The World Boxing Council informs that due to Sammy Ventura´s inactivity and the fact that he was defeated in his last two fights, the organization disclaims any responsibility regarding the fight he will take part in against former world champion Marco Antonio Barrera..
They will face each other on November 7nd, in this city of Chegdu, China, site of the 46th Convention of our organization. The promotion will be carried out by American entrepreneur, Don King, and the WBC has nothing to do with the previously mentioned fight.
ANDREW GOLOTA READY TO FIGHT ON NOVEMBER 7th
Polish heavyweight fighter Andrew Golota stated today that he is ready for his performance on November 7th, one of the main bouts presented by Don King in which will actually be the first evening of professional boxing in China, according to the government of Chengdu.
Golota practically went directly from the airport to visit the panda bear reserve, an old illusion, that, as he commented, he had cherished since he was a child.
Regarding boxing, the fighter, who was born in Poland, assures that he is in the best shape and that in 2009, he will try to win the heavyweight world title once again.
OTHER NOTES….. This gigantic city of Chengdu, which has a population of approximately 10 million inhabitants, and is among the 20 largest in China, displays in many of its streets showy signs allusive to the World Boxing Council Convention that will be opened this Monday….. The new heavyweight world champion, Vitali Klitschko, from Ukraine, will also be present in the meeting, during which he will be presented with the belt he regained on October 11th, in Berlin, Germany, when he defeated Nigerian fighter, Samuel Peter in eight rounds…..
The World Boxing Council President, Jose Sulaiman, paid a special visit, together with a group of WBC Governors, to places which are close to the city, where a few months ago several earthquakes wreaked horrific havoc….. This coming Thursday WBC Cares will carry out a similar visit to such places….. The total amount of reservations to attend the Convention has reached 480 people coming from several parts of the world, up to now.
DEANDRE LATIMORE OFF NOVEMBER 7TH SHOW, LOOKS TOWARD IBF TITLE FIGHT WITH CORY SPINKS
LAS VEGAS, NV (October 30, 2008) For world ranked junior middleweight Deandre Latimore it was a typical “good news, bad news” scenario. First the bad news; he won’t be fighting at the Family Arena outside of St. Louis on November 7th as planned, now the good news; he’s close to finalizing a world title “cross town show down” with former world champion and fellow St. Louis native Cory Spinks.
“I feel bad about not being able to fight on November 7th. The IBF title belt is becoming vacant as Verno Phillips is giving up the title to fight Paul Williams for a different belt. So the IBF is looking to match Cory and I up in the near future, therefore I couldn’t fight on the 7th.
I was really looking forward to fighting back in St. Louis, the fans there have been very supportive throughout my career,” said Latimore.
A Spinks/Latimore fight has blanketed the talk in the newspapers and on sports radio in St. Louis since June 12th of this year, the day after Latimore marched into New York City and battered hometown hero Sechew Powell for seven rounds, taking home a TKO win which was broadcast on ESPN2.
Said Latimore, “I’m out here training in Vegas but every time I talk to folks back home it’s all about when am I going to fight Cory. Now is the time. St. Louis has always been a huge boxing town, when Cory fought Zab Judah they packed the hockey arena downtown. I think we would do the same business.”
“We both have huge followings” added Latimore. “It’s not personal. I’ve admired Cory for a long time and have a great deal of respect for his father Leon and uncle Mike. When people think of St. Louis boxing, the Spinks family comes to mind. Now with a world title at stake it makes perfect sense for us to fight in St. Louis .”
Said Jerry Giuliano, manager of Latimore, “We are very hopeful that this fight goes off in St. Louis . The loyal boxing fans there deserve this fight. It is only fitting that Deandre wins this fight in his hometown. We respect Cory Spinks and realize he has been a great fighter. He had his time and now it is our turn to dominate this division.”
The Nov. 7 show at the Family Arena will go on as scheduled with nine terrific fights. Latimore will be at the Family Arena that night to see all the great fight fans from the metro area.
Latimore was given the “New Faces” treatment by Ring Magazine in their October 2008 issue sporting boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao on the cover. He is managed by Jerry Giuliano of Sandman Boxing Management LLC and promoted by Steve Smith of Rumble Time Promotions in St. Louis.
Tommy Brooks now working Pawel Wolak’s corner
Duddy & Teron in action Nov. 21 at Roseland Ballroom in NYC
NEW YORK (October 30, 2008) – Polish power puncher Pawel “Raging Bull” Wolak has added veteran trainer Tommy Brooks to his team as they prepare for his November 21st fight against Christian Lloyd Joseph on “The Grande Event” card, promoted by Cedric Kushner’s Gotham Boxing, at the famed Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan.
Born in Poland and now residing in Brooklyn, the New York State middleweight and Polish National light middleweight champion Wolak (22-1, 15 KOs) is a graduate of Berkley College of Manhattan with a degree in business.
A ferocious fighter with a large, passionate Polish following, Wolak bounced back from his lone defeat last August to Ishe Smith (10-round decision) with stopping Chad Greenleaf in the third round of their September match.
“I’ve changed some things since the Smith fight,” Wolak explained. “I’m smarter and use the right punches coming in. I haven’t really changed my style, just added a few things like coming behind my jab, throwing the right punches, and moving my head even more.”
Brooks has helped train Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Pernell Whitaker, Hasim Rahman, Mike McCallum, Junior Jones and many other world champions.
“We’ve been working on some small things, breaking old habits by moving more and using angles,” Pawel continued. “Tommy has me throwing more body punches and slipping more punches. I always come into a fight in my best shape. Now, I’m training, resting and eating better. Working with Tommy has been great. Ishe never hurt me and I would have won if I had changed some small things. I have a new bag of tricks. I’ve
always been good, physically and mentally, and now we’re fine tuning everything.”
Joseph’s 12-7-3 (5 KOs) pro record is somewhat mid-leading. He extended present IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey the full 10 rounds in a losing effort, fought current IBF light middleweight Verno Phillips, upset 18-1 Jeffrey Hill and 13-1 Keith Mullings, and fought draws with 27-2 Emmett Linton and 12-1 Aaron Mitchell.
“I know he’s a strong, tough kid that took one of the best fighters in the world the distance, Joshua Clottey,” Wolak concluded. “And he’s left-handed, too.”
The main event pits “Ireland’s” John Duddy (25-0, 17 KOs), fighting out Queens (NY) by way of Derry, Northern Ireland, against veteran Sam “The Punching Policeman” Hill (17-9-1, 10 KOs). Duddy is rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Organization, No. 4 by the World Boxing Council, and No. 7 by the International Boxing Federation.
NABO lightweight champion Jorge Luis Teron (22-0-1, 15 KOs), fighting out of the Bronx and rated No. 4 by the WBO, fights Aldo “El Pato” Valtierra (24-10, 13 KOs) in a 10-round bout. Teron is trained by former Olympic gold medalist and world champion Mark Breland.
Also scheduled to fight in separate four-round bouts are Queens light middleweight Lambrose “Lionheart” Karaolides (1-0) vs. TBA, Bronx super middleweight Hajro Sujak (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. Eric Clinton (0-4-1), Brooklyn welterweight Luis “El Mero Mero” Ruiz (3-0, 1 KO) vs. Asanti “Volcano” Hendrickson (1-2, 0 KOs), Brooklyn light middleweight Romain Oliveri pro debuting vs. Eluid Torres (0-0-1), and light welterweight Jonathan Gonzalez, a 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian makes his pro debut.
Tickets, priced at $50.00, $80.00, $100.00, $150.00 and $200.00, are on sale and available to purchase by calling Gotham Boxing (212.755.1944), any TicketMaster outlet, or at the Roseland Ballroom box office. Doors will open at 6:30 PM/ET, first bout at 7:00 PM/ET.
For more information call Gotham Boxing or go on line to www.gothamboxing.com.