Former Olympian and rising Middleweight star Billy Joe Saunders has been named captain/co-manager of the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym’s football squad for this Sunday’s Boxers and Celebrity Charity Football Tournament, in aid of the Indee Rose Trust, at the Concord Rangers FC in Canvey Island, Essex.
Billy Joe, who will be captaining the team for the second year in a row, has proved to be nothing less than sensational since turning professional in 2009, having stopped six of his nine opponents.
His scintillating performance, that secured a second round stoppage victory over Kevin Hammond, on the undercard of the Groves-DeGale Super fight back in May, was the fight of the night and rightly earned the twenty one year old from Hatfield many new fans as well as his first title tilt this coming September.
On Sunday Billy Joe will be heading up a star studded squad that includes fellow TRAD TKO Gym mates WBO Inter-Continental Lightweight Champion Kevin ‘Mighty’ Mitchell, ‘Pretty’ Ricky Boylan and Eddie Corcoran as well as WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Nathan Cleverly and WBA International Super Bantamweight Champion Rendall Munroe, Former British and European Light Middleweight Champion Jamie Moore, Middleweight George ‘The Grill’ Hillyard as well as a handful of ‘ringers’ from the pro-football ranks.
Prior to his training session today Billy Joe spoke briefly on the tournament, “Last year we made it to the final, only to lose to Paul Smith’s team. It was a good day out, I really enjoyed it, it was good fun and we raised a lot of money for charity, which is what it’s all about. Hopefully we’ll do the same this year.
Johnny’s put together our team for this year, but they’re not that good, besides me that is. But it’s a couple of weeks away so i’ll get all my players ready and we’re ready to come.”
On Friday last week Billy Joe spoke with iFilm’s Kugan Cassius about the Boxers and Celebrity Charity Football Tournament, video of the interview can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBg3065rXdY
On August 14th Billy Joe will be joining TRAD TKO supremo Johnny Eames, and boxing stars Nathan Cleverly, Matthew Macklin, Kevin Mitchell, Ricky Burns, Barry McGuigan, Paul and Stephen Smith, Willie Limond, Tony Oakey, Ross Minter, Martin Power etc.; will be joined by celebrities such as Alex Reid (MMA), Johnny Borrell (Razorlight), Mark Wingett (Jim Carver – The Bill), Stephen Bell (Coronation Street), various of the Eastenders and Shameless cast etc. at the Concord Rangers FC ground on Canvey Island.
The TRAD TKO Boxing Gym promoted Boxers and Celebrity Football Tournament, in aid of the Indee Rose Trust, kicks off at 12:00pm at the Concord Rangers FC, Thames Road, Canvey Island, Essex on Sunday 14th August 2011.
Tickets for this special event, priced: Standard: £10.00 and V.I.P. £20.00, are available on-line from www.tkoboxoffice.com or in person from the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London E16 4SA
Children’s tickets, priced £5.00, will be available on the day.
For further information either call the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym on 020 7474 3199 or see www.indeerosetrust.org or facebook.com/theindeerosetrust
Hyland looking to Punish ‘Popeye’ Trotta live on TG4
Unbeaten Dublin Featherweight Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland wants to kick off TG4’s boxing coverage with a bang this Friday night (August 12th) when he takes on Italy’s former European title challenger, Fabrizio “Popeye” Trotta in the first ever professional boxing contest to be screened live on the Irish language channel (from 9:30pm).
Hyland will be joined by compatriot Henry Coyle in an Ireland V Italy double with the Mayo man taking on Elio Cotena for the the World Boxing Federation (WBF) Light Middleweight title in the main event at the Royal Theatre in Castlebar and he’s hoping for an Irish double.
“Hopefully both myself and Henry can do the business over the Italian’s and it’s great that it will be live on terrestrial TV,” said Hyland. “It’s nice to be involved in the first ever live bout on TG4 and hopefully I can put on a performance that people will remember as well. If I’m honest my Irish isn’t what it should be but hopefully I can do my talking, ‘as gaeilge’ in the ring and give the commentary team on TG4 plenty to talk about afterwards.”
Having complied a perfect record of 23 and 0 since turning professional the Tallaght native and Shamrock Rovers fanatic will head West looking to take another step closer to equalling the late, great Johnny Caldwell’s record of having the longest unbeaten run in Irish boxing. Belfast legend Caldwell compiled that record en route to winning the World Bantamweight title in 1961 by reaching 25 and 0 and a win on Friday will leave Hyland just one win from equalling that record.
Trotta though has arrived in Ireland with a cautionary message for the Dubliner. “Hyland has a nice record but records are for paper,” scoffed the Italian. “They count for nothing once you start trading punches in the ring and I am confident that I can score a big win to put me right back in the picture for another European title fight. Our styles are similar and we both like to have a fight so I’m sure it will be exciting while it lasts but this will be a step too far for Mr. Hyland.”
Naturally Hyland has other ideas and is confident of that Trotta’s second trip to Ireland will be just as fruitless as his first when he travelled to Dublin back in 2008 in an unsuccessful challenge to then European Super Bantamweight champ, Rendall Munroe.
“I watched his fight with Munroe and he was dangerous early on, although more so with his head than his gloves!,” said Hyland. “I will have to be wary for the first couple of rounds and see what he has to offer. He was doing well against Munroe but he suffered a broken hand and the fight had to be stopped. That’s the only time in his career he’s been stopped so I’m prepared to go the distance if necessary but if a chance to take him out comes my way then obviously I’ll try to take it.
“This fight has been made at two pounds over the featherweight limit and I’m already on the weight right now. I’ve found making the weight a lot easier since I started working on strength and conditioning with Joe Clifford. He’s brought a very scientific approach to our training and it’s paying off. My diet’s a lot better controlled now and I’m really feeling the benefits of the work we’ve been doing with Joe.”
“I’m certainly not looking beyond Trotta, he’s a former European title challenger so I have to give him respect and I can’t afford to slip up against him. My team have been looking at some very exciting opportunities in the pipeline after this fight and hopefully people will be hearing more about that in the coming weeks but right now my focus is just on Friday night and my Italian job!”
It will be a family affair for the Hyland’s in Castlebar with Patrick’s younger brother and former European title challenger Paul Hyland also in action when he takes on two weight Welsh champ Dai Davies. The bout will mark Hyland’s second since his European title defeat last November and an impressive win over Davies should put the Dubliner back in line for a second bite at the European cherry.
The Hyland brothers are trained by their father Pat and Hyland Senior is in for a busy night as he will also feature in Finbarr Eade’s corner at the Royal Theatre when the Westport man challenges for the Irish Super Featherweight title on home ground against London based southpaw, Mickey Coveney.
An eagerly awaited all Mayo clash on the card features former Irish Champion John Waldron taking on Michael Sweeney in an Irish Light Heavyweight title eliminator. Another all–Irish clash rounds out the card with Roscommon’s unbeaten Darren Cruise taking on Leeds based Belfast southpaw Lee Murtagh in a Super Middleweight encounter.
Friday’s night’s boxing is live on TG4 from 9:30 and will be streamed live worldwide on www.tg4.tv.
Tickets for the event priced €30, €40, €70 and €100 are on sale from the Royal Theatre Box Office on 0818 719 300, Ticketmaster.ie / 0818 719300.
Antonio Diaz vs. Ernesto Zepeda on Friday
LOS ANGELES, August 9 – A host of exciting young boxers will be in the ring at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on Friday, August 12 hoping to impress some of the sport’s most knowledgeable fans on the Antonio Diaz vs. Ernesto Zepeda undercard in Indio, Calif.
In the all-California co-main event, which will be televised on TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate,” Blythe knockout artist Andrew Cancio will look to keep his finishing streak going against San Fernando’s Lowell Brownfield. Also in action will unbeatens Humberto Zatarain and Rocco Espinoza in a four round featherweight bout as well as Coachella’s own Angel Osuna and Jose Antonio Vargas in separate fights.
On August 12, the main event at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino will see the 17th appearance for longtime contender Antonio “Tono” Diaz as he returns to his favorite venue for the first time in nearly a decade to battle fellow veteran Ernesto Zepeda.
Diaz vs. Zepeda is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and AT&T. Doors open at 6:00pm PT on fight night and the first bell rings at 7:30pm PT. The TeleFutura broadcast begins at 11:30pm ET / PT (10:30pm CT).
Fans at home can also be part of the action by participating in Cinturón Tecate and voting for the fighter in the main event who displayed the most character in the ring by sending a text message to 55333. Voting will be open through the end of the weekend.
Tickets, priced at $25, $35 and $45 are on sale now and available for purchase at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.
A crushing puncher known as “The Boxing Barber,” 22-year-old Andrew Cancio (10-1-2, 10 KO’s) is one of Southern California’s most exciting up-and-coming prospects, and for good reason considering his finishing power and flair for the dramatic. After he briefly “retired” to continue his education and take on a full time job in order to help care for his newborn daughter, Cancio returns to the ring for the first time in over two years on August 12 and expects to pick up where he left off – by knocking people out. Cancio will take on San Fernando’s southpaw Lowell Brownfield (11-7-1, 4 KO’s) who at 30-years old is a tough, veteran challenger who always comes to fight, and he’s looking to take Cancio into some deep water in Indio.
In an intriguing contest, Los Angeles’ Humberto Zatarain (2-0) meets Las Vegas’ Rocco Espinoza (1-0) in a rare clash of unbeaten prospects that is expected to be a barnburner. Also featured is a six round lightweight matchup pitting Coachella’s Jose Antonio Vargas (5-1-2) against Cathedral City’s Luis Cervantes (7-5-3, 2 KO’s).
But that’s not all, as middleweights Angel Osuna (4-3-1, 2 KO’s) of Coachella and Raul Rodriguez (3-6-1, 2 KO’s) of Bakersfield collide in a six round middleweight fight, while debuting junior welterweights Kenny Williams of Palm Springs and Anaheim’s Marcos Rojas meet in a four rounder.