LAS VEGAS, NV (November 9, 2009) TKO Boxing Promotions finished up an unprecedented swing of cross country world class professional boxing events over the last week culminating Thursday night in Cockeysville, Maryland, as they presented an action packed evening at the Fourth Annual Jonathan Ogden Foundation Charity Boxing Event at Martins Valley Mansion. Said Chet Koerner, President of TKO Boxing, “This week shows the strength of TKO Boxing as we’re able to present three world class shows in Johnstown , Pennsylvania , Los Angeles and Baltimore featuring some of the best contenders and prospects in boxing..”
“Additionally, we’re honored to work with numerous charitable causes such as The Dream Foundation and The Jonathan Ogden Foundation as well as Easter Seals and many others as a way of giving back to each community that we promote events in.”
Continued Chris Middendorf, CEO and Director of Boxing Operations for TKO Boxing, “It was a wild week for TKO. Our fighters were undefeated and our staff had the experience of doing three shows (two televised) in six days in Johnstown , Los Angeles and Baltimore . It was a lot of hard work for the TKO team, but with 30 shows on the schedule for 2010, this past week was a terrific experience.”
In the main event on Thursday night at the sold out Martins Valley Mansion card, world ranked middleweight Peter “The Pride of Providence, Rhode Island” Manfredo Jr., drilled New Orleans based veteran Ronald “The Cobra” Weaver to the canvas late in the first round with a picture perfect right hand. Stunned, Weaver was able to finish the round, but thought better of returning for the second stanza. With the stoppage, Manfredo improved to 33-6-0 (18KO’s).
The win for Manfredo was his first under the TKO Boxing Promotional banner since signing with the rapidly growing international promoter earlier this year.
The undercard at the Ogden Foundation card featured Jamaican heavyweight prospect Lenroy “TNT” Thomas. Using an aggressive, heavy handed approach, Thomas looked sensational in winning every round against veteran Andrew Greeley in their six round bout.
Thomas, now based in Tampa , Florida , has won fourteen in a row since losing his pro debut over three years ago. Trained by Dan Birmingham, his record now stands at 14-1-0 (8KO’s).
Also making his professional debut last night was former amateur standout, Joseph Elegele of Melbourne , Florida . Facing off against Cincinnati based newcomer Keith Redding, the 24 year old southpaw displayed an array of outstanding skills working behind a piston like jab and showing outstanding ring awareness throughout the bout.
Winning by scores of 40 X 36 on all three scorecards, the six foot Elegele will be very busy in the coming months as TKO Boxing looks to keep him active under the guidance of manager Cameron Dunkin. .
On Tuesday night, November 3rd, the TKO Boxing team hit Southern California to present the “Kardashian Charity Knock Out” an evening of celebrity and professional boxing at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles which benefited The Dream Foundation.
In the celebrity portion, members of the Kardashian family faced off against winners of the charity auction. Participating were Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Rob Kardashian, Bruce Jenner and Scott Disick. The proceedings were filmed for an upcoming episode of the E! Channels’ “Keeping Up With The Kardashian’s.”
On the professional portion of the card, TKO Boxing prospects Leo Santa Cruz and David Garcia both used the occasion in front of the sold out audience to display their world class skills. The 21 year old Santa Cruz improved to 11-0-1 (3KO’s) using a crushing body shot to stop Julio Valadez at the 1:22 mark of the first round of their bantamweight bout.
Nineteen year old David Garcia battled Javier Romero in a thrilling slugfest which ended in a technical draw when Romero suffered a cut above his left eye from an accidental head butt in the second round. The all action Garcia, now 1-0-1 (1KO), has proven to be one of the most exciting young fighters in boxing, having won his pro debut in similar fashion in Houston , Texas last month.
Also on the professional portion of the undercard, Russian lightweight Ivan Redkach made a stunning pro debut with a brutal body punch to the body of Montana native Keith Kelly in the opening minute of the first round to earn the stoppage.
The TKO Boxing team kicked off the week last Saturday night, October 31st, with their return to Johnstown , Pennsylvania as WBF Cruiserweight Champion Andres “ TAYLOR MADE” avenged an earlier defeat against Leo Bercier with an outstanding eight round decision in front of a huge crowd of raucous fight fans at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena.
Also at the Halloween themed “FRIGHT NIGHT FIGHTS” in Johnstown , former amateur standout Terence Crawford improved to 9-0-0 (6KO’s), with a brutal first round stoppage of Steve Marquez in their junior welterweight bout. The 22 year old Crawford dropped Marquez three times as he earned the stoppage at the 2:35 mark of the initial stanza.