CANASTOTA, NY – MARCH 31, 2011 – The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced its flags will fly at half-staff in memory of manager / trainer Gil Clancy. He passed away early this morning. He was 88.
Clancy began training young amateurs at the PAL boxing gym in Queens, New York and eventually rose to prominence as one of boxing’s great boxing trainers and managers. During his career Clancy worked with Ralph “Tiger” Jones, Rodrigo Valdes, Juan LaPorte, Johnny Persol, Jorge Ahumada, Harold Weston, Tom Bethea, Jerry Quarry, Gerry Cooney, Oscar De La Hoya and Hall of Famers Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Ken Buchanan. However, he is best known for his 20-year association with legendary Hall of Famer Emile Griffith, whom Clancy and Howie Albert guided to the welterweight and middleweight crowns. In 1967 and 1973, the Boxing Writers Association of America named him the Manager of the Year. From 1978 – 1981, Clancy was matchmaker for Madison Square Garden Boxing. He was also one of the premiere boxing analysts on MSG Network, CBS and HBO in the 1980s and 90s. In 1983, the Boxing Writers Association of America presented him with the Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcasting Journalism.
“Gil Clancy was one of boxing’s truly great minds,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Edward Brophy. “As a trainer and manager he was held in the highest regard by his peers. The Hall of Fame is saddened by the loss of our friend.”
In 1993, Clancy was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
JESSIE VARGAS TO FACE FORMER WORLD CHAMPION VIVIAN HARRIS IN APRIL 8
LOS ANGELES, March 31 – Buffalo Bill’s Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nevada will be the site for the Friday, April 8 edition of TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate,” as one of boxing’s rising stars, Jessie Vargas, returns to his home state to face former World Champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris in the headlining bout of an action-packed card that also features New York prospects Eddie Gomez and Roberto Lopez in a Big Apple showdown, plus middleweight knockout artist Bastie Samir and top prospect Michael Finney.
This night of world class professional boxing is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roy Englebrecht Promotions’ special edition of “Fight Club Primm,” and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and AT&T. Doors open at 6:00pm PT, the first bell rings at 7:00pm PT and the TeleFutura broadcast begins at 11:30pm ET / PT (10:30pm CT).
Tickets, priced at $50 (Floor) and $20 (General Admission), may be purchased at the Star of the Desert Arena Box Office or online at www.primmvalleyresorts.com.
Las Vegas’ Jessie Vargas (14-0, 7 KO’s) is one of the best young boxers to emerge from the “fight capital of the world” in recent years and at the rate he’s going, he one day may own the town. Since his professional debut in 2008, the 21-year-old’s growth and improvements have been visible in each fight, and with wins over Arturo Morua, Ernesto Zavala and Ramon Montano already, it’s clear to see that he will be tough to beat for anyone at 140 pounds.
One of the hardest punchers of this era, Brooklyn, New York’s “Vicious” Vivian Harris (29-5-1, 19 KO’s) is fearless in the ring and a look at his record proves that reputation. A former Junior Welterweight World Champion who has faced the likes of “Vicious” Victor Ortiz, Diosbelys Hurtado, Oktay Urkal, Stevie Johnston and Juan Lazcano, the 32-year-old Harris is looking to make one more run at championship gold. A win over the unbeaten Vargas, would kick-start his journey in a big way.
A former Junior Olympic and New York Golden Gloves champion, the Bronx’s Eddie Gomez (3-0, 3 KO’s) has made short work of his first three professional opponents, winning two bouts in the first round and n his most recent bout against Jose Ramon Sanchez in February, he ended it in the second round. The 18-year-old prodigy will face a stiff test in Brooklyn’s Roberto Lopez (4-1-2, 1 KO), a late bloomer who has shown great promise since turning professional at the age of 26 in 2008.
Vargas’ Las Vegas neighbors, undefeated Ghana native Bastie Samir (10-0, 10 KO’s) and Michael Finney (7-0, 7 KO’s) have been breaking down opponents with ferocious intensity and will be featured in separate bouts on April 8. Samir who turned professional in 2008 is already 3-0 with three knockouts in 2011 and will face an opponent to be named in a six round middleweight bout. Finney, originally from Smith’s Station, Alabama, has only been in the professional game for a year, but with seven knockouts in seven fights, he has made quite an impression already. He will look to impress Nevada fans again as he fights for the third time in his adopted home state against an opponent to be determined in a six round welterweight battle.
Provodnikov vs. Popoca & Kim vs. Quintero on 4/15
Art Pelullo/Banner Promotions, GT & KP Boxing Promotions, Gary Shaw Productions, Patrick Ortiz/Ringside Ticket and Dominic Pesoli/8 Count Productions, in association with the Pechanga Resort Casino, will present a sensational fight card on Friday, April 15, 2011, in the Grand Ballroom at Pechanga Resort Casino, located at 45000 Pechanga Parkway in Temecula, California. The main event, co-featured bout, and other selected fights will be televised live on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes – ESPN’s Spanish-language network – and ESPN3.com, the network’s broadband platform service.
The main event, scheduled for 10 rounds in the junior welterweight division, will feature two fan favorites – both exciting, up and coming young talents: Ruslan Provodnikov, 18-1 with 12 knockouts, of Berezovo, Russia, will fight undefeated Ivan Popoca, 15-0-1 with 10 knockouts, of Chicago, Illinois.
Styles make fights, and a matchup of two aggressive, pressure-style sluggers like Provodnikov and Popoca always produces fireworks in the ring.
Provodnikov, 27 years old, had an impressive amateur career with over 150 fights before making his professional debut in December, 2006. In his last fight on February 20 in Berezovo, he won by third-round TKO against Vyacheslav Yakovenko. In his previous fight in the United States – on January 7 in Las Vegas – Provodnikov headlined on ESPN. He gave a strong performance, but lost a 12-round decision against Mauricio Herrera. It was a fast-paced, rousing battle that many observers thought Ruslan deserved to win.
Popoca, a native of Guerrero, Mexico, had an extensive amateur background, as well, reportedly with 150 fights (137-13). Now 29 years old and a four-year professional veteran, he has won three of his last four fights by knockout.
In the co-featured fight, scheduled for 10 rounds in the lightweight division, former lightweight world title challenger Ji-Hoon “Volcano” Kim, 22-7 with 18 knockouts, of Goyang City, South Korea, will fight Marvin “El Cachorro” Quintero, 21-3, with 17 knockouts, of Tijuana, B.C., Mexico.
Former heavyweight world champion Evander Holyfield will also be in attendance at the event. He will be available for media interviews as well as photos and signing autographs for the fans.
More exciting fights will be announced. All bouts subject to change without notice.
Doors open at: 5:00 P.M. (all times Pacific Time)
First fight at: 6:00 P.M.
Tickets prices: $35, $60, $85.
Tickets available at Pechanga Resort Casino Box Office – tel.: 1-877-711-2946, and on the Pechanga website: www.pechanga.com.