Lake Tahoe/San Jose, Calif. (July 16, 2012) – As training camp winds down, take a look into the training camps of former Three-Time World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (29-1-1, 18 KO’s) and undefeated WBC Silver Welterweight Champion Selcuk “Mini Tyson” Aydin (23-0, 17 KO’s) as they prepare for their July 28 world title clash at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. which will be televised live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). Guerrero has settled into training camp in the beautiful Lake Tahoe mountains where California meets Nevada at a high elevation; while Aydin moved his training from Stuttgart, Germany to San Jose to finish preparation for July 28.
GUERRERO: CALIFORNIA LIVING IN LAKE TAHOE MOUNTAINS
A former three-division world champion, the talented Guerrero is ready for the difficult challenge of moving up in weight to face number one rated WBC welterweight contender Aydin in hopes of winning a world championship in a fourth weight class.
“It’s been a grueling training camp since I arrived four weeks ago,” said Guerrero. “There’s no cable TV, no busy streets, nothing, just a whole lot of forest and mountains.”
Guerrero continued, “I get up at 5:00 a.m. every morning to start my road work. I follow that by a hard workout in the middle of the day, then end with push-ups and sit-ups at night. I’m getting the proper sparring and amount of rounds to get me ready for Aydin, who I know is coming to rip my head off. I’m expecting a rough, rugged fight and the fans will not want to miss it, I can guarantee that!”
When asked about Aydin and his come-forward style, Guerrero said, “My team and I have been studying all of Aydin’s fights and we know where we can take advantage of his flaws. Aydin is very strong and puts a tremendous amount of pressure on all of his opponents. I can see why he’s been avoided, but I’m ready to take him on even though nobody else wants to.”
Guerrero’s father, Ruben Guerrero, who also is his trainer, said, “Robert is looking sharp and I’m confident we will win this fight. We’ve been studying Aydin and we have the perfect game plans for him. I know my son is hungry to take care of his family and believe me; he’s going to leave it all in the ring on fight night. This training camp has been very productive.”
“I can see Robert’s body getting stronger and stronger as each day goes by,” manager and nutritionist Bob Santos said. “I think people will be surprised at how Robert’s body will look on fight night. We took this risky fight because we believe Robert is on the level of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. A win against Aydin puts us in a wonderful position to challenge the best fighters in boxing.”
Guerrero went on to say, “I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for getting me to this point in my career. I have tremendous support from my wife Casey, who’s been through a lot. I also want to say that no man in boxing is hungrier than I am. On July 28, everyone is going to see a man that will be fighting to take care of his family, a wife who has battled cancer and is now healthy, a tremendous team who’s stuck by my side through thick and thin and a hometown crowd that will be cheering for me to bring it home. Aydin is going to give it absolutely everything he has, just like me, so this fight will most likely be a ‘Fight Of The Year’ type fight, because neither of us is going to back down. Everyone is in for a treat when we battle at HP Pavilion on SHOWTIME!”
AYDIN: FROM GERMANY TO CALIFORNIA
The offensive-minded, hard-hitting Aydin, who hails from Trabzon, Turkey, has been the WBC’s number one rated welterweight contender and mandatory challenger for the 147-pound title for almost three years and is eager to showcase his skills and ability to fans and experts all over the world.
“This is the big chance and the big fight I have been waiting and working for,” Aydin said. “I will not let this opportunity pass. I give my respect to Robert Guerrero for fighting me when so many other so-called champions have ducked me for years. Unfortunately, Guerrero will find out the hard way why nobody wants to fight me. I will walk right through “The Ghost” and take the belt back home to Turkey! “
To achieve a lifelong goal, Aydin and his team left nothing to chance. The former European champion started training on May 1 in Stuttgart, Germany and moved his training camp to San Jose, Calif., on July 1. He’ll spend the last couple weeks winding down his preparation while continuing to acclimate himself.
“When we have to go to the lion’s den, we go all the way, ” Aydin’s promoter Ahmet Oner said. “By coming to San Jose so early, Selcuk wanted to make a statement and show everybody that he is not afraid of Guerrero’s hometown advantage. Of course, we know that it is always tough to win in your opponent’s backyard, but Selcuk is a true warrior. It doesn’t matter where he’s fighting, he is always ready for war. “
“Moving training camp from Germany to the United States had different benefits for us, ” Aydin’s head coach Conny Mittermeier said. “Of course, we wanted to get adjusted to the time difference and the weather conditions over here, but it’s also easier to find high-quality sparring partners in the United States than it is in Europe. Especially when you’re looking for slick, fast welterweight southpaws.”
Aydin has already completed more than 50 rounds of sparring and will end up having done about 100 rounds before wrapping up training camp.
“I had no problems adjusting to everything here in California,” Aydin said. “I have trained and fought in the United States before and it feels natural to be here. Boxing is an international sport and the United States is the place to be for big fights and big money. Of course, Turkey is my home country and Trabzon is my hometown, which I am very proud of, but I am also happy and proud to be here. Not many fighters get the chance to prove themselves on the big stage and I thank everybody for giving me this opportunity.”
“Thanks to our wonderful hosts at San Jose Boxing & Fitness,” added Mittermeier. “We’ve had ideal conditions for our training. The sparring partners are doing a great job. We have some guys over here who worked with Miguel Cotto for his fight against Floyd Mayweather and with Timothy Bradley for when he prepared for Manny Pacquiao. It doesn’t get much better than this. Selcuk is in great shape. Sometimes I have to stop him a little to make sure that he doesn’t tear somebody’s head off. I have never seen him as focused and as fired up for a fight.”
“The Thunderstorm from the Black Sea” (“Karadeniz Firtinasi”), as Selcuk is called in his hometown of Trabzon, knows that it could be difficult to win a decision.
“I am not planning to leave the decision to the judges,” Aydin said. “I didn’t come to California to outbox or outscore Guerrero. I am on a very simple mission…seek and destroy! Every other day I read somewhere that Guerrero is dreaming of fights against Mayweather and Pacquiao. He can dream whatever he wants when I put him to sleep. ‘The Ghost’ has no idea what’s coming to him. He may have been featherweight and junior lightweight champion, but now he’s playing with the big boys. The first time I hit him, he will regret moving up in weight and accepting to fight me.”
BRITISH LONDON 2012 BOXER NICOLA ADAMS UNVEILS PLAQUE IN RECOGNITION OF THE COACH WHO LAUNCHED HER CAREER
BRITISH LONDON 2012 BOXER NICOLA ADAMS UNVEILS PLAQUE IN RECOGNITION OF THE COACH WHO LAUNCHED HER CAREER.
Nicola Adams urges Yorkshire’s communities to ‘Join In’ at their local sports clubs.
The Leeds-born Olympic hopeful was in Bradford at Huggy’s Amateur Boxing Club to honour Alwyn Belcher, the coach who has set her on the path to Olympic glory.
Belcher, who in a distinguished career also worked with Amir Khan and Prince Naseem Hamed has been training Adams since she was fifteen.
The event was organized by ‘Join In Local Sport’ whose aim is to bring the Games back to local communities with a big weekend of sports events across the UK on the 18th / 19th August – the first weekend after the Olympics and before the Paralympics.
Local sports clubs will be able to take advantage of this unique moment, creating a shop window within their community for people inspired by the Games to help out, give time, support, watch or play sport.
Nicola Adams (London 2012 Team GB Boxer, 51kg division) said:
“It’s great to be able to support the Join In Local Sport project in this way. Whether it’s boxing or any other sport the Join In weekend on the 18th and 19th of August is a great opportunity to get down your local club and try something new. Volunteers and coaches like Alwyn do amazing work and it’s right that he is being recognised in this way – because of him I am going to the Olympics”
Alwyn Belcher (Coach to Nicola Adams) said:
“I travel from Sheffield to train boxers of all abilities at Huggy’s Gym – that’s how much I love it here so it’s great to be recognised like this. Nicky is a fantastic fighter and in the early days it was actually her passion, enthusiasm and talent that changed my views on women’s boxing. I’m predicting gold for her this summer… only gold!”
Huggy Osman (Owner of Huggy’s Gym) said:
“The Join In project is brilliant and we’re really pleased they’ve decided to bring it to our gym. We’ll be getting involved on the 18th and 19th of August with an open training weekend, so if you’re near Bradford and have ever fancied trying boxing then come along and give it a go. We’re a friendly and inclusive gym and who knows… you could be the next Olympian.”
Rashid Mahmood (Star of reality TV documentary ‘Make Bradford British’) said:
“I train at Huggy’s Amateur Boxing Club and I love it. Clubs like this have a vital role to play in the community. They promote healthy, active living and can keep kids off the streets. This gym is used by all sections of the community and helps bring people together. For the guys that train here to have an Olympic role model to look up to is so inspiring.”
Seb Coe, Chair of London 2012, said:
“We are really happy to support the ‘Join In’ project, it is a great idea that means that thousands of people across the UK can turn up and take part in local sports just after the Olympic Games finishes.
Millions will be inspired by what they witness over the summer and I hope this creates opportunities in every community for people to join in their local sports clubs.”
Phil Smith, Director of Sport, Sport England, said:
“The ‘Join In Weekend’ is a great opportunity for sports clubs to showcase their work and get new people involved in all aspects of their activities. ‘Join in’ will give clubs a great platform to harness people’s enthusiasm for sport during a home Games.”
Evaldas Petrauskas, Lithuania’s secret weapon
Lausanne, Switzerland, 16 July 2012 – The rising power that is Lithuania has produced some fine boxers in recent times, with these having put in some same amazing performances in this last Olympic era. Two qualified for the London 2012 Olympic Games, Evaldas Petrauskas and Egidijus Kavaliauskas after both took part in the AIBA Road to Dream program.
Evaldas Petrauskas, born in Vilnius in 1992, started his boxing career at the tender age of nine. His coach, Vladimiras Bajevas, his best friend, who has trained other top athletes, including 19-year-old Youth Olympic Games winner Ricardas Kuncaitis, has helped Petrauskas develop into a fearsome competitor.
Lithuania has also had a great boxing tradition with Danas Pozniakas claiming the gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico. Since 1991 however, the country has not seen any Olympic medal hopefuls but with Petrauskas and Kavaliauskas both travelling to the British capital, this could be the year it all changes.
2006 was the breakthrough year for Petrauskas, who showcased his excellent skills by taking a valuable bronze medal at the annual European Schoolboys Championships in Nikolayev, Ukraine, before going up a weight class and winning silver at the European Cadet Championships in Siofok, Hungary.
In the European Junior Championships in Bulgaria, the Lithuanian triumphed over his main rivals and won his first European title. He then continued his winning ways by taking the title at the 2009 European Youth Championships in Szczecin, Poland. During the 2010 AIBA Youth World World Championships, he was finally defeated by India’s Vikas Krishan in the final but that silver medal in Baku saw him qualify for the first edition of the Youth Olympic Games which were held in Singapore.
At the Youth Olympic Games, in the semi-finals, in his re-match with the Indian boxer, Petrauskas put in a better performance and found his range to triumph over Krishan. In the final contest he was too strong for Australia’s Brette Mather and claimed Lithuania’s first gold medal in Singapore and shortly afterwards Kuncaitis followed suit and secured the second gold for the Baltic country. Moving up to the elite level, Petrauskas claimed the Olympic quota place at the AIBA European Olympic Qualifying Event Trabzon 2012 by taking the Lightweight title.
Petrauskas and compatriot Egidijus Kavaliauskas, the welterweight No. 1, are now currently training as part of the AIBA Road to London part II initiative. There are high hopes now that after Kavaliauskas’s bronze in the Azeri capital last year after having prepared with the Road to Baku program, that these two immensely talented fighters can use the camp as a spring board to ultimate glory.