Former undisputed and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman has this to say in reaction to news that former heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev will be facing Kali Meehan in an important showdown with world-title implications: WHAT?!?
“I destroyed Kali Meehan in four rounds at Madison Square Garden,” growled Rahman. “Yes, it was in 2004, but he’s only gotten older since then and not only has he not beaten anyone important since then, he hasn’t even fought anybody worth mentioning!.”
Rahman (45-7-2, 36 KOs) says he would love to step in and face Chagaev. “How do you fight Kali Meehan for a shot at the title when the guy who knocked him out is right here ready to go?”
To compound the matter, Meehan hasn’t fought since August of 2008. “I got nothing against Kali Meehan,” continued Rahman, “but both times he’s stepped up in competition, he’s been stopped. I’ve been in huge fights with all the top opponents. So how do you prepare for a title shot by facing him?”
Rahman’s promoter, Greg Cohen of The Empire, says he’d be happy to bring Rahman out to Chagaev’s home base of Germany. “Rock will travel anywhere they want to make this happen. No offense to Kali Meehan, but it’s insulting to boxing fans to call this a major heavyweight fight. Hasim Rahman deserves this fight a heck of a lot more than Kali Meehan, that’s for sure.”
For more information, visit The Empire’s online headquarters at www.theempirese.com
Comanche Boy On March 19 ESPN2 Card at Choctaw Casino!!!
George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah (middleweight, 22-0-1) is gearing up to return to fight action on Friday, March 19 at the Choctaw Casino, Durant, OK. He will be featured in a 6 round bout on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. “I’m ready to fight at my fellow Choctaw Casino and show ESPN2 what this Comanche Boy is all about,” Tahdooahnippah said. “2010 is my year and I will take care of whoever is in my way!”
For more information on seeing “Comanche Boy” fight at the Choctaw Casino in Durant, OK on Friday March 19, visit www.comancheboy.com or www.choctawcasinos.com, 580-920-0160.
Travis Kauffman to Face Miller on 2/27 in Allentown Brown Gets Cold Feet; Pulls Out On Short Notice
Allentown, PA (Wednesday, February 24, 2010) – The first taste of adversity for a professional boxer reveals a great deal about the character of the fighter. Heavyweight prospect Travis Kauffman of Reading, PA intends to show that what hasn’t killed him will only make him stronger when he returns to the ring this Saturday, February 27th at the Rodeway Inn & Conference Center in Allentown, PA against Mike Miller of Akron, OH in the six round main event.
King’s Promotions will promote the ten-bout event that will feature both professional and amateur boxing action.
Kauffman, 18-1 (15 KO), will be making his first appearance since his first professional loss to Tony Grano in September. Ahead on the scorecards and trying to finish off his fading opponent, Kauffman was drawn in by his opponent’s dirty tactics and left himself open in the process. After taking some time to deal with the defeat, Kauffman has put the experience into perspective.
“It got me down a little bit at first,” admits Kauffman, “but I feel I’ve won bigger fights than that as an amateur. I fought with my heart instead of my head and that was my biggest mistake in that fight. I got over it in time and am now 100% focused in the gym. I still feel I have the potential to be the heavyweight champion of the world and hold the title. All this has done is strengthen my desire to prove that I am a world class fighter.”
Kauffman, a former number one ranked heavyweight amateur in the country, accrued a number of amateur accolades, including a gold medal in the 2004 PAL Nationals. The 6’3″ Kauffman was on an eight-fight knockout streak prior to the defeat but has demonstrated technical boxing skills in addition to power.
Kauffman was originally supposed to face Baltimore, MD’s Bernard Brown but plans changed when Brown suffered from cold feet in the last 24 hours and pulled out of the fight. Stepping in on short notice is the durable Mike Miller, 6-15 (3 KO), who was the first person to extend Kauffman the distance in the pros. Miller has only been knocked out once as a professional, by the aforementioned Grano.
“It doesn’t matter who they put in front of me, I’m ready to fight. I want to show Allentown, the entire Pennsylvania and the world that I’m still on a mission to become heavyweight champion of the world.”
In the co-featured attraction, Jason Cintron of Reading, PA will clash with Maurice Chalmers in junior-welterweight action. Cintron, 11-1, is the brother of former welterweight champion Kermit Cintron. He is fresh off a unanimous decision win over Martinus Clay at Reading’s Sovereign Center in December.
Rounding out the professional action, undefeated super-middleweight Farah Ennis (11-0, 5 KO) of Philadelphia will face Emmanuel Gonzalez of San Juan, Puerto Rico in a six round bout. Featherweight Coy Evans (6-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia, PA will face Robert DaLuz of Providence, Rhode Island in a six round bout. Middleweight Derrick Webster of Glassboro, NJ will face Pete Guthy of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in a four round bout. New York super-featherweight Emanuel Gonzalez will face Jamar Saunders of Atlanta, GA in a four round bout.
Bragging rights will be at stake in the amateur portion of the night when fighters from the Allentown Boxing Club challenge their counterparts from Reading’s King’s Gym.
Tickets are priced at $25.00, 50.00 and 65.00 and are now available at the Rodeway Inn (610-395-3731), Kingsboxing.com and the Allentown Boxing Club (Luis Melendez: 484-860-5162). A special student discount of $5.00 off any ticket price will be available at the door only along with student ID. A portion of ticket sales will be donated by King’s Promotions to the Allentown Boxing Club. Doors open at 6:00 pm; first bout starts at 6:30.