WBC Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto (Winter Haven, Fla.) is enjoying the opportunity to share his own blessings with others during the holiday season. Berto took a morning off from training camp on Friday, heading east to Orlando to assist with a large, city-wide toy drive. Berto went on a toy shopping spree on Thursday night to help ensure that several families in Central Florida will enjoy a Merry Christmas, despite the financial hardships Americans are facing across the country. He and his family helped out with the XL 106.7 FM Baby DJ Toy Drive, which is providing toys for needy families in Central Florida for the 18th straight year..
Berto and his younger sister, Revelina, older brother, Cleveland, and 2004 Olympian Ron Siler, hand delivered the toys to the Baby DJ Toy Warehouse on Friday morning. The trio got a glimpse at the incredible amount of toys that had been donated by people throughout the community.
“It’s amazing to see all of these toys that people have donated,” Berto said. “A lot of kids are going to have a Merry Christmas because of this, and I’m just happy that I could come and be a part of something like this.”
In addition to the toy drive, Berto’s Carma Foundation held their first Jingle Bell Ball on Sunday and raised over $50,000, which will benefit both the organization’s scholarship fund and philanthropic efforts in Haiti.
The 26-year-old Olympian is currently in training camp in his hometown of Winter Haven, Fla., in preparation for his January 30th match-up with Shane Mosley. Berto is finishing the fourth week of camp for the fight, which will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev
Thursday For Friday, Boxing: Kevin McIntyre
Kevin McIntyre has had very little go his way during 2009 but things are already looking more promising for next year after he was nominated to face Mark Thompson in an eliminator for the British welterweight title at the Altrincham Centre, Cheshire on a Ricky Hatton promoted show on Friday January 15.
Paisley’s McIntyre was due to rematch Brett Flournoy today (Friday December 18) after their October clash was halted before the end of round two due to the ringside doctors departing to attend the injured Jason Rushton in the changing rooms.
After the Flournoy fight fell through, McIntyre, whose only other outing during 2009 was a two-round demolition of Jay Morris back in February, thought his dream of a shot at his old British championship was further away than ever until the British Boxing Board of Control’s ruling at their monthly meeting.
McIntyre said: “I was actually offered the chance to fight Thompson on last month’s Anthony Small-Thomas McDonagh bill but it was at three days notice and, given that there has been talk of a fight between us for a few years, I thought there should be a title on the line or us having an eliminator for a title.
“That is exactly what Hatton Promotions have requested and the Board approved. Purse bids had actually been called for and won by Frank Maloney for me to fight Thompson in an eliminator two years ago but that was scrapped when Kevin Anderson decided to make a voluntary defence against me and I took the title from him.
After a successful first defence in the return with Anderson, McIntyre was controversially stripped of the belt for twice failing to meet mandatory contender Kell Brook due to injury.
When the pair eventually got it on, the Sheffield man floored McIntyre three times before the bout was stopped inside a single round. McIntyre has been looking to redeem himself ever since and is determined to regain and defend the Lonsdale belt to give him the four victories he requires to keep it outright.
Brook has already racked up four wins and earned his own version of what is widely regarded as the most beautiful belt in the sport but defends against Michael Jennings at Wembley Arena on February 13.
With 22 wins, 14 coming inside the distance, and one defeat, Thompson poses a serious threat to McIntyre’s ambitions.
McIntyre said: “Thompson looks to be very fit, powerful and puts his shots together well so I will have to keep a tight guard against him. However, I do see quite a few flaws in his make-up which I believe I can exploit.
“After ten years as a professional this will be the first time I have had to train over the festive period. I used to joke whenever I watched the first Friday Fight Night of the new year that I was glad I didn’t have to train through Christmas but it won’t be a problem as I am really up for this fight.
“My weight is really good because I was training for December 18 anyway. Every time I was catching Flournoy clean in our fight I was hurting him so I would have been confident of a stoppage victory if we had fought again.
“My trainer Colin Bellshaw’s Renfrewshire Boxing Club is packed out at the moment. Kris Carslaw and George McIlroy are boxing at the end of January and Ryan Brawley is out in February so there will be no shortage of sparring partners for me.”
“Hopefully a win will get me into mandatory position to fight the winner from Brook-Jennings. Everything is still focused towards winning back the British title and defending it so I can have a Lonsdale belt for keeps.”
Anyone looking to buy tickets for McIntyre’s fight with Thompson can contact Colin Bellshaw on 07731 808 381.
Charles Adamu’s Crusade – To Win Back Commonwealth Title This Friday
This coming Friday, at York Hall in Bethnal Green, Ghana’s Charles ‘The Crusader’ Adamu is focusing on regaining the Commonwealth Super Middleweight title, that he lost to Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch back in 2004.
Adamu, who will face Liverpool’s Carl ‘Dynamite’ Dilks, is not leaving anything to chance. On a bitterly cold and wet Wednesday evening, when only the hardy, or determined, would choose to leave a comfortable, warm, hotel room, Instead of relaxing the Ghanaian trekked across London to, Rooney’s Boxing Gym in Southwark, so he could do some fine tuning of his undeniable skills.
After the training session Adamu, who beat Matthew Barney to become Commonwealth Champion in 2003, spoke briefly on the upcoming showdown with ‘Dynamite’ Dilks. “I’m ready, I’m going to be champion again, I know that. It’s a good omen being at York Hall, I won title there and will win again on Friday.
I know I won against Carl Froch, but you can’t change judges decision. That was then, now I will be Champion again”
Charles ‘The Crusader’ Adamu vs. Carl ‘Dynamite’ Dilks for the vacant Commonwealth Super Middleweight Title is the co-feature at the Matchroom Sports promoted EBU European Heavyweight Title fight, between Paolo Vidoz and Albert Sosnowski, at York Hall, Bethnal Green, London on Friday 18th December.
First Tampa Bay Boxing Event of 2010!!
TAMPA, FL: One Punch Productions is pleased to announce that the first installment of the popular Ballroom Brawl! series of 2010 will take place on Friday, January 22, at the Tampa Westshore Doubletree Hotel.
The main event of the evening will feature rising cruiserweight contender Nick “The Showstopper” Iannuzzi (13-1, 8 KO’s) as he takes on Orlando, Florida’s undefeated Rommel Rene (11-0, 6 KO’s). Iannuzzi is coming off a stunning second round knockout of former Contender star Michael Alexander on November 6th. The evening’s co-main event features Sarasota light heavyweight Adam Jaco (7-3-1, 2 KO’s) against Savannah, GA native Marcus “The Barber” Hall (11-3, 4 KO’s). Also on the card will be Tampa jr. middleweight Manny Woods (2-0, 1 KO), Tampa super bantamweight Dwayne Larry Jr. (2-0, 2 KO’s), undefeated Ft. Myers jr. middleweight brothers Quinton Willis (5-0-1, 3 KO’s) and Marcus Willis (3-0-2, 2 KO’s), undefeated Virginia jr. lightweight Cordaro Simpkins (3-0), Tampa welterweight Reynaldo Cepeda (1-0. 1 KO) and several others to be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets for this event are priced at $20, $35, and $75, and are on sale now at all Ticketmaster locations and ticketmaster.com. The Tampa Westshore Doubletree Hotel is located at 4500 W. Cypress St. in Tampa.
Doors open at 7:00pm, with the action starting at 7:30pm. Additional information is available at www.onepunch.net, or call 813-503-8109.