Chávez Jr. vs. Martinez is set for Sept. 15! Tix on Sale Thursday!; WBC News

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LAS VEGAS, NEV. (July 10, 2012) – Who really deserves to wear the World Middleweight Champion’s crown? Undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion and the Son of the Legend, JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ JR., and SERGIO MARTINEZ, the two-division world champion with matinee idol looks, will settle that question in their long-awaited middleweight battle, Saturday, September 15 – Méxican Independence Day weekend – at the Thomas & Mack Center, located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Chávez Jr. vs. Martinez World Middleweight Championship event will be produced and distributed Live by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, Zanfer Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Wynn Las Vegas, AT&T and Tecate, tickets to the Chávez Jr. vs. Martinez World Middleweight Championship Event will go on sale This Thursday! July 12 at

3:00 p.m. ET / Noon PT. Priced at $600, $400, $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, they can be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center box office and Town Square Las Vegas Concierge. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.unlvtickets.com. To charge by telephone call (702) 739-FANS.

“This is the fight I’ve always wanted,” said Chávez Jr. “Martinez has said a lot of bad things. Let’s see if he wants to go to the center of the ring and fight like a man..”

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to headline a live pay-per-view event in Las Vegas and to be able to take back what is rightfully mine, and that is the WBC middleweight championship belt,” said Martinez. “We have been working very hard with my team through the years for this moment and I will make sure to leave Las Vegas September 15th as the winner. Chavez Jr. has shown some improvement in his last fight, but that will not be enough to defeat me September 15th.”

“This is the big fight that the boxing world has been clamoring for such a long time,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. Julio César Chávez Jr., after his latest victory, is ready to go. He will make all Méxicans proud, just like his father used to do.”

“This is one of the biggest fights that can be made in boxing, between Julio César Chávez Jr., a terrific young champion and the son of a legend, and Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez, one of the great pound-for-pound fighters in the world. This is a fight for both middleweight supremacy and pound-for-pound status,” said Martinez promoter Lou DiBella.

“We are pleased to be part of such a monumental match-up between two talented fighters,” said Alex Pariente, executive vice president of international and domestic marketing for Wynn Las Vegas. “The long-anticipated championship fight between Martinez and Chávez on Mexican Independence Day will add to the celebration of the holiday and the history of the storied middleweight title that includes greats such as Sugar Ray Robinson, Tony Zale, Carlos Monzon and Marvelous Marvin Hagler.”

“Julio César Chávez Jr. versus Sergio Martinez is one of the premier and most anticipated matchups in boxing today,” said Mark Taffet of HBO Pay-Per-View. “It has all the makings of an extraordinary event — major league boxing skill in the ring; a spirited rivalry that has simmered for years; the fast-rising new star versus the elite warrior; enthusiastic fan bases; and a celebration of Mexican Independence Day. It will be an evening that every fight fan will want to experience live on HBO Pay-Per-View.”

Chávez Jr. (46-0-1, 32 KOs), of Culiacán, México, making his first appearance in Las Vegas since 2009, is the son of Mexico’s greatest fighter Julio César Chávez. Chávez, 26, took up the “family business” in 2003, winning a four-round decision in his professional debut. Eight years later, the reigning World Middleweight Champion and superior gate attraction is poised to make his own mark in the boxing world. He took a major step toward that goal by enlisting legendary trainer Freddie Roach to take him to the next level. Their first fight together was a gigantic success, a dominant 12-round unanimous decision victory over top-10 contender John Duddy (29-1, 18 KOs) in June 2010 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. After his January 29, 2011 unanimous decision win over Billy Lyell, Chávez Jr. became the second family member to win a world title, dethroning undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion Sebastian Zbik via a majority decision. That June 4, 2011 slugfest took place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles just a few blocks north of the Olympic Auditorium where the legendary Julio César Chávez won his first world title. Chávez Jr. has successfully defended his title with a fifth-round knockout of Top-Five contender Peter Manfredo, Jr., November 19, 2011, followed by a hard-fought unanimous decision on February 4 over No. 1 contender Marco Antonio Rubio. He enters this fight fresh from one his biggest victories, a seventh-round knockout of No. 2-rated contender Andy Lee on June 16.

Martinez (49-2-2, 28 KOs), of Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a consensus Top-Three pound-for-pound fighter, will be making his first appearance in a Las Vegas ring since 2000. He first made his presence known to the boxing world in 2007 by knocking out Saul Roman in the fourth round of their WBC super welterweight title elimination bout. One year later, Martinez captured the WBC interim super welterweight title with an eighth-round stoppage of Alex Bunema. He was elevated to WBC world super welterweight champion in the latter half of 2009. Martinez captured his second world title in as many divisions, in 2010, moving up in weight to challenge and upset defending middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik. Martinez enters this fight riding a two-year, five-bout winning streak, including knockout victories of Paul Williams, Sergiy Dzinziruk, and Darren Baker. In his last fight, on St. Patricks’ Day at Madison Square Garden, Martinez stopped Matthew Macklin in the 11th round.

The Chávez Jr. vs. Martinez world championship telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #ChavezMartinez to join the conversation on Twitter. For Chávez Jr. vs. Martinez updates log on to www.toprank.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com.

WORLD BOXING COUNCIL NEWS

July 10, 2012 – Mexico City.

From the office of WBC President Dr. José Sulaimán:

The following is one of the weekly “Hook to the Liver” columns by WBC President Dr. José Sulaimán that are published in El Universal every Sunday. From July 8, translated from Spanish:

HOOK TO THE LIVER

By José Sulaimán: The WBC congratulates President elect Enrique Peña Nieto, who won the election with the highest votes ever, as 50 million Mexicans cast votes. The second place was 7 percent below, for Mr. Lopez Obrador. Mexico is in need of strong leadership to overcome the many problems of today in the country. We expect a positive action for sports in Mexico, that has limited its action to selected athletes. Massive sport activity and a sports culture program has been offered by the President Elect. All national boxing got together to extend our congratulations and humble support to President Enrique Peña Nieto.

I would like to express my feelings in regards to judging and round scoring, as I believe that something must be done about it in these times of extreme confusion. The world today is totally different from what it was decades ago. Anything happening anywhere is known in minutes with the development of computers and television. People from all over are flying from continent to continent. The countries of the world stopped being far pieces of land to become the open territories of today. World boxing championships are immediately recognized all over. Boxing Federations from all nations are grouped to work together in boxing for the business of boxers and promoters, as well as for safety. The state boxing commissions of the USA are the exception, as every state has its autonomous and independent commission apart from the other state commissions. Some of them make sure that no one else but

themselves have sole responsibility for boxing events, with title fights or not. Some do cooperate with the WBC, for example, and make things easier and somwhat impartial. There have been major scandals that are blamed on others and less to commissions.

My column does not want to get involved with sports politics. I prefer to oversee what I respectfully believe is needed, just as the WBC has done to change the old boxing, a savage legalized sport, to the more humane boxing of today, with the perseverance and dedication of all the 165 countries that are affiliated to the WBC. They, all together, have joined to reform. Reform has been the name of the game in the WBC. Boxing is a unique sport, different than baseball with runs scored, football with touchdowns, basketball with baskets scored, soccer with goals scored, and so we can go with every sport where mathematics instantly show who is winning and by how much. Even in gymnastics and diving, which are subjective sports as boxing is, the judges announce their scoring after every dive and gymnastic performance. But no, in boxing there are no such ways. There are people living still in the 19th or 20th Century who object to tell athletes and the public how are they doing. Is that right? I personally believe that it is not; leaving scoring in hiding is against fairness. It may wrongly show bias and corruption, when it does not exist. It is terrible against boxers who think that they are winning, when judges have them losing. It does not belong to the 21st Century.

The great problem in boxing today, in addition to leaving the scores in hiding among very few people, are the 10-9 scoring rounds. Some commissions have the unbelievable ruling of NO even rounds, so, even rounds are 10-9. The rounds that are barely in favor of one boxer, almost even, is also 10-9. A slight difference, or a clear difference, an overwhelming difference, or even a real beating, judges also score mostly 10-9 rounds. Well, what is worse? Even with the absurdity of a knockdown, some judges have scored still a 10-9. This is a huge problem in boxing that no one has dared to touch as of today.

The WBC has tried several different approaches through the years. First it was the implementation of the 10-point must system, since back in 1963. Following it was the designation of ring officials guidelines, and the effective aggressiveness principle. Next, it was the organizing multiple clinics in different countries and at all WBC conventions. Following, we came with taking away from referees the responsibility of scoring – before 1975, referees were also one of the three judges. We also emphasized and strongly recommended the scoring of 10-8 rounds on all those that were overwhelmingly one sided, but it has not been followed – most are afraid to do it. I have been informed of a research by friends at HBO about a sensitive coverage on the gloves to detect and transmit the power of punches, and we sympathize with the idea, not as a basis, but yes as a future complement. Those gloves would score all types of rabbit punches, back punches, kidney punches, elbow or arm punches – but what about the clean punches? The Leonard and Holmes excellency in boxing? The excellent boxing not allowing the puncher to punch, or the puncher not allowing the boxer to box?

Boxing is today very far away from most developments of the 21st Century. Specifically, we have left computers back at home or the office. Everything today is with computers – my eight year-old grandchild is a master of the iPad !! Practically all done today is by computers, but not in boxing – we are still living in the 19th or 20th Century. It is because of all of the above that I have been studying, since two to three years ago with a computer specialist, a device for judges in coordination with one main

computer. It will be taken to the WBC 50th Anniversary Convention in Cancun for demonstration. The key being the taking away from judges any mathematics. Leave that to the computer. The judges are still extremely important, and the only representatives of justice in the whole arena. I deeply respect and support them. But I would like them only to tell me via the judges’ device, how did he see the round? Did anyone win by a hair, slightly, clear, overwhelmingly, or by a beating? Let judges tell us how they saw a round and let the computers make the calculations – that is why they were invented. The 10-point system will continue by the computers.

Thank you for reading my ideas and thoughts.

Friday Night Fights to feature female title bout in main event Aug. 31 at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino

DOVER, Del. — Dover Downs Hotel & Casino announces the next Friday Night Fights series event will take place on Aug. 31 in the Rollins Center arena. Tickets are available now at $40 – $200 and may be purchased by calling VIP Services at 800-711-5882 or visiting doverdowns.com.

Headlining the event will be female champion “Queen” Ronica Jeffrey for the World Boxing Council Silver Super Featherweight Title. Her opponent will be named at a later date. This is the first time that Dover Downs Hotel & Casino has featured a female title bout as the main event.

“We felt the time was right to feature Ronica Jeffrey in the main event because of her enormous following and popularity at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino,” said Ed Sutor, president and CEO. “Not only is she a former Golden Gloves champion, but she has also earned her pro accolades by winning two professional titles in the Rollins Center.”

The night’s under card includes Omar “Super O” Douglas, “Mighty” Mike Tiberi, John “Church Boy” Bowman, Lamont “The Problem Solver” Singletary, Dennis “The Assassin” Hasson and “The Bull” Anthony “Caputo” Smith.

The first bout will begin at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Will call will be open from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Visit doverdowns.com for updates. Event, times and card are subject to change or cancellation without notice.