MATTHEW HATTON is hell bent on never getting beaten again admitting: I’m the world’s worst loser.
‘Magic’ Matthew attempts to make a winning return at Blackpool’s Tower Circus on Friday night (Aug 19) when he meets Belarussian Andrei Abramenka for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) intercontinental welterweight championship.
It is the Manchester man’s first fight since going down on points to Mexican sensation Saul Alvarez in a World Boxing Council (WBC) light-middleweight title bout in March.
Hatton who has tasted defeat five times in 48 fights said: “A lot of people praised me for my performance against Alvarez, but I am a fighter and I was there to win.
“Things didn’t work out and I look at it as a failure.
“Although people were coming up congratulating me the next day I was thinking, ‘What are you doing that for? I lost.’
“You show me a good loser and they are a loser. Nobody is happy when they lose a fight even if they perform well – it is all about winning.”
If the 30-year-old shines against Abramenka, he could challenge for the European or a version of the world title later this year.
Hatton defeated his rival’s older brother Aleksandr in March 2006 and promised: “I beat his brother and this fella is in for a little bit more of the same.
“This fight is about getting the win. It has been a frustrating time for me because it is never nice coming off a defeat.
“I am going to take the last few months of frustration out on him and get back to winning ways.”
On the same card local Central Area cruiserweight champion Matty Askin meets tough Argentinian Juan Manuel Garay.
Askin’s occasional sparring partner, Rik Turba is up against Dutchman Mitchell Balker over eight rounds
Other prospects on the bill include welterweight hopeful Adam Little who tackles Liam Griffiths and middleweight Tom Scott whose debut opponent is Bobby Wood.
In a six round bantamweight attraction Kazakhstan’s Zhanat Zhakyanov faces Anwar Alfadi.
The show promoted by Robert Waterman will be televised live by Eurosport and ticket are available prices £35, £55 and £75 VIP from 01925 755222 and www.ticketline.co.uk
Vinny Paz heads list of 2011 Conn Boxing HOF inductees
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (August 15, 2011) – Committee officials announced today that five-time World Champion Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” Paz heads a distinguished list of seven 2011 inductees into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (“CBHOF”). The seventh annual Gala Induction Dinner will be held Saturday night, October 29 in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.
The other 2011 inductees include 1996 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team Captain, Lawrence Clay-Bey; renowned world boxing judge Glenn S. Feldman; world light heavyweight title challenger Eric “Magic 2000” Harding; amateur boxing standout Kelvin Anderson; boxer, referee and coach Billy Taylor; highly-respected ringside physician, Dr. Michael Schwartz.
Tickets, priced at $75.00 per person, are available to purchase by calling Kim Baker at Mohegan Sun (860.862.7377) or Sherman Cain at the Manchester Journal Inquirer (800.237.3606 (X 321). Doors open at 5:30 PM/ET, followed by cocktails at 6 PM/ET, and then dinner.
Among the five world titles captured by Paz (50-10, 30 KOs) were the IBF lightweight and WBA light middleweight championships. The wildly popular Italian-American from Cranston (RI) was the prestigious 1991 Ring Magazine Comeback of the Year Award recipient having overcome a broken neck suffered in a car crash to win another world title.
Clay-Bey (21-3-1, 16 KOs), fighting out of Hartford, captained an absolutely loaded 1996 U.S. Olympic Boxing team that included four future world champions as professionals – Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Antonio Tarver, David Reid and Fernando Vargas. Lawrence lost in the second round to current world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, 10-8. Clay-Bey was the IBA Continental heavyweight titlist. He is a veteran correctional officer in Connecticut.
In addition to judging 95 world title fights all over the world during the past 23 years, Feldman founded the CBHOF and has been its only president. He is a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch in West Hartford.
The signature victory for Harding (23-4-1, 7 KOs), who captured the NABF and USBA light heavyweight titles, was a 12-round decision in a 2000 IBF Eliminator against 16-0 Antonio Tarver, a five-time world champion. Eric lost a world title bid to Roy Jones, Jr. when he was unable to answer the bell for the 11th round due to a serious shoulder injury in their WBC/WBA/IBF/IBO world title fight.
Anderson was a much decorated amateur boxer from Hartford who tragically died in a 1980 plane crash. Fourteen boxers and eight staff members of the USA Boxing Team, traveling to Poland to compete in an International match, were among 77 passengers who perished.
Taylor was honored in 1990 by the NCAA Coaches Association, as well as the Connecticut Boxing Guild, for his 50-year contribution to boxing. He kick-started the boxing careers of Connecticut greats such as world champion Marlon Starling, Tyrone Booze and Troy Wortham. Billy coached the 1969 Coast Guard national championship team, guided Central Connecticut State University for eight seasons in the eighties, and produced three national champions and 32 All-America boxers.
Dr. Schwartz is Chief Ringside Physician for Professional Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts, who has been responsible for creating many of the medical protocols utilized in boxing. He is the founder of the first Medical Association for Professional Ringside Physicians, in addition to being Chief Ringside Physician for the State of Connecticut. Schwartz also serves as the Chief Ringside Physician and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board for both Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun Casino.
Go on line to www.CTBoxingHOF.com for more information about the 7th annual CBHOF Gala Introduction Dinner or the history of this organization.
Shamone Alvarez, Mike Perez and Vinny Maddalone in action in August for Star Boxing
NEW YORK (August 15, 2011) – Possibly the only thing hotter in NYC in the month of July, which saw temperature’s reach record highs, well into the 100’s, was Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, as it promoted three sizzling cards in back to back to back weeks throughout the NYC area (July 7th Bronx, July 15th NYC, July 23rd Bronx). In addition to those three shows, Star Boxing also co-promoted the sold-out Lucian Bute vs. Jean-Paul Mendy Super Middleweight Title Fight in Romania on July 9th.
Not looking to slow down, Star Boxing has two additional cards scheduled for the month of August. The first being the latest installment of the “Punchin at the Paradise” fight night series at the Paradise Theater in the Bronx on Friday August 19th and the second coming a week later on Saturday August 27th in Atlantic City at the beautiful Tropicana Casino and Resort.
“This has been a great summer for us and a great summer for boxing fans here in the tri-state area,” stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO and President of Star Boxing. “We have been able to produce great, exciting fights and shows in New York, and the response from the fans has been tremendous. Everyone is still talking about the Rodriguez-Wolak instant classic that took place on July 15th. It is clearly the leading candidate for fight of the year. We are diligently working on the rematch and hopefully will have some more concrete answers in the near future. In the mean time, on August 19th we are returning once again to the Paradise Theater, and this time we will be teaming up with Golden Boy Promotions to promote the card, which will be broadcast on TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate. Then the following week (August 27th) we will be returning to the Tropicana in Atlantic City for the first time since last summer’s heavyweight war, between David Tua and Monte Barrett. We encourage everyone to keep coming out and showing their support, as the fans have helped make these events this summer so terrific.”
On the August 19th show at the Paradise, Golden Boy will be featuring two of their most promising up and coming prospects, including Michael “The Artist” Perez (13-0-1, 7KO’s) fighting in the main event, and the Bronx’s 18-year-old boxing phenom, fighting for the first time in NYC since turning pro, Eddie Gomez (5-0, 4KO’s) fighting in the televised co-feature.
The show in Atlantic City on August 27th, will feature heavyweight fan-favorite, and one of boxing ultimate blood and guts warriors, Vinny Maddalone, as well as Atlantic City’s long-time welterweight contender, Shamone “The Truth” Alvarez. In addition to the Maddalone and Alvarez bouts, there are four separate fights on the card that will showcase undefeated up and coming prospects. The Star Boxing promoted show will take place in the beautiful Tropicana Ballroom. Doors open at 7:00PM with the first bout scheduled for 8:00PM.
The show on Friday August 19th is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Star Boxing and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. Doors open at 6:30pm ET and first fight begins at 7:00pm ET.
TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” will be broadcast at 11:30pm ET / PT (10:30pm CT).
GET YOUR TICKETS!!!
Punchin at the Paradise – Tickets, priced at $30, $50 and $100, are available for purchase by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000 or visiting www.starboxing.com Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet or by visiting the Paradise Theater Box Office, or by calling the Paradise Theater at (718) 220-1015.
Tropicana – Tickets for Star Boxing’s show on Saturday August 27th at the Tropicana can be purchased by calling the Star Boxing office at (718) 823-2000 or visiting www.starboxing.com. Tickets are priced at $30, $50, $100 and $200. Tickets may also be purchased at any Ticketmaster outlet, or by going directly online to Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available for purchase at the Tropicana North Tower Box Office or by phone at (609) 340-4000. Doors for the event will open at 7:00PM with the first bout scheduled for 8:00PM. All the action will take place in the Tropicana Showroom. The Tropicana Casino and Resort is located at 2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ.