Press Releases 12/14

Joe Calzaghe: "Hopkins Not as Good as Me"

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."

Trinidad: "I Will Knock Roy Jones Out in Two"

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.

Edison Miranda Blasts Pascal's Latest Win

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.

Tickets for “Crossroads”, priced at $27, $52, $102 and $152, are on sale now and may be purchased at the Hard Rock Live Box Office and at Official Ticketmaster site. Tickets for Concerts, Sports, Arts, Theater, Family, Events, more

Edwards Credits Team in British Title Win

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.

Steve Moliter's Return Official For 1/19

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.

Gunn Unhappy with Tomasz Adamek Fight Offer

Former IBA Cruiserweight king Bobby Gunn 18-3 (15 KO’s) has responded to what he calls an “unreasonable” offer to fight Tomasz Adamek. Team Gunn had initially contacted Sauerland Events matchmaker Hagen Doering a few weeks back with hope for an IBO title fight against Adamek.

“Things appeared in place; Mr. Doering was very interested in making the fight. I was told he had two fight dates, one being December 29th and the other February 16th. Doering said he would contact me with more information including which date the fight was going to be made on”, said Gunn.

“I surprisingly was contacted by (American promoter and matchmaker) Russell Peltz. His tone of voice was totally different then Doering’s. I felt disrespected by how Peltz’ came at me with a take it or leave it offer, especially when it was a joke amount of money to face a two time world champion and boxing warrior overseas. I don’t like dealing with third party people and with all due respect to Mr. Peltz, he just made it more complicated. Doering has my phone number and knows how to contact me so call me direct and well make this fight happen just be reasonable”!

Joshua Clottey Ready To Fight The Best

"We'll fight anyone - Cotto, Margarito, Williams, Cintron - you name it," said Vinny Scolpino, manager of welterweight contender Joshua Clottey who will fight in an eliminator bout on the VERSUS Network on Thursday, Dec. 20.

First, Clottey must deal with unbeaten lefthander Shamone Alvarez, 19-0, of Atlantic City, N.J. at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Alvarez said he was in the arena when Clottey took on Antonio 'Tijuana Tornado' Margarito in Atlantic City over a year ago.

"Clottey is always in shape and he comes to fight. I look at this as a very interesting bout. I've been training at the Atlantic City PAL, hitting the beach, hitting the track, hitting the road," said Alvarez.

Alvarez is a four-time New Jersey Golden Gloves champion. In Atlantic City, he is called 'The Truth.'

"Alvarez is good, but Clottey is better. Look at who we have fought," said Scolpino. "It's a tough fight, sure, but we will win and move on to something bigger. That's what our game plan is."

Clottey has been training at John's Gym in The Bronx, N.Y. It has been very cold there, but Scopino said "...Joshua is used to it. He's only been to one training camp and that was in the Poconos. He has been training hard, his weight is on target and we're ready to head to Las Vegas."

Alvarez has already arrived into Las Vegas. He has been training at a local gym. "I am approaching this fight with all intentions of winning," he said.

The Top Rank/VERSUS fight card includes Las Vegas heavyweight Tye Fields who will take on Chris 'Special K' Koval of Youngstown, Ohio. That fight is scheduled for 10 rounds and will open the VERSUS telecast.

Unbeaten USA Olympian Vanes Martirosyan of Glendale, Calif. is scheduled for eight rounds. Martirosyan, one of Top Rank's most popular young contenders, has a record of 16-0.

Canadian Olympian Donnie Orr, a 10-0 middleweight, will take on Enrique Gallegos of Medford, Oregon. Orr has been training in Tempe, Az.

"I grew up in the Vancouver area," said Donnie. "I had a lot of amateur fights with a record of 137-11. I was with the Canadian Olympic team in 1999, 2000 and 2001. For this fight I went to Arizona to train but now I am back working out in Richard Steele's new gym in Las Vegas. I am working with trainer Kenny Crooms.

Fan favorite Angel 'Baby Boy' Flores of Las Vegas will take on super lightweight Geoffery Spruiell of Pueblo, Colorado. That fight is scheduled for six rounds.

Klitschko-Ibragimov Expects a Sold Out Garden

HOLLYWOOD, FL – In the tradition of the classic baseball movie, Field of Dreams, which states, “Build it, and they will come,” fans have responded to the February 23rd world heavyweight title unification bout between IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko and WBO champion Sultan Ibragimov by snapping up tickets for the bout – which will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City - at a breakneck pace.

“We’re ecstatic about the ticket sales so far for Klitschko vs. Ibragimov,” said Leon Margules, Executive Director of Seminole Warriors Boxing. “I think this reaction shows that when you put the two best heavyweights in the world in the ring together, the fans will respond.”

“We have priced tickets very reasonably and are on track to sell out the Garden", said Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions.

Klitschko vs. Ibragimov, a 12 round heavyweight title unification bout, headlines a historic night of boxing presented by K2 Promotions and Seminole Warriors Boxing and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing.

Guinn vs. Hawkins Official For Dec. 28 Card

Undefeated heavyweight prospect Alonzo “Big Zo” Butler suffered a detached retina during training and had to withdraw from his fight at River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, British Colombia, on December 28.

He has been replaced by Robert “Big Philly” Hawkins, 22-10 with 7 knockouts, of Philadephia, Pennsylvania, who will now fight Dominick Guinn , 28-5-1 with 19 knockouts, of Houston, Texas, in the 10 round heavyweight main event.

Hawkins is a veteran who has fought many of the best heavyweights in the world, including current WBC heavyweight world champion Oleg Maskaev and WBC interim champion Samuel Peter. Although he hasn’t beaten the top fighters in the division, Robert does have several impressive wins to his credit against a number of heavyweight up-and-comers.

Local heavyweight standout Shane “Shotgun” Andreesen, 9-0 with 5 knockouts, of Qualicum Beach, B.C., will battle Corey Williams, 7-8-2 with 4 knockouts, of Torrington, Wyo., in a six-round bout.

South African light flyweight prospect Hekkie Budler, 3-0 with 3 knockouts, will make his U.S. debut in a four-round bout against an opponent to be announced. A former amateur standout, Budler was the 2005 South African national amateur champion at 105 pounds, and had a reported amateur record of 140-10.

Four more exciting supporting bouts, to be announced, are scheduled to complete the card. All bouts are subject to change without notice.

Ticket prices: $39, $59, $125, $195, $249.

Tickets available at: River Rock Box Office - 604-247-8562; Ticketmaster - 604-280-4444; and online at Official Ticketmaster site. Tickets for Concerts, Sports, Arts, Theater, Family, Events, more and River Rock Casino Resort.

Doors open: 4:30 P.M.

First bout: 6:00 P.M.

HBO To Replay Their Best Fights of 2007

It’s a holiday treat for HBO Boxing fans. For five consecutive nights during the holidays, HBO Sports will replay five of the most memorable, most significant, most compelling bouts of 2007 that were broadcast on the HBO service.

The lineup includes:

Tuesday, Dec. 25 at 11:00 p.m. -- Jermain Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik

Wednesday, Dec. 26 at 11:00 p.m.-- Joe Calzaghe vs. Mikkel Kessler

Thursday, Dec. 27 at 11:00 p.m. -- Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather

Friday, Dec. 28 at 11:00 p.m. -- Miguel Cotto vs. Shane Mosley

Saturday, Dec. 29 at 12 midnight –- Floyd Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton

All times are ET/PT.