Joe DeGuardia, CEO and President of Star Boxing, recently traveled to Rome to partake in an exhibition that opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art featuring selected portraits from world renowned photographer Howard Schatz project: “The Italian-Americans in Boxing”, in which DeGuardia’s portrait was featured. As in the past, DeGuardia’s trip to Europe wasn’t just pleasure as there is always business to take care. . Upon returning from Rome, DeGuardia locked in the signing of two undefeated European fighters, France’s International Boxing Federation (IBF)#1 rated super middleweight contender, Jean Paul Mendy, and Russia’s hot super bantamweight prospect Sakhib Usarov.
“Both Mendy and Usarov are great additions to the Star Boxing stable,” stated DeGuardia. “Mendy has been a legitimate top-ten contender for some time, and he is currently the #1 mandatory challenger for Lucian Bute’s 168 lb. World Championship. We certainly look forward to the Bute-Mendy World Championship.”
Bute won the IBF super middleweight title in late 2007 and has successfully defended it seven times, with the latest coming in March of this year against Brian Magee. Bute is considered by many to be the king of the star-studded super middleweight division.
The southpaw Mendy, whose record stands at 29-0-1, 16KO’s, represented his native France at the 1996 Olympics. He began his professional career in 2000, scoring a second round TKO over Guy Dia Njoh. In 2002 Mendy won the France Super Middleweight Title, and in 2008 picked up the IBF International Super Middleweight Title.
Also a southpaw, Sakhib Usarov sports an unblemishedSTAR BOXING record of 15-0, 6KO’s. Born in Tajikistan, Usarov now calls Moscow, Russia his home. Usarov turned pro in late 2006 scoring a first round TKO over Shuhrat Usmonov. In 2008 Usarov won the vacant Russian Bantamweight Title. In 2009, Usarov scored a twelve round shut-out over Alexander Fedorov to pick up the WBO European Bantamweight Title. Usarov picked up two wins in 2010, including an eight round decision over fellow unbeaten prospect Illhom Rahimov.
“Usarov is an exciting up and coming prospect that can fight anywhere between 115 to 122 lbs,” added DeGuardia. “He has yet to fight in the outside of Russia, but we are looking forward to bringing him over state-side, and begin marketing him throughout the US. I understand that he is willing to fight anybody and that says a lot.”
DeGuardia looks forward to the World Championship Bute-Mendy fight and plans to bring Usarov over to the states and feature him on a Star Boxing promoted card sometime in the very near future.
Alejandro Rodriguez chosen by fans as the boxer with the most caracter this week
Fighter Receives 67% of Votes, Placing Him in Second Place for “Cinturón Tecate” Award
NEW YORK (April 26, 2011) – Eloy Perez scored a unanimous decision victory over Alejandro Rodriguez on the April 15th edition of “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” in defense of his NABO junior lightweight title. However, the judges at home chose his opponent as the fighter with the most carácter, with Rodriguez earning 67 percent of all votes cast by text message and on Univision.com. He is now in second place in the “Cinturón Tecate” competition.
“Cinturón Tecate” (Tecate Belt) is an award created to support the boxers who display the most carácter in the ring during the “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” broadcast each Friday night on TeleFutura. Tecate recognizes that viewers at home are the best judges and allows fans to participate by sending a text message to 55333 to vote for their favorite boxer of the night. To thank participating fans, each text submitted gives them the opportunity to win special prizes.
This Friday, April 29, adults will have the chance to decide if Cuban-American Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin or Nevada native Jesse Brinkley show more character as they square off in the super middleweight main event on the “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” broadcast. To participate, adults can text B1 to support Quillin, or B2 for Brinkley, to 55333 or visit Univision.com, Uniclave: Solo Boxeo Tecate. The broadcast will air on TeleFutura at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT (10:30 p.m. CT) from the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nev.
As contenders in the competition, the boxers who receive the most votes throughout the season will have the opportunity to win the “Cinturón Tecate,” equipment for their gym and a donation to a charity of their choice in their name. Vicente Escobedo earned the first “Cinturón Tecate” of 2011 and the following boxers are vying for the next award to be presented in July:
Ranking Boxer % of Votes Date of Fight
1 Jessie Vargas 82% April 8
2 Alejandro Rodriguez 67% April 15
3 Eric Morel 58% April 1
For more information on “Cinturón Tecate,” results or to speak with a brand executive about the brand’s continuous support of boxing, please contact FORMULATIN at (212) 219-0321.
The 2011 National Golden Gloves Championships Open Competition in Indianapolis
(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – The 2011 National Golden Gloves Championships kicked off the 2011 edition of the event tonight at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Over 50 bouts of competition opened the annual event with boxing taking place in the light flyweight, bantamweight, light welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight divisions.
Golden Gloves preliminary round action will continue on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Indiana Convention Center.
Monday’s Preliminary Results
108 lbs: Thomas Yang, Upper Midwest dec. Richard Johnson, Colo.-New Mexico
108 lbs: Leroy Davila, New Jersey stopped Marko Johnson, St. Louis, RSC, 3
108 lbs: Santos Vasquez, Nevada dec. Anthony Taylor, Mid South
123 lbs: Kiun Evans, Mid, South dec. Ernesto Garza, Michigan
123 lbs: Travon Smith, Toledo dec. Emilio Ruiz, Kansas City
123 lbs: Aaron Hollis, Cincinnati dec. Eduardo Martinez, Chicago
123 lbs: Jerrell Barbour, Nevada dec. Vidal Rivera, Pennsylvania
123 lbs: Antonio Nieves, Cleveland dec. Julien Wyant, Knoxville
123 lbs: Kendo Castaneda, Texas dec. Juan Enciso, Kansas, Oklahoma
123 lbs: Tyshawn Jones, New Jersey dec. Luis Feliciano, Wisconsin
123 lbs: Gary Antonio Russell, Washington DC dec. Brad Heroff, Upper Midwest
123 lbs: Ricky Rodriquez, Colo.-New Mex. dec. Juan Rijo, Buffalo
123 lbs: Jaime Estrada, New York Metro dec. Kyle Klus, Rocky Mountain
141 lbs: Cristino Ceballo, New York Metro dec. Josh Ross, Mid, South
141 lbs: Preston Freeman, St. Louis dec. Samuel Valentin, Florida
141 lbs: Samuel Teah, Pennsylvania dec. Alemeo Carter, Kansas City
141 lbs: Thomas Mattice, Cleveland dec. Presley Salas, Hawaii
141 lbs: Thomas Hill, Wisconsin dec. Steven Perry, Indiana
141 lbs: Michael Reed, Washington DC dec. Duran Caferro, Rocky Mountain
141 lbs: Zachariah Ramsey, New England dec. Willie Jones, Knoxville
141 lbs: Kevin Kruz, Iowa dec. John King, Tri, State
141 lbs: Javonn Barnes, Michigan dec. Jimmy Martinez, New Jersey
141 lbs: Amir Iman, Buffalo dec. Andy Vences, California
141 lbs: George Rincon, Texas dec. Dylan Henry, Omaha
141 lbs: Andre Keys, Nevada dec. Dervon Moore, Cincinnati
141 lbs: Manuel Lopez, Colo, New Mex dec. Erique Davis, Detroit
141 lbs: Robert Easter Jr., Toledo dec. DeLorien Caraway, Upper Midwest
165 lbs: Ivey Nixon IV, Kansas-Oklahoma dec. Guillermo Maldonado, Nevada
165 lbs: Daquan Arnett, Florida dec. Jesse Cook, Kansas City
165 lbs: Peter Reyes, New York Metro dec. Deandre Ware, Toledo
165 lbs: Luis Arias, Wisconsin dec. Matt Breslin, Upper Midwest
165 lbs: Dale Davis, Cincinnati dec. Jarvis Williams, St. Louis
165 lbs: Terrell Gausha, Cleveland dec. Edgar Alarado, California
165 lbs: Paul Littleton, Chicago dec. Antone Pereira, Hawaii
165 lbs: Jesse Hart, Pennsylvania dec. Anthony Bailey, Colorado-New Mexico
165 lbs: Anthony Campbell, Mid South dec. Martin Schuh, Iowa
165 lbs: Kenton Sippio Cook, Texas dec. Dane Henry, Omaha
165 lbs: Lawrence King, Buffalo dec. Gerald Schifone, New England
165 lbs: Leandre White, Detroit dec. Germaine McKinney, Michigan
165 lbs: Antoine Douglas, Washington DC dec. Ethan Curry, Tri, State
165 lbs: Marcus Chapman, Indiana dec. John Magda, New Jersey
201 lbs: Joseph Williams, New York Metro dec. Josh Temple, St. Louis
201 lbs: Jake Sahlaney, Detroit dec. Andrew Tabiti, Nevada
201 lbs: Josh Hime, Pennsylvania stopped Oliver Rivera, Omaha, RSC-1
201 lbs: Terry Carter, Buffalo dec. Jason Bush, Cleveland
201 lbs: Charles Saunders, Iowa dec. Zakki Scott, Washington DC
201 lbs: Jonathan Thrasher, Knoxville dec. Shamarian Snider, Texas
201 lbs: James Shorter, Indiana dec. Michael Hilton, New Jersey
201 lbs: Michael Hunter, Colo, New Mex stopped Victor Gomez, Rocky Mountain, RSC-1
201 lbs: Bryan Daniels, New England dec. Danny Calhoun, Cincinnati
201 lbs: Vardan Khachatrian, California dec. Glen Sommers, Upper Midwest
* Please note that the geographical descriptors following the athlete names note the boxers’ Golden Gloves franchises rather than the hometowns.
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic, style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).