The battle between two former Cruiserweight World Champions, Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham (IBF) and Wayne ‘Big Truck’ Braithwaite (WBC), is a mouth watering prospect in itself, but when you add into the equation that the winner will earn the right to face current Champion, Tomasz ‘Goral’ Adamek, in the mandatory defense of his IBF title later this year, you just know that it’s going to be one seriously exciting, all-action affair with “Fight of the Year” potential plastered all over it in capital letters..
Now if that isn’t enough to get every boxing fan salivating at the prospect, the heavily armed destroyer, ‘USS’ Cunningham, announces that he has added even bigger guns to his already power packed arsenal by enlisting, “Trainer of the Year” and fight strategy maestro, Naazim Richardson, to prepare him for the fight.
Richardson, without doubt the hottest property in the business today after masterminding and coaching the magnificent victories of Bernard Hopkins over Kelly Pavlik and ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley over Antonio Margarito – in the latter also famously discovering the tampering of Margarito’s wraps, has been working with ‘USS’ Cunningham since March this year, at The James Shuler Memorial Gym in West Philadelphia, as the former Cruiserweight King prepares for his long awaited IBF title eliminator against former WBC Cruiserweight Champion Wayne ‘Big Truck’ Braithwaite, which will be on the under card of the Joseph Agbeko-Vic Darchinian Bantamweight title fight, on July 11th.
A clearly pleased ‘USS’ Cunningham expressed his delight at having Brother Naazim in his corner for the upcoming battle with Guyanan slugger Braithwaite, “Man, I have known Brother Naazim since the amateurs, I have always respected him and wanted to work with him, I’ve known for years what the boxing world is just now realizing, HE is the best trainer out there.
I am really excited to be working with him, going to the gym everyday is like going to college or something… I know his training will take me to the next level…. If you’ve liked watching my fights before..stay tuned…”
Stay tuned, now that’s an understatement! With this being the first time the all new ‘Dream Team’, of Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham and Brother Naazim Richardson, going into battle side by side making this is a don’t miss, not a stay tuned!
Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham vs. Wayne ‘Big Truck’ Braithwaite takes place on the 11th July 2009. Currently the fight is listed, on BoxRec, as being at the Bank Atlantic Center, Sunrise, Florida but according to Don King Productions PR supremo, Alan Hopper, this has yet to be confirmed as the venue. Watch this space for further news.
ROLANDO REYES: “HEY JUAN DIAZ, I CAN BE BACK IN HOUSTON ANYTIME”
HOUSTON , TX . (May 31, 2009) Lightweight contender Rolando “EL PANCHITO” Reyes made his first Houston visit a memorable one as he spent part of Thursday night assuring former world champion Juan “THE BABY BULL” Diaz that he is “more than ready” to return for a summer showdown.
Reyes was taking in the TKO BOXING Promotions event this past Thursday night at the Arena Theatre when Juan and he were called into the squared circle by ring announcer Thomas Treiber.
Said Reyes, “I told him that I heard he’s looking for someone to fight and I’m that guy. I respect what he’s accomplished but I feel that I’m ready for him. If he wants we can fight here in Houston where he lives.”
Reyes is coming of an outstanding fifth round stoppage of former world champion Julio Diaz on April 4th in Austin, Texas, a bout broadcast on HBO Pay-Per-View. The knockout of Julio Diaz advanced Reyes’ winning streak to five, including a stoppage of former world champion Stevie Johnston on October 10, 2007.
With a record of 31-4-2 with 20 KO’s, the 30 year old Oxnard , California resident is currently world ranked #7 by the IBF, #12 by the WBC and #9 by ESPN.
Said Chet Koerner, President of TKO BOXING Promotions, “Rolando’s stoppage of Julio Diaz showed that he is ready and willing to become a major player in the deep lightweight division. Juan is a terrific boxer with great accomplishments but we feel the time is right for Rolando.”
Formed in early 2008, Chet Koerner’s Las Vegas based TKO BOXING Promotions, originator of the “HOMETOWN HEROES TO WORLD CHAMPIONS” national boxing series, stable includes; heavyweight Lenroy Thomas, super middleweight Joey Gilbert, middleweights Elvin Ayala, Albert Onolunose and James Countryman, junior middleweights Bastie Samir and Anthony Thompson, welterweights Juan Buendia and Raul Tovar, junior welterweights Jonathan Gover, Francisco Contreras and Hastings Bwayla, lightweights Rolando Reyes and Terence Crawford, featherweights Matt Remillard, Carney Bowman, Delvin Plascencia, Rafael Lora and Maxwell Awaku, super bantamweights Rafael Valenzuela and Carlos Reyes.