ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (September 26, 2008) – Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall is four weeks away from “Unstoppable” — the light heavyweight rumble between undefeated world middleweight champion KELLY “The Ghost” PAVLIK and legendary two-division world champion BERNARD “The Executioner” HOPKINS. The televised undercard features three compelling match-ups featuring fighters with a combined record of 168-12-2 (111 KOs) and a combined winning percentage exceeding 92%. WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano defends his title against top contender Billy Dib, undefeated bantamweight champion Abner Mares battles Luis Melendez and in a WBC middleweight title elimination bout, Marco Antonio Rubio takes on Enrique Ornelas..
Presented by Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, in association with Caesars Atlantic City, “Unstoppable” takes place Saturday, October 18 at Boardwalk Hall and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
STEVEN LUEVANO (35-1-1, 15 KOs), from La Puente, California, has reigned as the World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion for 14 months. He captured the vacant world title July 14, 2007, knocking the previously undefeated and current WBO junior lightweight champion Nicky Cook in the 11th round. Since winning the title he has successfully defended it twice, including a 12-round decision victory over mandatory challenger Terdsak Jandaeng and a draw against Top-10 contender Mario Santiago in March and July, respectively. Luevano’s third title defense of 2008 will be against another Top-10 contender in BILLY DIB (21-0, 11 KOs). Dib, an undefeated southpaw from Hurtsville, Australia, has knocked out over half the opponents he has faced in his four-year professional career. The former Australian champion returns to the ring fresh from his biggest victory on July 30, a 12-round unanimous decision for the vacant International Boxing Organization (IBO) super featherweight title, over Zolani Marali, ending the South African’s four-year winning streak.
North American Boxing Organization (NABO) bantamweight champion ABNER MARES (17-0, 10 KOs), from Montebello, California, by way of Guadalajara, Mexico, will be risking his undefeated record and WBO No. 1 world rating when he defends his title against LUIS MELENDEZ. Mares has successfully defended his title twice since winning it last year when he defeated former world champion Isidro Garcia, who retired on his stool after the seventh round. This year he knocked out former world title challenger Diosdado Gabi in the second round and scored a 10-round unanimous decision victory over Jonathan Arias. Gabi and Arias had a combined record of 43-3-1 when they faced Mares. Melendez (25-3-1, 20 KOs), returns to the ring on the heels of one of his most exciting fights. The Colombian buzz-saw went toe-to-toe for 12 rounds with WBO junior bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel, coming up short in his first world title fight. Now fighting as a bantamweight, Melendez, who has won 13 of his last 15 bouts, is looking to return to the world championship picture by challenging the No. 1 contender.
The pay-per-view telecast will open with the World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight title elimination bout the winner of which will be declared the WBC’s mandatory middleweight challenger to Pavlik. MARCO ANTONIO RUBIO (42-4-1, 38 KOs), from Georgetown, Texas, by way of Torreon, Mexico, enters this fight riding an eight-bout winning streak with seven of those win coming by way of knockout. Since moving up to middleweight at the end of 2006, Rubio has collected the Mexican, the World Boxing Association’s FEDECENT and the WBC’s FECOMBOX titles en route to becoming the WBC’s No. 1 contender middleweight contender. Rubio will be going mano-a-mano against ENRIQUE ORNELAS (28-4, 18 KOs), from La Habra, California, by way of Guanajuato, Mexico. Ornelas, the WBC’s No. 2-rated middleweight contender, has won eight of his 10 last fights, including NABF middleweight title fights against former world champion Bronco McKart and Norberto Bravo, stopping both in the fifth and seventh rounds, respectively. In his last fight, on July 4, he provided his own fireworks display, knocking out Daryl Salmon in the second round.
Remaining tickets,” priced at $700, $500, $350, $200, $100 and $75, can be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com
The Pavlik vs. Hopkins pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Pavlik vs. Hopkins fight week updates, log onto www.hbo.com
DOMINIC SALCIDO READY!
Salcido weighs in at 134.25 lbs.
Escobedo weighs in at 134.5 lbs.
THOMPSON BOXING PROMOTIONS’ FIGHTERS WALK THE TALK
(Orange, CA) September 26 – Closing up a tremendous month for Thompson Boxing Promotions, unbeaten lightweight prospect Dominic Salcido will take on Vicente Escobedo tonight from The Morongo Casino Resort and Spa located in Cabazon, California.
If triumphant, the competitive fight will make it 3 for 3 for the Orange County-based boxing promotional company who earlier this month celebrated the victories of two of their other tremendously skilled fighters in their stable.
On September 5, Yonnhy Perez dismantled David Martinez in spectacular fashion by a 6-round TKO in a fight broadcasted at the prospect favorite ShoBox:The New Generation. The Colombian power puncher is ranked in the top 10 of all the major boxing organizations and proves to be a force to reckon with in the bantamweight division.
On September 13, WBC Super Lightweight Champion Timothy Bradley proved to be at the top of his game as he swept a befuddled Edner Cherry to defend his world title for the first time. Bradley was moved up to the main event as Joan Guzman was rendered unfit to fight after not making the contracted weight leaving champion Nate Campbell empty handed. Bradley who hails from Palm Springs, CA, proved he can shine under the spotlight with an almost flawless performance.
Both Perez and Bradley are co promoted by Thompson Boxing Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions.
In less than 24 hours, the pride of Rialto, California, Dominic Salcido (16-0, 8KO’s) will face Olympian Vicente Escobedo (18-1, 11KOs) in what is called a matchmakers delight. Salcido, who is trained by Joel Diaz, is ready to make a splash in the lightweight division. “Escobedo is a ranked fighter, a tough guy with lots of ability and I have been wanting to test myself against him since we were amateurs…” said the undefeated Salcido after the weigh in. “I want to prove that I am the best and that my preparation for this fight has been top notch. There is no tomorrow for me, I am here to win.”
The Escobedo – Salcido fight is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Thompson Boxing Promotions and will broadcast live on Telefutura’s highly rated boxing show “Solo Boxeo de Tecate” begining at 9pm ET/PT.
Spartacus “I’m looking forward to silencing ‘big mouth’ McIntosh”
Steve Spartacus is looking forward to silencing ‘big mouth’ Danny McIntosh when the two East Anglia light-heavyweights collide for the English Title at the Norfolk Showground in Norwich on Saturday, 4th October.
The Ipswich v Norwich clash is chief support on the ‘Let’s Be Having You’ Hennessy Sports promotion that sees Norwich lightweight Jon Thaxton box Spain’s Juan Carlos Diaz Melero for the European Title as top of the bill. ITV4 will screen the action LIVE from 8.45pm.
Spartacus is delighted to get the chance to win back the English Title he won five years ago and sees this boxing derby as the perfect way to kick start his career again.
Spartacus, who was beaten in a exciting encounter with Tony Oakey for the British Title last year, is also glad to be taking on local rival McIntosh.
“I know McIntosh because we sparred with each other a few times a few years ago,” said Spartacus.
“I do rate him and he’s got a lot of talent. He has also got a big head and a big mouth, but I’ll be sorting that out on the night.
“There’s a bit of needle and rivalry between us, but more on his part than mine. I’ve always been ahead of him and never really thought about him as competition until now.
“But he has had a couple of good wins recently and he has gone to the top of the pile after Joey Vegas knocked out the Southern Area champion JJ Ojuederie, because McIntosh beat Vegas on points.
“It’s blinding news the fight will be for the English title and this could get my career right back up there again. There’s going to be a lot of interest in the fight on the East Anglia boxing scene.”