Maccarinelli’s Secret Weapon For Beating Afolabi, More – News

Former WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli has been working on a unique training method for his March 14th WBO cruiserweight title fight against NABO title-holder Ola “Kryptonite” Afolabi, headlined by the showdown between 22-year-old lightweight prospect Amir Khan and Hall of Fame bound multiple world champion, “The Baby Faced Assassin” Marco Antonio Barrera, on pay-per-view love from The M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom.

WBO No. 1 contender Maccarinelli (29-2, 22 KOs) recently revealed his secret for his clash with No. 2 rated Afolabi (13-1-3, 5 KOs), who now has famed trainer Freddie Roach working his corner, for their vacant WBO cruiserweight championship bout – a dozen beer barrels. The Welshman has been lifting, not draining, them to improve his strength and conditioning.

Integrated Sports is distributing three 12-round championship bouts featured on the “Khan-Barrera” pay-per-view card, presented by Frank Warren, in North America for live viewing at 4 PM/ET – 1 PM/PT on cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, TVN, DirecTV and Dish Network in the United States, as well as Viewer’s Choice, Shaw Cable, Star Choice and Bell TV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. Veteran blow-by-blow announcer Ian Darke and color analyst, former WBC lightweight champion Jim Watt, will be calling the action from ringside for Sky Box Office and Integrated Sports PPV.

The Ring No. 6 rated Maccarinelli balances half-full kegs over his head to increase his core muscle power, in addition to beating car tires with a sledgehammer. “I’ve tried lifting weights before but it’s not really my kind of thing,” Mazzarinelli explained. “So, when a pal of mine suggested something a bit different, I jumped at the chance. It’s a bit tempting to crack open one of the barrels after a hard day’s training, but I’ll leave that until after the fight.

“I’m desperate to get in the ring and take out all my frustrations on Afolabi. 2008 was a bit of a disaster after I lost to David Haye and then couldn’t win back my WBO title. But 2009 is going to be my time. I hear that Afolabi is a bit of a nightmare and dangerous, but that’s just what I wanted. I want to face the best and beat the best, so as far as I’m concerned, bring on the 14th. I am going to unleash hell once I get between those ropes.”

The 12-round main event finds Khan (19-1, 15 KOs), 2004 Olympic silver medallist, defending his WBA International lightweight crown against WBO No. 1 ranked Barrera (65-6, 43 KOs).

In addition to Khan-Barrera and Maccarinelli-Afolabi, another terrific fight will be shown on PPV as WBO super middleweight champion Nicky “Cookie” Cook (29-1, 16 KOs) defends his title belt against undefeated No. 1 contender Roman “Rocky” Martinez (21-0-1, 12 KOs).

Former European champion Cook, rated No. 6 by The Ring, won the WBO super featherweight title via a 12-round unanimous decision in his last fight against Alex Arthur (26-1). NABO super featherweight title-holder Martinez, fighting out of his native Puerto Rico, is ranked WBA No. 9 by The Ring.

HOMETOWN HEROES HOLD OPEN WORKOUT IN YORK, PA

BOWMAN AND NEMO READY FOR INVASION OF

COLUMBIAN WARRIORS AT ” BATTLE AT YORK 3″

Carney Bowman and Eric Nemo showed the media and fans alike yesterday that they are fully prepared to defend their home turf this Saturday night, March 7th, at the Valencia Ballroom as TKO BOXING Promotions returns with their “HOMETOWN HEROES TO WORLD CHAMPIONS” boxing series.

Displaying their full array of world class talents at the Lincolnway Sports Center in York , both fighters were anxious to break camp as they prepared for the upcoming invasion from their Columbian counter parts.

Bowman will be featured in the main event against former world title challenger Jesus Perez of Cordoba , Columbia , while Nemo will face fellow former world title challenger Jose Bernal of Barranquilla .

Said the undefeated Bowman, “Eric and I have been working hard and it is a turf battle mentality when both guys are coming to fight us from the same place. But we’re ready, we’ve both worked hard and Saturday night should be special for the fans in York .”

Said Nemo, who will be fighting in his hometown for the first time in his pro career, “It’s great to be fighting in York, everywhere I’ve gone these last few weeks, everyone says the same thing, ‘See you on March 7th’”.

Advance tickets for “ BATTLE AT YORK 3”, starting at $25 can be purchased online through the Valencia Ballroom box office by calling 717-843-7672. The Valencia Ballroom is located at 142 N. George St. in downtown York . Doors on the evening of the event will open at 6:30pm, with the first bell at 7:30.

Formed in early 2008, Chet Koerner’s Las Vegas based TKO BOXING Promotions stable includes; heavyweight Lenroy Thomas, super middleweight Joey Gilbert, middleweights Elvin Ayala, Albert Onolunose and James Countryman, junior middleweights Bastie Samir and Anthony Thompson, welterweight Juan Buendia and Raul Tovar, junior welterweights Jonathan Gover, Francisco Contreras and Hastings Bwayla, lightweights Rolando Reyes and Terrance Crawford, featherweights Matt Remillard, Carney Bowman, Delvin Plascencia, Rafael Lora and Maxwell Awaku, super bantamweights Rafael Valenzuela and Carlos Reyes.

Further information on TKO Boxing Promotions can be viewed at www.tkoboxingpromotions.com

Jerry Odom Named USA Boxing National Athlete of the Month for February
Keegan Grove receives the first ever USA Boxing Grassroots Athlete of the Month

Light heavyweight Jerry Odom (Bowie, Md.) has been selected as USA Boxing’s National Athlete of the Month for February. Odom, who turned 16-years-old on February 27, won the light heavyweight title in the 14-15-year-old age division at the National Silver Gloves, February 5-7 in Independence, Mo. In addition, Odom was named the Outstanding Boxer for the 14-15-year-old age division.

Odom recorded two victories at the 2009 National Silver Gloves, closing the event with a strong third round stoppage. He began boxing only a year ago, following the guidance of his uncle, an AAU basketball coach. Odom has been training with Coach Bernard Roach over the past year at the No Excuses Boxing Gym in Capitol Heights, Md. A student at Flowers High School in Springdale, Md., Odom will now prepare for the 2009 USA Boxing National Championships, June 8-13, in Denver, Colo., where he will compete in the Junior Olympic division.

USA Boxing has created a grassroots athlete of the month award as well, providing an opportunity to recognize athletes who epitomize the organization’s mission at the local level. The first recipient of the grassroots award is 11-year-old Keegan Grove (Martinsburg, W. Va.). Grove currently boxes at the 95 pound weight division, and is a great kid both in and out of the boxing ring.

Despite his young age, Grove consistently remains focused on the mission at hand when at an event, and has always shown positive behavior. He is an excellent boxer and continuously gives his all at every event, including the recent Silver Gloves. After winning his Silver Gloves regional tournament, Grove went on to win a bronze medal in the 95 pound weight division at the 10-11-year-old age group.

USA Boxing’s National Athlete of the Month award continues to recognize outstanding performance at the national and international levels.

USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).