International Boxing Federation cruiserweight world champion Steve “USS” Cunningham and former world champion Tomasz Adamek foreshadowed their Dec. 11 meeting at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. at a press conference today at the one-year-old venue. “I work very hard because boxing is my job,” Cunningham, from Philadelphia, said. “My goal is to be the greatest of all time. I know it’s a lofty goal but I want to the best I possibly can be..
“I want Adamek to bring his best on December 11 in Newark. He’s a family man like me but it’s my job to put my hands on him and that’s what I’m going to do.
“I’m a true world champion. I’ve fought in South Africa, Germany and in Poland, twice. I’m more popular in Europe than I am in America right now but that’s about to change. I want to give the world a true cruiserweight world champion that will stay in the division and defend his titles for years to come.”
Adamek, from Poland now living and training in Jersey City, N.J., says he will bring his vaunted right-hand punching power from light heavyweight to the 200-pound limit.
“Steve’s a nice guy but I’m going to beat him, Adamek, the IBF No. 1-ranked cruiserweight, said. “He’s a world champion and I respect him but I will win. Steve’s quick and dynamic. It will be a great fight.
“It made me weak to make 175 pounds against Chad Dawson and I was still able to knock him down. My right hand is bigger at cruiserweight. I’ll be stronger and carry my punch to the 200-pound limit.”
The press conference was co-hosted by event promoters Don King Productions and Main Events. Both Don King and Kathy Duva, as well as New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame President Henry Hascup, spoke of the fact this marks the first time since Tony Zale and Rocky Graziano met in Newark for the third and final time in 1948 that a world-championship boxing match has been staged in the city.
Full Quotes
Steve Cunningham: “I do what I do because I’m born again through Jesus Christ.
“I would like Newark to know they have a great person in IBF President Marian Muhammad. I went to box in Poland and got robbed. She flew over for the immediate rematch to make sure it would be a fair fight. She’s all about the rules and giving fighters a fair shake. The IBF will only be better with the addition of Larry Hazzard.
“I work very hard because boxing is my job. My goal is to be the greatest of all time. I know it’s a lofty goal but I want to the best I possibly can.
“I want Adamek to bring his best on December 11 in Newark. He’s a family man like me but it’s my job to put my hands on him and that’s what I’m going to do.
“I’m a true world champion. I’ve fought in South Africa, Germany and in Poland, twice. I’m more popular in Europe than I am in America right now but that’s about to change. I want to give the world a true cruiserweight world champion that will stay in the division and defend his titles for years to come.”
Tomasz Adamek: “Steve’s a nice guy but I’m going to beat him. He’s a world champion and I respect him but I will win. Steve’s quick and dynamic. It will be a great fight.
“It made me weak to make 175 pounds against Chad Dawson and I was still able to knock him down. My right hand is bigger at cruiserweight. I’ll be stronger and carry my punch to the 200-pound limit.”
STAR BOXING RETURNS TO ATLANTIC CITY NOVEMBER 7TH NUMBER FIVE RATED HEAVYWEIGHT: KEVIN “KINGPIN” JOHNSON CONTINUES QUEST TOWARDS CHAMPIONSHIP
On Friday November 7th at the Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing returns for the second time in three months with yet another fantastic double-header. The entire card will be broadcast live on GoFightLive.tv, boxing’s newest and most innovative way to view world- wide events.
In the main event of the evening the number five rated heavyweight in the world Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson (20-0-1, 7KO) Asbury Park, NJ, who was last seen September 5th at Bally’s when he dismantled former heavyweight champion of the world Bruce Seldon, stopping him in the 5th round, will take on tough Matthew Greer (12-3, 11KO) Parkville, MO, in a ten round heavyweight contest. The co-feature of the night features a fantastic welterweight showdown of New Jersey contenders. Trenton, New Jersey’s Terrance “Heat” Cauthen (33-4, 9KO) looks to feed off his latest victory over previously unbeaten Alexis Camacho (16-1, 15KO) and work his way towards another title shot when he takes on Atlantic City’s own Shamone “The Truth” Alvarez (19-1, 11KO). In Alaverez’s last fight he took on now IBF welterweight king Joshua Clottey, losing a tough twelve round unanimous decision.
“We are back once again and we expect yet another fantastic show on November 7th,” stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing. “We have gotten such positive feedback from the shows we did in May and September we just had to do at least one more show before the new year. Kevin recently was moved up to the number five ranked heavyweight in the world and we are working on some very big things for him. We are hoping to get him in an eliminator for the number one spot soon and feel very confident matching him up against any of the heavyweight champions. In the mean time, rather than wait around we want to keep Kevin busy, and we think the fight with Greer is going to be very entertaining as he likes to come straight forward and bang. Kevin has said these are the type of fights he wants to be in, so he can show the boxing world he is just not a one dimensional fighter with a great jab. Don’t get me wrong, Kevin’s jab is unlike any other’s, but as you saw in his last fight with Bruce Seldon, Kevin does have very good power and when he wants to step on the gas and bring the fight to you, he can, and has promised he will once again on November 7th.”
A complete list of the undercard will be announced shortly. Tickets are priced at $90 and $60 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1(800)736-1420 or going online to ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823- 2000 or by going online to www.starboxing.com.
DC Area Father Enters Boxing Ring to Knock-Out Cancer to Help Aid Stricken Daughter
Centreville’s “Tattoo” Tom Mitchell Makes Pro Debut Nov. 1 at Patriot Center;
Personal Ticket Sales to Support Growing Hope Foundation
FAIRFAX, VA – Centreville’s Tom Mitchell will make his professional boxing debut on Saturday, November 1 at the Patriot Center, just one fighter on the undercard of the Jimmy Lange-headlined show. However, “Tattoo Tom,” as he is known around Northern Virginia, is not your typical boxer and fights not only for himself, but for his teenage daughter, Shayla, and other children with cancer. A contractor by trade (he operates the home improvement-business, Inside Out Solutions), Mitchell will donate all of his purse/earnings from the evening, plus the promoter has agreed to donate one-third of all of Mitchell’s personal ticket sales to the Growing Hope Foundation, a local 501 (c) (3) organization. To date, he has sold more than $10,000 worth of tickets.
Mitchell’s life was turned upside down in July, 2007 when Shayla was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Disease, a highly-advanced form of lymphatic cancer. Since then the 18-year old who graduated from Manassas’ Osborne High School has battled through chemotherapy treatments, radiation therapy and four heart surgeries. Her daily struggles against incredible odds would be impossible without the guidance and support of her father, who always told her to keep fighting regardless of the chances. Putting action to his words, “Tattoo Tom” decided to lead by example and train to become a professional boxer. After meeting popular local boxer Jimmy Lange through a mutual acquaintance, he impressed the promoters of Lange’s next event, who added him to the Nov. 1 card. He will take on Ashburn’s Yieta Johnson (0-2) in his four-round featherweight debut. He has been training in preparation for his big day at LA Boxing in Chantilly since last spring.
Taking care of Shayla became a full-time job and Mitchell, a single father of six children, soon found himself struggling to make ends meet. It was then that the Growing Hope Foundation intervened and helped provide financial support and outpatient care for the Mitchells. To show his gratitude and appreciation of the Growing Hope Foundation, “Tattoo Tom” has been aggressively selling boxing tickets to friends, neighbors, colleagues and other members of the community. The money raised will benefit the organization’s outreach and family support programs for children battling cancer.
For someone who has tackled other dangerous and risky ventures such as skydiving, scuba diving and bungee-jumping, Mitchell, who literally wears his heart on his sleeve with a portrait of Shayla tattooed on his foreman (along with a family tree listing his other children), is a man on a mission and follows this motto: “That although he is one person and he cannot do everything, he will not let that stop him from doing something.”
For more information or to purchase tickets directly from Mitchell, please call 703-250-8777, email him at tattootom@cox.net or visit www.noturningback2008.com.