Former Two Division World Champion Zsolt Erdei to Invade AC November 20!

According to Dan Rafael of Espn.com, two division world champion Zsolt Erdei will make his American debut on November 20th in Atlantic City as part of the undercard featuring the middleweight championship rematch between Sergio Martinez and Paul Williams.

Erdei inked a deal with Lou DiBella over the weekend.

“I have followed him for a while and watched a number of his fights, and he’s a high quality guy,” DiBella said. “He has superstar status in Hungary. He’s like a rock star there. He doesn’t need the money. He didn’t come back for the money. Coming to America is about legacy and about trying to prove he’s belongs with the top guys, that he can beat the top guy. That is why he’s coming back.”

“What’s coming up next for me is in America,” Erdei said. “To be successful there is the next step after having achieved mostly everything in Europe. The big names in my weight division, I want to challenge and defeat them. That’s my goal. I know it’s going to be a tough and a big challenge, but I have never run away from these kinds of tasks. I didn’t want to end my career without giving it a try in the USA.

“We had a few options, especially from U.S. promoters. After a lot of discussions and negotiations, we met with Lou DiBella and DiBella Entertainment in New York. These meetings were always very positive. He made the best offer, and what was very important to me was that he believes in me. From the beginning I have seen Lou DiBella as a really nice person and I have the confidence in him, and I know that he will open the doors to the American boxing market in order to secure a successful continuation of my career.”

“I love boxing and that’s why I want to continue,” Erdei said. “Boxing is my life and I’m a fighter. I was looking for a new challenge after I had been the WBO light heavyweight world champion for nearly six years, had won the WBC cruiserweight crown and my contract with Universum Box-Promotion had ended.”

“He hasn’t taken a lot of punishment,” DiBella said. “His weight doesn’t fluctuate much. So at 36, it’s not a big deal to keep fighting. He doesn’t have a lot of mileage on him. He has taken care of himself and believes he has a lot left. But he’s not looking for a five-year comeback. He’s looking for four or five fights. He thinks he can beat the top guys at light heavyweight — Jean Pascal, Chad Dawson, that level of guy.”

Majewski Scores Seventh Round Stoppage in Florida!

By Marc Abrams (in association with 15rounds.com)

Atlantic City's Patrick Majewski remained undefeated with a seventh round stoppage over Joseph Gomez in a scheduled eight round middleweight bout that took place in Kissimmee, FL.

Majewski dominated the fght as he worked the body and showed a nice jab. Majewski rocked Gomez in round four with a big left hook. In round seven, Majewski landed a left and a right that hurt Gomez that was followed up by a flurry of punches for which referee Frank Gentile stopped the bout at 1:50 of round seven.

Majewski, 162 lbs, is now 14-0 with nine knockouts. Gomez, 166 lbs of Aztec, New Mexico is now 17-3-1 (.

Maicelo Speaks on Victory!

GSFS caught up with North Bergen's Jonathan Maicelo following an entertaining ten round decision over game Oscar Cuero. Maicelo, who won 100-90 twice and 99-91, impressed the crowd with an impressive offensive arsenal throughout the contest. Here's what the popular Peruvian had to say.

Juan Rodriguez: On the way Up

By John Wall

Union City, New Jersey, a city with a long history of producing pro fighters, has given fans a new up and coming slugger to look out for by the name of Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez. An articulate soft spoken 24 year old southpaw sporting a 3-0 record with two knockouts, Rodriguez surprisingly does not like to be called heavy handed. Tomorrow evening, Rodriguez makes his fourth pro appearance on a card in his hometown headlined by Jonathan Maicelo (13-0) vs Oscar Cuero (13-2).

2009 was a break out year for Rodriguez’s amateur career. He won the New Jersey Golden Glove tournament, made it to the semifinals of the National Golden Gloves, and the quarterfinals of the USA Boxing National Tournament before starting his pro career on December 4th with a one punch KO victory over Bobby Bynum. I was fortunate enough to catch up with Rodriguez. Here’s what he had to say.

John Wall: Juan, you had a very successful amateur career, tell me how your style has has changed now that you are a pro?

Juan Rodriguez: Amateur boxing is all about scoring blows. In my pro career I’m showing another side more of a box and brawl style. People think of me as a puncher, I’m a combination puncher.

JW: So you don’t look to land the big left?

JR: No man, the knockouts just come

JW: Any thoughts on tonight’s opponent Marqus Jackson?

JR: I don’t research my opponents. I don’t care who I fight my manager (Joe Botti) picks my opponents. I fight them.

JW: I know you are focused on tonight’s fight but what is your big dream and who is your dream opponent?

JR: That’s easy I want to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. My goal is not money. My goal is to be a legend and be the best champ there is.

Diaconu Decisions Sheika in Canada!

Former light heavyweight champion Adrian "The Shark" Diaconu got back on track after consecutive losses to Jean Pascal by scoring a ten round UD over Paterson's Omar Sheika.

Sheika had an opportunity to upset the hometown favorite when he dropped him hard in the second, but he was unable to capitalize. As is the case each and every time Sheika steps in the ring, most of the bout saw the two fighters trading leather. Diaconu ultimately took the contest by fighting well down the stretch, where he landed a number of solid shots.

Scores were 98-91, 98-92 and 97-92.

Diaconu improves to 27-2 with 15 KO's. Sheika, who has been in a number of entertaining fights but usually fell short when stepping up in competition, slips to 30-10 (21 KO's).

Adamek-Maddalone Quotes!

Kathy Duva: "Every time Tomasz Adamek steps into the ring at Prudential Center we have an amazing time. It's a giant party. It starts a few hours before the fight and continues until the last punch is thrown, literally!" She added, "The other night I was at the Jets game and everyone was crowded in close quarters waiting for the rain to stop, having a great time and I said, 'My God this looks just like an Adamek fight, except here everyone's in green and white.' Everyone who comes to see an Adamek fight is going to have the time of their life."

"This fight will also be televised on Pay Per View like the last Adamek fight. For our friends in Poland, this fight will be televised on Polsat."

Joe DeGuardia: "In the Ward and Gatti days you had Irish vs. Italian, with this one, Irish - Polish; NY - NJ. Those are the things that make for drama and excitement. Grab those tickets so you can say you were there."

"Vinny is NY boxing. He epitomizes boxing of the old days, when it was the sport of kings. In the 1950's we had warriors going out there and battling everyday. That's Vinny Maddalone."

Vinny Maddalone: "I know I am going in as the underdog, but you know, I've been the underdog throughout my career. So all I've got to say is I'm going to give it everything I got in the ring. I am going to leave it all in the ring that night and I'm going to let my hands do the talking."

"I'm going to take 2 or 3 punches to exchange one, that's me. I'm not going to change overnight. We are working on little things in the gym that will hopefully make a difference on December 9th: be first; head movement; don't let him dictate the fight."

"I hope to give the fans their money's worth. It'll be a fight like that. What I get out of it, is that people come up to me after the fight and say 'Wow, I haven't seen a fight like that since the 50's'. To me that means everything."

"I think the Polish people are going to fall in love with me because they are going to say, 'There's a guy who gives it everything he's got.' It's going to be great."

Roger Bloodworth: "The thing that I picked up about Vinny as I watched many of his fights, is that he doesn't quit. If he gets hit, he just keeps coming. I applaud Vinny for taking this fight because it's going to be a hard fight, and Tomasz needs those kind of fights if he's going to progress."

"Tomasz is very tough mentally. He doesn't get scared; He was very calm against Mike Grant. I can teach a fighter how to box, but I can't teach a boxer how to fight."

Bloodworth on Adamek's biggest asset in this fight: "His hand speed."

Bloodworth on a possible future fight with one of the Klitschko brothers: "We're taking one fight at a time. If you look ahead, you forget about what's in front of you."

Tomasz Adamek: "After Grant, I sat with Roger and Ziggy. We said 'What do we do now? We need an opponent that brings to Prudential Center arena many fans. We gave a chance to Vinny Maddalone. He can bring many fans to the Prudential Center from New York. He lives close, and has a lot of fans. In every fight, he is very exciting. I think we'll make a good show for everybody."

"I've watched him (Maddalone) a few times. He's a good fighter, but I am very quick.This will help me win. I think Vinny Maddalone is a good boxer, but I am better."

"I train 6 days a week. That's my job. I want to be champion. If I stay home, I won't be champion."

Adamek on fighting a Klitschko brother: "I would love to fight them. I'm ready to fight anybody. The Klitschko brothers offer their opponents little money. If they want to fight me and offer the right amount of money, I will fight them. HBO is interested in a fight with David Haye. I would like to fight them at the Prudential Center. I draw over 10,000 people a fight there. Let's do it there."

"I am happy to come back to Prudential Center for the third time this year. I am happy to come out for all my boxing fans, not just Polish."

Introducing Jonathan Maicelo!

North Bergen resident Jonathan Maicelo is accustomed to being a massive draw. All 13 of his professional bouts have taken place in front of adoring fans in his native Peru and hundreds of thousands more have viewed his fights on YouTube. Best described by Manager Nelson Fernandez as “a fighter who lives to entertain the crowd”, the always confident Maicelo enters uncharted territory on Saturday when he battles Oscar Cuero at Washington School in Union City, NJ.

The bout will be televised in his homeland and a preview series similar to HBO’s 24/7 has been airing to hype his American debut. I had the opportunity to catch up with Maicelo, who is putting the finishing touches on his preparations for the ten round showdown.

Matt Yanofsky: This is your first time fighting in America, which is thousands of miles away from your native Peru. How are you feeling leading up to your first bout?

Jonathan Maicelo: I feel pretty good and although my training here in the USA for this fight has been only 3 weeks I'm in great condition.

MY: In Peru, you have fought in front of thousands upon thousands of fans on multiple occasions. Your fight Saturday is as a small venue. Many view you as a crowd fighter. Will the smaller crowd perhaps take away some of your in ring pizzazz?

JM: Remember that although I am going to fight in a small venue I have the responsibility in front of all of my very critical fans in Peru of everything I do inside and outside the ring but I will give a good account of my fight not only to the American fan in the USA in the arena but all of my fans back home in Peru.

MY: What has life been like for you living and training in New Jersey? Do you like it here or are you homesick?

JM: This is my second time around here in New Jersey and I'm living in an apartment with 3 other fighters that are not only my friends but we get along very well and I love them dearly and yes, I love the USA and I shall stay here to continue my career become a world champion with the best boxing trainers and the best manager in the world.

MY: America is regularly referred to as the "Land of Opportunities." What opportunities have you had here or you expecting that may not have come in Peru?

JM: The "Land of Opportunities" is going to create new markets for me as well as new fans, a better future for me and my family, and climb in the world rankings as a boxer that would have been very, very difficult in my country, Peru.

MY: What do you know about your opponent Oscar Cuero?

JM: I know he is very strong and likes to go toe to toe but I do not like to fight my opponents fight I like to fight my fight establish my rhythm, impose my will and I shall finish him because what I want in my first fight here in the USA is to start with a KO.

MY: Currently, you are the WBC Latino lightweight champion. Do you plan on defending that belt or fighting for different titles in the near future?

JM: I would love to defend my title here in the USA but I would also like to fight for other titles as well but that is the job of my manager Nelson Fernandez who knows when, where and with whom I should fight in the future.

MY: You live in North Bergen with three of your stablemates Juan Zegarra, Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Tamara. Zegarra and Zambrano are both from Peru and are extremely serious about their career, while Tamara was recently a world champion. How does living in this kind of environment help your career?

JM: As I had said before Zegarra and Zambrano we all know each other since we were kids and we love each other but more than love is our respect for each other and as they are serious about their career so I'm I.
Carlos Tamara and I speak daily at length and he has given me a lot of good advice but we also speak a lot about boxing strategies he has been like a teacher, professor to me outside the ring since we met each other he is tremendous.

MY: What can all the local fight fans who haven't seen you expect this Saturday and beyond?

JM: They are going to see Maicelo the fighter that first conquered my city of Callao (with my style of fighting) and then with all that same intensity, dedication and guts conquered the rest of my country who I love very dearly EL PERU.

Editors Note: Special thanks to Nelson Fernandez for translating the interview.