The Super Six World Boxing Classic semi-final clash between WBA Super-Middleweight Champion Andre Ward and former tournament point leader King Arthur Abraham will be called off – if the Californian Boxing Commission refuses to honour an existing agreement over neutral officials. “Contrary to what has been previously agreed on, the Californian Commission all of a sudden insists on installing a Californian judge as well as a Californian referee. That is totally unacceptable,” Hall-of-Fame-Promoter Wilfried Sauerland said. “This turnaround comes as a huge and unpleasant surprise. Two months ago, everybody involved agreed that this tremendous fight would be served by neutral officials. We agreed to have one judge from California, one from Europe and one from neither Europe nor the US. The referee is supposed to be neither American nor European either. Unless this issue is sorted, King Arthur will not leave the country. We have put his flights on hold..”
The 31-year-old German is currently shaping up on a small German island in the Baltic Sea. He was scheduled to leave for Los Angeles this weekend. “King Arthur is more than happy to challenge Ward in his backyard,” Sauerland added. “But we demand neutral officials as agreed on. We have learned our lesson from the Kessler-Ward fight. Back then the Californian Commission insisted on having a Californian referee. His performance was – to put it mildly – a joke.”
And Sauerland added: “This is not some beach bar brawl but the semi-final of the Super Six World Boxing Classic, a sensational tournament that has captured global attention. It´s a shame that the clash is jeopardized just because a local commission refuses to honour existing agreements and basic rules of fair play.”
Unbeaten Heavyweight Mariusz Wach Now Training with Juan De Leon
NORTH BERGEN (April 27, 2011) – Undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) Baltic Heavyweight champ Mariusz Wach of North Bergen, NJ by way of Krakow, Poland has teamed up with top-notch trainer Juan De Leon in his quest to become the heavyweight champ of the world.
The 6’8″, 250 pound big man with a record of 24-0 (12 KO) has begun training with the Buffalo, NY resident DeLeon out of Global Boxing Gym in North Bergen, who guided undefeated heavyweight boxer Joe Mesi through the course of his career.
The 31-year-old Wach, who is promoted by Global Boxing Promotions and Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, worked with former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer for his most recent performance but the qualified Moorer stepped down due to scheduling conflicts.
De Leon, who is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, learned the sport of boxing underneath his older brother Carlos De Leon, who was a four-time cruiserweight champion of the world and fought Evander Holyfield, Leon Spinks and Yaqui Lopez.
“I’ve only been with him for a few days, but I really like what I see,” said De Leon, who also works with a slew of rising prospects. “I believe Wach has talent and good footwork. There’s a lot of things we have to put together to make him the perfect fighter.”
Wach and De Leon will have their first fight together on June 18 in Atlantic City at a location to be decided.
Joining De Leon as part of Team Wach will be his brother Carlos De Leon, as well as sports and medicine doctor Ramon Negron, and running coach Cruz “Pensa” Rodriguez, who worked with legendary champion Felix “Tito” Trinidad.
[The team] can’t do everything, but we can do something. We’re gonna put him in the best shape of his life. It’s on him now to fight. But he’s a good listener and he learns fast and that will take him far.”
For more information on Mariusz Wach and other Global Boxing fighters, visit www.globalboxing.com
Conyers vs. Molina on Friday Night Fights
ESPN’s Friday Night Fights will originate from Las Vegas, Nev. featuring junior middleweights “King” Carlos Molina (17-4-2, 5 KO’s, International Boxing Federation (IBF) #15, World Boxing Council (WBC) #16) pitted against former New York State welterweight champion, Allen “The Dream Shatterer” Conyers (12-4, 9 KO’s) in the 10-round main event live April 29, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN3.com and ESPN Deportes. Friday’s show will air on ESPN2 Sunday May 1, at 2 p.m. ET (schedule on ESPN2 subject to change depending on outcome of NBA playoffs). Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at The Cosmopolitan, describing the action.
Chicago’s Molina is undefeated in his last 10 fights and is coming off a 10- round March draw against previously undefeated Cuban prospect Erislandy Lara on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.
After the fight on ESPN2, ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael wrote, “Molina pressured Lara throughout the fight, and only a late rally from Lara – who wobbled Molina in the ninth round – saved him from a decision loss in what was easily the most disappointing performance of his career. Instead of throwing combinations and using his counterpunching ability, Lara threw one punch at a time. Make no mistake: The draw should be considered a big setback and a huge disappointment for Lara, who was sloppy and dispassionate. And Molina certainly could have gotten the decision. Still, a draw was basically like a win for Molina.”
New York’s, Conyers is coming off a late January, 10-round decision win against previously undefeated James De La Rosa.
After the fight Rafael wrote on ESPN.com, “Conyers has faced some good opponents, but has usually lost when he has stepped up in class. This was supposed to be a fight for De La Rosa to shine in. Instead, he got beaten and battered in a very surprising upset. Conyers, whose chin has often betrayed him, took the shots from De La Rosa and won a clear decision with a very determined effort. Frankly, he made De La Rosa look like an amateur. Conyers hurt De La Rosa numerous times and scored three knockdowns, in the second, sixth and eighth rounds. Whatever hype there was surrounding De La Rosa, it should be gone now.”
Conyers said of Friday’s Fight, “I’m going to be 100 percent ready for this fight. I’ve seen Molina fight Lara. He pulled out a draw and it was a good fight. I thought he won the fight, but they gave him a draw. He’s a good fighter. But you never how he’s going to fight. Hopefully he stays there right in front of me, but he might get on his bike. They might see something in me and think they can outbox me. I’m just ready to go 10 hard rounds, if that’s what it goes. If he’s in shape, it’s going to be a great fight.”