LOS ANGELES, CA (March 2, 2010) The Commerce Casino, the world’s largest poker facility in the world, will once again host an evening of world class professional boxing presented by TKO Boxing Promotions on Thursday, March 25th. “We’re really proud to return to the Commerce Casino with our third event. It’s an excellent venue that allows us to present world class professional boxing to the outstanding sports fans in the Southern California area” said Chet Koerner, President of TKO Boxing Promotions, curators of the nationally acclaimed “HOMETOWN HEREOS TO WORLD CHAMPIONS” boxing series..
Said Mike Sana of the Commerce Casino, “We’re very happy to welcome back Chet and the TKO Boxing team on March 25th. They’ve done a great job putting together terrific events and we’re looking forward to another fan friendly evening.”
Tickets, starting at $25, can be purchased through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com or by phone 800-745-3000). The Commerce Casino is located at 6131 Telegraph Road. Doors on the evening of the event will open at 7pm, with the first bell at 8pm.
The ten round main event on March 25th will feature a welterweight showdown between Philadelphia based contender Demetrius ‘THE GLADIATOR” Hopkins and former world champion Freddie “LIL HAGLER” Norwood of St. Louis, Missouri.
The 30 year old Hopkins, 28-1-1 (11KO’s), will be making his debut at welterweight against the southpaw Norwood. Hopkins is making his first start since challenging then world champion Kendall Holt in December 2008, a hard fought bout which he took on one week’s notice and lost by split decision.
Hopkins has long been known as an outstanding technician in the ring and believes the move to the higher weight will also improve his power as he enters the welterweight division.
Norwood, 43-3-1 (23KO’s), is a former two time world champion, with his second reign including a unanimous decision over future Hall of Famer, Juan Manuel Marquez in 1999, an era in which he was rated among the best fighters in the world.
In his most recent outing on July 30, 2009, Norwood won a unanimous decision over veteran Jose Celaya in El Monte, California.
Dropping the younger Celaya with his first punch of the bout, a drilling overhand left, Norwood remained in control throughout the fight, counterpunching his way to a solid victory.
Featured on the undercard, THE BROTHERS CHUDINOV, Dmitry and Fedor, will both be returning to action at the Commerce Casino. Older brother Dmitry, 3-0-0 (2KO’s), brutally stopped Flavio Cardoza in the first round on December 19th at the Commerce Casino while younger brother Fedor, 3-0-0 (2KO’s), dominated Cesar Ibarra over four rounds to earn a unanimous decision on the same card.
Also featured at the Commerce Casino is sensational Canadian newcomer Mikael Zewski. The 20 year old, an outstanding amateur prospect, made his pro debut on February 27th in Augusta, Georgia, thrilling the huge crowd at the Bell Auditorium with a third round stoppage of Kevin Kibler.
Highly regarded lightweight prospect Arman Sargsyan of Moscow, Russia, will be making his US Debut. Carrying a record of 13-0-0 (8KO’s), the Armenian born Sargsyan stopped Abdul Malik Jabir in the seventh round on November 22, 2008 in his last bout.
After winning his first two professional bouts with devastating first round knockouts, Ukrainian Ivan Redkach, 2-0-0 (2KO’s), will return to the Commerce Casino. Now based in Los Angeles, Redkach pro debuted with a brutal stoppage of Keith Kelly on November 3rd and followed that up by halting Napoleon Matthews on December 17th, both knockouts coming by devastating body shots.
Also on tap for the Commerce Casino event is the highly anticipated pro debuts of Coachella based flyweight Randy Caballero and Los Angeles’ Flavio Rodriguez.
The 20 year old Caballero had an outstanding amateur career, which included winning the 2008 U.S. Future Stars National Championship at 112 pounds.
Competing in the 145 pound division, Rodriguez was a highly decorated amateur whose accolades included a second place finish in the prestigious 2007 Junior Olympic National Championships in Marquette, Michigan.
In a special attraction four round heavyweight bout, Mike Finney of San Jacinto, California will square off against Carson City, Nevada’s Steve Fierro.
More information on this evening of professional boxing will be announced shortly.
Ballroom Brawl this Friday!!! Card lineup announced!
Tampa, FL: One Punch Productions returns to the Tampa Westshore Doubletree Hotel this Friday March 5th for the latest installment of the popular Ballroom Brawl series. Headlining the card will be rising cruiserweight contender Nick “The Showstopper” Iannuzzi (14-1). Iannuzzi, coming off back-to-back knockout victories over former Contender star Michael Alexander and cross-state rival Deleon Tinsley, looks to keep his knockout streak alive against Los Angeles based Victor Barragan (11-4). Barragan is coming off a knockout victory over former world champion Arthur Williams in what world renowned commentator Al Bernstein described as “a serious fight of the year candidate”.
The evenings co-feature bout features undefeated Ft. Myers jr. middleweight Quinton Willis (5-0-1), as he takes a big step up in competition against Atlanta’s Omar Bell (7-1). Both Willis and Bell are coming off sensational knockout victories in their most recent fights, with Willis knocking out Khristian Geraci in 1 round and Bell knocking out Jose Felix in 2.
Rounding out the undercard will be the best and brightest in Florida talent and beyond. Tampa super bantamweight Charlie Serrano (8-2) faces Sammir Garcia (5-1) in a 6 round bout, and additional bouts feature Jacksonville heavyweight Chris Vendola (5-2), undefeated Ft. Myers jr. middleweight Marcus Willis (3-0-2), undefeated jr. lightweight Cordaro Simpkins (3-0), Dominican flyweight Erickson Martell (3-1), and an additional bout to be announced.
Tickets are priced at $20, $35, and $75, and are on sale now at all Ticketmaster locations and ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 7pm, and the first bell is at 7:45pm. More informations is available at www.onepunch.net or by calling 813-503-8109.
Omar Sheika, Ahmed ‘Baby Face’ Kaddour and Terrance Cauthen Highlight a Big Night of Boxing on March 26th in Hamilton, New Jersey
HAMILTON, NJ, March 2, 2010 – On Friday night, March 26th, a big night of boxing will commence from beautiful Hamilton Manor in Hamilton, New Jersey as Nadal Promotions LLC will showcase former four-time Super Middleweight world title challenger Omar Sheika, Cast member of the Contender Ahmed “Baby Face” Kaddour and perennial Welterweight contender Terrance “The Heat” Cauthen in separate co-features that will headline the eight bout card.
In one co-feature, Sheika of nearby Paterson, New Jersey will battle rugged vet, Jose “Macho” Medina in a eight round Light Heavyweight bout.
Sheika has a record of 28-9 with nineteen knockouts and is looking for one more big run as he is now campaigning in the Light Heavyweight division.
The thirty-three year old Sheika won his first fourteen bouts as he became a fan favorite by appearing on many nationally televised shows. After suffering his first loss, Sheika racked up six impressive wins in a row that included victories over two world champions in Simon Brown and Glen Johnson. Those wins catapulted Sheika into his first world title bout where he was stopped in five by the legendary Joe Calzaghe.
After the Calzaghe fight, Sheika went 3-1 and earned a shot at WBC champion Eric Lucas. Sheika dropped the unanimous decision and then went on two lose his two successive bouts.
Sheika went on a three fight winning streak to set up a shot at IBF champion Jeff Lacy. Sheika fought very well before dropping the unanimous decision (Sheika lost by just two points on two cards). That fight earned a trip to Germany and a fight with WBC Markus Beyer.
One again, Sheika came up just short and dropped a very close unanimous decision.
Since that fight, Sheika has gone 2-1 with the lone defeating being a stoppage loss to the great Roy Jones Jr. In his last bout, Sheika stopped Theo Kruger in eight rounds on Septermber 23rd in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Medina of Philadelphia has a very deceiving record of 15-17 with eleven knockouts.
Medina won his first nine fights, including eight by knockout.
After dropping back to back fights to Tybius Flowers and Nurhan Suleyman, Medina scored two more wins.
Medina started upping his level of competition and his wins became fewer and further in between.
Medina has lost to fighters such as Shamone Alvarez (10-0); Roberto Garcia (17-2); Perennial Middleweight contender David Lopez (29-12); Rasheem Brown (17-3); Marcus Johnson (13-0); Julio Garcia (40-3); Anthony Dirrell (14-0); Adam Hubinger (12-0); Isaac Rodriguez (13-0); Tyrone Brunson (20-0-1) and his last bout to Dyah Davis (16-1) on January 16th in Macon, GA.
In the second co-feature, former star of The Contender Season 1, Ahmed “Baby Face” Kaddour will battle underappreciated Jerome Ellis in a Jr. Middleweight bout scheduled for eight founds..
Kaddour is of Lebanese decent and spent time in Demark, Houston and has been training in New Jersey for this fight and he will bring in a record of 21-2 with nine knockouts.
Kaddour very quietly built up a record of 18-0 with nine knockouts before being picked for the Inaugural season of The Contender.
On the show, Kaddour showed an outgoing personality and quickly gained fans worldwide.
Unfortunately, Kaddour dropped his only fight on the show when he lost a unanimous decision to Ishe Smith (13-0). Kaddour came back on the show and dropped a five round unanimous decision to future Welterweight title challenger Alfonso Gomez (11-2-1).
Since the show, Kaddour’s career has been littered with inactivity as he has only fought four times in almost six years.
Kaddour won a eight round unanimous decision over Maxell Taylor (12-1) as part of the popular SHO Box series.
After a fourteen month layoff, Kaddour fought to a disputed draw with Jesus Valverde and just two months later he took an eight round split decision in the rematch.
Then after almost a three year break, Kaddour came back scored six round unanimous decision to Mike Ermis (6-7-2) last September 12th in Denmark.
Kadoour will be taking on the tough Jerome Ellis.
Ellis has a record of 12-10-2 with ten knockouts and like Medina, he has fought some very tough competition.
Ellis won his first five fights (including a split decision over Ed Peredes, who is now 24-3). Ellis then dropped two in a row which included a unanimous decision to then 14-2 Said Ouali.
After a 2-0-1 stretch, the native of Coconut Creek, FL lost to then hot prospect Anthiny Thompson (17-1) by unanimous decision. Ellis then scored an eighth round stoppage over Kevin Cagle (16-1) before dropping a six round unanimous decision to Irving Garcia (10-2).
Ellis scored three straight wins including upset stoppages over Felix Cepeda (7-0) and Neil Sinclair (28-4).
Ellis stepped up the competition as he has gone 1-6-1 in his last eight with some of those losses being to Future Middleweight title challenger Billy Lyell, Future Welterweight title challenger Miguel Angel Rodriguez (28-2); then undefeated prospect Henry Crawford (18-0-1); Hot welterweight prospect Antowne Smith (12-0-1). Ellis has a draw with welterweight contender Richard Gutierrez (24-2.) in Ellis last outing, he was stopped by hot prospect Shawn Porter (10-0) in four rounds on November 21st in Tunica, Mississippi
In the third eight round co-feature, Terrance “The Heat” Cauthen of nearby Trenton, New Jersey will battle Isam Khalil of Sweden.
Cauthen is a former U.S Olympian who has had a solid career fighting some of the better welterweights in the world and sports a record of 33-6 with nine knockouts.
Cauthen, a fourteen year pro started his career by winning fourteen consecutive bouts before being stopped by Teddy Reid on August 6th, 1999.
That did not deter Cauthen as he then went on to reel off eleven more victories to push his record to an impressive 25-1.
Cauthn then stepped it up and dropped two in a row including losing a decision to pound for pound resident Paul Williams.
Cauthen then went 6-0-1 including win over former U.S. Olympian Dante Craig.
He has gone 1-3 in his last four bouts as he has been in with Sechew Powell (21-1); Cauthen then defeated undefeated Alexis Camacho (16-0); but losses to Shamone Alvarez (19-1) and his most recent fight, which he was stopped by undefeated Canadian Antonin DeCarie (21-0) last October 3rd in Montreal.
This will be a huge step up for Khalil, who has an impressive record of 15-1-2 with nine knockouts.
He was undefeated in his first fifteen fights (13-0-2) until he was stopped in four rounds by rugged Doel Carrasquillo.
Since then, Khalil has won two in a row including a four round unanimous decision over Serjejs Savrinovics on March 27th, 2008 in Sweden.
This will be Khalil’s fourth fight in America after fighting in Sweden, England, Hungary, Germany, Finland and Spain.
That is not all the action scheduled for the card an exciting undercard has been put together which includes:
Alando Swain will make his pro debut in a four round Super Middleweight bout against an opponent to be named.
Billy Salser (3-0, 2 KO’s) battles Joe Njau (0-3) in a four round Light Heavyweight bout.
Marcus Smith (0-1) takes on Rami Ibraham (2-8-1) in a Lightweight bout scheduled for four rounds.
The big boys will get it on as Tomas Cabrera (1-2, 1 KO) and Bryant Jennings (1-0) will fight in a Heavyweight bout scheduled for four rounds.
Tickets for this great night of boxing can be purchased are priced at $125 (VIP with Dinner); $80 (Ringside) and $50 (General Admission) and can be purchased by calling The Hamilton Manner (609-581-6782); Nedals Inc. (609-396-3005); Kaars Inc (609-396-3000); and Nedal (609-227-6959)
First bout is 7:30 with doors opening at 6:30
The card will be broadcast on www.gofightlive.tv
The Hamilton Manner is located on 30 Route 156 off of Rout 130 in Hamilton, NJ