TORONTO (November 25, 2011) – Undefeated Canadian super featherweight Logan Cotton McGuinness has been named the North American Boxing Association (“NABA”) 2011 Fighter of the Year.
“It’s a great honor for me to be chosen by the NABA as its Fighter of the Year,” McGuinness said. “I defended the NABA lightweight title twice since winning it in September (2010) and won the NABA super featherweight title as well. Hopefully, I’ll defend that belt once or twice and then reach the ultimate goal of fighting for the world title.”
McGuinness’ accomplishment came in a year that also featured NABA champions such as cruiserweight Latiff Kayode, middleweight Andy Lee and welterweight Mike Jones.
“He was the NABA’s most active boxer for this year,” NABA president George Martinez explained McGuinness’ selection. “He defended his lightweight title twice and then moved down one division and won that title with a good performance. Of all the champions we had this year, Logan was the most impressive.”
The 24-year-old McGuinness (16-0-1, 7 KOs), presently rated No. 9 by the World Boxing Association (“WBA”), relinquished the NABA lightweight crown to fight former world title challenger Benoit Gaudet (24-3, 10 KOs) last month for the vacant NABA super featherweight championship . Logan overcame a deep cut over his left eye from an accidental head-butt in the second round to register a dramatic 11th round knockout.
“Gaudet came to fight me in front of all my fans,” Logan added. “He was nothing but classy, before and after our fight. We have at least 6000 people at my fights (at Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario). It was so loud there that all I could hear was my name being announced. I’m from a small town (Orangeville), which is only 40 minutes north of the venue. The town is very supportive of its athletes.
“I’m excited to see what happens in 2012. I may be fighting March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and that would be a dream come true. I’ve only fought once in America (a six-round draw May 22, 2010 vs. 35-13 Walter Estrada at Mohegan Sun in Conn.) and it wasn’t my best performance. I’ve been waiting to get back to America to fight so fight fans there, especially the Irish, get to see me at my best.”
Hennessy Sports has moved McGuinness very well and now he’s ready to go from promising prospect to legitimate contender. “This is a great honor for Logan and well deserved,” promoter Adam Harris (Hennessy Sports) remarked. “Logan leaves it all in the ring, each and every time he fights, and we hope to land him a world title shot. Fans love watching him fight.”
McGuinness should move up in the next WBA ratings from his present No. 9 position, the highest ranking for any North American super featherweight.
“Now that I’m considered a top 10 fighter for the first time,” McGuinness concluded. “Next year at some point, I hope to be fighting a top 10 opponent and within 1 ½-to-2 years, I should be fighting for the world title.”
Other members of the Hennessy Sports Canada stable include WBC Silver welterweight titlist welterweight Victor Lupo and unbeaten featherweight prospect Tyler Asselstine.
Go on line at www.HennessySports.com for more information about McGuinness or any of Hennessy Sports’ boxers.
Leon ’Solid’ Williams vs. Tony ‘The Conqueror’ Conquest on January 13th
On the 13th January 2012, recently crowned British Cruiserweight champion Leon ’Solid’ Williams will return to York Hall to defend his Lonsdale belt against Southern Area Champion Tony ‘The Conqueror’ Conquest. The fight will headline another action packed card from George and Francis Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and will be live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky 456 & Virgin 546)
The bout marks a return for both men to the venue where they won their titles, Williams strangled the Lonsdale belt from the grasp of longstanding former champion Rob Norton in October whilst Conquest scored a convincing points victory against Toks Owoh to pick up the Vacant Southern Area Championship earlier this month.
Following Norton’s 5 year mainly inactive reign as British champion many had felt that domestic Cruiserweight division had become stagnant, but with Williams capturing the title in a tough points victory, a queue of suitors for the Lonsdale belt has quickly formed, with Romford man Conquest right at the front. Conquest is a man in hurry to make it to the top, recently commenting “It’s always been my dream to get a shot at that Lonsdale belt, now it’s here I’m going to grab it with open arms so I can then look to progress to contention for European honours”.
Champion Williams will have other ideas as he already holds an early stoppage victory over Conquest from their amateur days, he said “Tony came through his fight with Toks really comfortably, but I expected that anyway. But I’m going to present a much different prospect to Toks Owoh, he was an aging former contender whilst I’m a man on the up. I’ll be looking for another early stoppage victory like when I faced him in the amateurs”
George Warren of Queensberry Promotions has been targeting this showdown between the two ambitious Cruiserweights for some time, commenting, “When we made the Norton v. Williams match we knew it wasn’t going to be pretty, that is the sort of fighter Rob Norton is, awkward and spoiling. However having signed two great Cruiserweight prospects that have the potential go beyond domestic level and in light of the fact the division sorely needed to become more active, we made the match with between Norton and Williams as we were confident that Williams could come through and set up this hugely exciting showdown with the Southern Area Champion Tony Conquest.”
An action packed undercard also features on the York Hall bill. Chief support sees Larry Olabamiwo take on former Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion Sam Sexton. For both men it’s last chance saloon to push on with neither able to afford a loss in this make or break clash. Whilst Bradley Skeete, George Jupp, Daryl Williams, Charlie Hoy , John Wayne Hibbert and John Dignum also get the chance to impress the York Hall crowd.
Tickets are priced at £40 and £60 are available from the Queensberry Promotions Box Office on 01992 550 888 or www.frankwarren.tv
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: BRONER vs RODRIGUEZ OFFICIAL WEIGH IN
R & R Promotions
WHAT: Official weigh in for
Home For The Holiday:
BRONER cs RODRIGUEZ
WHEN: Friday, November 25, 2011 3 pm
WHERE: Newport on the Levee Atrium area
Official weigh ins
for
Broner vs Rodriguez
is open to the public