Weigh-In Live: Mayweather/Cotto” airs Friday, May 4 at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO; McCloskey and Frampton to perform Betfair Prizefighter draw

Apr. 30, 2012 – Boxing fans can get a ringside seat for one of the sport’s most dramatic pre-fight activities when HBO telecasts WEIGH-IN LIVE: MAYWEATHER/COTTO, the world championship fight weigh-in, featuring boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather and super welterweight title-holder Miguel Cotto. The half-hour special airs Friday, May 4 at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

Hosted by Jim Lampley, who will be joined by commentators Larry Merchant, Max Kellerman and Emanuel Steward, the fast-moving program will include the moment when both prizefighters tip the scales as well as providing boxing fans with unprecedented access to the festivities.

In addition to the main event, the HBO special will also include the weigh-in for the intriguing co-featured attraction which pits super welterweight title-holder Canelo Alvarez against challenger Sugar Shane Mosley. All of the action will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

An encore presentation of WEIGH-IN LIVE will air on HBO on Friday, May 4 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.

The official fight headquarters for boxing fans all week long is insidehboboxing.com where fans can log on for exclusives features from fight week in Las Vegas.

Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com/boxing; on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hboboxing; and on Twitter @hboboxing.

McCloskey and Frampton to perform Betfair Prizefighter draw at Stormont

Dudey and the Jackal to decide all-Irish Middleweight contenders fate on Wednesday

Paul McCloskey and Carl Frampton will perform the draw for the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights at Stormont Parliament Buildings on Wednesday afternoon (May 2) ahead of the action live on Sky Sports from the King’s Hall on Saturday night (May 5).

The eight contenders will look on with great interest as Dudey and the Jackal match them up for the 24th edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight man, one night tournament which precedes McCloskey taking on ‘Chop Chop’ DeMarcus Corley as the Dungiven star aims to get a second World title shot. Former British featherweight champ Martin Lindsay kicks off the night but Jamie Conlan has been forced to pull out of the show through illness.

Previous Prizefighter nights have seen the draw made live on Sky Sports in the ring, but now the fighters will know the route they have to take in advance, and Belfast man Joe Rea hopes his path leads to a final with fellow Belfast fighter Eamonn O’Kane, so he can exact revenge for defeat in their eight round cracker in the Odyssey Arena in September.

“Eamonn is a good fighter but I know 100 per cent that I have the beating of him so I do really hope for a rematch with him for the title,” said Rea. “I’d like to see him in the final. We’re both from the north so it’d be great for Irish boxing. I know Eamonn will sell a load of tickets and I know that I’ve sold a load of tickets so I think the Belfast public deserve that final.”

O’Kane and Rea are joined by former two-weight Irish champ Ciaran Healy, Irish super middleweight champion JJ McDonagh, former champ Anthony Fitzgerald, unbeaten Lurgan man Ryan Greene, ‘Slick Fightin’ Irish’ Simon O’Donnell and Roscommon’s Darren Cruise.

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster on: 0844 277 4455 (UK/Northern Ireland) or 0818 719 300 (Republic of Ireland) and at www.ticketmaster.ie

VIP packages priced £150 are available from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900 and at www.matchroomboxing.com

Mathis-Holm II Confirmed For WBF World Title on June 15th

It’s now confirmed that a rematch between perhaps the two best pound-for-pound female boxers in the world, and definitely the two best welterweights, Anne Sophie Mathis (26-1, 22 KOs) of France and American Holly Holm (30-2-3, 9 KOs), will take place on June 15 in Albuquerque, New Mexico for Mathis’ World Boxing Federation World Welterweight title.

This serves as clear indication that the WBF is already the top sanctioning body for female boxing, and WBF president Howard Goldberg, who will be acting as supervisor for the bout, is delighted about the progress his organization has made in short time: “We have many of the absolute best female boxers as our world champions, and it is only fitting that the rematch between these two amazing fighters is for the WBF title. I think it’s outstanding that the WBF is already at the very top when it comes to women’s boxing, but I am not surprised that promoters and boxers are realizing that our title is the title to pursue”.

Mathis and Holm had a grueling encounter last December with Mathis winning by seventh round knockout. As their original fight, the rematch, appropriately billed as “The Reckoning”, will take place at Route 66 Casino Hotel, and will be promoted by Fresquez Productions. It will be Mathis’ third defense of the WBF World title she won in June of last year.

www.worldboxingfederation.net