ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (June 26, 2009) — Undefeated world title contender OLIVIER LONTCHI is “devastated” by the news of Michael Jackson’s death. Lontchi (18-0-2, 8 KOs), a native of Cameroon, who fights out of Montréal, Québec, Canada, challenges undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight champion JUAN MANUEL “Juanma” LOPEZ (25-0, 23 KOs), of Caguas, Puerto Rico, in the main event of “Latin Fury 9” – Tomorrow! Saturday, June 27, in Atlantic City. Promoted by Top Rank, the four-bout “Latin Fury 9” will be broadcast Live on Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT..
“Lontchi came up to me this morning and specifically asked Top Rank’s technical crew to download as many of Michael Jackson’s songs as possible to play in his locker room tomorrow night for inspiration,” said Lee Samuels of Top Rank. “Michael Jackson is his all-time favorite artist and Olivier is making his ring entrance to Jackson’s “Thriller” music video which will be projected inside the Adrian Phillips Ballroom. I wouldn’t be surprised if he Moonwalked into the ring.”
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Caesars Atlantic City, “Latin Fury 9” will be broadcast Live on Pay-Per-View from the Adrian Phillips Ballroom, beginning at 9 p.m. EDT / 6 P.M. PDT. The “Latin Fury 9” pay-per-view has a suggested retail price of $39.95 and will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD.
Remaining Tickets, priced at $200, $100 and $50, can be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster (800) 736-1420 or online at www.Ticketmaster.com. For “Latin Fury 9” fight week updates, log on to www.toprank.com.
Latin Fury 9: Lopez-Lontchi; Montiel-Morel; Arce-Lumacad
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (June 24, 2009) – World championship boxing monopolizes Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, June 27 with “Latin Fury 9!” The pay-per-view extravaganza will be headlined by World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight champion JUAN MANUEL “Juanma” LOPEZ defending his title against undefeated North America Boxing Association (NABA) super bantamweight champion OLIVIER LONTCHI. The televised portion of the card will also feature a 12-round bout super flyweight bout between four-time world champion JORGE “Travieso” ARCE and Filipino fireball FERNANDO “Poe” LUMACAD; a 12-round International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior middleweight title elimination bout between undefeated top-rated contender YURI FOREMAN and CORNELIUS “K9” BUNDAGE; and VANES “The Nightmare” MARTIROSYAN, risking his undefeated record and career-high ranking, against ANDREY TSURKAN in a 10-round junior middleweight battle. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Caesars Atlantic City, “Latin Fury 9” will be broadcast Live on Pay-Per-View from the Adrian Phillips Ballroom, beginning at 9 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. PDT. These eight sluggers boast a combined record of 219-14-5 (134 KOs), a winning percentage of 92% and a victory by knockout ratio of 61%!
“Call it the Perfect Storm because on June 27 Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall is going to be hit by a title wave,” said promoter Bob Arum. “A world championship fights plus three more battles between top-rated contenders. Whether you see it in-person or live on pay-per-view, fans are in store for an action-packed night. Even though their fights are in Atlantic City, it’s not going to be walk on the beach for any of these fighters.”
“Caesars is very excited to welcome these gladiators and their loyal fans to Atlantic City,” said Harrah’s Entertainment Sports & Entertainment Consultant Ken Condon. “We are looking forward to what is sure to be another fabulous night of world championship boxing at Boardwalk Hall with these exciting match-ups.”
Lopez (25-0, 23 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, returns to Atlantic City where he captured his world title, dethroning defending champion Daniel Ponce De Leon via a first-round knockout on June 7, 2008, ending De Leon’s three-year title reign, which had included seven successful defenses, five by knockout. Lopez has successfully defended his title three times since, all by knockout with only his most recent, against world champion Gerry Peñalosa, going past the first round and stretching his victory by knockout streak to 13. He was named Puerto Rico’s 2008 “Fighter of the Year,” where he went 4-0 (3 KOs), including three first-round knockout world title victories. His professional resume boasts a victory by knockout percentage of 92% which explains why the average length of his fights is under four rounds.
Lontchi (18-0-2, 8 KOs), a native of Cameroon who fights out of Montréal, Québec, Canada, has promised to put up a Canadian cold front that will ice Lopez’s winning streak and title reign. A recent power surge has produced knockout victories in his last two fights, his most recent on April 4 when he successfully defended his NABA title with a seventh-round KO of Cecilio Santos. The former Canadian featherweight champion dropped down to 122-pound division in 2007 where he captured the vacant NABA and NABO titles winning a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Cruz Carbajal. He has successfully defended the NABA title three times while advancing his world ratings where he had been ranked No. 3 by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and is currently No. 7 by the WBO.
Arce (51-5-1, 39 KOs), from Los Mochis, Mexico will be making his Atlantic City debut. The four-time, three-division world champion has won WBC and WBO titles at 108 lbs, a WBC interim title at 112 lbs and a WBA interim title at 115 lbs. A crowd favorite for his free-wheeling fighting style and outlandish ring entrances, he boasts a victory by knockout ratio exceeding 76%, which includes Hussein Hussein in a classic series, Rafael Concepcion, Melchor Cob-Castro and Yosam Choi. He enters this fight having won five of his last six fights, four by knockout. He is currently world-rated No. 3 by the WBC and inside the Top-10 of all the major sanctioning groups.
Lumacad (18-1-2, 7 KOs), from Manila, Philippines, making his U.S. debut, enters this fight riding a seven-bout unbeaten streak. He captured the WBO Oriental flyweight title during that streak, winning a unanimous decision over Dondon Jimenea last December.