May 14, 2012 – Mexico City.
From the office of WBC President Dr. José Sulaimán:
WBC SUPER WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION STATUS
On July 20, 2011, the WBC ordered a final elimination bout between the #1 and #2 rated boxers, Alfredo Angulo and Vanes Martirosyan. The WBC intended to determine the mandatory contender of the division. Vanes Martirosyan declined to participate in the ordered final elimination fight.
The WBC then sanctioned a semifinal elimination bout between Alfredo Angulo and James Kirkland with the condition that the winner would have to fight Vanes Martirosyan for the official challenger position. Kirkland defeated Angulo and on March 30, 2012, the WBC ordered a final elimination bout between Kirkland and Martirosyan.
When James Kirkland suffered an injury and reported to the WBC that he could not fight Martirosyan, the WBC accepted Erislandy Lara to fight Martirosyan in a final elimination bout. The winner of that fight would become the official challenger to champion Saúl Alvarez.
Carl Moretti of Top Rank Promotions officially communicated to the WBC that Martirosyan declined to fight Lara for the position of mandatory challenger.
The WBC has consistently supported Martirosyan and wishes him the best of luck. The doors of the WBC remain open to Martirosyan for whenever he is ready to continue his career. The WBC pronouncement above is consistent with the WBC Rules, as set forth below.
Rules 3.7 Designation of Mandatory Challengers. The WBC shall always have the discretion to designate a mandatory challenger by:
a) Ordering a final elimination bout of two qualified contenders; or
b) Designating as official mandatory challenger a Qualified Challenger.
For the avoidance of doubt, the highest rated (or the highest rated available) boxer in the WBC rankings is never, solely by virtue of such position, the official mandatory challenger. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, including any communications attributed to the WBC, no boxer shall be considered as or claim any privileges associated with being a mandatory challenger unless
(i) the boxer has been officially designated as such by the WBC Presidency, and
(ii) the WBC Board of Governors has voted to appoint or ratify the designation of such boxer as mandatory challenger.
Sampson Boxing and GCP Present HARD ROCK BOXING on July 6 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Vegas
SAMPSON BOXING AND GREG COHEN PROMOTIONS PRESENT HARD ROCK BOXING
JULY 6 AT HARD ROCK HOTEL AND CASINO IN LAS VEGAS AND LIVE ON
ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS
On Friday, July 6, promoters Sampson Boxing and Greg Cohen Boxing will proudly present “Hard Rock Boxing”, live from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, and televised live on ESPN Friday Night Fights.
In the 10-round featherweight main event, former World Boxing Organization (WBO) Super Flyweight Champion “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona (16-1-1, 13 KOs) will take on the formidable Orlando “El Fenómeno” Cruz (18-2-1, 9 KOs) in a showdown between proven southpaw warriors.
And in the televised co-feature, Russian heavyweight power puncher Magomed “Mago” Abdusalamov (14-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBC United States (USNBC) Silver Heavyweight Championship in a 10-round battle against fellow up-and-coming heavyweight Maurice “Freight Train” Byarm (13-1-1, 9 KOs).
21-year-old Marvin Sonsona is a native of General Santos City, Cotabato del Sur, Philippines. His only career loss was to Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. for the vacant WBO super bantamweight Championship in February 2010.
Sonsona started boxing as an amateur at the age of seven and had 150 amateur fights before turning professional in 2007, just weeks before his 17th birthday.
30-year-old Orlando Cruz hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and represented his homeland at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, as a bantamweight.
Cruz was undefeated at 16-0-1 until losing back-to-back title fights by stoppage to Cornelius Lock and former world champion Daniel Ponce De Leon in 2009/2010. He has rebounded since then to score quality wins over Alejandro Delgado and Michael Franco.
31-year-old Magomed Abdusalamov was born in Makhachkala, Russia, but now lives and trains in Oxnard, California.
Abdusalamov was the 2005 and 2006 Russian Amateur Champion at super heavyweight before turning professional in 2008. He is the current WBC United States (USNBC) Silver Heavyweight Champion, having won the title by TKO 4 over formerly undefeated Jason Pettaway in March.
29-year-old southpaw heavyweight Maurice Byarm lives in Washington, DC, and was born in Philadelphia.
Byarm is the son of Lionel Byarm, a professional fighter who most notably fought the legendary Evander Holyfield on the 1984 US Olympian card. He was undefeated as a professional until his last fight, a decision loss to fellow Philadelphian Bryant Jennings in January of this year.
Headlining the undercard, popular heavyweight and current interim PABA Heavyweight Champion “Bronco” Billy Wright (37-4, 28 KOs) will continue his successful comeback in a six-round bout.
Also scheduled to fight six-round bouts are Las Vegas, via Puerto Rico, super middleweight Carlos De Leon Jr (21-3-2, 14 KOs); Las Vegas via Accra, Ghana, middleweight KO artist Bastie Samir (10-0-1, 10 KOs); and undefeated Las Vegas featherweight Rocco Santomauro (8-0).
Scheduled for a four-rounder is Jackson, Michigan, cruiserweight William “Lil’ Tyson” Williams (5-2-1, 4 KOs).
Orlando Cruz appears courtesy of Tuto Zavala’s All Star Boxing. Marvin Sonsona is co-promoted by Sammy Gello-ani of SGG Sports Promotions of the Philippines.
All undercard opponents are TBA.
Tickets for “Hard Rock Boxing” are priced at $29 general admission, $60 reserved, $100 ringside and $200 VIP and are available at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and through Ticketmaster, either by calling 702-474-4000 or 800-745-3000, or by going online at ticketmaster.com.
On fight night, doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the event starts at 5:30 p.m. All bouts are subject to change.
For updates, visit www.sampsonboxing.com or www.gcpboxing.com.
DOMINIC BREAZEALE, COMPETING IN HIS FIRST EVER INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT, PUNCHES HIS OLYMPIC TICKET BY DEFEATING THE TOP-RANKED BOXERS FROM NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA AT THE 2012 AMERICAS OLYMPIC QUALIFYING EVENT
The Former Division I Quarterback-Turned-Boxer is Only Years Removed From Football
Legendary TV Executive Michael King’s Innovative All-American Heavyweights Developmental Program is Validated With Quarterback Turned Olympian
Los Angeles, CA (May 14, 2012) – With a top finish at the last and biggest Olympic Qualifying Event for the countries from North and South America, in Rio de Janeiro, All-American Heavyweights’ (AAH) fighter, Dominic Breazeale, punched his ticket to London as the U.S. Olympic Boxing representative in the Super-Heavyweight division. The number one-ranked US Amateur Super-Heavyweight, Breazeale defeated the national champions from Venezuela (former Olympian 2008), Brazil (World Military Games Champion), and Puerto Rico (Central American and Caribbean Games Champion), to earn his shot at Olympic glory in London. Breazeale is looking to become the first American Super-Heavyweight to capture the gold medal since the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
The 6-foot-7, 260-pound heavy hitter from Alhambra, California will battle the top amateur boxers from around the globe, only years removed from dodging defensive lineman as quarterback for the University of Northern Colorado. Undoubtedly, the skills and quickness required of Breazeale as a Division 1 Quarterback coupled with the innovative training methodology of All-American Heavyweights, proved invaluable to his rapid development into an elite boxing prospect.
“It’s amazing to think that just years ago, my football dreams were coming to an end, athletics seemed over for me and I was wondering where my life was headed,” said Breazeale. “Then Michael King and All-American Heavyweights saw something in me, gave me an opportunity in boxing, and here I am about to represent my country in London at the Olympic Games.”
King, Founder of All-American Heavyweights, is the legendary television distribution mogul whose company King World, was responsible for Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, and the Oprah Winfrey Show. He spawned the concept of a boxing development program that recruits and develops prospects from the ranks of top college athletic programs. Established in a state-of-the-art boxing facility in Los Angeles, Calif., known as “The Rock,” King developed a program that transforms raw athletic talents into national champions through elite coaching and training, digital technology and superior strength, conditioning and nutrition—this program and the environment of The Rock has succeeded in taking the sport of boxing into the 21st Century. After significant recognition for developing multiple amateur national champions, the National Governing Body for amateur boxing took notice and made The Rock an official team training center with the designation, Home of USA Boxing 2012.
“We have something very special here with Dominic, as well as the other talented fighters in our academy program,” said King, Founder of All-American Heavyweights. “When we recruited him, we knew we were getting a world-class athlete, but you never really know if they have the heart, or the chin, to survive in this sport until they get in the ring. It’s now quite clear that Dominic has all the attributes, both tangible and intangible, necessary for a championship-caliber boxer.”
Despite a relatively short career, Breazeale’s development as a boxer came rapidly, with much of it being credited to the All-American Heavyweights training program and facility. King, along with many coaches, trainers, past and present world champions and media members across the boxing community believe that Breazeale’s success is proof positive the comprehensive approach implemented by All-American Heavyweights is working.
While earning a coveted opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games is certainly what dreams are made of, the ultimate validation of Breazeale’s leap from the gridiron to the ring, as well as King’s gamble on American boxing, won’t come until Breazeale stands victorious at the podium in London while the National Anthem plays.
All-American Heavyweights is a revolutionary boxing program that boasts a state-of-the-art training facility equipped with latest technology, premiere coaching and medical staff, as well as a preeminent chef in charge of all nutrition and dietary needs. The mission of All-American Heavyweights is to produce the highest caliber boxers in the country, both in competition and character.