NORTH BERGEN, NJ (September 6, 2011) – The first installment of the highly-anticipated “Global Boxing Series” will be headlined by a familiar face, when former undisputed cruiserweight champion O’Neil Bell returns to action in a ten-round bout against an opponent to be named later. The card, which takes place at the Global Boxing Arena in North Bergen, N.J., will be promoted by Global Boxing Promotions.
The 36-year-old Bell (26-4-1, 24 KO) of Atlanta, GA is looking to bounce back from three consecutive defeats after reaching the pinnacle of the sport in 2006 by knocking out Jean-Marc Mormeck at Madison Square Garden to unify all three major world titles for the first time since Evander Holyfield in the 1980s.
“I’m slowly working to regain my status with the boxing world and get my belts back,” said Bell, who is now managed by prominent Washington D.C. family physician Richard Ashby, MD. “I’m still a champion, but on paper I’m not so I still have to get it back.”
Also on the card, cruiserweight knockout artist Emmanuel “Real Steel” Nwodo (23-5, 19 KO) of Baltimore, MD will return to action for the first time since 2009 in a six-round bout, as well as the return of unbeaten featherweight prospect Kamil Laszczyk (3-0, 3 KO) of North Bergen, N.J. by way of Wroclaw, Poland. Newark, N.J. middleweight prospect Thomas Baldwin (2-0-1, 1 KO) will also be in action plus more to be announced.
Tickets, priced at $50 for ringside and $35 for general admission, are now on sale at Global Boxing Gym in North Bergen. Show begins at 5PM.
Global Boxing can be reached via NJ Transit bus lines 83 and 127, and is in walking distance from the Hudson-Bergen light rail station on Tonnelle Avenue.
For more information on “Global Boxing Series,” visit www.globalboxing.com.
TO MEXICO WBO PRESIDENT PACO VALCARCEL TO ATTEND PACQUIAO-MARQUEZ TOUR PRESS CONFERENCE; ALSO TO GET THE 105LB BELT TO MOISES FUENTES
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – World Boxing Organization (WBO) President, Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel will travel tomorrow to Mexico to participate in the press conference to be held Thursday in that country for the mega-fight between WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez next November 12 at the MGM GRand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Pacquiao-Marquez tour, that had stops in Philippines and New York, will have a press conference in Mexico and Valcarcel will take part there, along with WBO President of Ratings Comitee, Luis Perez.
The fight Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KOs)-Márquez (53-5-1, 39 KOs) is for the WBO welterweight title.
Valcarcel said that he is going to meet in Mexico with Promociones Zanfer president, Fernando Beltran, to discuss some issues about the rematch between featherweight chamion Orlando Salido against Juanma Lopez and Jorge “Travieso” Arce versus Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.
Also in México, the WBO will gift new 105lb champion Moises Fuentes with his belt, that won last August 27 when he beat former champion Raúl “Rayito” García. The WBO will get Fuentes training clothes and equipment.
Remember the 24th WBO Convention in Puerto Rico, October 24-29. For reservations at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, can call 1 787 253-1700 Ext. 4161, 1 800 241-3333 or a accesing http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/SanJuan/Default.htm.
More information at
www.wbo-int.com (www.facebook.com/WorldBoxingOrganization).
2011 Conn. Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony ‘Cool’ with Vinny Paz
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (September 7, 2011) – Being inducted into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (“CBHOF”) is “cool,” according to five-time world champion Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” Paz, who is one of seven 2011 inductees being honored Saturday night, October 29 at the seventh annual Gala Induction in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun Casino.
The other CBHOF 2011 inductees are 1996 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team Captain, Lawrence Clay-Bey; 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.
A year ago, the CBHOF changed its eligibility rules to allow a maximum of one non-Connecticut fighter who had distinguished himself boxing in the Nutmeg State. “Irish” Micky Ward, from Massachusetts (Lowell), was the first while Paz, who hails from Rhode Island (Cranston), will soon become the second.
“This is quite an honor,” Paz said. “I’m happy to be acknowledged and it’s cool to be noticed. I’m glad that I’ll be able to share it with my old gang who saw me fight so often in Connecticut. I had so many fights in Connecticut (15 with 12 wins), including by 50th career win. It was great fighting at home in Rhode Island and I grew-up fighting in Atlantic City, but Connecticut was like my second home because the ‘Pazmaniacs’ could easily travel there to watch me fight. Connecticut was awesome for me. I loved that it was only a 20-25 minute drive for me to the Connecticut border.”
Among the five world titles captured by Paz (50-10, 30 KOs) were the IBF lightweight and WBA light middleweight championships. The popular Italian-American with a passionate, cult-like following (“Pazmaniacs”) was the prestigious 1991 Ring Magazine Comeback of the Year Award recipient after he overcame a broken neck suffered in a car crash to win another world title.
Over the course of his illustrious 21-year pro career, Paz (originally known as Vinny Pazienza) defeated a Who’s Who of boxers, including Roberto Duran and Greg Haugen twice apiece, Lloyd Honeyghan, Gilbert Dele, Harry Arroyo, MelvinPaul and Esteban Cervantes.
Paz is looking forward to the filming of his life story — appropriately named,“Paz” – that he reports has been 20 years in the making. Vinny believes the film will be completed by the end of 2012. Actor James Franco is in line to play Paz, who reports that Martin Scorcese may be the director, and Jack Nicholson could play his late father, Angelo.
Go on line to www.CTBoxingHOF.com for more information about the 7th annual CBHOF Gala Introduction Dinner or the history of this organization.