Reading, PA – Heavyweight prospect Travis Kauffman will lead the Reading Express professional indoor football team out onto the field for their home game against rivals Harrisburg Stampede this Sunday, May 17. The Reading Express play their home games at the Sovereign Center, where King’s Promotions will feature Kauffman in the main event against former Ecuadorian Olympian Livin Castillo and cruiserweight Julio Cesar Matthews against Kamarah Paisley in the co-main event. Kauffman, (16-0, 13 KOs), is on the fast track up the heavyweight ranks at only 23 years old. Kauffman will be competing in his hometown for the first time since his smashing national TV debut in December when he knocked out Malachy Farrell on Showtime..
During the second quarter, Kauffman and Matthews will be introduced into a boxing ring set up near the lounge area in section 109 while a Kauffman highlight reel plays. The Express dancers, known as the Smokin’ Hot Steam Team, will dance in the ring throughout the game. Afterwards, Kauffman and Matthews will be on hand to sign autographs for the fans.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to go out and support my hometown team,” says Kauffman. “I believe that I am the best heavyweight prospect in the world and I’m going to show it on May 30.”
The Reading Express compete in the American Indoor Football Association. With a record of 7-2, the Express are on top of the North Division.
The May 30 event will be the first in Pennsylvania history to feature boxing and mixed martial arts on the same card.
Tickets, priced at $65, $50, $35 and $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Sovereign Center Box Office at 700 Penn Street in Reading (610-898-7200) and at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com).
WORLD BOXING COUNCIL NEWS
May 14, 2009 – Mexico City. From the office of WBC President José Sulaimán:
World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman has travelled to Korea to oversee the preparations and facilities for the 47th annual WBC world convention that will be held later this year in Jeju, South Korea. He will also bring to a close a national boxing competition there featuring boxers in four and six-round fights. The WBC has been involved in tournaments like this around the world to find boxing’s new idols, as many of boxing’s great idols are gone or are about to be.
President Sulaiman is also planning to attend the first professional world championship fight to be held in The People’s Republic of China on May 26 in the great city of Shanghai. WBC flyweight world champion Daisuke Naito of Japan will be defending the title against Xiong Zhao Zhong, the first Chinese fighter who will fight for a world championship in his own country.
The May 26 fight card will have two more very interesting fights: the OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) female super featherweight championship between Chika Mizutani of Japan and Yang Yu Ying of China; and the ABCO (Asian Boxing Council) female super featherweight championship between Xia Yu Qing of China and Yu Kajikawa of Japan.
The WBC wishes to be present at this historic event that will form part of the present and future of professional boxing in China, which had never before been recognized or approved.
WBC representative General Kovid Bhakdibhumi of Thailand will also hold a meeting with President Sulaiman in Shanghai.
The promoters of the May 26 event are Mr. Hiro Miyata and Takashi Ishii (MG Promotion) from Tokyo, Japan, in association with Chinese promoter Liu Gang.
The card will be overseen by a Chinese Committee, together with the Japan Boxing Commission and World Boxing Council.
It is said that Daisuke Naito is currently the most popular fighter in the great country of Japan, which has been one of the cathedrals of professional boxing in the last quarter-century.
****
WBC super featherweight world champion Humberto Soto travelled to Mexico City on Wednesday and was presented by President Sulaiman with his green and gold WBC world championship belt. Soto won the title in December and has made two successful title defenses.
He was present at the ceremony with his manager, Antonio Lozada, and promoter, Fernando Beltran.
Soto is also a proud former champion of the formidable WBC World Youth Championship program.
Mexico is back to normal, and there will be heavy boxing activity in May and June.
Earthquake Predicted for May 19th – Bruce ‘Lionheart’ Scott To Face ‘Buster’ Keeton At Prizefighter 7
The Southern area seismic centres are going to have to shut down this coming Tuesday as Hackney, London, based Jamaican former WBU International, Commonwealth and British Cruiserweight Champion Bruce ‘Lionheart’ Scott learned that his first opponent, in the Prizefighter 7 – The Cruiserweights tournament at Earl’s Court Arena in West London on May 19th, is Sheffield’s John ‘Buster’ Keeton, and has predicted an earth shaking knockout of his former foe.
Scott, who is returning to the ring after a three year sabbatical from the sport, has been taking his preparations for the tournament very seriously. In addition to securing the services of one of London’s top boxing coaches, John Rooney Jnr of the famed Gleason’s Gym London, near Tower Bridge, ‘Lionheart’ has also been sparring with some of the UK’s top fighters including current British Heavyweight Champion, Danny ‘The Brixton Bomber’ Williams, best known as the man that knocked out ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, to ensure he is fighting fit for the event.
When recently asked if he thought that being three years out of the ring may put him at a disadvantage Jamaica’s favourite son answered, “First of all, I think the lay off has been good for me as I’ve had a good rest, no stress, nobody around me stressing me going boxing, boxing, boxing. I just kick around and spend time with my kids and family. I’ve boxed for the World championship 3 times, I think that was good for me. If I win this (Prizefighter 7 tournament) I’ll get a shot at the British title again. I’ll get to fight Rob Martin and knock him out and then get to fight for a World championship again. It’ll be great if I win that. It’ll be magic”
Like ‘Lionheart’, Keeton is a former multi title holder. During his near sixteen year professional career ‘Buster’ has held both the World Boxing Foundation and World Boxing Federation Cruiserweight World titles as well as WBO Inter-Continental and BBBofC British titles.
This will be the third time that ‘Lionheart’ and ‘Buster’ have locked horns in battle. In their first meeting, at the York Hall in Bethnal Green in December ‘94, Scott knocked Keeton out in the second round. Almost six years to the day later they were to face each other again, this time in Keeton’s own back yard at the Sheffield Arena on the 16th December 2000, in a BBBofC British Cruiserweight title fight. After six rounds of brutal toe to toe combat ‘Lionheart’ again finished off ‘Buster’ with a devastating knockout punch.
On being drawn to face his old foe Scott said, “Ah, Buster, bless him. I knocked him out cold already, twice. Then again maybe third time lucky. Na, It will be third time lucky for me. I’m in good shape and intend to knockout old Buster again.
I want to knock them all out. Anybody come in the ring with me I’m gonna knock them out. I’m gonna let them know Bruce Scott is back. Then I’m going for the British Championship and knock Rob Martin out as well.”
Should ‘Lionheart make this a a hat trick win over ‘Buster’ Keeton he will then progress to the semifinal, later that evening, to face one of the other successful quarterfinalists.
The Prizefighter series is a knockout boxing tournament created by boxing promoter Barry Hearn and aired on Sky Sports. The format has an initial eight fighters compete in four quarterfinals with the chance of fighting their way into a final fight for a chance to win a main prize of £25000. All contests take place on the same evening and consist of 3 x 3 minute rounds.
Take note now so you don’t kick yourself afterwards. Prizefighter 7 – The Cruiserweights is a don’t miss event and will be held at Earl’s Court Arena in West London on Tuesday 19th May 2009
Tickets cost £25 (unreserved) and £50 (reserved, ringside) and are available by calling 0870 264 3333 or 01277 359900.
One In A Million Boxing Helps Legendary Gary P.A.L. Reopen
The Gary P.A.L. Program was the starting point for some of the world’s greatest fighters including former world champion Angel Manfredy and the current WBC International Super Lightweight and NABC Lightweight Champion “Merciless” Mary McGee.
Both of whom were in attendance along with another 100 fight fans to watch an amateur fight card dubbed “The Comeback.” This event could have never happened if it wasn’t for the hard work of Coach John Taylor and donations from Octavius James’ One In A Million Inc.
The gym has boxing posters clattered all over the walls showcasing some of the sport’s biggest fight cards, but not too long ago the walls were covered in water that was as high as the ring and mold that had built up from the flooding that stunned the region destroying most of the furniture that once sat inside the gym.
“It was a shame to see such a legendary place on the verge of disappearing, that gym and coach (John) Taylor are the heart of boxing in Gary,” said Octavius James, C.E.O. of One In A Million Inc. Taylor presented McGee with a plaque that gave thanks to James and One In A Million Inc. for the funds they donated from their fight card “SLUGFEST 2009.”
“I was so sorry that I couldn’t be there to accept that plaque, because that means more to me than any award I could ever receive,” said James. “To give kids from the city I was raised in a chance to do better with their lives is such a special honor for me.”
“With Octavius and One In A Million helping us rebuild our gym and their donations, it really helped make this a success,” said Taylor. “I’m so excited about this card, because people came out and the fights have been great; it’s just been amazing.”
One of the future stars of boxing given a chance to step into the recently refurbished ring was Portage 15 year-old Alexis Carrasco. Carrasco was making his amateur debut and ended it with a bang and a 1st round TKO. “I was training at One In A Million before coming here and to know that this is where Mary and Angel got their starts means a lot and it was coach Taylor that helped them get to where they are now,” said Carrasco.
Octavius James’ One In A Million Inc. gets back to business with the “Tinley Park Rumble”. Tickets can be purchased at VIP $100, VIP ringside $75, ringside $50, and general admission $30 and they are available from any Ticket Master location at (800) 745-3000, (866) 438-7372 or www.TicketMaster.com.
The Holiday Inn/Tinley Park Convention Center, which is just 25 minutes from Northwest Indiana, will open doors at 7 p.m. with the first bout at 8 p.m.