Studio Interview with Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez
Former interim Lightweight titlist Michael Katsidis “The Great” (28-5, 23 KOs) and Albert “Tornado” Mensah (19-3-1, 7 KOs) will meet in the 10-round Junior Welterweight main event on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra on April 13. Friday’s show will air at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN3 from Las Vegas. The card is presented by Millennium Events.
On ESPN2 HD and ESPN3, Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino describing the action. On ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights), Alex Pombo and Delvin Rodriguez will call the fights with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega in the studio.
ESPN Deportes will feature a studio interview with The Ring Middleweight Champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez. Martinez will discuss his career and his hopes to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. this year to reclaim Chavez Jr.’s championship belt.
Main Event:
Katsidis of Calif., enters Friday’s fight having fought current and former titlists Joel Casamayor, Juan Diaz, Juan Manuel Marquez, Robert Guerrero, and Ricky Burns. Three of Katsidis’ last five wins were against former Lightweight titlist Jesus Chavez, and contenders Kevin Mitchell and Vicente Escobedo.
“I’m going to prepare with everything I know,” Katsidis said of Friday’s fight. “I’m preparing myself in the best way mentally and physically for this fight.”
Chicago’s Mensah, is coming off a 12-round decision win over Andres Gorges. Mensah’s trainer Joseph Awinongya said, “Albert’s style is similar to Katsidis,’ but Katsidis can’t match him for strength and power. Albert’s style – every punch he throws, it means something. He doesn’t waste his punches.”
Tessitore:
“Michael Katsidis is the type of fighter that I often talk about when discussing what boxing needs to serve its fans. Although he has taken losses, mostly against high level competition, he always delivers and I cannot wait to see what he delivers this Friday night against a tough opponent who has a lot to prove.”
Co-Feature:
Friday’s co-feature will pit California Welterweights Artemio “The King” Reyes (15-1, 12 KOs), against Alan “El Pugas” Sanchez (9-2-1, 3 KOs). Reyes is coming off a first-round knockout win over Victor Correa, while Sanchez is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision win over Albert Herrera.
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LIVERPOOL GOES SIX MAD
PROMOTER Frank Maloney will stage SIX title fights when his promotional show gallops into Liverpool’s Aintree racecourse next month.
This incredible night of boxing takes place on Saturday May 19 at the home of this weekend’s Grand National and will feature Merseyside’s best boxers.
Heading the talent stacked card is the world’s top heavyweight prospect David Price (12-0) who meets Norwich’s Sam Sexton (15-2) for the vacant British and Commonwealth titles.
In the chief supporting bout Steve Williams (12-1) hopes his hometown fans will roar him on to victory when challenges for Londoner Ashley Theophane’s (31-4-1) British light-welterweight title.
A special attraction on Maloney’s night of fighting mayhem sees his new signing Adil Anwar (16-1) meet Lenny Daws (23-2-2) in a final eliminator for Theophane’s crown.
The vacant English 10st crown will also be on the line when Leeds’s Anwar who recently won a Prizefighter tournament faces Morden’s former British king.
There is a Liverpool derby when John Donnelly (13-2) risks his English super-flyweight title in a rematch against Mike Robinson (5-4-3).
The pair waged a ten round war last month, when Donnelly won a narrow unanimous decision.
There is more local pride at stake when former British flyweight champion Paul Edwards (9-1) and Kevin Satchell (7-0) square off over ten rounds for the vacant English crown.
In the sixth championship battle Maloney’s Geordie knockout artist Travis Dickinson (12-0) challenges Leeds southpaw Bob Ajisafe (9-2) for the English light-heavyweight crown.
The show will be televised live by Sky Sports and Maloney will also feature more upcoming prospects in competitive undercard bouts.
Tickets at this prestigious venue are selling fast. The are some available priced at £95 (ringside), £75 (main floor) and £55 (floor) from www.frankmaloney.com/www.ticketmaster.com/
Jhonson/Hernandez Set to Headline ShoBox-Televised Shootout at Texas Station in Las Vegas
On Friday, May 11, at the Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel in Las Vegas, Cuba’s Yudel Jhonson (12-0, 8 KOs) will face Freddy “The Rail” Hernandez (30-2, 20 KOs) from Mexico in the 10-round light middleweight main event of a ShoBox: The New Generation televised boxing event entitled “Shootout at Texas Station”, being presented by Warriors Boxing.
Also scheduled for televised appearances that night will be Cuban super featherweight prospect Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (15-0, 11 KOs), who will face Mexico’s Aalan Martinez (12-1-1, 8 KOs) in the eight-round televised opener, plus an eight-round super middleweight battle between Colombia’s undefeated Alexander Brand (17-0, 15 KOs) and Sweden’s undefeated Badou Jack “The Ripper” (10-0, 8 KOs).
Cuban 2004 Olympic silver medalist Yudel Jhonson has had a successful pro career thus far. The 30-year-old southpaw won the vacant WBC FECARBOX light middleweight title in March of last year via TKO 7 over the normally durable Richard Gutierrez and has already successfully defended it once against contender Jose Miguel Torres (UD 10). Jhonson now makes his home in Miami, Florida.
33-year-old Mexico City native Freddy Hernandez has scored victories over several former world champions and top contenders, including Ben Tackie, DeMarcus Corley, Mike Anchondo and, most recently, Luis Collazo. He has lost only once in the last seven years and that to formidable world champion Andre Berto.
Undefeated super middleweight Badou Jack didn’t start boxing until his late teens, but the Swedish/Gambian fought his way to the 2008 Olympics and was a six-time Swedish National Champion who went 122-28 as an amateur. Tall for a super middleweight, 28-year-old Jack works the body with gusto and has shown excellent punching power. Jack was recently named to ESPN Columnist Dan Rafael’s Super 25 list of the best prospects of 2011.
Undefeated 35-year-old Bogota, Colombian, native Alexander Brand comes into the fight with Jack as something of an unknown commodity outside of Columbia, where he had an outstanding amateur career. He has left his native Colombia twice in his professional career that began in 2009, and fought only once in the United States. With an 88% knockout percentage, Brand has also shown excellent punching power.
As the saying goes, someone’s 0 must go in this matchup.
Cuban power-punching sensation Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy is coming off the biggest victory of his young career. Last February, in front of a national television audience, Barthelemy took on fellow undefeated fighter Hylon Williams Jr. and jumped into the mix as a world contender by dominating Williams via eight-round unanimous decision. As has been the case with all his opponents, Barthelemy was too big and strong for Williams. 25-year-old Barthelemy stands an amazing 5′ 11″ for his 130-lb weight class, and towers over his opponents.
28-year-old Aalan Martinez is a native of Michoacán de Ocampo, Mexico. Durable and fearless, the southpaw slugger has beaten all but one of his opponents, coming up short in an excellent, competitive matchup against highly touted Evgeny Gradovich last April.
Popular Las Vegas prospect Jesus Gutierrez (3-0, 1 KO) will appear on the undercard in a four-rounder against an opponent that is TBA.
The rest of the night’s undercard will be announced shortly.
“The last show we did, here at Texas Station, was a tremendous success, so we’re coming back with an even bigger event this time,” said Warriors Boxing President, Leon Margules. “The people here are terrific to work with and the crowd was appreciative and knowledgeable. We’re extremely happy to be returning with a world-class event of this caliber.”
Tickets for “Shootout at Texas Station” will be available soon, priced at $27 and $52 and are available at Ticketmaster, any Texas Station rewards center or at SCLV.COM/CONCERTS. A few VIP seats are available at a price of $102 can be purchased by calling (954) 985-1155.
On fight night, doors open at 6:30 and the action starts at 7:00 pm.
Station Bucks may be used to purchase tickets. All ages welcome. Under 21 must be accompanied by an adult 21 or over. Show subject to change without notice. Management reserves all rights. Digital Photography and video prohibited. Tickets can be purchased at any Station Casinos Boarding Pass Rewards Center, The Fiesta’s, by logging onto stationcasinos.com/concerts or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel is located at 2101 Texas Star Lane in North Las Vegas. Telephone: (702) 631-1000 or (800) 654-8888.