Author: wban100@aol.com

PROVIDENCE, RI (November 15, 2005) - U.S. Olympian Jason "Big Six" Estrada (4-0, 1 KO) returns to action in his hometown Thanksgiving Eve, November 23 against Jeremy "Superstar" Brooks (4-2, 2 KOs) in a six-round bout at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. Estrada, who turns 25 later this month (Nov. 30), is on a mission to prove that he is going to be an even better professional than amateur. His match against Brooks marks the fifth fight of heavyweight Estrada's 11-month pro career after completing his remarkable amateur career with a 261-14 record in the United States. Jason was the first boxer to win both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. Challenge three years (2001-2003) in a row. The 2003 Pan-American Games gold medal winner went on to represent the U.S. in the super heavyweight Read more [...]

LAS VEGAS (NOV 15) - World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John "The Quietman" Ruiz (41-5-1, 28 KOs) is at training camp in Las Vegas preparing for his December 17th title defense against Nicolay Valuev (42-0, 31 KOs) in Berlin. Ruiz offered his opinion on a wide variety of subjects including Vitali Klitschko's retirement, the WBC, HBO and The Ring magazine heavyweight champion, James Toney's steroid case, Don King's proposed heavyweight championship tournament, and his Dec. 17th title defense against Valuev. Vitali Klitschko: "The first words I'm going to say in Germany are, 'I'm not Klitschko; I'm no chicken.' Klitschko has always been a quitter. He's quitting again because he couldn't handpick his opponent to defend his title against. He always quits when the going gets tough." The Read more [...]

(NOV 10) There was a fight that occurred at the Klong Luang Prison, Pathumthanee, Thailand on November 5, 2005. The contestants to fight---Nananko Kikuchi of Japan vs. Thailand’s Nongmai Sor Siriporn, who was making her pro debut. Siriporn displaying the heart of a tiger, AND for not ever fighting in a sanctioned boxing bout, did quite well to last seven rounds with a seasoned boxer, as Kikuchi. But, let me ask you....If you were a person who was fulfilling a prison sentence, and someone said to you, that you would get a "Get Out of Jail for Free Card" IF you won a fight....how well would YOU fight to gain your freedom? In many news sources, it states that this was somehow a "bargain chip" for Siriporn to shorten her prison sentence---IF SHE WON. I can only imagine the sleepless Read more [...]

LAS VEGAS (November 7, 2005) - In the wake of yet another announcement postponing the Klitschko-Rahman fight, World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John "The Quietman" Ruiz has come out of his corner firing at Vitali Klitschko, calling for the World Boxing Council to strip Klitschko of his title and appealing to the public and media for their reevaluation of the heavyweight division. Klitschko has pulled out of his scheduled title fight this Saturday against Rahman due to an alleged knee injury. It marks the fourth time Klitschko, who hasn't made a single mandatory defense in the 20 months since he's been WBC champ, has claimed an injury forcing postponement of his title defense against Rahman. "I'm not surprised and I don't think too many people in boxing are really surprised," Read more [...]

NEW YORK (NOV 5) Attorneys for World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John Ruiz announced on Nov. 1, that a lawsuit has been filed on Ruiz's behalf against James Toney based on Toney's use of illegal performance-enhancing steroids in advance of their April 30, 2005 title fight. In the lawsuit, Ruiz claims that Toney's use of Nandrolone, one of the most powerful performance-enhancing substances available, dramatically enhanced Toney's ability to fight by artificially augmenting his strength, speed and power. As a direct result of Toney's doping, Ruiz lost a fight that he otherwise would not have lost and sustained physical injuries that he otherwise would not have sustained. Notwithstanding that the judges' decision in favor of Toney on April 30 was overturned by the WBA after Toney's Read more [...]

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (November 5, 2005) - Five amateur boxers from Connecticut have been added to the Veterans' Day Spectacular, part of the second annual Great Northeast Tour, featuring the U.S. Marines Boxing Team from Camp Lejeune (NC), November 11th at Foxwoods Resort Casino. The Great Northeast Tour, promoted by S & L Boxing, showcases an amateur boxing competition involving members of the U.S. Marines, National Native American, and Team Connecticut amateur boxing clubs. "Tonight's event has special meaning for me because my son, Lance Corporal Jason LoNano, is a U.S. Marine," S & L Boxing president Sal LoNano said. "Our hope is that this promotion symbolizes our sincere thanks and gratitude to all the brave military men and women serving our great country all over the world in today's Read more [...]

WOBURN, Mass. (NOV 4) – Former World Junior Olympic champion Marvin “Too Much” Cordova, Jr. (5-0, 4 KOs) steps up in class November 19 when he fights junior welterweight Shakha Moore (9-10-3, 1 KO) in the six-round co-feature on Expressway Jam 2, presented by NER Promotions, November 19 at Freeport Hall (IBEW) in Dorchester (MA). Cordova, fighting out of Colorado Springs, had a 186-12 record as an amateur and he captured 14 National titles. His last fight was a second-round TKO of Marlon Leslie this past August in Denver. He is co-trained by his father, Marvin, Sr., and renowned cornerman Rafael Garcia. Moore is a well tested southpaw from Norwalk, Connecticut, who has fought the likes of Demetrius Hopkins, Frank Houghtaling and Jeff Fraza. A neighborhood grudge match between Worcester Read more [...]

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (October 28, 2005) - Iraqi War veteran Sgt. Eric Manzebo leads the U.S. Marines Boxing Team from Camp Lejeune (NC) on the second annual Great Northeast Tour, promoted by S & L Boxing, and headlined by the November 11th Veterans' Day Spectacular at Foxwoods Resort Casino. The Great Northeast Tour showcases at Foxwoods an amateur boxing competition involving members of the U.S. Marines, National Native American, and Team Connecticut amateur boxing clubs. Sgt. Manzebo, from Staten Island (NY), recently returned from eight months active duty in Baghdad. He is matched in a 201-pound heavyweight novice match against Nate Jimmerson, a member of the Seneca Tribal Nation in Cauteragues, New York. Last year a near sellout crowd enjoyed an evening of boxing and patriotism Read more [...]