Locals Alvarez, Mussachio Highlight Saturday's Card at Bally's Atlantic City

By E.A. Sirota

Atlantic City welterweight contender Shamone “The Truth” Alvarez will square-off against Ayi Bruce of Ghana this Saturday at Bally's Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. The scheduled twelve round bout will serve as the main event of a card promoted by Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing. Alvarez (21-2 12 KO’s) is coming off the biggest win of his eight year pro career, a seventh round knockout victory over Alexis Camacho this past March. With a win over the experienced Bruce (17-3 12 KO’s), Alvarez would capture the vacant IBA title and would be one step closer to a major title shot in 2011.

Philadelphia’s Raymond Serrano, whose last win came over the aforementioned Bruce in October, will face Geoffery Spruiell in the co-feature. Even though twenty-one year old Serrano (13-0 6 KO’s) is sixteen years his opponent’s junior, he enters the ring with almost as much pro experience as the Spruiell (8-9 2 KO’s).

In other action, Wildwood native Chuck “The Professor” Mussachio will battle Floridian Theo Kruger in an eight round light heavyweight bout. Mussachio (15-1 5 KO’s) is seeking his forth straight victory since losing to Tommy Karpency last October.

Mussachio, who also currently works as a guidance counselor at a nearby elementary school, is one of the true nice guys in the sport. Where some athletes are praised for merely staying out of trouble, Mussachio actually improves his community everyday through his work with troubled youths.

Millville junior middleweight Ismael Garcia (2-0) will fight for the second time in three weeks when he takes on Joe Yerdon of Berlin, NY. Garcia scored a unanimous decision over Corey Preston (who happens to also be on the card against Philadelphia's Rashad Brown) last month at Harrah's.

In a battle of New Jersey based super middleweights, Atlantic City’s, Isiah Seldon (2-0, 1 KO), the son of former heavyweight titleholder Bruce Seldon, will square off against the always tough Dover native Todd Eriksson (2-4-1, 1 KO) in a four round bout.

Rounding out the card is female junior welterweight Althera Sanders fighting an opponent to be announced.


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Chavez pulls out of fight; Wolak left hanging

Courtesy: Dan Rafael ESPN

All week, it's been a guessing game: Will Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., battling the flu, fight on Saturday night? Now we know the answer: No.

Chavez woke up with a 103-degree temperature on Tuesday and won't fight, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com.

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Get the latest scoop and analysis on the world of boxing from ESPN.com's Dan Rafael in his blog.

The rest of Top Rank's "In Harm's Way" pay-per-view card will go on as scheduled at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., but Chavez's middleweight main event with Pawel Wolak is off.

Chavez has been under the weather for several days and had missed a few days of training. Because of that, Chavez was struggling to make weight, so the bout had been changed from a 12-round fight at 160 pounds to a 10-rounder with a maximum weight of 165 pounds. And now it's off altogether.

Chavez was feeling well enough on Monday to work out at trainer Freddie Roach's Wild Card gym in Hollywood, Calif., but the temperature returned, Arum said.

"He looked like he had shaken it and he worked out Monday. I was there and I saw it," Arum said. "His legs were a little tight but he worked out OK. [Tuesday morning] he got up with a 103 fever. He tried. You can't fault the kid. You can't put him in a fight with a temperature. It is absolutely legitimate."

Instead of the Chavez-Wolak main event, Arum said he would elevate the scheduled co-feature, a 12-round bantamweight match between the Philippines' pound-for-pound-ranked Nonito Donaire (24-1, 16 KOs) and former bantamweight titlist Wladimir Sidorenko (22-2-2, 7 KOs) of Ukraine.

Donaire, a former flyweight and interim junior bantamweight titlist, is moving up to bantamweight and needs to win in order to preserve a Feb. 19 shot on HBO against unified titleholder Fernando Montiel.

Chavez first became ill on Thursday.

"He got sick last Thursday after sparring and we kind of knew something was wrong," strength coach Alex Ariza told ESPN.com. "He felt a little weak, but he finished 10 rounds [of sparring] but he kept telling Freddie he wasn't in the groove. We thought maybe it was just a bad day, but later that night when he did an interview he started getting the cold sweats.

"He got back in the ring on Monday. He did four rounds, but once he started hitting the mitts with Freddie, he had cramps in his legs and later that night when we went to my house, he had a low-grade fever. [Tuesday morning] he woke up around 7 when we were going to train and he had a higher fever, about 102 or 103, and we knew this was more serious than we thought. I reported to Bob and he said if the kid is sick, he's sick and there's nothing we can do about it between now and Saturday."

Ariza said they didn't want to give Chavez medication a doctor might prescribe because of concerns that something illegal would show up in Chavez's post-fight drug test.

Arum said Wolak (27-1, 17 KOs) would remain on the televised portion of the card and could face Mexico's Jose Pinzon (18-1-1, 12 KOs), although Wolak and his team wanted to view a video of Pinzon before committing to the bout.

Also on the card: lightweight titlist Humberto Soto (53-7-2, 32 KOs) of Mexico defends his belt against Urbano Antillon (28-1, 20 KOs) of Maywood, Calif., and featherweight contender Miguel Angel "Mikey" Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) of Oxnard, Calif., faces Olivier Lontchi (18-1-2, 8 KOs) of Montreal.

"I'm not going to cancel the show," Arum said. "Anyone who wants a refund at the gate can get a refund. But you can't cancel the show and do that to the kids who were getting ready to fight for the past six or eight weeks. You have an obligation if you can to follow through on the card."

The main event had already been changed once before. Chavez was supposed to face former "Contender" star Alfonso Gomez. But he withdrew last week because of a torn ligament in his left elbow and was replaced by Wolak, a native of Poland living in Mount Arlington, N.J.

This is the second time a Chavez-Wolak fight has been called off. Wolak had been tapped to fight Chavez in September, but Chavez (41-0-1, 30 KOs), the son of the all-time great with the same name, ultimately elected not to fight while he worked out some issues with co-promoter Fernando Beltran.

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Douglin Bout Moved to December 17!

Due to unforeseen circumstances, junior middleweight prospect Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin of Morganvlle is off this Friday’s card in Santa Ynez, CA and will now be fighting December 17 at the Doubletree Hotel in Monroeville, PA.

A multi-time amateur champion who won the coveted National Golden Gloves title in 2008, Douglin is 11-0 with 7 wins by way of knockout as a professional. Douglin native stopped his last four opponents in impressive fashion while displaying sensational skills each time out.

Douglin will square off against an opponent to be announced in an eight round bout.

Tickets are available by calling 1-800-745-3000.

Fans can follow Denis at twitter.com/damommasboy


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Rodrigues looks to Rebound against Joradn

West Berlin based Brazilian Isaac Rodrigues will look to rebound his first loss when he battles Russell Jordan Saturday, January 29 at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY.

Rodrigues, 17-1 (13 KO's) will be looking for redemption of sorts as he was well on his way to fighting for a world title until he was upended by Samuel Miller (20-4) in seven rounds back on October 2nd at the Turning Stone Casino and Resort.

Rodrigues has signature wins over Brian Vera (16-3) and has won the WBO Latino Super Middleweight title and defended it one time.

Jordan is looking to do what he does best and that is play spoiler.

Jordan of Rochester, New York has a record of 15-8 with ten knockouts.

Jordan has been in with the likes of undefeated contender James Kirkland (10-0); Oscar Doaz (23-1); currant undisputed Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (40-1-1); former welterweight world champion Luis Collazo (28-3) undefeated prospect Shawn Porter (12-0) and in his last bout, Jordan dropped a hotly contested battle with Jose Angel Rodriguez (15-1-2) on August 27th in Dover, Delaware for the vacant IBA North American Middleweight title.

Jordan has sprung many upsets on his record.

Jordan won the New York State Welterweight title with a sixth round stoppage over Kemal Kolenovic (8-2-2); Jordan has defeated the likes of Maximino Cuevas (6-1-1) by third round stoppage; Kaseem Wilson (9-0-1) by third round stoppage; Alphonso Williams (10-2) by unanimous decision and Larry Mosley (15-1-2) by unanimous decisio

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Undercard Announced for Saturday's card in AC!

On Saturday December 4th, Star Boxing returns to Atlantic City with an exciting six bout card at the Grand Ballroom in Bally's. Headlining the card will be Atlantic

City's own Shamone "The Truth" Alvarez (21-2, 12KO's) taking on Ghana's Ayi Bruce (17-3, 12KO's) for the vacant IBA Welterweight Championship.
In the co-feature bout of the evening, hot up and coming Philadelphian prospect, Raymond "Tito" Serrano (13-0, 6KO's) looks to close out 2010 by improving to 14-0 when he takes on tough veteran Geoffrey Spruiell, in an eight round welterweight showdown.

Also on the card is Wildwood, New Jersey's popular light heavyweight contender, and reigning WBF US Light Heavyweight Champion, Chuck "The Professor" Mussachio (16-1-2, 5KO's) as he squares off over eight scheduled rounds against Theo Kruger.

Exciting jr. middleweight, Ismael Garcia (1-0) will look to pick up his second win as a pro when he takes on New York's, Joe Jerdon (0-1-2). Garcia, who lives in nearby Millville, NJ, made his pro-debut in Atlantic City in March, winning a dominating four round decision over previously unbeaten Josh Mercado (3-0). Garcia-Jerdon is scheduled for four rounds.

In a four round middleweight match-up Philadelphia's Rashad Brown (1-0) squares off against Corey Preston (0-2).

Rounding out the card is Atlantic City's Althera Saunders (1-0) in a four round female jr. welterweight contest against Natoya Ervin (1-6).

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Melindo Outpoints Tamara!

North Bergen's Carlos "El Olympico" Tamara suffered his second straight set back this evening in the Philippines, dropping a unanimous decision to well regarded Milan Melindo.

According to reprots, Melindo outboxed Tamara but didn't have the power to score a stoppage.

Scores were 98-92 twice and 97-93.

Melindo is now 23-0 with 7 knockouts. Tamara falls to 21-6 (15 KO's).

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Tamara-Melindo Weigh In!

Both former world champion Carlos Tamara of North Bergen and Filipino Milan Melindo scaled in at 112 lbs for their ten round showdown tomorrow evening in the Philippines.

The winner should be next in line to face IBF Flyweight title holder Edgar Sosa

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Adamek Undercard Announced!

Local talent will dominate the undercard bouts on Thursday, December 9th when IBF International Heavyweight Champion Tomasz Adamek takes on New York's Vinny Maddalone as the "Brick City Boxing Series" returns to Newark's Prudential Center. A total of nine supporting undercard fights have been scheduled by promoters Main Events, Ziggy Promotions and Star Boxing. Fans who want to catch all of the action should arrive early, as the first bout is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

Heading the lineup will be returning Prudential Center star, Sadam "World Kid" Ali of Brooklyn. The former US Olympic standout has wowed fans at "The Rock" in five previous appearances. In an eight round fight, Ali will take on tough Manuel Guzman, (7-9-2, 3 KO's) of San Juan, Puerto Rico, who has never been stopped in 18 bouts.

Polish Middleweight Patrick Majewski, (13-0, 8 KO's) will make his second Newark appearance vs. Eddie Caminero (7-3, 7 KO's), who scored a big upset in August over then unbeaten Joe Smith, Jr.

Two Brick City natives and former amateur standouts will also appear on the card. The popular Angel Concepcion, (3-0), will step into the ring at "The Rock" for the third time in a 4 round Light Heavyweight fight, and Junior Lightweight Wanzell Ellison (3-0, 2 KO's) is also scheduled for a 4 round bout.

Middleweight "Marvelous" Tarvis Simms (25-1-1, 11 KO's) will make his promotional debut with Main Events, as he looks to shake the rust off and regain his top ten world ranking after a year-long layoff when he takes on veteran Willis Locket (12-10-5, 5 KO's) in a six round fight.

Philadelphia's Gabriel Rosado (14-5, 8 KO's) will take on Jose Medina (12-8, 5 KO's) of Guadalajara, Mexico in an eight round Junior Middleweight bout that promises to be a slugfest.

Welterweight Jose "Mangu" Peralta (4-1, 2 KO's) of Santo Domingo will make his Prudential Center debut. In his last fight the Dominican scored an upset over Christian Martinez, who was unbeaten at the time.

Promising welterweight Raymond Biggs, Jr. (9-0, 6 KO's) will return to the ring for the first time in over two years in a six round bout. Heavyweight Bryant Jennings (4-0, 2 KO's) of Philadelphia will appear vs. pro debuting Randy Smith.

Tickets priced at $53, $78, $103 and $253 (ringside) can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling TicketMaster at 800-745-3000 or www.Prucenter.com

The fight is being distributed in North America by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 8PM EST / 5PM PST on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, Avail-TVN and DISH Network in the United States and Viewer's Choice and Bell TV in Canada. for a suggested retail price of only $29.95

To keep up to date visit the Main Events Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Totowa-NJ/Main-Events/76572871323?ref=ts&__a=16&ajaxpipe=1 and www.mainevents.com and www.starboxing.com

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

GSFS would like to wish all of our readers and their families a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. We are thankful for so many great prospects throughout the state and outstanding venues such as the Prudential Center, Boardwalk Hall, Schuetzen Park, Bally's and Harrah's amongst others. We are also very thankful for Tomasz Adamek literally revitalizing boxing in the Garden State by bringing in 10,000 plus vans every time he returns to the Prudential Center, which by the way is one of the sport's hottest venues.

Most of all, we are thankful for all of the great feedback we have been receiving both on the internet, from fans at venues and fighters themselves.

Have a great Thanksgiving,

Team GSFS

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Wolak Fills In For Gomez to Battle Chavez December 4!

Top-10 contender Pawel “Raging Bull” Wolak will be In Harm’s Way on Saturday, December 4, when he challenges undefeated WBC Silver middleweight champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. in a 12-round title fight. Wolak replaces the injured Alfonso Gomez, Chávez’s original opponent, who withdrew today after an MRI detected a ligament tear in his left elbow.

Wolak (27-1, 17 KOs), from Mount Arlington, enters this fight riding a two-year, six-bout winning streak, with three of those victories coming by knockout. The combined record of the last three opponents he defeated — James Moore, Ishmail Arvin and Carlos Nascimento – had a combined record of 56-4-4 when he fought them, which translates into an impressive 88% winning percentage. His last fight, a 10-round unanimous decision victory over Moore (17-2), was fought on the historic Yuri Foreman-Miguel Cotto undercard at Yankee Stadium on June 5. He is currently world-rated No. 7 by the WBA.

"Everything worked out well", said Wolak, who almost fought Chavez previously before the bout fell apart. "I had another fight December 16 so I will be in good enough shape to fight him. We are just finalizing some things (in training) and I don't have to lose any (extra weight)."

A former New York State middleweight champion, Wolak, 29, is known as aggressive, high-pressure style fighter who always makes for exciting fights. Trained by Aroz Gist, Wolak, an East Coast fixture, will be making his West Coast debut when he rumbles with Chávez Jr.

"He is tough but hopefully my pressure will overwhelm him." "I plan to dig deep every round and hopefully I will come out on top. I must thank my promoter Top Rank for this great opportunity and I will be ready."

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Tamara Hits the Philippines for Saturday's Bout with Melindo!

Former IBF light flyweight world champion Carlos Tamara (21-5, 15 KOs) of North Bergen arrived moments ago to Cebu City, Philippines. Tamara will take on unbeaten Cebu City-based Milan Melindo (22-0, 7 KOs) this Saturday in a intriguing 10 round flyweight bout. The 22-year-old Melindo is currently one of the most promising contenders coming out of the Philippines and is world ranked by all the major world sanctioning bodies. The bout is highly anticipated in the Philippines. The 27-year-old Tamara is fresh in the minds of the Filipino boxing fans as he upset then world champion Brian Viloria this past January in the Philippines by way of a dramatic 12th and final round stoppage. (from left to right ALA Promotions VP Dennis Canete, Carlos Tamara, Edgar Sanchez and Michael Rodriguez)

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Ennis Makes a Thundering Statement; batters Lares in AC!

Emerging prospect Farah “Quiet Storm” Ennis picked up the vacant NABF Super Middleweight title after impressively stopping lionhearted Victor Lares Friday evening at Harrah’s Resort and Casino in Atlantic City.

From the opening bell, Ennis peppered his opponent with just about every punch he threw. Ennis had success to both the body and head, consistently tagging his Corpus Christi, TX based counterpart as if he were a novice sparring partner. The Philadelphia, PA based prospect managed to steer clear of a number of Lares’ slow and wild hooks, regularly making him pay for it. Lares, who displayed tremendous heart, was decked once in round four and twice in the sixth before Referee Eddie Cotton stopped the contest following a fourth knockdown in the seventh stanza.

Time of stoppage was 2:35.

“My whole game plan was to work his body because he had a hard head,” Ennis said of his gritty opponent as he spit out blood in the hallway of the arena. “Whoever wants (to try and take my title) can come after it!”

Ennis is now 17-0 with 11 KO’s. Lares falls to 16-6 with 4 KO’s and won the hearts of many with his toughness.

In the co-feature, heavyweight hopeful and St. Josephs University graduate Chazz “The Gentleman” Witherspoon forced game but overmatched Alexis Mejia’s to retire following one sided four rounds. Witherspoon connected at will with hard jabs and right hands, causing Mejia’s’ left eye to close. The Paulsboro native almost had Mejia’s out in the fourth, but a number of clinches towards the end of the round helped the latter stay on his feet for the time being. Mejia’s corner wisely threw in the towel before the fifth.

Witherspoon improves to 28-2 with 20 KO’s. Mejia, who has been stopped in four of his last five starts, heads home to Paterson at 11-6 (5 KO’s).

Light heavyweight Lavarn “Baby Bowe” Harvell of Atlantic City stopped late replacement, Khalil Farah at the end of the first round. Harvell beat Farah, from pillar to post in the first three minutes of the fight and scored a knockdown before Referee Samuel Viruet pulled the plug.

Harvell ups his professional ledger to 7-0 (3 KO’s). Farah, a Philadelphia native who likely took the fight to help balance out the funds while he attends Temple University, is 6-7 with 1 KO.

Philadelphia’s Keenan Smith improved to 3-0 and scored his first knockout after stopping debuting Anthony Royal of Newport News, VA. At the weigh-in, Smith and Royal exchanged some heated words, so this fight was hotly anticipated; only one man lived up to the pre fight hype. Smith dominated the battle of long and lean lightweights, breaking Royal’s will with a two fisted attack en route to knocking him out after consecutive right hands 1:20 into the fourth.

Good looking super middleweight prospect Joel De La Paz of Atlantic City scored a unanimous decision over Virgil Hill trained and GSFS' very own “Trouble” Troy Maxwell. De La Paz connected with a number of solid punches and busted open the face of Maxwell, who displayed the heart of a lion in a losing effort. Scores were 40-36 on all three cards.

De La Paz is 6-0 with 4 KO's. Maxwell, of Galloway, is 2-2.

Ishmael Garcia of Millville outboxed Corey Preston over four rounds en route to scoring a shut out decision in a junior middleweight contest. Garcia is 2-0. Preston of Cincinnati, OH remains winless at 0-2.

Junior lightweight Joey Tiberi demolished Tonio Parker in one minute and 54 seconds. Tiberi, a member of Delaware’s most famous boxing family, scored two knockdowns. The Newark native improves 2-0 with both of his victories coming via first round KO. Parker of Wilson, NC is 0-2.

The card was promoted by Spartan Fight Promotions.


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Shamone Alvarez Speaks on December 4 Fight and Mike Jones!

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MARTINEZ DROPS WILLIAMS TO RETAIN TITLE!!!

By Matt Yanofsky and Dylon Silversey

ATLANTIC CITY-Atlantic City was the host for what was arguably the most anticipated fight of the year, and although shorter than the crowd and viewers at home expected, delivered none the less. Middleweight champion of the world Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez landed what is easily the front runner for knockout of the year and may have been one of the most devastating one punch knockouts in recent memory. Paul Williams threw a winding left hook at Martinez, and in what seemed to be a blink of an eye, Martinez threw a blindingly fast left hook that sent Williams scarily to the canvas.

Up to the point when the fight ended, 1:10 into the second round, Williams-Martinez II seemed to begin as if it was the 13th round last December. Both combatants traded shots throughout the short, yet thrilling fight. It looked like we were heading in the way of a legendary trilogy like Gatti-Ward, until "Maravilla" landed what will be the most talked about punch for most of the near future.

Promoter Lou DiBella came by press row to voice his opinion on what is next for what he calls "The best fighter I've ever promoted." DiBella went on to say "That punch would have knocked out anyone on this planet. Pacquiao, Mayweather, Martinez, those three. The best three fighters in the world."

After the fight, in ring, Martinez talked about the fight."To be prepared for this we worked really hard. I started to attack, and when I did I knew he would make mistakes. He left me a lot of room to come in and get in on him." Paul Williams after the fight, acknowledged what happened. "I got caught, I knew it would be a tough fight."

Martinez moves to 46-2-2 and gains his 25th knockout and Williams falls to 39-2. And what is next for Martinez? Depends on who will now decide to entertain the thought of battling the new "Most avoided man on the planet".

Rising junior welterweight Steve Upsher-Chambers scored an entertaining eight round decision over previously unbeaten Bayan Jargal. Chambers, who was the far quicker fighter and more polished boxer, was able to connect with many clean blows on his hard charging opponent.

Jargal threw a ton of punches and did a nice job of working the body, but Upsher-Chambers' superior skill set helped him eke out a split decision in a fight where both fighters gave it their all and were buzzed on multiple occasions.

Scores were 78-74 and 77-75 for Upsher-Chambers, with the third card reading 77-75 for Jargal.

Upsher-Chambers, a Philadelphia native who is the brother of heavyweight contender Eddie Chambers, improves to 23-1-1 with 6 KO's. Jargal, of Arlington, VA by way of Mongolia, falls to 15-1-3 with 10 KO's.

Former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion Zslot "Firebird" Erdei of Fot, Hungary, overcame a year of inactivity to outpoint awkward Kenyan Samson "The Hammer" Onyango over eight rounds. Erdei, who was fighting in the US for just the third time and his first since 2002, controlled all eight rounds with quick jabs and solid straight right hands. Onyango was extremely game and overcame a few rough moments, but was unable to surmount any type of consistent offense, missing wildly on many occasions.

Erdei was surprisingly popular in Atlantic City, as a large Hungarian population cheered him on with "Hungary, Hungary, Hungary" chants throughout the bout. Scores were 80-72 twice and 79-93.

Erdei, who made his promotional debut for Diblla Entertainment, is now 32-0 with 17 KO's. Onyango slips to 20-7 with 13 KO's.

Tony "The Tiger" Thompson, a world rated contender who is noted for his 2008 loss to Wladimir Klitschko, defeated Paul Marinaccio in the fourth round of their heavyweight contest. Thompson outclassed Marinaccio throughout the fight, utilizing his slight height advantage and long reach to keep "The Italian Hitman" at bay. The contest started out a bit sluggish, but as the rounds went on, the action started to brew, and culminated when Thompson put together a combination that left Marinaccio defenseless and the fight was waived off.

The victory puts Thompson at 35-2 with 23 KO, and Marinaccio falls to 24-6-3 with 11 KO.

Former United States middleweight amateur champion Fernando Guerrero continues to impress as he knocked out journeyman Saul Duran in the fourth round of their middleweight contest. The entire fight was quite impressive for Guerrero as the NABF champ's offensive onslaught proved to be too much for Duran right from the opening bell. A huge left hook in the second round sent Duran almost horizontal for the first knockdown in this bout. Duran spent most of the fight backed up against the ropes as Guerrero's pressure was just too much throughout the contest.

It was all over in the fourth when Guerrero peppered Duran with a three punch combination to send him to the canvas for the second and final time as the fight was waved off at 1:06.

The Dominican prospect, now fighting out of Salisbury, MD, moves to 20-0 with 16 knockouts, and Duran falls to 36-18 with 29 knockouts.

Featherweight prospect Luis "Orlandito" Del Valle scored an impressive third round knockout over Noe Lopez in a bout scheduled for eight. Del Valle displayed terrific offensive abilities, working both the body and head of his Mexican counterpart. Del Valle appeared to drop at the bell signaling the end for the second but the referee surprisingly ruled it no knockdown;for the time being. Del Valle came out guns a blazing in the very next stanza, scoring a hard knockdown with a two punch combination.

Lopez got back to his feet visibly hurt and was stopped shortly thereafter with a huge left hook, and it was sayonara for the native from Sonora.

Del Valle, of Newburgh, NY, is 11-0 with 9 KO's. Lopez ia 6-7 with 4 KO's.

Welterweight Wllie "Quiet Storm" Nelson blew out Quinton Whitaker inside of one round. Nelson scored three knockdowns, forcing the stoppage at 2:22 in the first of a scheduled eight round contest.

Nelson, of Cleveland, OH, is 16-0-1 with 10 KO's. Whitaker, who fought a grueling bout with Glen Tapia in AC last month, returns to San Antonio, TX at 7-8 (5 KO's)

ATTENDANCE:5502

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Martinez-Williams Prevew!

By Dylon Silversey



Tonight in Atlantic City, Boardwalk Hall will once again be the host of one of the most anticipated matchups in recent history. Last December, Paul “The Punisher” Williams (39-1 27KO) and Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (45-2-2 24KO) went to war for twelve rounds in what was considered by many to be one of the best fights of the year. Martinez battering Williams with flush, punishing shots round after round combined with Williams’ relentless style of pressuring Martinez with an endless onslaught of punches, made for one entertaining battle.



Last year, when the original contest of Paul Williams vs. Kelly Pavlik was organized, every boxing fan thought they were going to finally get to see the matchup they had been dreaming of for years. “The Most Avoided Man in Boxing” would finally get his opportunity to shine on a big stage against the Middleweight Champion, Pavlik. That was until Pavlik had the unfortunate event of attracting a nasty staph infection in his hand. Many disappointed fans, did not think that Martinez would step up and give a fight that would live up to the expectations.



Martinez had a few notable fights leading up to that point, including a tough TKO loss against Antonio Margarito nine years previous, and a controversial draw against Kermit Cintron in the fight leading up to the Williams bout. Martinez though, had always been held in a regard much similar to Williams. It seemed no one wanted to fight this man.



But at 34 years old, Martinez stepped up that night in Atlantic City, and brought the much younger Williams to seemingly some the toughest times in his career in that ring, and did give fans the fight that they were expecting, had Williams met Pavlik. Badgering Williams with power punches that would bring even some of the most elite fighters to their knees.



Williams, even though brought to the breaking point very early in the fight, showed just why he is held in such a high regard, battling back from the huge first round knockdown and a brilliant first three rounds for Martinez. The middle rounds for Williams were similar to Peyton Manning utilizing the no-huddle offense early on in games. Just like Manning uses his intelligence and skill carving up defense’s with audible’s and crisp passes, Williams used his amazing 82” reach and ability to throw insane amount of punches to score in these rounds, and although Martinez was landing the more flush punches throughout the battle, these rounds helped Williams gain the decision victory.



The fight ended in a standing ovation from everyone in attendance that was until the judge’s scorecards were read. 114-114, 115-113 Williams, and then Pierre Benoist’s insane card of 119-110 for Williams. The dumbfounded crowd immediately started to voice their displeasure, and Martinez was seen laughing on HBO’s cameras. There was no possible way that anyone could see Martinez only winning one round throughout this fight.



But that one scorecard was not enough for fans and boxing experts alike to commend Martinez for his terrific display in the ring. And earlier this year, Martinez continued to improve that impression, as he dismantled Kelly Pavlik and became the first Argentinean middleweight champion since Carlos Monzon. Williams however did not get a full fight to display his abilities that he had shown last December, as his bout with Kermit Cintron was stopped abruptly when Cintron accidentally fell entirely out of the ring. Although Cintron himself says himself that he was unfairly not given the full five minutes to recover and return to the ring, the fight was stopped nonetheless and Williams was given the decision victory.

As soon as the rematch was signed, boxing fans and experts alike have shown nothing but extreme excitement to see this matchup once again. And finally this Saturday, we will all get that opportunity. Paul Williams promises more of the same from himself, relentless, non-stop onslaughts of punches that will key his way to a second victory against Martinez. Sergio Martinez however, plans to bring a bit more of a tactical aspect to this fight, possibly because he may have punched himself out of a victory, seeming to tire in the later rounds.





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Weights from AC!

Farah Ennis 168 – Victor Lares 167 ½
(NABF Super Middleweight Championship)
Chazz Witherspon 233 – Alexis Mejias 234
Lavarn Harvell 178 – Khalil Farah 197 ½
Joel De La Paz 165 ½ - Troy Maxwell 165 ½
Keenan Smith 134 – Anthony Royal 133
Ismael Garcia 157 ½ - Corey Preston 157 ½
Joey Tiberi 132 ½ - Tonio Parker 126 ½

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Valenzuela to face Fortuna December 1!

Passaic's Victor "The Viper" Valenzuela, 8-0 (1 KO), will face fellow unbeaten junior lightweight Javier Fortuna December 1 at BB King's in NYC.

Valenzuela has been inactive since scoring a split decision over Delvin Placencia June 4 in AC, and will take a step up in competition;at least on paper

Fortuna is 12-0 with 9 KO's and has built his record up mostly in his native Dominican Republic against inferior opposition. In his last bout, Fortuna scored a razor thin unanamous decision over Gregorio Torres in Mexico.

The bout is scheduled for 8 rounds.

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Douglin to Fight December 3!

Morganville, NJ (November 17, 2010) – Undefeated and highly touted junior middleweight prospect Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin will return to the ring Friday, December 3, at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, CA.

A former National Golden Gloves Champion, Douglin, 11-0 (7 KO’s), has shown solid improvements each time he returned to the squared circle. In his most recent bout, the Morganville, NJ native need less than a round to destroy once beaten Orphius White.

Since turning pro in 2009 after a magnificent amateur career, Douglin has scored impressive victories in four states and is looking forward to putting on a show in his first trip to the west coast.

“I am excited to perform in front of a new audience,” said Douglin. “I want the whole world to know who I am so fighting all around the world is the way to do it. I’m planning to make a statement in California and I can’t wait until fight night.”

Douglin’s opponent will be announced shortly and the bout will take place on the undercard of a ShoBox doubleheader promoted by Gary Shaw Productions.

Fans can follow Denis at twitter.com/Damommasboy.

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UNDEFEATED PROSPECTS HIGHLIGHT STACKED BATTLE II UNDERCARD THIS FRIDAY AT HARRAH’S CASINO AND RESORT IN ATLANTIC CITY!

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (NOVEMBER 16TH, 2010)—Six undefeated prospects will be on display on this Friday night as part of a championship fight card dubbed BATTLE II: Battle For The Belt that is promoted by Mike Brestle’s Spartan Fight Promotions.

The Main event will be a NABF Super Middleweight clash between undefeated Farah Ennis of Philadelphia taking on Victor Lares of Corpus Christie, Texas.

The co-feature will be an explosive Heavyweight bout between top contender Chazz Witherspoon and upset minded Alex Mejias.

The undercard will be feature six undefeated fighters and will be headlined by Lavarn “Baby Bowe” Harvell.

Harvell of Atlantic City has a record of 6-0 with two knockouts and he will take on Frankie Filippone, 6-2 with two knockouts from Norfolk, VA in a six round bout.

Joel De La Paz (5-0, 4 KO’s) of Atlantic City will see action in a six round Super Middleweight bout against an opponent to be named.

Keenan Smith (2-0) of Philadelphia will take on Anthony Royal (0-1) in a four round Super Featherweight bout.

The son of former WBA Heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon, Isiah Seldon (2-0, 1 KO) of Atlantic City will take on an opponent to be named in a four round Super Middleweight bout.

Ismael Garcia (1-0) of Millville, NJ will battle Corey Preston (0-1) of North Carolina in a four Jr. Middleweight bout.

Joey Tiberi (1-0, 1 KO) of Newark, DE will face Antonia Parker (0-1) of Wilson, NC in a four round Super Featherweight tussle.

There will be a press conference on Wednesday November 17th at 7:00 pm at GNP Fitness in Atlantic City which is located at 11 S. Iowa Ave, Atlantic City

Tickets for this great evening of boxing are priced at $90; $60; and be purchased through Ticketmaster (1 800 736 1420); The Harrah’s Box Office or GNP Fitness (609 348 4999)

The card will be broadcast LIVE on www.gofightlive.tv for $9.99

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Q&A With Carlos Tamara!

North Bergen resident and former IBF Junior Flyweight champion Carlos "El Olympico" Tamara will once again enter his opponent's hometown when he battles unbeaten and well regarded Milan Melindo in the Philippines on November 27.

Tamara, 21-5 (15 KO's), has become accustomed to taking tough fights on the road, battling Brian Viloria (whom he beat for the title), Luis Lazarte, Omar Narvaez, Ray Whitfield, and Giovanni Segura either in their hometown or promoters card. He has yielded mixed results and lost a few close decisions, but rather than make excuses, The 2004 Colombian Olympian continues to work hard in the gym with his eyes set on a second world title.

GSFS caught up with Tamara, who moves up to 112 lbs for his bout with the 22 year old Melindo.

Garden State Fight Scene: This will be your second time in the Philippines. In your only other bout there, you scored a thrilling 12th round stoppage to win the IBF Junior Flyweight tile from hometown favorite Brian Viloria. Do you expect the crowd to be hostile?

Carlos Tamara: Not at all, the Philippine people are the nicest people around even in my first trip there they all wanted Brian Viloria to win but they showed us respect and made it clear to all that may the best man win.

GSFS: What do you know about Milan Melindo?

CT: We (Team Tamara) have been going over a lot of film that we have gotten in order for me to prepare for this fight and I can tell you that Melindo is a very good fighter and very intelligent in the ring and the fights we have seen he has shown that he goes into all of his fights in excellent shape.

GSFS: There are some terrific fighters at 108 lbs and you told me in a previous interview that it is your natural weight. What made you move back up in weight?

CT: I would love to fight again at 108 but as you know Osvaldo Rivero the promoter that did our fight vs Lazarte in Argentina went back on a signed rematch contract and his word for us to stop Lazarte from fighting we would have had to take Osvaldo Rivero and Lazarte to court and spend a lot of money in attorney fees in Argentina and as you well know we would have had to waste a lot of time and money and out of all of the fights that we were presented with the Melindo fight was the better fight although it had to be at 112lbs.

GSFS: On the contrary, although you are moving up in weight, Melindo has fought as low as 104 lbs.5 lbs and is 3 inches shorter than you with a two inch reach disadvantage. Does the fact that you may be the bigger man on fight night play a factor? (

CT: ALA Boxing (the promoter) and the people of the Philippines and their respect for fighters and visitor had a lot to do with it also besides my manager Nelson Fernandez made a terrific deal with Melindo's promoter ALA Boxing and we decided to take it.

GSFS: What is your game plan for November 27?

CT: Do what I do best, box and apply lot's of pressure and come back with another victory which by the way I am dedicating this fight and this victory "to all the good people of the Philippines"

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Duran Conquers the Predator in North Bergen!

Paterson’s Ossie “Ghanaian Gladiator” Duran has shared the squared circle with a number of top fighters, but last night's victory over Matt Vanda will likely be one of the most memorable moments of his career when it is all said and done.

Duran was rewarded with something that many fighters who like him, spend much of their career in their opponents’ backyard, never will; a hometown showcase.

“I used to go people’s backyards, beat them and (get robbed),” Duran said in regards to many of his losses. “It is nice to have people supporting (me).”

Duran made the most of his hometown bout, dominating rugged veteran Matt Vanda in the main event of the Gulf Stream Group’s “Rumble at the Park” from North Bergen’s Schuetzen Park.

From the opening tick to the final bell, Duran dictated the pace of this middleweight bout with well timed jabs and solid straight right hands. On a number of occasions, Vanda threw multi-punch combinations, but generally struggled to break through Duran’s high guard.

Duran landed many clean and crisp punches but his Saint Paul, MN based opponent was game throughout the contest and wasn't in danger of being stopped.

Scores were 100-90 twice, matching GSFS' final tally, and 99-91.

With Vanda out of the way, the Ghanaian is eager to share the squared circle with any top middleweight.

“I am ready for anybody at 160. I am hungry, need to feed my family and am ready to (fight) anybody out there.”



In the co-feature, North Bergen based Peruvian junior welterweight Juan “JZ” Zegarra scored a second round TKO against Bryan “The Brick” Abraham of Schenectady, NY.

Both men traded hard blows and neglected any type of defense in the opening round, with Zegarra scoring a knockdown after Abraham’s gloves touched the canvas following a crisp straight left hand. Zegarra and Abraham continued to trade in the second stanza until a huge right hand seemed to have the latter out on his feet. A follow up barrage from Zegarra forced Referee Earl Morton to stop the contest at 1:46.

Although Zegarra once again displayed his impressive power, Abraham and many ringsiders believed Morton pulled the plug too quickly.

“I was a little dazed but I wasn’t out,” said Abraham. “It’s not like I wasn’t punching back. We traded some good shots and the referee let him recoup but I didn’t have the chance to (recover).”

Zegarra is now 6-0 with 6 knockouts. Abraham slips to 2-4-2 with 2 KO’s.



Todd “The Viking” Eriksson shut out Philadelphia’s Joe Dunn in a four round super middleweight affair. Eriksson, who like Duran has spent much of his career on his opponents' turf, did his best impersonation of Paul Williams throughout the contest, The Dover native kept his hands moving at all times and never gave the defensive minded Dunn a chance to get in the fight.

Eriksson is now 2-4-1 with 1 knockout. Dunn remains winless at 0-3.



Less than a month after an entertaining majority decision victory over Marquis Jackson, Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez Jr. returned to the ring with an impressive first round KO over chronically inactive Salim “The Dream” Al Quaadir. Zegarra was a bit more calm than usual and found his mark quickly. The popular Union City welterweight dropped Al Quaadir with a hard left hook and then put him down for good shortly thereafter with a hard body shot at 2:57.

“I went into the fight (much calmer) this time,” said the former amateur standout. “Even though (Al Quaadir) has a 12 year layoff you never know how long he has been training for so I took this fight very seriously.

Rodriguez, who according to Promoter Andre Kut will fight again in early 2011, is now 5-0 with 3 knockouts. Al Quaadir returns to Akron, OH with a 1-3 record.



Lightweight Deano “Bad News” Burrell entered the paid ranks in spectacular fashion, stopping John Passantino inside of two rounds. Burrell, who according to Manager Rich Komissar had a 78-5 amateur record, displayed an outstanding offensive arsenal in the opening round, dropping his Selden, NY based opponent at the bell with a straight left hand.

Passantino, a fighter who can be best described as too tough for his own good, ate many more punches in the second before an impressive combination gave Referee Eddie Cotton no choice but to end his night at 1:44 of the second round.

Burrell, a Brooklyn resident originally from the UK, is 1-0 with 1 KO. Passantino slides to 0-2.



In the opening bout of the evening, Paterson’s Donald “Stone Face” Bernard had a tougher time than expected with Fort Wayne, IN’s Rogelio Sanchez. Bernard, a junior welterweight who fought at 150 lbs in this bout, was the far smaller man and struggled with Sanchez’ size. Both fighters landed cleanly, with Bernard doing just enough to pull out a four round split decision.

Scores were 39-37 twice for Bernard and 39-37 for Sanchez.

Bernard is now 2-0. Sanchez remains winless at 0-2.

Notable ringsiders included former junior welterweight champion Kendall Holt of Paterson, former junior flyweight champion and North Bergen native Carlos Tamara, 2008 National Golden Gloves and unbeaten prospect Michael Angelo "The Artist" Perez, Carlos "Mina" Zambrano and Jonathan Maicelo, both of North Bergen, and champion NABF Featherweight champion Maureen Shea.

PHOTO CREDITS FOR BERNARD, ERIKSSON, BURRELL AND RODRIGUEZ: ALAINA GITTER

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WITHERSPOON-MEJIAS HEADLINES NOVEMBER 19 IN AC!

ATLANTIC CITY (November 12, 2010)—Top American Heavyweight, Chazz “The Gentleman” Witherspoon will now take on Alexis Mejias as an exciting ten round co-feature that will be part of a big night of boxing promoted by Mike Brestle’s Spartan Fight Promotions and is dubbed BATTLE II. The show will take place at Harrah’s Resort and Casino

In the main event, undefeated Farah “The Quiet Storm” Ennis will take on Victor Lares for the NABF Super Middleweight title.

“We are ecstatic by the response as tickets are moving very fast. We have sold out two of our four ticket ranges”, said Brestle.

“We have been getting calls from all over the world as people are coming to town for a great weekend of fights. There is no better way to start off the weekend then with a championship fight card which will feature one of the best American Heavyweights plus some of the best prospects around”

Witherpsoon has a record of 27-2 with nineteen knockouts and is regarded as one of the top American Heavyweights.

Witherspoon, twenty-eight years old of Philadelphia, PA, won his first twenty-three bouts with fifteen knockouts as he defeated the likes of Michael Alexander (11-0); Talmadge Giffis (24-6-3); Jonathan Haggler (18-1); which set up a big showdown with fellow undefeated and rising star Chris Arreola (23-0)

On June 21, 2008 Arreola scored a third round disqualification win in a fight that Witherspoon boxed well but decided “To bring out the Philly in him” and slug with the heavy handed Arreola.

Witherspoon went on to win three consecutive starts which included an eighth round stoppage over Adam “Swamp Donkey” Richards (21-1) on the undercard of the Jermain Taylor – Jeff Lacy battle in Memphis, Tennessee.

In his last bout, Witherspoon took out perennial contender Livin Castillo (16-8) in seven rounds as part of SPARTAN FIGHT PROMOTIONS: BATTLE I on August 28th at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

Witherspoon is a graduate of St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and has a degree in Pharmaceutical Sales and he is very involved in the community as he is a mentor in many youth groups in the tri-state area

Mejias of Paterson sports a record of 11-5 with five knockouts and has faced top competition.

Mejias won his first seven bouts before losing a four round majority decision to “Punching” Pat Nwamu in 2004.

Mejias took four years off before coming back to win three in a row before a four fight losing streak to the likes of prospects Derric Rossy (22-2); Tor Hamer (10-0) and Bowie Tupou (18-1).

Mejias rebounded nicely in his latest bout as he scored a third round stoppage over previously undefeated Kimdo Boykin (4-0) on September 11 in Albany, New York

An exciting undercard featuring some of the best prospects in the area that will include Light Heavyweight Lavarn “Baby Bowe” Harvell (6-0, 2 KO’s) of Atlantic City; Super Middleweight Joel De La Paz (5-0, 4 KO’s) of Atlantic City; Son of the former Heavyweight champion, Isiah Seldon (2-0, 1 KO) in a Middleweight bout; Jr. Middleweight Ismael Garcia (1-0) of Millville; Joey Tiberi (1-0, 1 KO) will fight a four round Super Featherweight bout; Rounding out the card will be undefeated Super Featherweight Keenan Smith (2-0) of Philadelphia, PA in a four round bout

Tickets for this great evening of boxing are priced at $90; $60; and be purchased through Ticketmaster (1 800 736 1420); The Harrah’s Box Office or GNP Fitness (609 348 4999)

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Todd Eriksson: From Opponent to Hometown Favorite

By Sean Connolly

Light Heavyweight, Dover New Jersey resident Todd Eriksson has been on a journey to become an assured boxer but has a record of 1-4-1 thus far. Todd has had some tough fights in the ring and in life as well. He has fought against guys with winning records and undefeated records. During Todd’s amateur career he tasted victories, both, in the US and abroad. During a competition on Isle of Jersey, England, he won
the Boxer of the Night in front of the great Ernie Shavers.

In all sports there are always favorites and underdogs and Eriksson has been in the underdog’s corner his whole career. This Friday, at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen, he is the favorite.

Trainer Ed Lehey said, “Todd is focused on his career, he has been training hard for this fight.” His opponent is Joseph Dunn 0-2 from Philadelphia is now in the underdog’s corner. “Todd has become more of a tactician with power in his right hand.” Lehey also went on to add “Todd has the heart of a lion.”

Eriksson has been in the gym full time in the hopes that this is the fight that is going to turn his life and career around. Like a lot of boxers, he has come from the streets where trouble comes to those not looking to avoid it and not to those who stay in the gym and in the ring.

Another great New Jersey fighter Chuck Wepner, the Bayonne Bleeder, once said “I’ve been a survivor my whole life” and so has Todd Eriksson. In his last fight he was cut pretty badly just like Wepner had often been. Todd fought through this and showed he can, not only stay in the ring but survive.

Everyone likes to cheer for the underdog. Todd Eriksson has been that person. Now he is the favorite. Come witness his journey from becoming the underdog to the favorite at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen tomorrow evening.


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Wach weighs in for tomorrow's fight in Rhode Island!

Lincoln, Rhode Island - Unbeaten heavyweight Mariusz "Polski Olbrzym" Wach weighed in at a solid 259 pounds for Friday night's matchup with Galen "Bad Boy" Brown, who weighed 260. The six-round heavyweight bout will take place at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island and will be a part of “Homecoming King”, presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc (CES) in association with DiBella Entertainment and Twin River.

Wach vs. Brown will support the Peter Manfredo Jr. vs. Jhon Berrio main event.

The 30-year-old Wach (22-0, 10 KO) of North Bergen, NJ by way of Krakow, Poland stands an imposing 6-feet-7 and towers over all of his opponents. The 29-year-old Brown (33-14-1, 20 KO) of Saint Joseph, Missouri has faced a who's who in the heavyweight division and isn't intimidated of his opponent.

Wach is a veteran of 90 amateur fights, winning two gold medals at the Individual Polish Championships, a silver medal in the 2004 European Union Championships. Wach was also an alternate on the 2004 Polish Summer Olympics team that traveled to Athens, Greece. He has also trained alongside some of the best professionals in the world, serving as a sparring partner for former heavyweight champions Samuel Peter and Ruslan Chagaev.

The Wach-Brown match as well as the entire boxing card can be watched live at www.NESportsTV.com for $9.99 beginning at 7PM EST and 12AM in Poland.

Tickets for “Homecoming King,” priced at $40.00, $60.00, $100.00 and $150.00 (VIP), are available to purchase by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at Twin River’s Players Club booth at Twin River, or any TicketMaster location.

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Ossie Duran Ready for Vanda!

By John Wall

On Friday, November 12, Schuetzen Park in North Bergen will host an evening of professional boxing featuring local favorites Jerson Ravelo of Newark, Carlos Vinan also of Newark, Juan Zegarra of North Bergen and in the main event Matt “The Predator” Vanda (43-11 23KOs) of St Paul, Minnesota takes on Ossie “The Ghanaian Gladiator” Duran (28-8-2 9KOs) of Paterson, NJ in a clash of junior middleweights.

In his last outing Ossie got back the winning track with a unanimous decision victory over Jamaal Davis at Bally’s Atlantic City. Duran is a throwback to an era when pride, sport, and giving fans their money’s worth was the matchmaker not greedy promoters or conniving managers. Duran has never let the threat of a blemish on his record stop him from taking a bout. Many of his loses have come in the hometown of a top flight opponent.

Was it necessity or courage that drove the native of Ghana to take on difficult fights? According to Duran it is his own sense of pride that made him go after the hard ones. Even when he has lost a bout to a questionable decision his resolve gets even stronger “I beat a guy up and they give him the fight it drives me even more.”

“I feel like I am 20 (years old) I can beat guys in their 20's,” said Ossie when I mentioned he was 33 years old. Ossie still feels like a young man and has put a 3-5 year timetable on his becoming a world champion. When I asked him about this

Friday’s match up with Matt Vanda Ossie said confidently, “I’m ready. He is a good fighter. I am a good fighter. I’m ready to beat him up”. When asked about who he would like to beat for a world title Ossie, always the professional ,admonished me about looking past the task at him but then added whimsically , “After I win on Friday interview me again he I will tell you who I will beat for the title!"

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Shaw Enshrined in NJ Boxing HOF!

TOTOWA, NJ – Garden State-based promoter GARY SHAW will be inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame Thursday night at an awards dinner to be held at the Venetian in Garfield, NJ. Shaw, who was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame last year, is the president and chief executive officer of Gary Shaw Productions, established in 2002 and based in Totowa, NJ.

“To be inducted into any hall of fame is an honor, but to be inducted in my home state’s hall of fame is very special. My professional affiliation with boxing began in New Jersey in 1971 when Jersey Joe Walcott, who was president of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Commission (NJSAC), appointed me as an Inspector. I will forever be grateful to him for that because if not for him, I would not have had the regulatory background that has been important to me as a promoter,” said Shaw. “I’ve worked with a lot of fighters…prospects, contenders, world champions, as well as television executives and venues around the world. To all of them, I say “Thank You” for the privilege of working with them. And to my family members, who have sacrificed so much for my career, I share this award with all of them. They have been in my Hall of Fame for a lifetime.”

Shaw’s 28-year tenure with NJSAC included a promotion to Chief Inspector followed by his nomination by Governor Florio and confirmation by the State Senate to the Board, formerly the NJSAC, a position he held until 1999, when he became the Chief Operating Officer of Main Events, another premier boxing promotional company.

Mr. Shaw has promoted or co-promoted many of the biggest grossing fights in boxing history, many of those events, while he was COO of Main Events, including Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson, at the time the biggest grossing pay-per-fight with 1.8 million PPV buys, generating approximately $103 million in gross PPV revenue; Felix Trinidad vs Fernando Vargas; Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko; Winky Wright vs. Felix Trinidad; Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo; Shane Mosley vs. Winky Wright; Marquez vs Vasquez Trilogy. Mr. Shaw has also promoted or co-promoted many of our generation’s greatest world champions, including: Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, Shane Mosley, Fernando Vargas, Arturo Gatti, Winky Wright, Manny Pacquiao, Diego Corrales, Chad Dawson, Tim Bradley and Vic Darchinyan.

Mr. Shaw created the initial concept and helped develop the TV series “ShoBox: The New Generation,” a live boxing program still running monthly on SHOWTIME. Mr. Shaw has also promoted or co-promoted events at many of the world’s most famous venues, including Staples Center, Madison Square Garden, The Playboy Mansion, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Caesars Palace, Wynn Las Vegas, Foxwoods Resort Casino, the Mohegan Sun Hotel Casino, Agua Caliente Casino Resort and Chumash Casino Resort, as well as international events in St. Martin, China, Poland and England. Mr. Shaw has worked in partnership with HBO, Showtime, ESPN and SKY and all have televised many of the events Mr. Shaw has promoted or co-promoted.

Mr. Shaw has three children, Jason, A.J. and Jared, two grandchildren, Ryan, Zachary, and has been married to his wife Jade for 31 years. Mr. Shaw is a graduate of the University of Miami.

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Wach Excited for Friday's Fight!

North Bergen, NJ - Unbeaten heavyweight boxer Mariusz "The Polish Giant" Wach will face experienced journeyman Galen "Bad Boy" Brown this Friday November 12 at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island.

The six-round heavyweight bout will be a part of “Homecoming King”, presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc (CES) in association with DiBella Entertainment and Twin River .

The 30-year-old Wach (22-0, 10 KO) of North Bergen, NJ by way of Krakow, Poland was scheduled to face Kevin Burnett on last week's Zab Judah vs. Lucas Matthysse undercard in Newark, NJ but was disappointed when his opponent never showed up to the weigh-in. In prime shape, Wach now turns his attentions to the 29-year-old Brown (33-14-1, 20 KO) of Saint Joseph, Missouri.

"I'm very excited to fight again in America," says Wach, who is making his first appearance in the United States in two years. "We have been training very hard ever since I arrived and I want to show the people what I can do."

Wach, who is surprisingly swift of hands and feet despite standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 260 pounds, is a veteran of 90 amateur fights, winning two gold medals at the Individual Polish Championships and a silver medal in the 2004 European Union Championships. Wach was also an alternate on the 2004 Polish Summer Olympics team that traveled to Athens, Greece. He has also trained alongside some of the best professionals in the world, serving as a sparring partner for former heavyweight champions Samuel Peter and Ruslan Chagaev.

Wach now trains out of Global Boxing Gym in North Bergen, New Jersey under head trainer Piotr Wilczewski, who is also the Polish super-middleweight champion.

Tickets for “Homecoming King,” priced at $40.00, $60.00, $100.00 and $150.00 (VIP), are available to purchase by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at Twin River’s Players Club booth at Twin River, or any TicketMaster location.

For more information on Mariusz Wach, visit www.globalboxing.com.

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The Beast" set to invade Schuetzen Park on Friday night

KEA Boxing’s welterweight sensation, Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez (4-0, 2KO’s) is ready to put his undefeated record on the line Friday night at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen, New Jersey. The hard hitting prospect from Union City, New Jersey will look to show the fans in North Bergen the explosive nature of “The Beast” when he tangles with Salim Al Quaadir (1-2) in what is scheduled to be the last four rounder of his career.

In his last bout, Rodriguez pounded out a majority decision victory over a very defensive minded counter puncher by the name of Marqus “Goose” Jackson (2-3, 2KO’s). Though Juan won the fight, he was disappointed in his performance. “My grandmother passed before the fight and I really lost focus,” said Rodriguez. She helped to raise me and I was really close to her. It showed in the ring as I abandoned everything I was taught to do and swung wildly for the knockout,” noted Rodriguez. “My punches became wide and it allowed Jackson to stay in the fight.”

“I immediately went right back in the gym and worked on tightening up my shots. My power is back! I am in fantastic shape and ready to show the world my true talents come Friday night,” exclaimed Rodriquez. “You won’t want to miss this one!!!”

The main event of the evening is an important ten round junior middleweight crossroads battle between Matt “The Predator” Vanda (43-11, 23KO’s) and Ossie “The Ghanaian Gladiator” Duran (24-8-2, 9KO’s).

The Gulf Stream Promotions card appropriately titled “Rumble in the Park” will feature some of the top local and regional talent matched tough. Presently scheduled for the card are 2000 Olympian and New Jersey junior middleweight sensation Jerson Ravelo (20-5, 12 KO’s), “The Brick City Spoiler” and world ranked lightweight Carlos Vinan (10-8-4, 2KO), as well as undefeated Peruvian knockout artist and North Bergen’s own junior welterweight Juan Zegarra (5-0, 5KO’s). Two highly touted local amateur featherweight prospects are scheduled to make their professional debuts as Scotty “Spade Ace” Burrell and Deano “Bad Newz” Burrell rumble in separate bouts.

Tickets for this explosive night of action are set at $100 and $45 and can be purchased by calling 201-774-1646.

Doors open at 6:30PM. First bout is scheduled for 7:30PM.

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New Opponent for Zegarra!

Manager Nelson Fernandez notified us that North Bergen's Juan Zegarra will once again have a new opponent when he battles late replacement Bryant Abraham this Friday at Schuetzen Park.

A Schenectady, NY native, Abraham is 2-3-1 with 2 KO's and battled to a draw with unbeaten Edwin Soto this past June.

Zegarra, a Peruvian native with a huge following in his homeland, previously had an opponent fall out at the last minute, which prevented him from fighting on an October 16 card. At 5-0 with all of his wins by KO, Zegarra will be fighting in the Garden State for the first time in more than a year.

Zegarra and Abraham will meet in a six round junior welterweight affair.

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Friday's North Bergen Undercard Set!

According to a reputable source, the opponents for Friday night's card at Schuetzen Park have been set.

In the co-feature to the match up between Pateson's Ossie Duran and fringe contender Matt Vanda, 2000 Olympian Jerson "Super Jerz" Ravelo of Newark will look to get back on track following a third round knockout loss on ESPN in June.

Ravelo, who has fought top notch opponents in Andre Ward, Allan Green and David Lopez, takes on hard hitting Puerto Ricans Anibal Acevedo. Ravelo, 20-5 (12 KO's), and Acevedo, 13-7-1 (11 KO's), will duke it out over six at super middlweight.

World rated Carlos Vinan of Newark will take on Miguel Rodriguez, 7-3 (3 KO's) of Puerto Rico. Perhaps the most interesting of any world rated fighter, Vinan, 10-8-4 (2 KO's), previously shocked IBF #2 rated Anthony Mezaache July 17 in AC. Vinan and Rodriguez will meet over six rounds in the lightweight division.

Fresh off an entertaining four round decision last month in West New York, Union City's Juan "The Beast" Rodriguez, 4-0 (2 KO's), will meet Ohio's Salim Al Quaadir in a four round welterweight bout. In addition to overcoming Rodriguez' raucous crowd, Al Quaadir will have to shake off twelve years of inactivity.

Tougher than advertised super middleweight Todd "The Viking" Eriksson, 1-4-1 (1 KO) will go for his second pro victory when he squares off against Philadelphia's Joseph Dunn, 0-2, in a four round scrap. Eriksson has faced five unbeaten opponents in his six bouts, and will return for the first time since suffering a grueling fifth round knockout in May vs well regarded Latif Mundy.

Donald Bernard, a 1-0 former amateur standout of Paterson, will fight for the first time since June 09' against Fort Wayne, IN's Rogelio Sanchez, 0-1, over four rounds at junior welterweight.

Debuting twins Deano and Scotty Burrell will battle Noel Escobera and Sidell Blocker respectively in four round lightweight bouts.

GSFS will be at the fights to provide extensive coverage so stay tuned!

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