WORCESTER, Mass. (Dec. 3, 2009) – Unbeaten Dominican sensation Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez, rated No. 13 by the NABA, completed a perfect year with an impressive TKO win November 19 against veteran super middleweight Brian “The Assassin” Norman (17-9, 5 KOs) in Rochester, New York. Now, the 24-year-old Rodriguez (13-0, 9 KOs) is ready for a breakout year in 2010, in which he plans to capture at least one regional title, as well as position himself for a world title shot in 2011..
Rodriguez, who lives and fights out of Worcester (MA), has an unusual, yet promising 2010, winning five fights (4 KOs) and fully recovering from surgery on both elbows to rid him of bones spurs. “Going through surgery set me back a little,” Edwin explained, “I bounced back, though, and continued where right we had left off. Because of the time I missed, I didn’t accomplish as much as I had hoped, not having as many fights, but I’m still undefeated and continue to learn from each fight. I had to get fixed and we did.”
Norman, who went the distance with current WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal and unbeaten world title contender Joe Greene, was another good test for Rodriguez.
“Norman was a tough opponent, very strong, but I fought my fight,” Edwin said. “What you see is what you got from him. He’d throw a right and I’d counter-punch. His style was made for me. I did what I wanted throughout the entire fight and couldn’t have put on a better performance. I turned in a strong, very good performance.
“Every fight I feel like I’m a different fighter because I go against quality, experienced guys. I adapt and learn in order to move forward. Without learning from the (Darnell) Boone fight (Rodriguez won an 8-round bout by unanimous decision), I don’t knockout this guy (Norman) so easily. This year I’ve learned a lot, especially how to sit on my punches, focusing on hitting hard instead of tapping. I’ve corrected those bad habits from my amateur days.”
Rodriguez (84-9 amateur record), 2005 USA Boxing National Championships and 2006 U.S. National Golden Gloves Tournament winner, is equally adept fighting as a middleweight or super middleweight. The lightest he has fought as a pro, a however, is 162.
“We’re bringing in a nutritionist to see if I can be strong fighting at 160 pounds,” Rodriguez spoke about his ideal weight class. “I’m 6’ 1” and feel strong. I feel I can make 160 and the middleweight division is wide open. Fighting at 168 would be tougher because everybody’s (names) there.
“Next year is going to set me up for the top 10 in the major boxing organizations. I plan on winning a national or regional title by the end of 2010, which would position me for a world title shot in 2011. That’s the plan. We will continue fighting tough opponent because the only way to get better is to be successful. We don’t want fights against hand-picked opponents for easy wins. There’s nothing to learn that way.”
In addition to going a perfect 5-0 and overcoming his elbow problems, Rodriguez received valuable national exposure in 2009, profiled in “New Faces” of The Ring magazine, and shown “knocking out heartburn” in a Prilosec commercial.
“I think 2010 is going to be the year that Edwin attains national prominence as a top contender,” Rodriguez’ manager, Larry Army, added. “With DiBella Entertainment behind us, we believe that the world will soon see what we know….Edwin Rodriguez is the real deal! Our hope is to showcase Edwin on major boxing networks including ESPN, Showtime and HBO.”
Hector “Macho” Camacho Calls Out Fernando Vargas & Ricardo Mayorga on “Talkin Boxing With Billy C”
Lake George, NY – 47-year old Hector “Macho” Camacho appeared on today’s “Talkin Boxing With Billy C” Radio Program and told Billy C that he will be fighting three more fights to close out what the “Macho Man” feels has been a GREAT career.
“I am great. I want to fight in January against somebody, and then I want that FAT TURKEY, Fernando Vargas to put down the cheeseburgers, take six months to get in shape and fight me at 160 and then after I destroy him, I want to close out my great career by beating up Ricardo Mayorga”, Camacho said. He added, “Vargas thinks he can still fight, calling out my son and then backing out, well I want to beat his ass and its time for him to be a man and fight me….that FAT TURKEY!”
“When we sent out our weekly line-up, our Feature Fighter this week was Fernando Vargas. Somehow, Hector Camacho thought he was coming on the show and contacted me asking to come on to make an announcement”, stated the shows host, Bill Calogero.
He added, “Normally, I am not a big fan of fighters that should have hung them up a long time ago dragging on their careers, but when I dissected Camacho’s career, I see a Former World Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Jr. Welterweight, Welterweight and Jr. Middleweight World Champion who has 79 wins and only five losses, in which he has NEVER been stopped. In his last three fights, he is 2-0-1 against decent opposition including his last fight, a draw, with former World Champion, Yory Boy Campas. At 47 years old, he is in great shape and although he is a shell of the Macho Camacho I loved to watch in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, he can still fight a bit and as long as he isn’t planning on getting into the ring with a young, top-ten world ranked contender, I think seeing him against guys like Vargas and Mayorga would be entertaining, especially if it were to be broadcast on Network TV or via the Internet as a PPV for under $5.00. These types of fights, in my opinion, are definitely NOT suitable for cable, or God forbid, a televised PPV! If they can still fight on a pro level, I like the idea of these older guys fighting EACH OTHER, but NOT against the younger fighters. I like it so much, that if a Promoter won’t step up and do it, I may promote it myself!”
The “Talkin Boxing With Billy C” Radio program is the ONLY Professional DAILY Boxing Talk Radio Program in the World. It’s broadcast live Monday thru Friday, from 6:00 – 8:00 am EST on www.TalkinBoxing.com, is in syndication on AM & FM radio stations throughout the US and Canada and is heard TWICE DAILY on WANR out of Youngstown and Warren Ohio. The show is also available in several PodCast versions, including a Premium version for $15 per year. For all information, please visit www.TalkinBoxing.com.
TEAM WEST TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Moreno Valley, CA ~ December 4, 2009
Just eight days away before her scheduled bout on the under card of the Timothy Bradley-Lamont Peterson light welterweight title bout, K “Wild Wild” West (11-1-0, 2 KO’s) has been preparing herself both physically and mentally for her clash with the hard hitting Kasha Chamblin (11-4-0, 5 KO’s). The Southern California native is looking to make a statement when she battles Chamblin and prove to the sanctioning bodies in women’s boxing that she deserves a shot at a world title.
During her training camp, K West has shown why she is one of the best in women’s boxing. West has been sparring with Peru’s first ever world champion Kina Malpartida and has adapted well to the changes that her father and trainer Juan West has implemented along with the help of veteran trainers Ruben Castanon and Charlie Perez. K West is continuing to improve everyday in the gym and is just waiting for December 12th to give her hometown crowd at the Agua Caliente Resort & Casino one of the best bouts they have ever seen.
While speaking to K West during a break in camp, she noted that “I’m just waiting and ready to fight.” Her trainer Juan West also expressed the following: “I see K developing into a Champion and one who plans on being Champion for a long time.”
This exciting event is being brought to you by Gary Shaw Promotions. Tickets for this exciting show are priced at $200, $150, $95, $45 and can be purchased at the Agua Caliente Casino box office or online at www.hotwatercasino.com or by calling Star Tickets at (800) 585-3737.
Integrated Sports Media scores a Knockout in 2009
HOBOKEN, N.J. (Dec. 3, 2009) — Integrated Sports Media, North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events, delivered 15 action-packed events this year from around the globe to sports fans in the United States and Canada.
“With cutbacks in boxing coverage by cable networks and the disappearance of boxing from broadcast television,” Integrated Sports Media President Doug Jacobs commented, “I am proud that we were able to provide consumers with the opportunity to watch major boxing events that they otherwise would not have been able to view in North America and to give soccer fans the opportunity to watch many of the most important matches on home television.”
2009 kicked off from Rostock, Germany on February 7 as WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev defeated Carl Davis Drummond and the year ended with the final spot being decided for the 2010 World Cup. Uruguay tied Costa Rica in Montevideo to qualify for next year’s World Cup by winning the two-game series, 2-1, on aggregate scoring.
In 2009, Integrated distributed major boxing events featuring legendary fighters such as Roy Jones, Jr., Ivan Calderon and Marco Antonio Barrera, as well as future stars Amir Khan and Rocky Martinez.
Integrated’s final boxing match for 2009 was the massive upset by new WBA heavyweight champion David Haye against Nicolai Valuev on Nov. 7 from Nuremberg, Germany.
In soccer, Integrated brought crucial Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers into viewers’ homes for the first time, which included critical Concacaf regional matches featuring El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, Honduras and Costa Rica.
In addition, the USA National Team reached the World Cup for the sixth time in a row on the English-language Closed Circuit feed distributed by Integrated on behalf of rights holder Copa TV. Among the venues coordinated by Integrated was the Play-by-Play Sports Bar at famed Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Among the top MMA shows distributed by Integrated Sports Media in 2009, rising MMA star Bobby Lashley defeated MMA/K-1 legend Bob Sapp in the “Ultimate Chaos” main event from Biloxi, MS.
Overall, Integrated events originated from eight different countries on three continents, including three world championship fights and seven World Cup Qualifiers.
List of 2009 major events distributed by Integrated Sports Media in North American:
2/7/09 – Chagaev v Drummond
3/14/09 – Khan v Barrera
3/21/09 – Jones, Jr v Sheika
5/27/09 – El Salvador v Ecuador International Friendly
6/6/09 – Costa Rica v T&T WCQ
6/26/09 – Lashley v Sapp MMA
8/12/09 – Trinidad v El Salvador WCQ
8/15/09 – Jones, Jr v Lacy
9/9/09 – El Salvador v Costa Rica WCQ
9/12/09 – Calderon v Mayol II (Calderon retained WBO & The Ring Super Flyweight Titles)
10/10/09 – Honduras v USA WCQ
10/14/09 – El Salvador v Honduras WCQ
11/7/09 – Valuev v Haye (Haye won WBA Heavyweight Title)
11/14/09 – Costa Rica v Uruguay WCQ Play-offs
11/18/09 – Uruguay v Costa Rica WCQ Play-offs
Integrated Sports Media: North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Ricky Hatton, Christian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Kahn, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA, as well as World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.