On July 15th, Delvin Rodriguez and Pawel Wolak engaged in a ten round war on ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights” that has many boxing insiders calling it the leading candidate for the fight of the year. In an excellent battle of will, determination, and pure guts, Rodriguez and Wolak went toe-to-toe for their entire ten round jr. middleweight showdown before a sold-out crowd on Star Boxing’s show at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. Wolak started the better of the two, but Rodriguez, who was coming off a year lay-off, picked up the pace in the middle rounds, and landed the much cleaner and harder punches down the stretch of the fight which in turn caused grotesque swelling of Wolak’s right eye.
In the end, judge Tom Schreck scored the fight 97-93 for Rodriguez, but was overruled by judges Julie Lederman and Steve Weisfield, who both scored the fight 95-95, resulting in a majority draw. The war was an instant classic, so much so that ESPN re-aired the fight the following week, the firstever non-regularly scheduled reair for ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. Fans around the world have been clamoring and wondering when the rematch will take place and while Rodriguez, the warrior he is, expected and wanted the fight to take place immediately, Wolak has been singing a different tune.
“I am reading all these different reports that Wolak has signed with a new manager (Wolak dropped long-time manager Ivan Edwards following the fight and signed with Cameron Dunkin), and he is speaking about other fighters and fights, but I really haven’t heard him say anything about our rematch. This guy was supposed to be one of the roughest toughest guys in the sport, and we have a fight of the year like we did and it ends in a draw and now he doesn’t want to have a rematch? Everyone has been asking when the rematch will take place, but by the looks of it, he doesn’t want it. I even read one report that said he ultimately decided to fire his manager because his manager suggested he take the rematch with me and Pawel was “annoyed that he would even bring that up”. I had a lot of respect for Pawel before we fought, and him continuing the way he did in our fight with his eye like that I had even more respect for him, not a lot of people would have fought through that. But now, he seems to be avoiding me. If he is the real warrior he says he is, and all about pleasing the fans, then let’s make this rematch happen. The other fights can wait, we have business to finish.”
Andre Berto returns to the ring and Beau Rivage Resort & Casino on September 3 to take on Jan Zaveck
NEW YORK, NY (August 5, 2011) – There will be no rest this Labor Day weekend for two of the best welterweights in the world. On September 3, reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion Jan Zaveck comes to America to put his IBF welterweight title on the line against former World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Andre Berto from the Beau Rivage Theatre at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Battle in Biloxi: Berto vs. Zaveck is presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with SES Boxing. The show will be aired live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 10:45 PM ET/7:45 PM PT.
Tickets, priced at $150, $100, and $50, are on sale now and are available online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, at any Ticketmaster retail outlet, or in person at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office.
“This is one of the premier matchups that could be made in the welterweight division,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment, the promoter of Battle in Biloxi. “Andre Berto is considered one of the elite in boxing and Zaveck is a reigning world champion. Both are known as all action fighters, so you know it will be explosive with so much on the line.”
Berto (27-1, 21 KOs), 27, of Winter Haven, FL, is coming off the first loss of his career, and the loss of his WBC title, on April 17 when he dropped a razor thin 12-round decision to “Vicious” Victor Ortiz, a classic battle that saw both fighters on the canvas twice and one that is considered the front runner for 2011 Fight of the Year. Prior to that Berto, a 2004 Haitian Olympian, had defended his title five times after winning it in 2008 via seventh round knockout of Miguel Angel Rodriguez.
“I am excited to get back in the ring and get gold back around my waist,” said Berto. “Everyone who knows me knows that it wasn’t the real Andre Berto in the ring in April. I’m focused on returning to reestablishing my dominance in the welterweight division and it starts with Jan Zaveck.”
Zaveck (31-1, 18 KOs), 35, originally from Ptuj, Slovenia, but now living in Germany, captured the IBF title in December, 2009 with a shocking third round stoppage of Issac Hlatshwayo in Hlatshwayo’s native South Africa. Since then, Zaveck has defended the title three times, including a majority decision win in 2010 over Rafal Jackiewicz, the only man to have previously defeated him. His bout versus Berto will mark his first professional appearance in the United States.
“I am coming to the United States to put on a great show,” said Zaveck. “When I get on the plane back to Europe, I will have my title belt.”
“Beau Rivage is happy to be partnering with DiBella Entertainment and HBO Sports to bring world championship boxing back to Biloxi,” said George P. Corchis, Jr., President and Chief Operating Officer of MGM Resorts Regional Operations. “The headliner of Andre Berto vs. Jan Zaveck is a very competitive match with Berto seeking to regain another world title and Zaveck, who hasn’t lost since 2008, fighting his first professional bout in the United States. We look forward to putting on a world-class event.”
A full undercard will be announced shortly.
UNITED BOXERS RETURNS IN BALTIMORE, FRIDAY, AUGUST 19TH
BALTIMORE, MD (August 5, 2011) UNITED BOXERS returns with another evening of world-class professional boxing on Friday, August 19th at the DuBurns Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
Included among the area’s finest professional boxers on the August 19th card are heavy handed, undefeated welterweight James Stevenson, The Taylor Brothers, Maxell and Emmanuel, along with undefeated cruiserweight prospects Nick Kisner and Venroy July in separate bouts.
James “Keep’em Sleepin” Stevenson, 14-0-0 (10KO’s), is coming off a sensational performance in his first start of 2011. Battling rugged Puerto Rican veteran Jose Angel Roman on April 15th at the inaugural UNITED BOXERS event, the Baltimore native won a convincing six round shutout decision.
The Brothers Taylor, two of the Baltimore area’s most popular fighters are both coming off impressive wins.
Older brother Maxell “The General”, 18-3-1 (7KO’s), returned to form in a big way, drilling Purcell Miller towards a first round stoppage on May 21st at the Maryland Sportsplex.
Just 20 years old, younger brother Emmanuel “The Tranzformer”, 13-0-0 (9KO’s), continues to thrill local fans with his fast hands and world class skills in the ring. With three dominant wins in the books in 2011, Emmanuel will look to stay perfect.
“Slick” Nick Kisner, also just 20 years old, has moved quickly since turning professional in January 2010, amassing a record of 9-0-1 (5KO’s). The Baltimore native will be making his fifth start this year on August 19th, coming off his finest win, a six round shutout of the vastly more experienced DeLeon Tinsley.
Also headed to the August 19th UNITED BOXERS event is cruiserweight prospect and corporate attorney Venroy July. A native of St. Catherine, Jamaica, the 28-year-old July is a graduate of Duke Law School and practices law at the Hogan Lovells law firm in Baltimore, just a short drive from the DuBurns Arena.
With a record of 7-0-2 (2KO’s), July is coming off a six round unanimous decision victory over Rayshawn Myers on July 16th.
More information on this sensational card will be announced shortly.
Advance tickets priced at $50 for Ringside and $35 for General Admission, can be purchased at DTLR stores, the area’s leading retailer in the Urban Fashion industry for over 20 years. For store information and locations please visit their website at www.dtlr.com Tickets may also be purchased online through EventBrite (www.eventbrite.com)
United Boxers was founded this year by Chris Middendorf. The goal of the promotional company is to showcase the best prospects from an area, to build their audiences and to develop their careers. The first series of United Boxers events have been in Baltimore and Washington. There will be additional cities added soon. For further information or to be added to our mailing list, go to unitedboxers.com.