Local Boxing News and Information for the state of Ohio, USA
CHAPPARELL CLUB Akron, Ohio Saturday, July 30th 7:30pm More
CLEVELAND, OH (March 30, 2005) -- The Bey Brothers, Mickey Bey, Jr. and Cortez, natives of Cleveland and possessors of dominant amateur boxing careers, will make their professional debuts on April 29 at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University. Roy Jones, Jr.’s Square Ring, Inc will promote the evening of boxing. In the main event, former champion Raul Frank will battle Fernando Hernandez for the vacant USBA Jr. Middleweight title. Also featured on the card will be local favorite and Women’s World Champion Vonda Ward.
The Bey brothers had dominant amateur careers winning championships at all levels. The twenty-one year old Mickey Bey, Jr. is a two-time National PAL Champion, 2002 National Golden Gloves and two-time US Jr. Olympic Champion. Cortez Bey, a year younger, was 2002 US Jr. Olympic Champion. History was made, however, at the finals of the 2003 National PAL Championships. More
Main event
8 rounds super heavyweight (over 210 lbs) NABC Great Lakes Title
JEFF YEOMAN, 18-2 Lafayette, IN Champion Vs GEORGE LINBERGER, 27-8
Akron, Ohio Challenger
6 rounds
heavyweight (over 190 lbs)
COLIN ROGERS, Akron vs VIDEL MIDDLEBROOK, Cinci., O
4 rounds
middleweight (160 lbs)
BILL BROWN, Cleveland vs SHANNON SHARP, Akron
4 rounds
super heavyweight (over 210 lbs)
JOE MC CALL, Akron vs DAN JAMBER, Cleveland
4 rounds
cruiserweight (over 175 lbs)
DANNON SVAB, Akron vs TERRANCE TAYLOR, Indianapolis
4 rounds
heavyweight (over 190 lbs)
OTIS MILLS, Cleveland vs DARREN REESE, Anderson, IN
Tickets: $40.00, $35.00, $25.00
This show will be available on pay per view $4.95 via Internet. Go to NABC.Net for info [End]
January
30, 2005 - Mark May 14th on your calender as The Boxing Ministry has
their annual awards banquet. This year the Ministry will honor the great
former W.B.C. lightheavyweight champion, Hall Of Famer Matthew Saad
Muhammad.
Also tenetively slated to be on hand is W.B.A. welterweight champion
Jose Rivera. This talented champion sports an impressive 37-3-1 record
with 24 big KO's. Rivera hopes to soon meet and defeat unbeaten
mandatory challenger Thomas Damgaard. If successful Jose will find
himself in middle of a very interesting mix at 147 pounds. Now that
Oscar DeLaHoya and Shane Mosley are coming back down to welterweight.
Rivera hopes to land a huge money fight with one or the other.
As in past Ministry banquets hopefully the local group of great
Youngstown area boxers will be in attendance. That would be former I.B.F.
lightweight champion Harry Arroyo, former I.B.F. cruiserweight champion
Jeff Lampkin and former W.B.C. bantamweight champion Greg Richardson. It
is also possible that former Olympian Jerry Page and former middleweight
contender Rusty Rosenberger will attend.
At past Ministry banquets I have had the pleasure of meeting such
notables as Earnie Shavers, Emile Griffith, Howard Davis Jr., Pete
Rademacher and Doyle Baird.
The banquet will be held at The Old North Church in Canfield, Ohio.
Tickets are $20.00 in advance.For tickets please send a SASE to The
Boxing Ministry-3675 Polley Drive, Austintown, Ohio, 44515. For more
information log onto ;
www.boxingministry.org Or you can e-mail questions to;
info@boxingministry.org
[End]
January
29, 2005 - I just got word from my contact in Youngstown that Durrell
Richardson is in Florida working as a sparring partner for Zab
Judah.Durrell is from Youngstown and is the nephew of former world
bantamweight champion Greg Richardson.Durrell is a former national
amateur champion and is 6-0 as a professional.
Judah meets undisputed welterweight champion Cory Spinks on February 5th
in St.Louis. This is a rematch. They met on April 10th of 2004 with
Spinks winning a very close decision. Spinks sports a 34-2 record with
10 KO's. Judah's record stand at 32-2 with 23 knockouts.
Durrell was brought in to work with Zab because he, like Spinks is a
southpaw.
[End]
November 3, 2004 - Billy "Dynamite" Douglas will be standing at the crossroads of Stardom Lane and Palookaville Trail December 11, at the Atlantic Oceana, Brooklyn, USA.
Much as his father stood at the very same crossroads against the likes of Bennie Briscoe, Eugene "Cyclone" Hart, Marvin Johnson, and Saad Muhammad, Billy Douglas Jr., never one to back away from any man, woman, or beast will face the undefeated Russian, Timor Ibragimov for the coveted WBC Fecarbox Heavyweight Championship. More
November 2, 2004 - The December 10th show at Cleveland's Gund Arena is still on. Craig Weber of Perrysville, Ohio attempts to reverse his lone career defeat as he faces Rogelio Castaneda.This bout will be for the I.B.A. Junior Welterweight title. It will be the first action that Weber has seen since his upset victory over Angel Manfredy.
The undercard will feature Galion, Ohio's Chad Wright facing undefeated Daniel Maldonado of Louisville, Kentucky. This bout will be for the N.A.B.A. Featherweight title.
Cleveland's Vonda Ward will put her I.B.A. Women's Heavyweight title on the line against California's Marsha Valley. This will be Ward's first bout since her devastating one round kayo loss to Ann Wolfe.
Also featured on the card with opponents to be named later will be popular middleweight Joe DeSalvo and equally popular lightweight Shawn Bailey. They both hail from Cleveland. For more info call ( 216 ) 941-9571. [End]
The Fight Card will feature Dante Craig a 2000 Sydney Olympian along with Wes Caldwell and Michael Alexander, the current Ohio and Indiana Champs. There will be a total of 8 professional fights, which will also include Eric Deere an up and coming pro-fighter from Marysville Ohio, Miguel Alvarez from Columbus, Ohio, and Dustin Caplinger from Chillicothe, Ohio.
Doors open at 7:00pm. Fights will begin at 8:00pm. For Advance Tickets and Press Passes Call 1-800-783-1288.
*all bouts are subject to change
STRUTHERS,
OHIO (July 2, 2004) - Kelly Pavlik, Ohio's top prospect moved to 21-0 by
battering veteran Pedro Ortega. The corner of Ortega requested the
referee, the ever capable Bernie Profato to halt matters after six
rounds.
Ortega was no slouch as he entered the ring with a 30-13-1 record.
Pavlik claimed to have hurt his right hand in the second round. I hope
it is not serious. Injuries have held Kelly back throughout his budding
career. [End]
(May 3, 2004) - Billy Douglas younger brother of former heavyweight champion James Buster Douglas moved his record to 10-1-8KO's on 4/30/04 in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Douglas who took the fight last minute against the 4-1-0 Demetrius king from the famed Kronk Gym in Detroit said "I told my manager I don't care who he is or were he comes from I am ready to fight" King came out early and tried to take Douglas to task but it was to no avail the ring savvy Douglas would only fight his fight. Douglas proceeded to tear king apart punch by punch every blow calculated for maximum affect. King a stubborn opponent took this punishment for 8 hard rounds as he tried to find a way to beat Douglas. But Douglas stayed with his game plan and won a 8 round UD. The Columbus fans were pleased and impressed by the Douglas performance. [End]
CLEVELAND, OHIO- Craig Weber of Perrysville, Ohio upset the apple cart as he outpointed veteran contender Angel Manfredy. The bout was held at the Gund Arena.
This was a huge victory for Weber who may now be looking at a world rating and a lucrative payday. Manfredy may be looking at retirement.
Also victorious on the card were comebacking Tony Hanshaw and upcoming prospect Dallas Vargas. [End]
On April 16th at the Gund Arena in Cleveland Angel Manfredy will attempt to retain his contender status when he takes on Craig Weber.
Although Weber sports a fine 19-1-1 record , he has yet to meet a fighter with Manfredy's credentials. Manfredy is 43-7-2 and has competed for world championship recognition on more then one occasion. What makes anyone think that this will be a competitive match ?
Added to the undercard is Tony Hanshaw. People have forgotten that the now highly touted Jermaine Taylor had all he could do to get past Hanshaw for a trip to the Olympics. Up to this point Hanshaw has squandered his talents.
He will meet Clevelander Kevin Butts ( 10-2-1) he has 5 KO's. This will be a six rounder at 175. I wish him and Weber well.
Along with Kelly Pavlik they are the only fighters keeping Ohio on the fistic map. Good luck ! [End]
CLEVELAND (February 25, 2004) – Super heavyweight Jason Estrada is in Cleveland to take care of business, not visit the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame.
Friday night Estrada, of Providence, faces Mike Wilson, of Central Point (OR), in the U.S. Olympic Box-Offs. Pan-Am gold medal winner Estrada, rated No.1 in the US, went unbeaten (3-0) in last week’s U.S. Olympic Trials, beating 2004 U.S. Nationals champion Wilson in the process, 23-14. More
The last great fighter to come out of the tough town of Mansfield, Ohio was the talented and vastly under rated former I.B.F. light heavyweight champion, Prince Charles Williams.
Almost forgotten is a fighter from the area who peaked not long before Williams was to make his mark. He only had 21 fights in his four year career but he made himself a presence in the jr. welterweight and welterweight divisions. More
Columbus, Ohio (November 21, 2003) - Billy Douglas Younger brother of former heavyweight champ James Buster Douglas moved his record to 7-1-6K.O.s at Beulah Park in columbus, ohio Bill K.O.'d his opponent in the 1st round with his now famous crushing right hand. Douglas promoter Andrew Schwartz said" Bill came out jabbing and followed it up with the perfect right hand he did exactly what his trainers John Russel and older brother Buster told him to do. Bill just keeps on getting better" Douglas said after the fight "Who's Next just bring em on" [End]
(IB-September 9, 2003) - Billy Douglas younger brother of former heavyweight champion James Buster Douglas returned to the ring 9/2/03 in chester west virginia for the first time since his very controversial loss to 11-1-9 Chad Vansyckle in both mens home town of Columbus, Ohio. "The loss to vancykle was a tough one and probably a fight we shouldn't have taken but as always we were very confident and a lot of people felt Bill won the fight said Andrew Schwartz President of King Promotions" With the loss behind him Douglas was back in the gym like a true champ the following monday morning training for his next fight. Douglas showed up in chester with a new corner that consisted of brother Buster and longtime boxing trainer John Russell. Douglas said "I am very relaxed and I feel great about this fight" Douglas who KO'D Vaughn 3 minutes into the 3rd round with a devistating right hand showed the crowd and all the boxing experts at the fight That Bill Douglas is no joke. After the fight Douglas said "I'm Back" There is no dought by his performance that he is. [End]
(IB-August 13, 2003) - One of the best boxers to come out of Ohio in the last twenty years is "Prince" Charles Williams of Mansfield, who held the IBF light-heavyweight title from October 29, 1987 to March 20, 1993.
Williams turned professional on June 27, 1978, dropping a four round decision to Henry Bunch. His career moved slowly over the next couple of years as he boxed mostly in the Ohio area. In 1981 he was halted by future IBF cruiserweight champion Jeff Lampkin. He reached a low point on March 1, 1983, when he was stopped in one round by Reggie Gross. At this time he looked to be anything but a future champion. More
(IB-August 13, 2003) - Although Ray Anderson and Doyle Baird received title shots and Billy Wagner came within on fight of garnering one, the state's best light-heavyweight may have been overlooked. John Griffin of Cleveland who holds a pair of wins over both Anderson and Wagner might have been too good for his own good.
He turned pro in 1967 and by 1969 he had defeated established veterans Charlie Polite and Eddie Vick. John had trouble getting bouts with light-heavyweight outside the Cleveland-Akron area so occasionally he was forced to take on heavyweights.More
(IB-July 3, 2003) - The great city of Cleveland has a rich boxing history and much of that is captured in Jerry Fitch's book "Cleveland's Greatest Fighters of All Time." You don't have to be from Cleveland or Ohio for that matter to enjoy this book. It is a must read for any boxing fan.
Historian Fitch does a terrific job in profiling the careers of these fine fighters. Many of them that he knew personally. There are chapters on Hall Of Famer's Joey Maxim, Johnny Kilbane and Jimmy Bivins and their tremendous accomplishments. More
NILES, OHIO (InsideBoxing.com- July 1, 2003) - Kelly
"The Ghost" Pavlik pleased the hometown fans at Cafaro Field in Niles, Ohio
with an impressive and devastating body shot kayo of Rico Cason. Very few
expected Cason to win but it was presumed he would hang around for a while.
Wrong !
Pavlik came out as the aggressor and quickly took control. Cason showed some
decent defensive skills but little punching prowess. By the second round
Kelly was confident that he could walk through Cason's power and he really
turned it on. The last of a series of blockbuster right hands caught Cason
on the temple and he tumbled to the canvas.
Although Rico may have lacked Kelly's skill he showed a lot of heart by
getting up on unsteady legs. Pavlik was quickly on him and a flurry drove
Cason to the ropes. A left jab stood Cason up on the ropes. Rico then raised
his hands to block an overhand right. Quickly Kelly sent a vicious left
underneath Cason's elbow. The blow slammed in to Cason's rib cage and Rico
made an agonizing fall to the canvas. Cason was in obvious distress and
unable to beat the count. The win moved Kelly to 18-0 with 17 knockouts.
[End]
(IB-June 17, 2003) - The Rubber City of Akron has probably never produced anything resilient then a boxer named Doyle Baird. Rugged and balding, he was often compared to Carmen Basilio in looks and his swarming style. After a fine amateur career he turned professional in 1966 under the wing of Don Elbaum. After defeating Ted Wright two years later he had amassed a 23-2 record. On October 14, 1968, Doyle fought middleweight champion Nino Benvenuti in a non-title bout at the Akron Rubber Bowl. There may have never been a more dubious draw decision rendered. More
By Jim Amato
IB-May 12, 2003-When most people think of great middleweights from Ohio during the 70's they usually focus on one time title challenger and 1968 Olympic Gold Medal winner, Ronnie Harris. As good as Ronnie was he failed miserably in his only title shot against mediocre champion Hugo Corro. At least he received a shot at the coveted crown. More
By Jim Amato
(IB-May 12, 2003) -Who was the best heavyweight to come out of Ohio since the late 50's? Well of course James"Buster"Douglas, the original conqueror of Mike Tyson would be mentioned. Also the popular power punching two time title challenger Earnie Shavers. Mike Dokes and Tony Tubbs both held fragments of the heavyweight title.Ted Gullick was a pretty good banger and Mike Koranicki was a clever boxer.
One name that probably would not come up but deserves to be mentioned is rugged Amos Johnson.Big Amos fought professionally out of Medina, Ohio but had many bouts in the Akron area. He had a solid pro career but he really made his mark as a celebrated amateur. More