Aware of the hockey fever that has gripped the Chicago area, Hitz Boxing and the Horseshoe Casino will be broadcasting the Blackhawks’ first game of the Stanley Cup Finals on the giant jumbotron screens during this Saturday’s “Quest for 50” professional boxing event. While former world champion Montell “Ice” Griffin goes for his 50th and possibly final victory, the Blackhawks will go for a finals victory of their own against the Philadelphia Flyers..
“The Venue at the Horseshoe Casino has the state of the art facilities to bring the fans two great sporting events under one roof. If you’re a fight fan who also loves hockey, now you can watch both at the same time! Stanley Cup style hockey and Las Vegas style boxing at one luxurious venue.”
The high-class atmosphere and luxurious surroundings make the Horseshoe Casino a Las Vegas-style night of boxing just 20 minutes from Chicago. The Venue at the Horseshoe Casino is an intimate, comfortable room with luxurious, unobstructed seating throughout. The casino also offers a spectacular gaming area, free parking and a large selection of exquisite dining options.
In addition to the Montell Griffin vs. Ross Thompson main event, also slated for battle are Chicago welterweight Achour Esho (7-0, 5 KOs); power punching Chicago-based cruiserweight and former UFC fighter Terry Martin (4-0, 4 KOs); Chicago middleweight Mike Kurzeja (3-0, 3 KOs); Chicago super middleweight Ninos Abraham (4-0, 1 KO); Chicago’s undefeated cruiserweight Kevin Cestone (5-0, 2 KOs) and Chicago light welterweight Russell Fiore (3-0, 3 KOs).
In addition, comebacking Chicago-based former bantamweight and featherweight contender John Lewus (23-4, 19 KOs) will have his second fight in 12 years; and Rafael Murphy, son of former cruiserweight contender Kenny Murphy and nephew of former IBF Cruiserweight Champion Leroy Murphy, will make his professional debut.
“Quest for 50” tickets are on sale now, starting at a fan appreciation price of $10, and are still available at www.ticketmaster.com or www.thevenue-chicago.com. For more event information, visit www.hitzboxing.com.
WBC FEATHERWEIGHT ELIMINATOR BURGOS & CASTILLO SHOW NO SIGN OF RESPECT
(Guadalajara, Jalisco – May 26, 2010) The main participants and promoters of “Road to the Title” were present today at the final press conference that took place at the functional and modern Tecate Boxing Tour Arena, in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Hector Garcia, Art Pelullo and Alex Camponovo will make this show possible as they present and world championship eliminator, a regional title and other competitive battles that will take place next Saturday starting at 6:30 PM.
Pelullo (Banner Promotions) and Camponovo (Thompson Boxing), who represent elite pugilists in the United Stated, were positively surprised with the venue that will hold the event presented by local promoter HG Boxing.
Juan Carlos Burgos and Ricardo Castillo will face each other in a WBC featherweight eliminator and the winner will be a step closer to challenge the champion in the near future.
“I love to participate in a real fight, where many of you wonder who will win,” said Burgos, classified as number two in the featherweight division by the World Boxing Council. “Castillo doesn’t have enough attributes to beat me, I am the younger of the two and I am very disciplined, those are some of my advantages,” added Burgos at the conference.
The undefeated Juan Carlos is the nephew of former world champion Victor Burgos.
Upon taking the microphone the experienced “Piolo” Castillo said, “Burgos isvery young, I have the experience to make him pay and we will see if I don’t have enough attributes once inside the ring.”
The 30-year-old contender is the younger brother of former champion Jose Luis Castillo but he emphasized that his family name does not guarantee him a victory
In the co-main event Fernando “Wary” Beltran, from Sinaloa, Mexico, will face the local favorite Miguel Angel “Ranita” Gonzales in a ten round featherweight battle.
Beltran is ranked #11 by the IBF and both boxers thanked everyone for the opportunity to face each other. They are committed to provide the fans with a good fight for the boxing savvy Jalisco fans.
Also featured on the card will be the Japanese Tomiki Kameda who in perfect Spanish said “I fight like a Mexican, I am the real deal and I will knock my opponent in five.”
Kameda, whom has developed his entire amateur and professional career in Mexico, will defend his WBC Continental Americas title against Guadalajara’s Javier “Chino” Rodriguez who hopes to derail the Asian fighter.
Promoter Hector Garcia expects a full house at the Tecate Boxing Tour Arena considering the accessible ticket prices for such a highly competitive card. Tickets are on sale for $15 and $5.35 (200 and 70 Mexican pesos)
The official weigh in will take place on Friday at noon at the venue.
RODELA, GOMEZ & NAVARRO WILL LIGHT UP “FIGHT NIGHT CLUB” TOMORROW NIGHT
Rising Southern California stars David Rodela, Frankie Gomez, and Jesus Rodriguez, along with longtime contender Jose Navarro, will hit the ring at L.A. LIVE’s Club Nokia this Thursday, May 27th for another hard-hitting night of boxing at “Fight Night Club”.
In the main event, Rodela will face Toa Baja, Puerto Rico’s Eric Cruz in an eight round junior lightweight match.
The co-featured bout of the evening pits the unbeaten Gomez against fellow L.A. product Akeem Akinbode. In other televised action, Rodriguez takes on Jesus Juarez and Navarro returns to fight in his hometown for the first time in six years when he battles Benji Garcia.
Also featured on the card will be a clash of L.A. natives as welterweight Ramon Valadez makes his professional debut against Javier Romero, plus three amateur bouts featuring some of the local boxing community’s top talent. Pasadena’s Osmond Alex Rivers squares off against Commerce’s Joaquin Chavez in 140-pound open division action while 135-pounders Xavier Montelongo of East Los Angeles and Carlos Montelongo of Pasadena collide in an open division bout. Opening up the show will be Hawaiian Gardens Kevin Luna against Commerce’s Alfonso Sanchez in an 143-pound fight.
“Fight Night Club” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and AEG and is sponsored by DeWalt Tools, McDonald’s, Budweiser, Powerade and USTREAM. The series will return to L.A. LIVE’s Club Nokia on June 24, July 29, August 26, September 30, October 28 and November 18. The fights will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net (FSN) and its regional sports network affiliates (check local listings) and streamed live online at www.ustream.com and www.RingTV.com at 8 p.m. PT/11 p.m. ET. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. PT and the first bell rings at 7:00 p.m. PT
Tickets, priced at $250 (VIP On-Stage Seats, which are limited to only ten per show and allow purchasers to sit ringside on Club Nokia’s stage near VIP’s attending the fight [De La Hoya, Mosley, etc.], receive an autographed boxing glove and provide buyers access to the Club Nokia VIP Room [must be 21 years of age and over]), $100 (VIP Front Row Balcony Seats which grant buyers access to the Club Nokia VIP Room [must be 21 years of age and over]), $60 (VIP Balcony Seats which grant buyers access to the Club Nokia VIP Room [must be 21 years of age and over]) and $19.75 (General Admission: Floor Standing Room & Balcony Seats) are on sale now and may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 online at http://www.ticketmaster.comor through any Ticketmaster outlet or the STAPLES Center box office. Group tickets and full series tickets at a discounted rate are also available by calling 1-877-AEG TICKETS (1-877-234-8425).
“Fight Night Club,” is Golden Boy Promotions’ and AEG’s critically acclaimed live monthly boxing series, that presents boxing in a night club atmosphere, with a DJ, music, great food and a VIP room, as well as a unique setup where the ring is on Club Nokia’s stage with standing room for fans in front of the ring, as well as reserved seating in the balcony. After the boxing action ends, fans are invited to stay to hear great music played by L.A.’s hottest DJ’s, dance and mingle with the fighters as the venue converts back into a night club.
For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.fightnightclub.com follow Golden Boy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing.