Hernandez Dethrones Cunningham, Wins IBF Cruiserweight Title

Ulli Wegner believes that Yoan Pablo Hernandez (25-1, 13 KOs) victory over IBF Cruiserweight Champion Steve Cunningham (24-3, 12 KOs) should have been a first round KO rather than a sixth-round technical decision.

The hard-hitting Cuban knocked down his American opponent in the first round with a huge left hook. “The referee saved Cunningham from a flash KO,” Wegner said of the count that lasted at least 14 seconds. “He gave Cunningham too much time to recover. And then his corner extended the recovery time between the first and the second round by staying in the ring after the bell sounded to start the second round. That continue

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KAYODE AND CORA COLLIDE

On Showtime 9/9/11 @ 11pm ET

Lateef Kayode: “I trained so hard for this fight and I’m so well-prepared. It depends how he fights. If he runs around and slaps, he might last for a while. If he fights he won’t last.

“He (Cora) makes the same mistake over and over and exposes his chin. I have to capitalize on that because he doesn’t have a great chin.

“ShoBox has really made my career what it is up to this point. I’m just so proud to be back on SHOWTIME. Sure, I’m looking for bigger and better things but I have to be patient right now and realize there isn’t a huge market for cruiserweights like myself in America.

“We’re not looking past Felix Cora. He could present problems being a southpaw, but we’ve studied him and just have to keep to our game plan and we’ll be fine.”

Felix Cora Jr.: “I feel good and very confident. I won’t make predictions, but it’ll be an entertaining fight. I’ll feel him out early and do my best.

“He’s a great fighter, very tough, well-conditioned and very determined.

“I appreciate him giving me this opportunity and it’ll feel good to be champion.”

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B J Flores Stops Iannuzzi For Cruiser Titles

BJ FLORES THRILLS HOMETOWN FANS WILL FIFTH ROUND STOPPAGE OVER NICK IANNUZZI TO WIN NABA AND INTERIM NABO CRUISERWEIGHT TITLES

Once-beaten Cruiserweight contender, BJ Flores came home to score an emphatic fifth round stoppage over tough Nick Iannuzzi in front of over 2,000 fans at the O’Reilly Center that highlighted the first ever Danger Boy Promotions card in Springfield, Missouri.

 

The show was a hybrid event that featured four boxing and six MMA bouts which had a capacity crowd entertained throughout the evening.

The show will be available all over the world on Thursday July 28th on www.gfl.tv for just $9.99 by clicking: http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/Summer_Fight_Night_at_the_OReilly_Center/1122

Flores got off to a quick start by dropping Iannuzzi in round one from a big overhand right.  Iannuzzi barely beat the referee’s count.

Over the next three rounds, Flores focused on the body which had Iannuzzi backing away and not trying to engage much with the hard punches of Flores.

In the fifth round, Flores came out aggressive by landing two hard rights and body work.  He repeated that same combination and backed Iannuzzi up in the corner.  Flores finished land five with another hard right.

Iannuzzi’s corner stopped the fight after round five with Flores ahead 50-44 on all cards.

“I felt very good and very strong. Coming in at 200 pounds instead of 195 like for my last fight was a huge difference! This was the type of fight I needed. Nick Ianuzzi showed he is a top level North American cruiserweight fighting Lateef Kayode and I went out there and dominated him and on to the next one”, Said Flores

“I will be fighting again in Springfield, MO. in the end of October. I will fight another tough top rated North American opponent and I expect the same type of result. This is a new chapter in my career where I will be active and exciting!””

With the win, Flores showed power that he has been working on and improves his mark to 25-1-1 with sixteen knockouts

For More Information on BJ Flores, Contact:

Marc Abrams at          856 287 7611 or mabrams@15rounds.com; phillyboxing@gmail.com

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Huck knocks out Garay in spectacular fight

Marco Huck (33-1, 24 KOs) defended his WBO Cruiserweight Title in dramatic fashion on Saturday night, knocking out tough challenger Hugo Hernan Garay (34-6, 18 KOs) after ten action-filled rounds. It was a spectacular encounter from the first bell on, with Huck flattening his opponent with a big right in the first round. Garay seemed unimpressed and kept coming at Huck. Both fighters landed hard combinations to body and head in almost every round, but the pace remained high as the brutal battle continued. Huck used his power to counter Garay´s aggressive combinations, with both man landing. The champion took over in the late rounds when his hooks, uppercuts und body punches wore Garay down. In the tenth, the 26-year-old German landed a series of brutal punches to knock Garay down and out. “This was a great win for me,” Huck said. “It was the first time my future wife and my mother were ringside, so I really wanted to impress them. Garay was extremely tough, he just kept coming at me. But I wanted to please my family and my great fans. I was too strong for Garay but I have to give him credit – he was a very, very tough opponent. Now I will get married as world champion. What more can you ask for.”

Garay was disappointed he could not take home the belt after a great fight. “I did not see his last punch coming,” he said. “I thought I could beat him but he is a great champion with a lot of power. I will come back from this defeat.”

Huck´s coach Ulli Wegner praised his fighter for a “strong performance.” He stated: “There was so much pressure on Marco this time out and I am proud that he found a way to deal with it. It does not happen too often but I´m quite happy with his performance. Now he can have a great wedding.”

Hall-of-Fame Promoter Wilfried Sauerland lauded Huck´s spectacular style. “Whenever Marco steps through the ropes the fans are treated to entertaining and explosive fight,” he said. “He clinched a spectacular win and once again proved his worth. He is fun to watch and his power is amazing. He has great things ahead – he is still very young.”

In the co-featured main event, Eduard Gutknecht (22-1, 9 KOs) made a first defence of his European Light Heavyweight Title with a clear points victory over Lorenzo di Giacomo (41-5, 18 KOs). Gutknecht was ahead 120-105, 119-107 and 119-107 after 12 rounds. Up-and-coming middleweight sensation Dominik Britsch (24-0, 9 KOs) also clinched the vacant IBF Intercontinental Middleweight Title with a ninth-round TKO victory over Ryan Davis (23-9, 3 KOs). A powerful combination sent the American down for the referee to stop the contest, which had been dominated by Britsch. Heavyweight hopeful Kubrat Pulev (13-0, 6 KOs) continued his march up the rankings with a clear points victory over Maksym Pediura (13-2, 11 KOs).

 

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Huck Defeats Lebedev

WBO Cruiserweight Champion Marco "Captain" Huck (31-1, 23 KOs) made a fifth successful title defense in Berlin on Saturday night when he clinched a split decision victory over mandatory challenger Denis Lebedev (21-1, 16 KOs). After 12 brutal and bruising rounds, Huck was ahead 115-113 on two cards, while the third judge ruled it 116-112 in favor of the previously unbeaten Russian. "It was a tough fight, Lebedev was a very, very strong opponent," Huck said. "I cracked my rib in the fourth round and whenever I threw a punch in the following it hurt like being stuck with a knife. But I hung in there and showed my big heart. I did not give up and kept fighting. That is what being a ..read more

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LATEEF KAYODE’S KNOCKOUT STREAK CONTINUES; CUBAN OLYMPICAN LUIS FRANCO REMAINS UNBEATEN

Don’t Miss The Thrilling Replay On Thursday, Dec. 9, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHO 2

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. (Dec. 3, 2010) – The knockout streak lives on forLateef “Power” Kayode, the Hollywood cruiserweight from Nigeria who registered a sixth-round knockout for the 14th consecutive fight on ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME® Friday night from Chumash Casino Resort.

In the co-feature, former Cuban Olympian Luis “La Estrella” Franco remained undefeated moving his record to 8-0 (5 KOs) with a disqualification (low blows) win over Eric “Outlaw” Hunter at 2:34 of the eighth round.

In the main event, Kayode (15-0, 14 KOs) defended his cruiserweight NABO and NABF titles against a game Ed “The Georgia Thumper” Perry, 34, of Frankfort, Indiana, a former high school football player who drives a dump truck for a living. Perry (18-5-2, 11 KOs) hung in there with Kayode, but just like Kayode’s last 13 victims couldn’t last, taking a knee at :51 seconds in the sixth round....more

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BJ Flores to challenge IBO champ Danny Green

LAS VEGAS / SYDNEY (September 9, 2010)—It was announced Monday afternoon that undefeated and world ranked cruiserweight, BJ Flores will take on Perth’s favorite son Danny “Geen Machine” Green on Wednesday November 17th in Greens’s hometown for the IBO Cruiserweight title.

Flores accepted the challenge and is more than ready to travel down under to face Green for that championship.

Green and Flores kicked off a press tour today that started in Sydney and will continue to Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane over the next five day for the bout that will undoubtedly be the biggest fight of Flores’ career.

“This feels like Christmas has come a little early this year”, said Flores.

“I have finally gotten the fight he has been craving

Flores called out Green over a year ago and feels that Green’s first round stoppage over Paul Briggs was the main reason Green has decided to step up and face a real guy.

“I am looking forward to finally getting an opportunity to face a top fighter and a two- time world champion in Danny Green. I take my hat off to Danny for deciding to fight me. This is a fight I have wanted for a LONG time. I hope I am the underdog. I hope everyone picks against me so when I completely destroy him on November 17th and then I will get more opportunities to face top fighters. This will be a life changing fight for me. This will be my coming our party”

“Life is all about timing and sometimes things don’t happen on my time. However, my BIG moment has finally arrived. I have been in the gym with nothing but heavyweights for the last year. I have improved my strength and explosive power 10 times! This will be much different than fighting Manny Siaca or Paul Briggs. Danny will find out VERY early in the fight that 25lbs is a BIG difference. This will also be the most difficult opponent of my career and I am Very excited to get this opportunity. I would not have taken this fight in his hometown if I wasn’t sure I could knock him out!”

“The Fans in Australia deserve better than Siaca and Briggs. .They can finally watch Green in a real fight with a guy who is bigger stronger and faster than him. I know he has a lot of momentum going for him as he won a few fights and I’m sure because of what he did to Roy Jones, him and his fans think that he is invincible, but on November 17, those fans will see and more importantly Danny will feel what it is like to be in with a younger, hungry fighter who is eager to show the fans all over the world that I am one of the best cruiserweights in the world.”

Huck to defend WBO Cruiserweight Title against Lebedev

Marco Huck (30-1, 23 KOs) will make a fifth defence of his WBO Cruiserweight Title on December 18 when he faces mandatory challenger Denis Lebedev (21-0, 16 KOs) in Berlin. The fight will take place at the Max-Schmeling-Halle. “I look forward to fighting in Berlin again,” Huck said. “Lebedev is a tough challenger with a great record. We are both very powerful and have tremendous KO power so the fans can expect a big battle. I will of course defend my title and leave the ring as the winner.”

Huck defeated Victor Emilio Ramirez in August 2009 before edging Ola Afolabi in his first mandatory defence four months later. He has stopped Adam Richards, Brian Mino and Matt Godfrey since. “Lebedev is a very strong challenger,” Huck´s coach Ulli Wegner said. “After Ramirez and
Afolabi, this is once again a huge test for Marco. But I am sure he will take care of business.”

Lebedev, who has never tasted defeat, enters the fight with an intimidating record of 21 victories along with 16 KOs. His last eight fights all ended early, including his second-round KO win over Alexander
Alekseev in July. “I am sure that Marco Huck has never been so nervous ahead of a fight,” said Vlad Hrunov, Lebedev´s manager.

Frenkel knocks out Maccarinelli to clinch European Cruiserweight Title - Press Release September 19, 2010

Alexander Frenkel (23-0, 18 KOs) is the new European Cruiserweight Champion after a spectacular KO victory over Enzo Maccarinelli (32-5, 25KOs). The unbeaten 25-year-old floored the former world champion with a vicious left hook in the seventh round of their clash at the LG Arena in Birmingham. Maccarinelli beat the count but found himself on the floor again when Frenkel followed it up with another heavy series of punches.
“I am very happy,” Frenkel said. “It was a tough fight against a very dangerous opponent. Maccarinelli was very strong but in the seventh round I hit him.”

After winning the opening round, Frenkel was trailing on all scorecards by the time he connected. “I wanted him to throw the left hook,” coach Ulli Wegner said. “We knew that Maccarinelli was a tough opponent but we also knew that Alexander has incredible punching power. That he showed once again tonight. However, he should have been more active in the opening rounds.”

Manager Wilfried Sauerland, who had predicted a stoppage in the seventh or eighth round, was pleased with Frenkel´s performance. “Just like Arthur Abraham at Super-Middleweight, Frenkel has the most powerful single KO punch in his division. He can end any fight with just one shot. He put on a strong performance and we are very happy to have added another champion to our team.”

On the undercard, Karo Murat (22-1, 13 KOs) suffered the first loss of his career as he was outboxed by Nathan Cleverly in a WBO Light Heavyweight Title Eliminator. The referee stopped the fight after nine one-sided rounds. “I am very disappointed,” Murat said. “I will analyse my mistakes and bounce back.” Cleverly was in full control throughout,
making good use of his advantage in height and reach. “We knew Cleverly would start out strongly but I had expected Karo to be more active after five rounds,” Ulli Wegner said. “He should have been much more aggressive but he will learn from his mistakes. You must never forget that he does not have a big amateur background and is still very young.
He will be back.”

Huck Determined to crown 100th ARD broadcast with big win over Godfrey

Marco Huck´s WBO Cruiserweight Title Fight against Matt Godfrey will be special for more reasons than just one. The hard-hitting 25-year-old (29-1, 22 KOs) will make the fourth defence of his title on Saturday night in Erfurt, Germany, which will mark the 100th broadcast of a Sauerland show on German public TV giants ARD. He also needs a victory to book his place in the Cruiserweight Super Six, which Wilfried and Kalle Sauerland are hoping to finalise in the next weeks. “There is a lot at stake this time out,” Huck said. “I want to put on a special performance for the millions who are watching on German TV and all over the world.” Huck claimed he is not thinking about the potential Super Six series – yet. “It has crossed my mind because such an idea would be a great thing for the exciting cruiserweight division but right now all my focus is on Matt Godfrey,” he added. “I will knock him out.”

Godfrey (20-1, 10 KOs) is confident he can spoil the big party on Saturday night. “I am here to win this fight,” he said at today´s press conference. “I want to thank Team Sauerland for giving me the chance to come over and take the title. They have picked the wrong opponent. I am no Brian Minto or Adam Richards – Huck has never been in the ring with someone like me and I will be doing things he has never seen before. I will bring home the title.” Added his promoter Jimmy Birchfield: “Matt is coming off the best camp of his career. We had to send home five sparring partners, including two heavyweights, because he knocked them all out. We are ready and we will take the title on Saturday night.”

Wilfried Sauerland joked he did not know that there were any American heavyweights left. “Marco is in top shape and I am sure he will crown our 100th ARD broadcast with a big victory,” the Hall of Fame Promoter said. “Godfrey is a tough guy and he moves very well, but Marco will eventually track him down. He needs a victory so that we can finalise the Super Six tournament in the cruiserweight division which hopefully will begin at the end of this year. But first things first – Marco should not look past Godfrey who is a strong opponent.”

In the co-featured main event, Robert Helenius (12-0, 7 KOs) has set his sights on the vacant EU Heavyweight Title as he takes on Frenchman Gregory Tony (12-0, 10 KOs). Helenius – the “Nordic Nightmare” – came to fame in January when he sensationally stopped former world champion Lamon Brewster in just his 11th fight.

The Tiger is Hungry for Prey

Former IBF cruiserweight champion Vassiliy Jirov (38-3-1, 32 Kos) has dropped back down to cruiser from the heavyweight division and is actively seeking a "name" opponent.

A fearsome body puncher seemingly incapable of taking a backward step, Jirov, 36, earned his reputation as a crowd favourite the hard way, by never being in a bad fight. Among others, Jirov was in the Fight of the Year against James Toney and retired then #1 heavyweight contender Joe Mesi.

Manager Ivaylo Gotzev says he has several lines in the water for Jirov. "I made contact with (top-rated cruiserweight) Danny Green's people, thinking that after the Paul Briggs debacle, he'd want a better challenge. Hopefully Danny Green, the mighty warrior from Down Under won't disappoint his fans in Australia."

Plan B, according to Gotzev, is fighting on the same show as Roy Jones Jr. and then two facing each other after that in St. Petersburg, Russia. "We've wanted Roy Jones for well over a decade. Hopefully we can bring this to reality."

Whoever Jirov ends up facing, Gotzev says he's sure the fans will be the ultimate winners. "The plan is to mix it up with a big-name fighter and make some exciting fights. No matter who Vassiliy fights, rest assured, his style is do or die and he will not disappoint. He's a proven warrior ready to return to battle. 'The Tiger' is back on the Hunt."

BJ Flores ready and willing to face Yoan Pablo Hernandez in cruiserweight showdown for IBF eliminator!!

LAS VEGAS (July 7, 2010)—Today the International Boxing Federation (IBF) ordered the camps of top available contenders, Yoan Pablo Hernandez and BJ Flores to have a free negotiating period until July 20th to complete a deal for the two fighters to engage in an elimination bout for the top contender spot for the right to face IBF Cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham.

If a deal is not reached the bout will go to purse bid.

"I am very excited about facing Yoan Pablo Hernandez in this tremendous opportunity to be the IBF mandatory challenger.” said Flores.

“He is a very good fighter but I am 200% confident in victory. He will not beat me!!"

The potential of facing off with IBF cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham has Flores’ mouth watering.

“it is very hard not to think about facing the best fighter in your division when you feel it is so close. First things first with Yoan and then we will have the opportunity of a lifetime to face the most accomplished cruiserweight in the division, Steve Cunningham. This is the break I have needed for a long time. A fair opportunity to face the BEST in the division"

Even though Flores has been inactive he has stayed busy working as sparring partners for World Light Heavyweight champion Chad Dawson and former WBA Heavyweight champion John Ruiz. Flores also was the main Sparring partner for current WBA Heavyweight champion David Haye before his April 3rd title defense with Former champion Ruiz.

"Even though i have been out of the ring I am always working out and always staying sharp. I put in a lot of hard work and hard rounds with those three former champions and learned many valuable lessons in the last year. People always are asking me when I am fighting again. The time is NOW... Stay tuned!! "

On the part about staying sharp and sparring and putting in rounds i want to add in that "I have been lifting weights and doing ply metrics over the last year to become more explosive. This year off has given my body a chance to heal and I have no injuries and have become way stronger and gained valuable experience being in the camp of three different world champions. I will be in the best shape of my life to make sure this fight doesn’t go the distance...I can’t wait!"

Flores of Las Vegas has a record of 24-0-1 with fifteen wins coming by knockouts, can also be seen as a guest studio analyst on ESPN 2 Friday Night Fights for which his next appearance will be July 16th for the Zab Judah – Jose Armando Santa Cruz fight from Newark, New Jersey.

For more information or interviews with BJ Flores, Contact:

Cunningham Clinches IBF Cruiserweight Title

Press Release: June 4, 2010

In the co-featured main event, Steve Cunningham made a winning debut for Team Sauerland as he clinched the vacant IBF Cruiserweight Title thanks to a fifth-round TKO victory over Troy Ross. Cunningham controlled the center of the ring from the first second on, cleverly keeping his opponent at bay with his strong left jab. He landed a big left in the first round and not soon after Ross´ face was swollen. The pattern remained the same, with Cunningham dominating and landing good shots before Ross scored a knock-down with a big left in the fourth. However, Cunningham responded with a powerful punch that badly cut Ross below his left eye. The ring doctor advised the referee to stop the fight after one second of the fifth round because of a vertically cut eyelid. Since the injury was caused by a punch, as the referee ruled, Cunningham won by TKO. After the fight, the supervisor confirmed the referee’s decision. Ross will undergo surgery today before flying home. “We wish him all the best and a speedy recovery,” Team Sauerland General Manager Chris Meyer said. “It was a high-class fight and we are thrilled to have added another champion to our line-up. Steve Cunningham is a great fighter with a great team.”

Cunningham thanked his entire team for their great support. “It is great to be a champion again,” he said. “We have worked so hard and I want to thank my whole team and of course Team Sauerland who made this possible. I knew Ross would cut easily and that he could not beat me. The plan was to keep touching him and hit him hard later on. I am very happy. My goal is to become the best cruiserweight in the history of boxing.”

Promoter Kalle Sauerland congratulated him on a strong performance. “That was USS Cunningham at his very best,” he said. “He has a great team behind him. He has now defeated all three reigning cruiserweight champions. After the tremendous success of the Super Six tournament, we will be trying to put together something similar in this exciting division. We got WBO Champion Marco Huck under contract so we have a lot of options. I can promise fight fans all over the world that the best will be fighting the best at cruiserweight, too. We will try to sort out the details in the next couple of weeks.”

On the undercard, Yoan Pablo Hernandez cruised to an uncontested points victory over Zack Page.

Huck to defend WBO Cruiserweight Title against Godfrey

WBO Cruiserweight Champion Marco “Captain” Huck (29-1, 22 KOs) will take on Matt Godfrey (20-1, 10 KOs) in Erfurt on August 21. It will already be his fourth title defence. “Godfrey is a tough fighter, but he will not get my title,” Huck said. “I want to keep impressing the fans all over the world and I am determined to put on a spectacular performance against Godfrey.”

Huck has just returned to Germany today after joining 2010 International Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee Wilfried Sauerland for a special weekend in Canastota, where he also met new stablemate Steve Cunningham. The IBF Cruiserweight Champion handed him the sole loss of his career back in December 2007. “I hope we will meet again at some point down the road,” Huck said. “There is still something that needs to be settled between the two of us.”

Huck enjoyed the Hall of Fame Weekend. “It was great to meet all the boxing legends and visit the Hall of Fame,” he said. “I am still impressed. One day I want to be among the biggest champions, too. I will start with a victory over Godfrey on August 21. That is all I am thinking about right now.”

Huck stops brave Minto to retain WBO Cruiserweight Title

Press Release: May 2, 2010 - Photos by Wende

 Marco “Captain” Huck (29-1, 22 KOs) made a successful third defence of his WBO Cruiserweight Title when he stopped Brian “The Beast” Minto (34-4, 21 KOs) in the tenth round of their clash in Oldenburg, Germany. Fighting in front of a boisterous crowd of 3,500 fans, Huck landed his trademark power punches in every round. His huge right did most of the damage, knocking Minto down in the third and fifth round. But the American refused to give up. He hung in and fought back – only for Huck to land even more punches. The 25-year-old German hammered in huge combinations to body and head before another right sent Minto down again the ninth. He came back to his feet but his corner ultimately decided he had taken enough punishment. “It was a spectacular fight and I really take my hat off to Minto,” Huck said. “I was surprised how many shots he could take. I knocked him down three times but he refused to give up.....click here

Herbie Hide Favorite as Prizefighter Returns
Press Release From April 13th 2010 - Watch Herbie Hyde Highlights

Prizerfighter returns later this month with former WBO heavyweight champion Herbie Hide among the contenders in the second cruiserweights competition.

Prizefighter Cruiserweights II takes place on Friday, April 30 at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, east London.

Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport's Managing Director, was expecting another great night of boxing entertainment. He said: �Boxing in the UK is buzzing right now and we are delighted to announce the next instalment of the Prizefighter Series with the Cruiserweights on April 30th.

�Seven of the leading UK contenders will be trying to capture the crown but to do so they will have to take out the number one WBC contender and favourite to win Prizefighter  ....more

Captain Huck Dusts Richards,

Press Release: March 14, 2010ï Pictures by Wendeï Read Fight Preview

Marco “Captain” Huck (28-1, 21 KOs) defended his WBO Cruiserweight Title with a spectacular third-round TKO victory over Adam Richards (23-3, 15 KOs). The 25-year-old German champion started to land his trademark power punches in the second round before dropping his opponent in the third. Huck followed it up with another firework that sent his opponent down again, prompting the referee to call the one-sided contest off. “I am never pleased with my performance because I can always improve but I am happy that I defended my title in front of my fans in Berlin,” Huck said. “I really wanted to put on a good show to please everybody. I am happy with the result.”

Coach Ulli Wegner lauded his fighters´ explosiveness. “Marco is very strong and very explosive. He punches extremely hard. But he still has to learn a few things. He is just 25 years old he still has a lot of time left. I am very happy with the progress he has made during the last couple of fights.”

Manager Wilfried Sauerland also liked what he saw. “If Marco has an opponent in trouble, he is absolutely ruthless and goes for the KO. The fans love his explosiveness and aggressiveness. His fights are very exciting to watch. There are big things coming up for him.”

Captain Huck Defends Against Richards

Marco “Captain” Huck (27-1, 20 KOs) will return to the ring on March 13.

The WBO Cruiserweight Champion will defend his title against American challenger Adam Richards (23-2, 15 KOs) in Berlin´s Max-Schmeling-Halle.

It will be Huck´s second defence of the belt he won in August 2009 with a points victory over Victor Emilio Ramirez. “I am thrilled to defend my title in Berlin,” Huck said. “It will be the first time I enter the Max-Schmeling-Halle as a world champion. I certainly want to please my home fans. I think I have made a lot of progress in the past months and I am eager to put on another exciting performance on March 13.”

Huck comes off a points win over tough challenger Ola Afolabi. Right now, he is shaping up in Palm Springs. Coach Ulli Wegner has moved training camp to California where King Arthur Abraham will take on Andre Dirrell in the second round of the Super Six tournament on March 6. “It will be a busy month for us but Arthur and Marco have been doing very well in practice,” Wegner said. “I am sure we will be successful.”

Huck Defends WBO Cruiserweight Title

Press Release: Picture from Team Sauerland

Marco “Captain” Huck (27-1, 20 KOs) celebrated a successful first defence of his WBO Cruiserweight Title when he clinched a unanimous points victory over Ola Afolabi (14-2, 6 KOs). The 25-year-old German used his explosiveness and punching power to keep his opponent at bay. He was ahead 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 on the judges´ scorecards. “I am happy about my performance,” Huck said. “It was a tough fight against a very awkward opponent who moved a lot and was difficult to hit. I am delighted to have defended my title and now look forward to a great and relaxing Christmas time.”

Huck was the aggressor from the first bell on as he constantly attacked Afolabi with his trademark assaults. He landed strong combinations in almost every round. The fifth round was Afolabi´s best, with an uppercut briefly wobbling the champion following a clash of heads. “I should have knocked him out,” Afolabi said. “But Huck is a great warrior and a great fighter. It was a very close fight and I thought I won, but there are a few things I could have done better.”

Huck´s coach Ulli Wegner liked what he saw. “Marco did very well. His style does not match well with Afolabi´s so we had to work hard in practice to implement a proper game plan. Marco fought a great fight and he did not allow himself to be provoked by Afolabi´s antics. I am pleased with his performance.” And manager Wilfried Sauerland added: “It was a great year for Marco. He is just 25 years old and already world champion despite making only very few amateur fights. Marco has matured as a fighter and as a person and he once again showed that in the ring against a tough opponent.”

Zsolt Erdei and the Cruiserweight Division

By Michael Amakor - November 21, 2009

Zsolt Erdei (31- 0, 17kos) seized the WBC Cruiserweight belt from defending champion Giacobbe Frogmenni (26-2 -1, 10kos) in a 12 round competitive contest in front of a boisterous crowd at the in Sparkassen-Arena, Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein in Germany

Although Zsolt got the decision I believe Frogemeni deserved the nod as the defending champion and he certainly proved his point by pressuring Erdei from the middle rounds to the bell, and the judges acknowledged his efforts, but scored it 115-113, 114-114 and 115-113 razor thinly against the 40 year old Italian.

I have never been a fan of the unbeaten Hungarian Zsolt Erdie, mostly because he restricted most of his fights to his adopted country of Germany and also because I never got to see any of his fights before today if not for the internet , but nevertheless he really impressed me in this fight because despite weighing in at a very light 178.8 lbs, he still withstood all the 195.88lbs Frogemeni had to offer and went toe to toe in this fast paced grueling fight to seize the WBC Cruiserweight belt.

True boxing fans must admire Zsolt Erdie for making over 10 defenses of his WBO light ..continue

Steve USS Cunningham To Face Matt Too Smooth Godfrey For Vacant IBF Cruiserweight Crown?

Former Cruiserweight King Steve USS Cunninghams dreams of regaining the IBF Cruiserweight belt from the man that took his coveted title, by close split decision, following their epic Fight Of The Year nominated battle back last December, were shattered on Monday when Main Events boss Kathy Duva announced that Tomasz Goral Adamek had relinquished the crown.

The IBF reacted quickly to Adameks resignation by announcing that Matt Too Smooth Godfrey would be the next available for the vacant title and ordered negotiations to start for the fight with USS Cunningham.

USS Cunningham, once described as the by Bad Left Hooks Steve Christ as the Worlds nicest man due to his never having a bad word to say about his fellow boxers or the would be opponents that have avoided him, took a typically philosophical stance on hearing the news by saying, "Once again, I've got my marching orders, my mission is to be two time world champion, and with Adamek vacating the title, my sights are set on beating Matt Godfrey, I honestly thought it was going to go this way since July so he's been on my radar.

It's kinda bittersweet, I've wanted the rematch since December, I thought I did enough to win the fight then and I wanted to take my belt back from Adamek, but if the rematch can't be made, this is the next best thing. I've been saying since December I'll be 2 time in '09, and I still want that. I'm ready, willing and able to fight anyone for the IBF World Title, I've been in the gym steady, like I always am and I am ready to fight."

It is expected that an announcement of the date and location of Steve USS Cunningham vs. Matt Too Smooth Godfrey for the IBF Cruiserweight World Championship will be made shortly. Go to www.usscunningham.com for more information.

B.J. FLORES TO FACE ARGENTINAN KNOCKOUT ARTIST MAURO ADRIAN ORDIALES AT “HOOK CITY” ON AUG 15TH

WORLD RANKED UNDEFEATED CRUSIERWEIGHT TO BATTLE SOUTH AMERICAN SLUGGER ON ROY JONES-JEFF LACY PPV IN BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI

LAS VEGAS (July 29, 2009)—Undefeated cruiserweight contender, B.J. Flores will take on Mauro Adrian Ordiales of Bahia Bahia, Argentina as part of the August 15th “Hook City” Pay-Per-View that will feature the legendary Roy Jones Jr.-Jeff Lacy tussle in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Flores of Las Vegas sports an undefeated mark of 23-0-1 with fourteen knockouts is currently ranked #11 by the WBC, #6 by the WBA, #11 by the IBF and #3 by the WBO is looking forward to the challenge of the tough fighter from South America.

“He has fought many top guys held currant WBO Champ Victor Ramirez to a controversial majority decision and lost a highly competitive stoppage in their rematch.” said Flores

“I am extremely motivated as many guys did not want to fight me and I know he wants to come in here and knock me out. But I am going to be up to the challenge as my last three opponents, Darnell Wilson, Jose Luis Herrera, and Oridales had a combined fifty-nine wins and 55 knockouts when they fought me. It was just a few months ago where he was ranked in the top-ten in three of the major organizations. I am coming to show the world that on August 15th that I will be the one who scores the big knockout.”

“I know that not only do I have to win but I have to be exciting and with all the great fighters on this card, I am looking to steal the show and springboard me to a major fight after this.”

Oridales is a thirty-four year old who has a record of 21-6 with twenty knockouts.

Among those losses Ordiales has only dropped fights to major names in the Cruiserweight division and they are to the current WBO champ Victor Ramirez twice, recent world title challenger Rudolf Kraj, highly regarded contender Grigory Drozd.

In “Hook City,” two of boxing’s dominating left hookers, 8-time world champion Roy Jones Jr. and 2-time world champion Jeff Lacy, go to battle on Saturday, August 15 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi to determine the most powerful hooker and the NABO Light Heavyweight Champion. “Hook City” tickets, priced at $150, $125, $100, $75, $50 & $25 are on sale and available at the MS Coast Coliseum Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000 or on-line at Ticketmaster.com.

The “Hook City” pay-per-view show, presented by Square Ring Promotions in association with Left Hook Promotions and Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, is being distributed by Square Ring Promotions, Inc. at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in the United States on cable and satellite via iNDemand, TVN, DirecTV and Dish Network for a suggested retail price of $34.95, as well as on Super Channel in Canada.

Team Gunn Reflects on Adamek Fight

Hackensack, NJ - With constant ridicule from the media leading up to the fight, Bobby Gunn stepped into the ring against Tomasz Adamek last Saturday not only for an insurmountable opportunity but also to show his harshest critics that his 2007 bout with Enzo Maccarinelli was an inaccurate way to asses him as a fighter.

Coming into the bout both mentally and physically prepared, Gunn, 21-4-1 (18 KO’s), gave his all against the cement fisted Pole in front of a vocally injected sellout crowd at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. To Gunn’s surprise, his night was cut short by the ringside physician following the fourth round. While Gunn admittedly ate a ton of leather in what ultimately was the final round, he had no intentions of quitting. Even with a disappointing end to his challenge for the IBF and Ring Magazine Cruiserweight titles, Gunn has no animosity towards the doctor who stopped...more

CRUISERWEIGHT PRE-FIGHT QUOTES

Bobby Gunn - “I am looking forward to this fight. When I was younger I got off track. When I was younger my little boy couldn’t be a part of this, now he can. This fight is my dream. This is the modern day Cinderella story. No one expects great things of me. A lot of the media has ripped me off. If I didn’t come to fight this fight at my best, to fight my heart out, I wouldn’t have respect for the sport and I love the game. I’m a warrior. You know, beware of a dangerous man. Because I am, I’ve got nothing to lose.”

Tomasz Adamek - Welcome all my fans again to Newark and Prudential arena. Again I will defend my IBF Championship and Ring Magazine belt. I can make a guarantee now. Bobby Gunn and my fans around the world will see my winning effort and another knockout on Saturday night.”

In response to Adamek’s comment Bobby Gunn said with a smile “He’s not as nice as he was at the last press conference, he’s meaner now!” Kathy Duva said “yes, Tomasz Adamek has his game face on.”

Steve Cunningham – “It’s good to be going back into the ring with my new trainer Naazim Richardson. People are going to see an improved Steve Cunningham on Saturday, both physically and mentally.

“Big Truck [Wayne Braithwaite] is still a player, a former world champion, but my job is to make him look bad on Saturday.”

TRAINERS CORNER

Naazim Richardson – “Steve is heck of a human being that happens to know how to box. He’s good for the game. “This kid Braithwaite that Steve is fighting is one of the most dangerous big men out there when he shows up with his A game. It says a lot about Steve that he fights Tomasz Adamek and then comes right back to face a tough guy in Braithwaite.”

Andrew Gmitruk, Tomasz Adamek trainer (in response to the Cinderella story comment from Gunn) “It’s really nice to hear fairy tales, but those stories are for children. We are grown men. We are going to teach reality on Saturday.”

Godfrey ready to cage Hawk on way to world title fight

PROVIDENCE (July 7, 2009) NABF and SNBC cruiserweight champion, Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey hopes the fourth time is the charm for him when he takes on unbeaten Shawn “The Sioux Warrior” Hawk in the main event on this week’s ESPN2 Friday Night Fights show from The Arena in Philadelphia.

From Promoter, Kathy Duva of Main Events: “Ticket sales are tracking way ahead of any other Adamek box office and the fight is still three weeks away. We are very excited and encouraged by the trends.”

From Adamek: When asked about his opponent Bobby Gunn - “For me every fight is a big fight. I basically prepare the same way each time; of course we make adjustments to fit my opponent. Gunn is hungry, it’s his big chance, and he could be dangerous. I am serious about this fight.”

You are known as a guy who can take a punch, how do you develop that? – “There is no practice for this. I come from a small village in Poland , Gilowice. I am a mountain guy, I am tough.”

When asked about fighting at Prudential Center – “First time I saw this place I thought it is beautiful! There is nothing like that in Poland . Many Polish people live near Prudential Center , I feel very at home there. It is very exciting to look up and see all the Polish people.”

When and why did you start boxing? – “I started boxing when I was 12, I liked it right away. My father loved boxing. He died when I was 2 years old, I don’t remember him, but he said to my Mother, ‘If we have a son, he will be a boxer’, I want to make him proud.”

“I could have many fights in Poland but I can’t get a big fight there. I knew that if I want to be a big fighter I had to come to the United States . I want to fight all the best boxers in the world, if you get a big name in boxing that is how you get the big TV contracts, how you can get your dreams.”

From Trainer Andrew Gmitruk – What are you working on now? – “You know, we keep our style because he’s been boxing about 20 years and you don’t want to change a boxer’s style, it’s dangerous to change everything. We want to keep it because it is very difficult for most boxers. He has very good footwork, very good direction, speed, a lot of jabs. He is dangerous for everybody. I have watched Bobby Gunn, we are prepared.”

Afolabi: "This is my Coming-out Party!" The Era of Ola begins March 14

                                                                                                                          TONY DANZA’S TAKE ON BOXING AND THE CONTENDER                        By Michael Amakor

Washington DC, (November 24, 2008) Ever since his debut acting a boxer on the popular late seventies hit sitcom series “TAXI” Tony Danza’s star has been on the ascendancy and he has become familiar to TV audiences around the globe adding appearances on the triple Oscar winning movie “Crash”, and several sitcoms including the popular Tony Danza show to his record.

EMMANUEL NWODO TRAINING CAMP NOTES -  HE MAKES HIS FIRST USBA CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE DEFENSE

By Michael Amakor

CLICK HERE TO VIEW TRAINING VIDEO

Baltimore MD, (June 27, 2006) Right in the middle of inner city Baltimore lies the graffiti like painted and spacious Mack Lewis boxing gym opened with much fanfare in 2002 and named after the owner who once trained former middleweight champion Vincent Pettaway and Reggie Gross. Adorning its walls are posters of long forgotten fights of local legends, ocassionally Baltimore’s best boxing pugilists  like former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman and others have found their way . (More)

Jirov risks potential world title fight headlining “