LOS ANGELES, November 6 – Before Ricky Hatton and Paulie Malignaggi step into the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena to settle their score on November 22nd, two junior middleweight bangers will light up the Las Vegas night with their explosive attacks when unbeaten James Kirkland takes on ‘The Contender’s” Brian Vera in a 10-round All-Texas co-feature..
“James Kirkland is moving in on a world title shot pretty fast, but Brian Vera has proved that he isn’t going to step aside for anybody,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “He’s coming off a big win over Andy Lee and another one over Kirkland will put him right in the title mix himself. I’m expecting this to be a terrific match.”
Ricky Hatton vs. Paulie Malignaggi, a scheduled 12-round battle for Hatton’s Ring Magazine and IBO Junior Welterweight titles, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Punch Promotions and DiBella Entertainment and sponsored by Affliction Clothing and Cerveza Tecate. Kirkland vs. Vera is presented in association with Tournament of Contenders. Both bouts will air live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing broadcast beginning at 7:00pm PT / 10:00pm ET.
Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $500, $300 and $150 are still available at any MGM Grand box office outlet and at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
A two-fisted knockout artist who is on a tear through the 154-pound division, 24-year-old Austin native James Kirkland (23-0, 20 KOs) has no reverse gear when he’s in the ring, a quality that has rapidly made him a fan favorite. Currently on a four fight knockout streak that has seen no opponent make it past round two, Kirkland advises fight fans not to blink when the bell rings on November 22nd.
A former Texas and IBA intercontinental champion, Fort Worth native Brian Vera (16-1, 10 KOs) made a splash on the world scene as a member of “The Contender’s” third season. Although he didn’t win the competition, he was impressive in a season-ending win over Max Alexander and even more impressive in March of this year when he halted the rise of unbeaten phenom Andy Lee via a seventh round TKO. The 26-year-old hopes to issue a similar boxing lesson to Kirkland this November.
For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.rickyhitmanhatton.com or www.mgmgrand.com.
Television analyst Steve Farhood weighs in on New York-based Irishman James Moore’s December 13 challenge of NABF junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman on ShoBox: The New Generation.
Steve Farhood, the longtime analyst on ShoBox: The New Generation, is excited over the December 13 fight between NABF junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, 26-0 (8 KOS), and challenger James Moore, 16-1 (10 KOS). The Top Rank-promoted show, which will take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, is being headlined by the rubber match between WBO lightweight champion Kendall Holt and Ricardo Torres.
Although both fighters are based in New York, the 28-year-old Foreman was born in Belarus but lived for several years in Israel. The 30-year-old Moore is a native of County Wicklow, Ireland.
“The strength of this fight is the contrasting styles,” said Farhood. “Yuri is an extremely fast boxer with excellent movement. James is a classic pressure fighter who relies on body punching to weaken his foe. He is going to have to really apply pressure to limit Foreman’s movement. It’s a lot easier to hit a stationary target than a moving one.”
Farhood asserts that both fighters deserve much credit for taking this fight at such formative stages of their careers. “They each have a lot to protect, so I laud them for accepting such a tough challenge,” he said. “This is the kind of bout that we have come to expect on ShoBox: two fighters on the way up with a lot to gain and a lot to lose. That is what the ShoBox concept is all about.”
Tickets, which range from $200 to $50, are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 1-800-736-1420. They can also be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall box office, which is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.