact Boxing,” said Edwards. “When I joined them two years ago I was going nowhere with my career but since being with Impact not only have I received the best coaching but I’ve also been encouraged to have the belief in myself.”
“I would like to thank Mick Carney and Scott Lawton for spotting my potential and having the faith in me to give me this opportunity. I would also like to thank Lindon Newbon who has been there for me every step of the way and has probably worked just as hard as me to win this title. He was a great inspiration in the gym; on the road when I’ve been running and in my corner on Saturday night.”
“Darren and Mick also played important roles over the weekend; not only were they spurring me on in the corner but they helped to keep me focused all weekend. Gary Reid and Jimmy Doherty, two of the other boxers in the gym, were there and I could hear them all the way through the fight shouting out encouragement to me; they were a great help too.”
“I thought I’d won the title in April against Dale Robinson but the judges disagreed and it was declared a draw so it makes this victory even sweeter. I’ve worked hard to win this belt and I’m not ready to give it up easily so whoever comes along next I will be ready for them. In the meantime, I intend to have a rest over Christmas and enjoy being British champion.”
Edwards emerged victorious in a hotly contested bout where the fortunes of both men ebbed and flowed:
The early rounds had seen McDonnell produce the slicker work as Edwards to time to come to terms with the younger man’s height and reach advantage. By the third however Edwards was on the front foot and advanced relentlessly despite being tagged repeatedly by McDonnell.
Although McDonnell was repeatedly on target with both his jab and hook he couldn’t connect with sufficient power to deter the diminutive Potteries fighter. As soon as Edwards came within range he then unleashed barrage after barrage of strength sapping hooks the body of McDonnell.
As the fight progressed Edwards’ experience and fitness began to tell and the youngster became visibly frustrated. Now desperately looking for the knockout punch McDonnell began to leave himself open to even more ferocious volleys from his adversary. Despite taking the 9th by a comfortable margin McDonnell could do nothing to match Edwards superior work-rate during the subsequent rounds and Edwards lifted the title on a split decision with Dave Paris scoring the contest 115-114 in Edwards’ favour; Phil Edwards 116-113 for Chris and Marcus McDonnell 113-116 to McDonnell.
MNJIKANING (RAMA), ON – Orion Sports Management and Casino Rama are pleased to present the Rumble at Rama III on Saturday, January 19th, 2008 in which the undefeated champion “The Canadian Kid” Steve Molitor will make the third defense of his I.B.F. World Junior Featherweight Title.
In the Title Match of the night, reigning champion Molitor (25-0, 10 kos) will defend his current I.B.F. World Junior Featherweight Title against Ricardo “Piolo” Castillo (33-4, 22 kos) of Mexico. Molitor captured the title on November 10th, 2006 in Hartlepool, England from the previously unbeaten Michael Hunter, with a devastating 5th round knockout. He mounted his first successful defense of the title, here at home during the Rumble at Rama I on July 14th against South Africa’s Takalani Ndlovu in a crushing 9-round victory. His second successful defense took place during the Rumble at Rama II on October 27th against Thailand’s Fashung “3K Battery” in a grueling 12-round unanimous decision that saw the champ throw crushing blows and quick combinations.
"This is just incredible to have the opportunity to defend this title once again in front of my hometown fans. I cannot wait for January 19th to get here and I will not disappoint", promised the champ, Steve Molitor.
Molitor’s Manager, James Jardine adds, “We are delighted to return to Casino Rama and we are thrilled that they have decided to continue with this exciting partnership”.
In addition to the Title Match, the Rumble at Rama III will also feature a number of undercard bouts, including a heavy weight fight.
TSN will televise the event live on January 19th beginning at 9:30pm ET from coast to coast. It will also be available in High Definition on TSN HD.
“Again, we feel privileged to team up with Casino Rama and TSN to bring an event of this stature to the boxing fans from across Canada", said Allan Tremblay, President of Orion Sports Management.
Held in Casino Rama’s state-of-the-art 5,200 seat Entertainment Centre, this match is the third of many such planned boxing events. “The first two boxing events hosted here showcased Casino Rama as the premier place in Ontario to see an outstanding title fight" said Jeff Craik, Vice President of Marketing, Casino Rama. "We fully expect The Rumble at Rama III to be just as successful and are anticipating an exciting night for boxing fans”.
The Rumble at Rama III taking place on Saturday, January 19th, 2008 will begin at 7:00pm with the undercard bouts, with the main Title Match taking place at 9:30pm and broadcast live on TSN and TSN HD.
Tickets for this event will be $125, $75, $50 and $25. An exclusive advanced ticket purchase for Players Passport™ Club Members* begins Sunday, December 9th at 12 noon, in-person only at the Casino Rama Box Office. Please note that a limited number of tickets are available for this advance on-sale.
Tickets for the Rumble at Rama go on-sale to the general public on Tuesday, December 11th at 12 noon, and will be available in-person at the Casino Rama Box Office, all TicketMaster locations, by calling (416) 870-8000 and online at Casino Rama. Ticket prices do not include applicable taxes or service charges.
Orion Sports Management is an Ontario based Promotional company that was incorporated in 1999. From a launch event at The Air Canada Centre ("The Night Of The Hurricane") they have successfully staged a series of televised events in the Niagara region featuring "Baby Joe" Mesi, Razor Ruddock, Egerton Marcus, Chad Brisson, and the new IBF World Junior Featherweight Champion, Steve Molitor. Headed up by former Canadian Airline executive, Allan Tremblay, they are back on the Ontario boxing scene after a 3 year absence due to an illness to Tremblay. "Rumble At Rama" is first of a series of events planned for Southern Ontario and Western N.Y. to stimulate the industry and pick up where they left off.
Operating 24-hours a day, seven days a week since July 31, 1996, Casino Rama is Ontario's only First Nation's commercial casino. The Casino offers a complete entertainment experience with over 2,500 slot machines, more than 110 gaming tables, nine unique restaurants; a world-class 5,000 seat Entertainment Centre and a 300-room all-suite, full-service hotel, featuring spa and health club facilities. Casino Rama is operated by Penn National Gaming, Inc.
Press Releases 12/14
