Star Boxing’s top welterweight contender Delvin Rodriguez (23-2-2,14KO) ranked #5 in the IBF will face off against Shamone “The Truth” Alvarez (20-1,11KO) ranked #15 in the IBF in a must see match-up of two of boxing’s top welterweights on March 6th at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. The bout, for Rodriguez’s USBA Welterweight Championship, will be shown live as the main event on that evening’s ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” telecast..
Rodriguez who hails from Danbury, CT is coming off a twelve round draw to Isaac Hlatshwayo on November 17th in Hlatshwayo’s home country of South Africa. The fight was an official IBF eliminator for the #1 spot. Now Rodriguez will defend his USBA welterweight championship and look to put himself in the position to challenge for a world championship in 2009 when he collides with Alvarez. Unlike his battle with Hlatshwayo, Rodriguez will have a strong contingent of fans and supporters on hand at the Mohegan Sun.
“March 6th at the Mohegan Sun is going to be one exciting night of boxing,” stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing. “This fight matches two of boxing’s top welterweights in the world going toe-to-toe in what promises to be an all-action affair.”
“I’m excited, this is going to be a great fight with Shamone,” said Rodriguez. “Shamone is very skilled and always comes to fight so I know I will have to be at my absolute best come March 6th. I am looking forward to returning to Connecticut and getting a chance to fight in front of all my hometown fans, it’s going to be great night of boxing that no one will want to miss.”
Alvarez is a very skilled, crafty southpaw, whose only loss as a professional came in an official IBF title eliminator to current world champion Joshua Clottey. Since that loss, Alvarez has rebounded, winning a decision in his last fight against welterweight contender, and U.S. Olympian Terrance Cauthen.
“Delvin is a heck of a fighter. I know what I am going to be up against when we face off against each other on the 6th,” said Alvarez. “But if I want to be the best I am going to have to beat the best, and I consider Delvin one of the best welterweights in the world. One thing that I do know though is that it’s going to be great fight. I am going to be bringing my A game and I expect Delvin to do the same, which will only make for a great fight for the fans in attendance and the fans watching at home on ESPN2 to see.”
“Both of these guys are so hungry right now, they are both in the primes of their careers and they know what a win in this fight, which is going to be nationally televised on ESPN2, does for their careers,” said DeGuardia. “I foresee the winner of this fight challenging for a welterweight championship sometime later on in the year. Delvin and Shamone are very similar in the sense that they are both very humble men outside of the ring, but once they lace up those gloves, both of these guys hit a switch and turn into warriors. With so much at stake, this is a must see match-up for any boxing fan.”
Rodriguez vs. Alvarez is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing in association with Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort. A complete list of the undercard will be announced shortly. Tickets are priced at $75.00, $45.00 and $30.00 and are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com or purchase tickets by calling 1 (800)745-3000 or by calling any Ticketmaster Charge by Phone number; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets may also be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Box Office and by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000.
TKO BOXING PROMOTIONS SIGNS MATT REMILLARD
LAS VEGAS, NV (February 2, 2009) Featherweight prospect Matt “The Sharp Shooter” Remillard has signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Las Vegas based TKO BOXING Promotions, it was announced today by Chet Koerner, its President.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Matt to our growing stable of prospects, contenders and future world champions. He’s a terrific young fighter who we believe has the ability and dedication to become a future world champion” said Koerner.
The 22 year old Remillard, a fan favorite in the Northeast, has worked to a record of 16-0 with eight knockouts since turning professional on April 1, 2005. Most recently he won a unanimous decision over former world champion Mauricio Pastrana on November 13, 2008, at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence , Rhode Island .
Said Chris Middendorf, matchmaker for TKO BOXING Promotions, “ New England has great fans and a history of great fighters. By signing a rising star like Matt to go with our recent signing of Elvin Ayala, we are now ready to start promoting in New England this spring.”
On August 29, 2008, Remillard won the vacant WBC USNBC featherweight title with a fourth round knockout of Aduato Gonzalez at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT. Prior to that, on June 13th, he won the WBC World Youth Featherweight Title with a ten round decision over Jose Magallon at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT.
Details of Remillard’s first bout under the TKO BOXING Promotions banner will be announced shortly.
The United States to face Ireland in International Dual Action, February 27- March 2 in Dublin, Ireland
(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Team USA will compete in the first international event of 2009 at the USA vs. Ireland Dual, February 27-March 2 in Dublin, Ireland. The two countries will face off in two dual events with the first taking place at the National Boxing Stadium on Friday, February 27 and the second on Sunday, March 1 at the Arch Centre Athy. The United States team will participate in a training camp, February 18-24 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., before departing for Dublin.
The United States squad competing in Ireland features many of the top, young boxers who hope to compete for a spot in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England. The team showcases three of the top returning boxers from 2008 in two-time Olympian and 2007 flyweight World Champion Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio), featherweight Olympian Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) and U.S. Olympic Team Trials super heavyweight champion Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.). The trio will be joined by 2008 light flyweight national champion Louie Byrd (Denver, Colo.); 2008 National Golden Gloves bantamweight champion Ernesto Garza (Saginaw, Mich.); 2008 U.S. Future Stars National Championships light welterweight bronze medalist Charles Watson (Johnson City, Tenn.); 2008 welterweight national champion Javonate Starks (Minneapolis, Minn.); 2008 U.S. Future Stars middleweight bronze medalist Aleem Whitfield (Geneva, N.Y.); 2008 National PAL light heavyweight champion Siju Shabazz (Las Cruces, N.M.); and 2008 U.S. Future Stars heavyweight bronze medalist Paul Koon (Philadelphia, Pa.).
The team will be led by coaches Hal Chernoff (Fruitland, Md.); Ray Velez (Ridgewood, N.Y.) and Ken Buffington (Marshalltown, Iowa). Richard Trindle (Mercer, Pa.) will serve as Team Manager for the event with Larry Ferebee (Lynchburg, Va.) and Tom Cleary (Cincinnati, Ohio) working as AIBA officials and Dr. John Denker (Portland, Ore.) joining the squad as the Team Physician. Mike Stafford (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Sankara Frazier (Minneapolis, Minn.) will accompany the staff as Training Camp coaches.
The 2009 USA vs. Ireland Dual is the first competition between the two countries since November of 2005 when the two nations faced off in a three-nation event in Cleveland, Ohio. The international competition is the first trip to Ireland for a U.S. team since the multi-nations tournament in 2003. The 2009 USA vs. Ireland Dual is the first senior level competition to which the United States has sent a full team to since the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Ireland has not yet announced their roster, but is expected to do so following a competition in mid-February.
Team USA
106 lbs: Louie Byrd, Denver, Colo.
112 lbs: Rau’shee Warren, Cincinnati, Ohio
119 lbs: Ernie Garza, Saginaw, Mich.
125 lbs: Raynell Williams, Cleveland, Ohio
132 lbs: TBA
141 lbs: Charles Watson, Johnson City, Tenn.
152 lbs: Javontae Starks, Minneapolis, Minn.
165 lbs: Aleem Whitfield, Geneva, N.Y.
178 lbs: Siju Shabazz, Las Cruces, N.M.
201 lbs: Paul Koon, Philadelphia, Pa.
201+ lbs: Michael Hunter, Las Vegas, Nev.
Coach: Hal Chernoff, Fruitland, Md.
Coach: Ray Velez, Ridgewood, N.Y.
Coach: Ken Buffington, Marshalltown, Iowa
Team Manager: Richard Trindle, Mercer, Pa.
AIBA Official: Larry Ferebee, Lynchburg, Va.
AIBA Official: Tom Cleary, Cincinnati, Ohio
Team Physician: Dr. John Denker, Portland, Ore.
Training Camp Coach: Mike Stafford, Cincinnati, Ohio
Training Camp Coach: Sankara Frazier, Minneapolis, Minn.
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). It is responsible for the selection and management of the United States Olympic Boxing Team, and for the governance and oversight of USA Boxing’s national organization of 38,000 members, 1,400 individual boxing clubs, and 1,600 sanctioned events annually.