Edwin Rodriguez battles Jason Escalera on September 29th; Lee-Seever on August 4th

New York, NY (7/30/ 12) – On September 29, at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Worcester’s favorite son Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KO’s) will headline a special edition HBO “Boxing After Dark” Triple-Header when he takes on Union City, New Jersey’s Jason Escalera (13-0-1, 12 KO’s). At stake for Rodriguez against the heavy-handed Escalera is not only his undefeated record but also his standing in the world ratings. Rodriguez is currently rated #3 by the IBF, #4 by the WBC, and #8 by the WBA, at super middleweight. An impressive victory on September 29 will move him a giant step closer to a world championship opportunity. HBO will begin live coverage of the event at 9:30 PM ET/PT.

While his upcoming bout will certainly be one of the most significant dates in his professional boxing career, the date of September 29 has for some time now been a very significant day in the life of Rodriguez.

On September 29, 2006, Rodriguez’ future wife Stephanie gave birth to the couple’s twins, Edwin Jr. and Serena. The children were born nearly four months premature, weighing just over one pound each. What ensued was a 122-day stay for the twins at the UMass Memorial Medical Center neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Worcester where doctors struggled day in and day out to keep the twins alive.

Below is a link to the inspiring story written about the twins by Edwin’s father in law, Richard Herrick, Professor of Chemistry and Edward A. O’Rorke Professor in the Liberal Arts at Holy Cross. After reading one can better understand why no matter what Rodriguez accomplishes in his professional boxing career, the undefeated super middleweight contender continuously states that “Our twins are the true champions.”

http://magazine.holycross.edu/issue_46_3/46_3_herrick?page=1

Tickets can be purchased through the Foxwoods MGM Grand box office by calling 1 (800) 200-2882. Tickets are priced at $45, $75, $100 and $200.

Prospect O’Connor getting kick out of career changes

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (July 30, 2012) – Hot light welterweight prospect Danny O’Connor (17-1, 5 KOs) will make history Sunday evening, August 12 when he headlines the first professional boxing event at famed Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

Gillette Stadium is home to the three-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots and Major League Soccer (MLS) power New England Revolution, which is presenting this special boxing event, in association with DiBella Entertainment.

The 27-year-old O’Connor, fighting out of nearby Framingham, is a former two-time national amateur champion, as well as an alternate for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. The crafty southpaw is slated to take on 23-fight veteran James Ventry in the eight-round main event on Aug. 12.

An MLS game between the New England Revolution and Montreal Impact, starting at 7:00 p.m. / ET, will be followed by a three-fight pro boxing card, headlined by O’Connor vs. Ventry, immediately after the conclusion of the soccer game at approximately 9 p.m. / ET. The ring will be set-up in the end zone behind the Revolution’s goal.

“I’m a big New England Revolution fan and since the first second I met everyone involved in The Revs organization,” O’Connor said from his training camp in Houston, “staff & players have been amazing and treated me like family. I’m honored and proud to be fighting alongside these great players and their fans. I’m very happy to be part of The Revs family and to showcase my talents after The Revs game at Gillette Stadium.”

The Revs average between 12,000-15,000 fans per game in a friendly, safe, family environment. The fusion of boxing, music and soccer promises a memorable night for all fans in attendance, introducing many to a different sport, soccer or boxing.

O’Connor is a driving force in the rebirth of boxing in the Bay State, largely due to the influence of his relatively new manager, Kenny Casey, who is the founder and lead singer for the wildly popular Dropkick Murphys band. Casey’s innovative, cross-marketing ideas and invaluable connections led to O’Connor fighting this past May at the House of Blues in Boston, in addition to the first pro boxing show at Gillette Stadium.

“I’m honored to have a role, or play a position, to help bring boxing back in my home state,” O’Connor noted. “I want to give back to the sport that has given me so much. I want fans all over New England to get excited again about boxing.

“Kenny Casey has really helped promote me and my name. He has opened up a lot of doors for me, especially among Dropkick Murphys fans all over the world. He’s more like my mentor than manager. He has steered me in the right direction to win in boxing, but under his wings I’ve also learned so much about doing business and just being a good person. I feel good about him coming onboard and I couldn’t be happier with the way my career is now going.”

Casey is an avid boxing fan who is committed to guiding O’Connor’s career to a world title shot, starting with an innovative campaign to build a strong fan-base in New England for his fighter. “Danny O’Connor is a true gentleman and a great representative for the sport of boxing,” Casey remarked. “He’s all about hard work, dedication and humility. It’s been a lot of fun to do our part in terms of putting boxing back on the map and this event is another step in that direction. The first boxing card at Gillette Stadium is something we are proud to be involved in. The New England Revolution and their amazing fans have been some of Danny’s strongest supporters, so this event is a match made in heaven.”

Also scheduled to fight on this special three-bout show is Boston Police Officer and former New England Golden Gloves champion, super middleweight Billy Traft (1-0), against pro-debuting MMA standout John Downey, of Hull (MA), in a four-round match. Another four-round fight will soon be announced. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, reasonably priced at $100.00 (on field ringside), $60.00 (reserved) and $40.00 (end zone).

Mike Lee vs. Tyler Seever on August 4th

CHICAGO, IL (July 31, 2012) Former Notre Dame Boxing Champion and undefeated light heavyweight professional Mike Lee heads back to the ring seeking his tenth victory against hard hitting veteran Tyler Seever of Saint Joseph, Missouri on Saturday, August 4th at the Texas Station Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Now sporting a record of 9-0-0 with five knockouts, Lee is coming off a dominating performance on June 8th, a six round unanimous decision win over Eliseo Durazo in front of a sold out Hard Rock Hotel and Casino crowd in Las Vegas packed with Notre Dame alums and supporters. The win was broadcast on ESPN Friday Night Fights.

Unbeknown at the time of the June 8th fight was that shortly before entering the ring, Lee’s surgically repaired right hand, which had not completely healed, flared up.

As opposed to canceling the bout, Lee valiantly headed to the ring aware that he would be unable to utilize his aggressive style and knockout power in his right hand and would need to rely on his stiff left jab and crunching left hook body shots to lead him to victory.

Following a quick break from his win over Durazo, and with his hand completely healed, Lee returned to Houston for training with the renowned Ronnie Shields.

The 28-year-old Seever has compiled a record of 13-11-1 with eleven knockouts over his eight years as a pro. Riding a five bout-winning streak, he has stopped his last four opponents, most recently knocking out Keith Clevenger in the fourth round on March 10th in Kansas City, Missouri.

Tickets to the Lee/Seever clash, priced at $50 for Ringside seats are available by calling 630-400-6380.

The Texas Station Casino is located at 2101 Texas Star Lane in North Las Vegas, Nevada, 89032. First bell is at 6:30pm local time with the televised bouts starting at 8:30pm.

In addition to his success in the ring, Lee is a national spokesman for Subway Restaurants and is seen in numerous nationally broadcast commercials alongside multiple time Olympic Gold Medal Winner Michael Phelps, NBA Star Blake Griffin and auto-racing champion Carl Edwards.

A native of Wheaton, Illinois, Lee is a graduate of The University of Notre Dame where he earned a Finance Degree from the Mendoza School of Business while finishing at the top of his class.

More information on Mike Lee can be viewed at his website, www.MikeLeeBoxing.com. He can also be followed on Twitter at @MikeLeeBoxer and Facebook at Mike Lee (Boxer).