Saturday 30 June 2012 @ Lion’s Den Fitness Center, Middletown, Connecticut
(Main Event) Rising Super Bantamweight Danny Aquino, Meriden, Connecticut, raised his record to 12-1 (7 KO’s) with a second round technical knockout of Felipe Almanza of Lorica, Columbia. Almanza fell to 19-28-4.
Exciting welterweight Edwin Soto, New Haven, Conn.went to 9-0-2 with a TKO-4 of Kevin Womack Jr., Baltimore, Maryland, now 4-1-0
Super Middleweight Charles Foster, New Haven, Conn. went to 4-0 with a WUD-6 over Steven Tyner, Akron, Ohio, now 3-5-1
Lightweight Oscar Bonilla, New Haven, Conn. moved to 3-0-1 with a SD-4 Jamell Tyson, Rochester, NY, who goes to a deceiving 3-7-2
Super Bantamweight Nate Green, New Haven, Conn. upped his record to 3-0 with a second round TKO of Jesus Gonzales, of Bethleham, Penn., now 0-2
Kieran Farrell wins the inaugural Coldwell Boxing Boxer of the Season award
‘Vicious’ Kieran Farrell thought his season could not get any better after winning the first title of his career, the Central Area lightweight championship, last month. But the Heywood tyro has topped off a superb period by becoming the first recipient of the Coldwell Boxing Boxer of the Season award, as decided by CB’s media department. In claiming the honour, undefeated Farrell, trained by John Breen, beat off stiff competition from, among others, unbeaten welterweight Nav Mansouri, who in sparring Paulie Malignaggi helped prepare the New Yorker for WBA glory before himself walloping brave Darren Graham, and former amateur standout Hosea Burton whose pro career has got off to a flying start with four straight wins.
But Farrell winning a title and in such devastating fashion – knocking out Joe Elfidh with a typically ‘Vicious’ body shot, inflicting a first defeat upon his victim – gave him the edge. “This is mint,” exclaimed Farrell at the commendation. “With fighters like Curtis Woodhouse who was in a great fight recently, and Ryan Rhodes, it’s an honour to win this.
“My season started badly when a fight fell through but once I started with Dave Coldwell he got me two fights straight away, then a place on the biggest British bill of the year – Froch-Bute in Nottingham – then the title fight. I’m over the moon – this accolade has made my season!”
Coldwell Boxing MD Dave Coldwell wholeheartedly endorses the decision and believes Farrell’s success is reflective of a highly impressive season for his entire team. “Our media team picked the winner and I can’t argue with their choice,” said Coldwell. “Farrell’s win over Elfidh in an exciting fight was one of the highlights of the season for me and I’m so pleased to help this kid go from strength to strength. We have high hopes for him here.
“It’s been a great season all-round with eight shows, three sell-outs, plus our debut on Sky and first British title fight on the same night with Tony Bellew beating Danny McIntosh in April. Then we have several prospects who were undefeated over the season, including Nav, Hosea and Matty Clarkson, a raft of promising new signings like Anthony Jevons and some proven performers who we are helping resurrect their careers in David Barnes and Mark Thompson. I think my new signing Liam Conroy is thefind of the season and I’m excited to see his progress. It’s been a great ride and next season will be even better.”
Benchabla honoured to be Algeria’s Olympic flag-bearer
Lausanne, Switzerland, 2 July 2012 – Abdelhafid Benchabla of Astana Arlans, who qualified for the Olympic Games by becoming the World Series of Boxing Individual Champion 2011, was selected by the Algerian Olympic Committee to lead out his nation’s delegation at the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on July 27. He is the first ever boxer from Algeria to have that honour bestowed upon him.
“This appointment encourages me to pay tribute to my country by boxing all the way to a podium finish at the Olympic Games. It is important to note that these Games also coincide with a historic moment for our country, the celebration of the 50th anniversary of independence. Having the opportunity of carrying the flag and representing all the Algerian athletes in London is a true honour, be assured that I will be a worthy defender of these colours which will adorn London’s skies during the Games”, announced Benchabla in a statement.
Azzedine Aggoune, the Algerian national team Head Coach added, “It is clear that Benchabla’s appointment as the flag-bearer of the Algerian delegation at the Olympic Games is a historic moment for Algerian boxer. It is a great honour. The members of the Algerian Olympic Committee who made this decision wanted to show their appreciation and gratitude to boxing. 2011 was a great year for our sport, let us remember that Benchabla won the All Africa Games, the WSB Individual Championships and became the first African and Arab boxer to secure the Olympic quota. Benchabla’s achievement and success was then followed by our other talented boxers as Algeria bagged six further places at the AIBA African Olympic Qualifying Event in Casablanca”.
Benchabla was born in 1986 and will be celebrating his 26th birthday right after the Olympic Games. His first great success was the gold medal during the Algerian Junior National Championships in 2004 and following that he was integrated into the national elite team one year before the Beijing Olympic Games where he made an amazing performance and advanced to the quarter-final stages, just missing out on a medal.
Technically he has developed extremely well in this Olympic era and now boasts an impressive record in international contests. There is a lot of anticipation around his involvement in London with many pundits confident that he will be a real medal contender this year. The lightening-quick Benchabla is already a huge hit in his native Algeria and this assured boxer will surely make his mark in the ring at the ExCeL London during this summer’s Olympic Games. Watch this space.