Author: wban100@aol.com

TEWKSBURY, Mass. (August 11, 2005) – Training camp is coming to a close none too soon for unbeaten WBC International light welterweight champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi who’s been preparing for his ring return after an eight-month absence. Malignaggi (19-0, 5 KOs) faces Jeremy “Carolina Kid” Yelton (16-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-round match August 25 on a DiBella Entertainment show at the Manhattan Center in New York City. Brooklyn-native Malignaggi has been training in Tewksbury, Massachusetts under the watchful eyes of his new manager, Sal LoNano, and veteran trainer, Billy Giles, and assistant trainer Orlando Carrasquillo. LoNano has been following the same method that he did with his former fighter, now retired “Irish” Micky Ward, sending Paulie to famed strength Read more [...]

LOS ANGELES, August 11 – One man is a boxing legend and a future hall of famer; the other is a knockout artist with his sights set on creating his own memorable legacy. On Thursday, September 1, in a bout to be televised live on HBO Latino’s “Oscar De La Hoya Presents Boxeo De Oro” from the beautiful Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona, former world champion Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson and top bantamweight contender Jhonny Gonzalez will meet at boxing’s crossroads. And only one will emerge victorious. This 12 round NABO bantamweight championship bout, which headlines an evening of world class professional boxing presented by Golden Boy Promotions, will air on HBO Latino beginning at 10pm ET / PT. In the televised co-feature, unbeaten junior featherweight prospect Jonathan Read more [...]

NEW YORK (AUG 10) - World Boxing Organization (WBO) Junior Middleweight Champion Daniel "El Pillin" Santos will seek to extend his unbeaten streak in world title bouts to 10 (with one no-contest) when he defends against former WBA welterweight champion Jose Antonio "El Gallo" Rivera in the main event on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast). In a must-win fight for a pair of talented, once-beaten heavyweights who aspire to box for a world title, World Boxing Council (WBC) No. 7/World Boxing Association (WBA) No. 9 contender Owen "What the Heck" Beck faces International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 8 contender Sergei "The White Wolf" Liakhovich in the co-feature. Don King Productions will promote the explosive doubleheader from The Read more [...]

(AUG 6) Harrison, NJ — Top rated bantamweight contender Steve "The Canadian" Kid" Molitor will move up to the jr. featherweight division when he takes on the tough, durable and awkward Debind "The Nepal Tiger" Thapa on the 10-round main event of the upcoming August 19 show at the Hanover Marriott in Whippany, NJ. Molitor (20-0, 6 KOs) has chosen to make his third appearance on U.S.soil a significant one, opting to take on a difficult assignment rather than facing the proverbial 50-50-record opponent. "You get nowhere fighting nobodies and the fight against Thapa is a demonstration of how much faith we have in Steve," says his manager James Jardine. "Steve wants to become a world champion. He knows that to prepare for his eventual title opportunity he needs to overcome certain obstacles. Read more [...]

(Press Release) The Association of Boxing Commissions voted to renew its contract with Fight Fax, Inc., as its official record keeper. The contract is in effect for three years, with an option to renew for two more years. The vote was unanimous. The contract was renewed at the ABC's 2005 convention in Las Vegas, which was held from July 26 to July 30 at the Flamingo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Fight Fax and Boxrec each made a 15 minute presentation at the convention. Before the vote was taken, Joanna Aguilar, an attorney and member of the Santa Ana Pueblo Commission in New Mexico, read the findings of a panel that was created by the ABC last year. The panel included state commissioners and attorneys that tested the accuracy of both Fight Fax and Boxrec during the year. Fight Read more [...]

PROVIDENCE (July 30, 2005) - Only 14 months into his pro boxing career, unbeaten Providence cruiserweight Matt Godfrey (8-0, 5 KOs), rated No. 13 by the NABF, is preparing for his ninth fight August 26 against Willie Herring (13-3-3, 2 KOs) with the vacant USNBC cruiserweight championship on the line.   "CES' Prime Time Fights" is presented by Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc (CES), in association with Mohegan Sun, at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. Godfrey, coming off an eight-round "shutout" decision against Jermall Barnes, was an outstanding amateur boxer, registering a 194-23 record, including six national championships, highlighted by a gold-medal performance in the 2004 Everlast U.S. Championships. He was a Bronze medal winner at the 2001 Pan-American Read more [...]

(JULY 29) Houston, Texas- On August 27th, World Middleweight and Light-Heavyweight Champion, Reggie “Sweet” Johnson (42-7-1) is back with a vengeance and this time he says he has a ‘William Gutherie’ frame of mind. Gutherie (30-3) was the IBF Light-Heavyweight Champion of the World who Johnson dethroned in 1998 with a vicious hook to the chin in the 5th round of their world title fight. Gutherie left the ring that night in a neck brace and on a stretcher. “I’m training hard and have kept my weight at 185 during this rest period,” says Johnson, “ and feel sharp. I’m ready for whoever my agent, Kerry Daigle, puts in front of me.” Is the layoff of over 2 years going to affect Johnson? “I don’t think so,” says Beau Williford, the matchmaker for this event at the Read more [...]

(JULY 29) PHILADELPHIA-. Former undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, President of Golden Boy Promotions East, is ready to host the first official show of the east coast division and the start of a multi-event alliance between Hopkins, his partner Oscar de la Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions with the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. “I am extremely excited to introduce Golden Boy East and put on our first show,” said Hopkins. “We are committed to delivering quality fights to the Borgata and the many fight fans, showcasing established fighters as well as young and upcoming prospects. Golden Boy East will be the Gold Standard when it comes to action, excitement and entertainment in the ring!” The August 4th fight card will feature Hopkins’ nephew, Read more [...]

(JULY 23) LOS ANGELES, – With 11,992 fans in attendance at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas last Saturday night to watch the middleweight championship fight between Bernard Hopkins and Jermain Taylor, it is obvious that boxing is alive and well in the hearts of fight fans. But while an intriguing matchup between two great warriors is always an enticing prospect for followers of the sweet science, it’s not always economically feasible to be able to see these megafights live and in person. Golden Boy Promotions believes that this attitude needs to change if boxing is to regain its status as one of this country’s major professional sports, and to help accomplish that goal, the company is pleased to announce that in association with the MGM Grand, tickets for the September 17 “Parade of Read more [...]

(JULY 18) SAN DIEGO– On Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2005, the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, through Sycuan Ringside Promotions, will host “Salute to America’s Heroes,” a six-bout boxing card at Camp Pendleton, Calif. The highlight of “Salute to America’s Heroes” will be a 10-round main event pitting former International Boxing Federation lightweight champion Julio Diaz of Coachella, Calif , against Tomas Barrientes of Weslaco, Texas. The event, presented in association with Northeast Promotions, will be nationally televised on cable network ESPN from the Marine Corps Base. The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation will provide this card free of charge for Camp Pendleton authorized personnel. The card is being co-promoted by Northeast Promotions. “On behalf of the warriors Read more [...]