News: Team GB’s Boxing coach sets the record straight; Legends To Receive Belts At August 29 “Path To Glory; Price reflects on Beijing experience; Dallas KOs Helm

Great Britain’s Olympic boxing coach Terry Edwards told Setanta Sports News he was in a ‘no win’ situation however well his boxers performed in Beijing this summer.

Edwards’ team of boxers were dogged by controversy before a single punch had been thrown. Frankie Gavin was unable to compete at the Games having failed to make his target weight, while Billy Joe Saunders faced allegations of lewd behaviour.

In an interview on Steve Bunce’s Boxing Hour Edwards explained that Gavin’s health and safety was his main priority.

Boxing Legends To Receive Belts At August 29 “Path To Glory”

ORANGE, CA) – It doesn’t take long for fight fans to recognize an exciting show. When a seasoned warrior who has the luster to carry a main event such as former IBA junior welterweight champion and the pride of Coachella Valley Antonio Diaz (43-5-1, 29 KOs) takes on an eight round bout against Las Vegas’ competitive Juan Pablo Montes de Oca (9-14-2, 6 KOs) southern California excitement seekers lined up to get in on the action and tickets are now sold out.

The great news for die hard fight fans is that more tickets will be made available come Monday, August 25. Said promoter, Ken Thompson, “sold out ticket status is a great to hear but I want to accommodate those supportive fight fans that walk up after a hard day’s work. I don’t want to disappoint the loyal fight fans out there who make the sport what it is.”

This installment of Thompson Boxing Promotions’ ‘Path to Glory’ will take place at Omega Products International in Corona, California. The newly made available tickets to “Path to Glory”, a five bout card of world-class professional boxing, will be priced at $25 and may be purchased by calling 714-935-0900 or at the door. Doors open at 6:30pm, and the first bell is at 7:45pm.

Leading up to the main event is an exciting six round welterweight contest where Riverside’s Mauricio Herrera (5-0, 2 KOs) will put his unbeaten record on the line against experienced battler Santiago Perez (10-1-2, 2 KOs) who is the son of Cuban-Mexican legend Ultiminio Ramos. The doubly experienced Perez will be tested by the will of a hungry fighter with the same KO power.

The action packed card will also present Pavel Miranda (17-2, 10 KOs) who hails from Tijuana, Mexico and who is seeking to rebound off of his upset loss that occurred earlier this summer in the Cayman Islands against Tyrone Barnett. Miranda will square off against Riverside native Alex Viramontes (9-5, 3 KOs) in an eight round bout at 147 pounds.

Those present at Thompson Boxing Promotions final summer fight frenzy on August 29 will also witness belt presentations to boxing legends Rene Arredondo and Rodolfo “El Gato” Gonzalez. Rene Arredondo lost his belt as a result of having it stolen from his home and Rodolfo Gonzalez willingly gave his championship belt away as a sign of gratuity to “The Virgin of Guadalupe” after suffering from cancer and returning to full health. He credits his miraculous recovery to a religious experience where the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe appeared to him in a cloud and instructed him to visit a cathedral in Tijuana, Mexico where he was healed. Gonzalez recalls, “I felt a warm sensation emitting from the statue of The Virgin Mary and then flowing through mine… all of the pain in my body was diminishing.”

Both legends will be presented with replacement belts from the WBC

“There was an American boxer who failed to come to the weigh in [before the Games]. When they found him he was actually unconscious on the floor through dehydration. Now, Frankie was starting to dry out [to lose weight] three days before the weigh-in. That could well have happened.

“The criticism that he should have competed in a different weight doesn’t hold water. It’s no secret that since the World Championships Frankie had struggled with the weight. It was just impossible for him.

“He wanted to give it another try and two days before we left I gave him that opportunity. I left a coach behind with him; he had a physiologist, a nutritionist and a sports psychologist with him. And then I took the decision that I wasn’t prepared to take a risk with Frankie’s health.

“I’ve heard all sorts of rumours; that he was on drugs, that he was on this and he was on that. Whichever way it went I would have been criticised. Had he made the weight he would have been dead on the weight and he would have been beaten in his first bout. It was lose, lose, lose.”

Edwards also questioned the manner in which the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) suspended Billy Joe Saunders following an incident at a training camp in France. Edwards had confronted Saunders about the incident and asked the ABA for further information. When the information was not forthcoming Edwards thought that was the end.

“If there’s an inquiry into a boxer for breach of discipline, that’s fine. It’s the timing that this happened. To be fair it could have happened today instead.

“I’m not suggesting that David Price or Tony Jeffries actually lost because of it, but to be honest it affected me and the team. The accusations and the rubbish that was written in the newspaper article, some of it was nearly three years old. It was blown out of proportion.”

David Price reflects on Beijing experience

Olympic super-heavyweight bronze medallist David Price described his time at this summer’s Games in Beijing as ‘a wonderful experience’ but admits he was not at the top of his game for his semi-final bout against Roberto Cammarelle.

In an interview with Setanta Sports News during Steve Bunce’s Boxing Hour Price said he was unable to put a ‘finger on what went wrong’.

“I think he lulled me into a false sense of security with his two previous performances. I was overly confident of going into the ring and doing a job on him.

“I probably underestimated him. I definitely underestimated his punching power and his hand speed. His hand speed is terrific. He was beating me to every punch.

“I was disappointed with that performance. But to come away with a medal after all that was brilliant.”

Dallas KOs Helm

Goossen Tutor Promotions’ latest signed boxing talent junior light welterweight Mike Dallas, Jr. proved his skills when he KO’d his opponent James Helm
(6-3) 1:45 seconds into the first round of the scheduled 4 round junior welterweight bout this past Thursday night in Lemoore, California’s Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino.

Said Dallas, Jr. “I wasn’t expecting the fight to end so quickly but when I landed a straight right over his left jab it took him out. This win felt good and it is foretelling of what’s to come in my career.”

Mike Dallas, Jr. who hails out of Bakersfield improves his record to (5-0, 1 KO).