NEW YORK, NEW YORK (January 5, 2012) Former Olympian and middleweight contender Giovanni “EL CHINGO MALO” Lorenzo is on the prowl in the New Year as he looks to the biggest fights in 2012.
“I’m ready for a huge 2012. I’ve fought the best at Middleweight, traveled all over Europe to face them in their hometowns, France, twice to Germany. I’ll go anywhere to fight but would love to fight in New York City. I’m 31-1 outside of Europe,” said Lorenzo, best known for his aggressive, fan friendly style. ‘I’m ready to get back to what I do best, knockout my opponents in spectacular fashion.”
This past April 2nd, the 31-year-old Lorenzo, sporting a record of 31-4-0 (23KO’s), traveled to Alpes-Maritimes, France to face hometown favorite Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam for the Interim WBA World Middleweight Title.
Despite dominating most of the fight, dropping N’Jikam in the fifth and finishing with a major advantage in CompuBox numbers, Lorenzo came out on the losing end of a highly controversial unanimous decision.
The heavy handed Lorenzo, a native of the Dominican Republic now trains and resides in the Bronx, New York, also showed his willingness to fight anyone, anywhere by traveling to Cologne, Germany in September 2010 to challenge World Boxing Association (WBA) Middleweight Super World Champion Felix Strum.
Again Lorenzo was the aggressor for the duration of the fight but after twelve rounds, Sturm was awarded an unpopular twelve round unanimous decision.
Since the N’Jikam bout Lorenzo has stayed busy with two more starts in 2011, both resulting in early knockout victories.
On May 30th, Lorenzo traveled to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic where he stopped Jaison Palomeque in the third round. He followed that with a first round knockout of Jeremy Felton on October 1st in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Among Lorenzo’s numerous televised appearances in the United States was a one-punch highlight reel stoppage of Dionisio Miranda on February 27, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. The IBF World Middleweight Title Eliminator was broadcast on SHOWTIME.
Prior to the Miranda knockout, Lorenzo was also seen on SHOWTIME on June 21, 2008, battling former world champion Raul Marquez in a very hotly contested twelve round clash in Hollywood, Florida, decided for Marquez by one point on all three judges scorecards. The deciding point was deducted from Lorenzo’s ledger in the 10th round as a result of an accidental head butt.
Lorenzo is now ready for anyone at 160 lbs. “I’ve fought the best in Europe right in their backyards. I want a big fight here in America, my new home, so I can have my fans support me and not have to worry about getting robbed by the European judges. I’m ready for anybody, bring it on!”
A Quiet Storm brews in Philly!!!
By Kurt Wolfheimer: Greg Robinson’s Power Productions is set to bring a boxing spectacular to the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, PA on Friday night the 13th of January, featuring the return of the former NABF champion Farah “The Quiet Storm” Ennis (17-1, 11KO’s) against the always dangerous Grover Young (5-4-1, 1KO). The co-feature of the evening is a highly competitive lightweight clash as Angel Ocasio (6-0,1KO) battles it out with Camden, New Jersey’s Jason Sosa (4-1-1, 1KO).
Ennis is a hot Philly prospect who has become known for his pinpoint accuracy and explosive combinations which led him up the path to the NABF super middleweight title before his shocking upset at the hands of Alexander “The Great” Johnson. After the surprising loss Ennis took some time off and is now rejuvenated and ready for another run at a world title.
The comeback begins on Friday night at the National Guard Armory. Standing in his way is Grover Young, who sports a less than spectacular record of 5-4-1, 2KO. Sometimes records can be deceiving and this looks to be one of them. The last four opponents that have faced Young are a combined 30-0 at the time he stepped into the ring with him. Two of four defeats came by razor thin majority decision losses to those undefeated fighters, so Ennis will have to be on his “A” game in the eight round main event of the evening.
The co-feature will be a six round war featuring two up and coming lightweight prospects as Philly’s Angel Ocasio (6-0, 1KO) squares off against Camden New Jersey’s Jason Sosa (4-1-1, 1KO).
Ocasio has carved out a niche as one of Philly’s most popular fighters with his serious boxing arsenal and counter punching abilities. His raucous fan base has grown due to his give and take style, which has led to most of his fights being selected the fight of the night or him being the fighter of the night. Under the MAK Boxing Management banner, Ocasio has quickly honed his skills as a professional, fighting various styles of fighters. Friday night will be by far the biggest test of his young career in Jason Sosa.
The Camden, New Jersey native, has faced and defeated some tough competition including the likes of Jose “Prime time” Ortiz, “Pretty Boy” Clinton Douglass, and Anthony Allen. Sosa will not back down and his willing to stand and trade style should make this a fight highly entertaining, which will surely leave the fans satisfied.
Also on the card is the homecoming of former two time top ranked US Amateur and rising Philly bantamweight sensation Miguel “No fear” Cartagena (3-0, 2KO’s). The lightning quick North Philadelphian will face six fight Cuban veteran Yuniel Ramos in a six round contest. Cartagena at just 3-0 has tested his mettle been on the big stage, winning convincingly on the undercards of Gamboa-Solis and Gamboa-Ponce de Leon.
Another interesting lightweight contest is on the card as fellow Philadelphians, Tim Witherspoon Jr (6-1-1, 2KO’s) and Tevin Farmer (3-2-1, 1KO) square off over six rounds for the vacant IBS National lightweight title.
The rest of the undercard is loaded with local and regional prospects in four round contests.
Carteret, New Jersey heavyweight slugger John Lennox will duke it out with Baltimore, Maryland’s Riley Brooks (1-2-1).
Atlantic City cruiserweight Jaywon Woods (8-1-1, 5KO’s), the son of former heavyweight contender Darrol Wilson will look to shake off eighteen months of ring rust against Rayshawn Myers (4-11, 3KO’s)
Highly talented Philly heavyweight prospect Joey Dawejko (5-0, 2KO’s) has recently been added and will face Corey Winfield (4-8, 2KO’s).
Newark, New Jersey’s super middleweight John Thompson (3-0, 1KO) will battle it out with Kinston North Carolina’s Aaron Williams (0-2).
Undefeated Virginian featherweight Jerren Cochran will face the always deadly opponent to be announced.
Philly super middleweight scrapper, Brian “Wildman” Donahue (1-1) is ready to step back into the ring for the first time in almost six years against Randy “The Rattler” Campbell (3-8, 2KO’s).
Local light heavyweight Todd Unthankmay looks win his second as a pro when he faces Phillip Hannah (0-6).
Tickets are priced at $60 Ringside, $50 Floor and $40 General Admission.
Doors open at 6:30
First bout at 7:30
STACKED UNDERCARD FOR “KO AT THE TU”
BRONX, NEW YORK (January 10, 2012) A sensational undercard is being compiled by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing for their upcoming event, “KO AT THE TU” on Saturday, February 4th at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York.
World class prospects in the bantamweight division will clash in a scheduled ten rounder as undefeated Russian standout Sahib Usarov challenges Yan Barthelemy of Cuba.
The 28-year-old Usarov, sporting a record of 17-0 (6KO’s) is currently world ranked #10 by the World Boxing Organization and is the reigning WBO European Bantamweight Champion.
Making his debut in the United States at “KO AT THE TU”, the southpaw Usarov is coming off a dominant unanimous decision win over Yuriy Voronin on December 17th in Kiev, Ukraine.
Barthelemey, a Gold Medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, currently resides in Miami, Florida. In his last outing, broadcast on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights, the southpaw improved to 12-2 (4KO’s) with a brilliant performance winning a ten round decision over Francis Ruiz on March 18, 2011 in Hollywood, Florida.
Also added to the undercard of “KO AT THE TU” is a scheduled eight round super middleweight battle featuring undefeated Jason “Monstruo” Escalera of Union City, New Jersey and Marcus Brooks of Atlanta, Georgia.
The heavy-handed Escalera has become one of the New York/New Jersey area’s most popular fighters since turning professional four years ago. Known for his show-stopping knockouts, Escalera carries a record of 12-0 (11KO’s), his last five fights ending by knockout within the first three rounds.
In his last start on October 22, 2011, Escalera scored a second round stoppage of Mickey Scarborough at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The knockout, coming from a barrage of power shots, was shown LIVE across North America on Azteca Television’s “Boxeo Azteca”.
Brooks, a native of the boxing rich country of Puerto Rico, now resides in Atlanta, Georgia, carries a record of 7-8 (3KO’s), and has battled numerous undefeated prospects including Vanes Martirosyan, Brad Solomon and Andy Mejias. Brooks has never been stopped in his career
Already announced in the main event at “KO AT THE TU” is a heavyweight showdown between defending IBA Champion Joe “The Future” Hanks of Newark, New Jersey and monstrous Cuban Rafael Pedro.
The previously announced cruiserweight bout between David Telesco and Vincent Miranda has been postponed due to a training injury suffered by Miranda.
Additional bouts and much more information on “KO AT THE TU” will be announced in the coming days.
Tickets, priced at $30, $40, $50 and $75, are available through Ticketmaster, (www.Ticketmaster.com) 800-745-3000 or at the Times Union Center Box Office, (www.timesunioncenter-albany.com) and at all local Wal-Mart Music Centers. Tickets are also available by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000 or on (www.starboxing.com)
The Times Union Center is location at 51 South Pearl Street in Albany, New York, 12207.
For more information call Star Boxing 718 823-2000 or email to: pr@starboxing.com