New Jersey (January 20, 2012) – A date has been set for the highly anticipated WBC world championship fight between, Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan (37-4-1, 27 KOs) and Japan’s undefeated WBC bantamweight champion, Shinsuke Yamanaka (15-0-2, 11 Kos). The showdown will take place on April 6, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan. On the line will be Yamanaka’s World Boxing Council (WBC) Bantamweight title.
Promoter Gary Shaw confirmed, “The date has been agreed upon for April 6. Darchinyan will have to travel into unfamiliar territory and show the world why he’s one of the best fighters walking the earth. Capturing a world title in three divisions will put Vic in the history books as one of the greatest.”
Darchinyan, determined to make history stated, “I’m going seize this opportunity the WBC has given me with everything I got. My heart and soul will be poured into this training camp and I’m going to be in the best shape of my life. My team and I are ready for war! Nothing is going to stop me from bringing home that third world championship.”
Darchinyan’s manager and advisor Elias Nassar went on to say, “I want to thank Gary Shaw for putting this fight together. He works hard behind the scenes and needs to be commended for his efforts. Yamanaka is a young hungry fighter, but I believe Vic’s experience and power will be the keys to him being victorious. I want to also thank the WBC and Team Yamanaka for giving Vic this opportunity. Team Darchinyan is ready to go.”
GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS WINS BIG IN 2011 AWARD SEASON
LOS ANGELES, January 20 – 2011 was another stellar year in the ring for the Golden Boy Promotions team and major media outlets such as ESPN.com, Sports Illustrated.com and RingTV.com, as well as the World Boxing Council (WBC) agreed, bestowing numerous awards to standouts from the best fighter roster in boxing.
To many, the first round of the November 5 battle between James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland and Alfredo “Perro” Angulo wasn’t just the Round of the Year, but the Round of the Decade, as both fighters hit the deck in a period that packed more action into three minutes than most fights see over 12 rounds. ESPN.com, Sports Illustrated.com and RingTV were all in agreement in naming it 2011’s “Round of the Year.”
Another unanimous winner among the three aforementioned media outlets was rising featherweight star Gary Russell Jr., who nabbed “Prospect of the Year” for a 12-month run in which he won all six of his fights in impressive fashion, including victories over Feider Viloria, Eric Estrada, Leonilo Miranda and Heriberto Ruiz. The consensus is that boxing fans should keep a very close eye on Russell Jr. in 2012. Making ESPN.com’s list of 25 prospects to watch were several of Golden Boy Promotions’ top undefeated prospects including lightweight Sharif “The Lion” Bogere, featherweight Randy Caballero, heavyweight Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell, bantamweight Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz and heavyweight Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder.
In the “Comeback of the Year” category, ESPN.com and RingTV.com both celebrated legendary Mexican warrior Erik “El Terrible” Morales, who showed that at age 35, he hasn’t lost a step, as he nearly defeated Marcos “El Chino” Maidana in April in a “Fight of the Year” runner-up battle. The future Hall of Famer secured yet another world title in September with a tenth round stoppage over then undefeated young star Pablo Cesar Cano for the vacant WBC Super Lightweight championship. The win notched Morales a world title in a fourth weight division, making him the first Mexican fighter to accomplish that feat.
When it comes to compelling stories, there was none more so than that of Dewey Bozella, a man wrongfully imprisoned for 26 years and after being freed from incarceration was finally able to pursue his dream of boxing as a professional on October 15, 2011, when the 52-year-old defeated Larry Hopkins via unanimous decision at Los Angeles’ STAPLES Center on the undercard of Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson. Not surprisingly, Bozella earned the nod as ESPN.com’s “Most Inspiring Boxer” of 2011.
Last, but certainly not least, the back-and-forth April 16 battle between welterweights “Vicious” Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto earned the well-deserved distinction as 2011’s “Fight of the Year” from USA Today and RingTV.com. The fight, which featured multiple knockdowns and gritty toe-to-toe action, was so good that the two young stars will do it again in Las Vegas on February 11, 2012 in what could set them up for another shot at “Fight of the Year” honors.
The WBC also gave out year-end honors, which included the awarding of Golden Boy Promotions with the organization’s “Most Active Promoter” award for promoting 11 WBC World Title fights and one elimination fight in 2011. Of course, such an honor is not possible without the efforts of the champions and challengers who helped in delivering some of the most memorable fights of the year in these fights.
Earning the WBC’s nod as 2011 “World Champion of the Year” was Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez, the 21-year-old phenom who won the WBC Super Welterweight World Title in 2011 by defeating “Magic” Matthew Hatton, and then went on to defend it with technical knockout victories over Ryan Rhodes, Alfonso Gomez and Kermit Cintron.
The WBC’s “Fight of the Year” award recognized the aforementioned battle between Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto as the best fight of 2011.
Nordic Fight Night: Viasat agree long-term partnership with Team Sauerland to further boost boxing in Scandinavia
Viasat and Team Sauerland are delighted to announce they have struck a long-term partnership to further boost professional boxing in Scandinavia. The revolutionary project was announced at a big kick-off press conference in Copenhagen on Thursday. In the next five years, TV3 / Viasat (Denmark), TV10 (Sweden) and Viasat Norway will broadcast between five and seven “Nordic Fight Nights” per year, featuring the biggest names and most promising talents in Nordic boxing. The shows will take place in various venues across Denmark. “This is a ground-breaking partnership that will lift Nordic boxing to the highest international level,” Kalle Sauerland said. “Our Nordic stars will compete against world-class opponents on a constant basis. We are very ambitious to bring the biggest events to Denmark. Our star fighters will win a lot of titles for Scandinavia.”
The partnership starts with Rudy Markussen´s (37-2, 24 KOs) world title clash against WBA Interim Super-Middleweight Champion Brian Magee at Copenhagen´s Broendby Hall on February 18. The full card will be announced shortly.
The Nordic Fight Night line-up also features three-time world champion Mikkel Kessler (44-2, 33 KOs), former European Super-Middleweight Champion Mads Larsen (51-3, 38 KOs), Reda Zam Zam (24-1, 11 KOs), IBF Youth Middleweight Champion Patrick Nielsen, (12-0, 6 KOs), his iron-fisted brother Micki Nielsen (2-0, 2 KOs) as well as Danish amateur star Torben Keller (1-0). “Between them they hold a fearsome record of 178 victories, 8 losses and 117 KOs,” promoter Nisse Sauerland said. “They have a KO ratio of almost 66 percent, which is as fascinating as it is intimidating. They will be spreading fear in the international boxing world. Boxing fans will see a lot of exciting fights as we match their stars against the best opponents out there.”
Another integral part of the Nordic Fight Night is WBA/WBC/WBO Female Welterweight Champion Cecilia Braekhus (19-0, 5 KOs), who is a superstar in Norway. She is slated to defend her titles against Anne-Sophie Mathis (26-1, 22 KOs) in March. “This is the biggest fight in female boxing after Mathis’ crushing victory over Holly Holm,” promoter Nisse Sauerland added. “It will be a top attraction for the Nordic Fight Night.”
On Thursday afternoon, Kalle and Nisse Sauerland presented all nine fighters at the Viasat studios in Copenhagen. Here is what they had to say:
Mikkel Kessler: “That is great news for Danish boxing. There is a lot of talent in this country. If you look at the line-up and our records it is clear that there are exciting times ahead. Together we will make Denmark an force in the world of boxing.”
Rudy Markussen: “I will be kicking off the new partnership with a bang on February 18 in front of my home fans at Broendby Hall. Magee´s title is the first to stay in Denmark and it certainly will not be the last looking at the exciting times that lie ahead.”
Mads Larsen: “I am working hard on my comeback. I still have a lot of boxing left in me and I will prove it. It will require hard work and a lot of sweat, but I love being in the gym. I will come back in style.”
Patrick Nielsen: “2011 was fantastic for me. I kept my perfect record, improved as a fighter and on top of that won the IBF Youth Title. The new TV deal means that I can continue where I left it. 2012 will be even bigger, better and more exciting for the Nielsen brothers.”
Micki Nielsen: “It´s an honour to be part of the new concept. I am thrilled to be representing Denmark at the highest international level. I have a KO record of 100 percent and my plan is to keep my record spotless during the Nordic Fight Nights.”
Reda Zam Zam: “Winning my comeback fight after such a long time was one of the sweetest moments of my life. It has made me even more determined. I can´t wait to make up for the time I have lost. I have a fire burning inside me and I can promise my fans exciting fights in 2012.”
Torben Keller: “I am excited to have turned professional. I learn new things every day. The training in Germany is very challenging. Team Sauerland knows how to guide fighters to the top and I am thrilled they believe in me. I will not disappoint them.”
Cecilia Braekhus: “I am ready to take on Anne-Sophie Mathis. That will be the biggest fight in female boxing and certainly the biggest fight of my career. It really fits the Nordic Fight Night concept where the best are fighting the best.”
Erik Skoglund: “This will really boost Swedish boxing. I am thrilled to be a part of the Nordic Fight Nights and I will work hard to be successful every time I step into the ring.”