ORLANDO (September 30, 2013) — Fandemonium has broken out in Orlando as former three-division world champion and the Pride of Puerto Rico MIGUEL COTTO has arrived in Orlando to begin his Fight Week activities leading up to his Florida debut as a professional fighter. With all the higher-priced tickets having sold out in advance and fan demand still not sated, the promoters of the event opened up more sections of $25 seats by rearranging television camera set ups. Cotto will be going mano a mano with two-time world title challenger and Top-Five contender Delvin Rodriguez in a 12-round super welterweight battle This Saturday! October 5, at the home of the Orlando Magic — Amway Center. It will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.
“We are thrilled with the support Miguel’s fans have shown for this event and we want to do everything we can to make it accessible to them,” said Héctor Soto, Vice President of Miguel Cotto Promotions. “A big thank you from Miguel Cotto Promotions and Top Rank goes to HBO and Amway Center for working with us in opening more sections. The atmosphere on Saturday night will be electric.”
Fight Week will officially begin Tomorrow! Tuesday, October 1, with Media Workouts at the Don Miguel Boxing Gym (8620 South Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, Fla. 32809). Rodriguez (28-6-3, 16 KOs), of the Dominican Republic, will have his workout at Noon ET, followed by Cotto (37-4, 30 KOs), of Caguas, Puerto Rico, at 2:00 p.m. ET. Both fighters and their trainers will be available for interviews.
Promoted by Miguel Cotto Promotions and Top Rank, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Tecate, remaining tickets to Cotto vs. Rodriguez, priced at $25, can be purchased online at amwaycenter.com, Chase® Box Office at Amway Center, Ticketmaster retail locations, charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000 or at Ticketmaster.com. All dates, act(s) and ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All tickets are subject to applicable taxes, service, handling and facility fee charges. For Amway Center box office and ticket information, visit amwaycenter.com (phone purchases are not available through the Amway Center box office). The Amway Center is located at 400 West Church Street and the box office is located on the north side of the Amway Center, near the intersection of Church Street and Hughey Avenue.
Sapiyev named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Sport
Lausanne, Switzerland, September 30, 2013 – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have made Kazakhstan boxing legend Serik Sapiyev a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Sport for 2013-2015.
The London 2012 Welterweight (69kg) Men’s Gold Medallist was voted Best Boxer of the Games (as the winner of the ‘Val Barker Trophy’ awarded by the accredited media). He was nominated an Ambassador by UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova in recognition of his commitment to promoting education and sport programmes for young people in Kazakhstan, his charitable activities, and his dedication to the ideals and aims of UNESCO.
In his capacity as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Sport, Sapiyev will support UNESCO’s activities, promoting the values of education and sports, with a focus on projects and activities concerning young people, heritage, the environment, and HIV/AIDS.
The two-time AIBA World Champion (2005 and 2007) joins famous sportswomen and sportsmen such as Virgilijus Alekna, Veronica Campbell Brown, Sergiy Bubka, David Douillet, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Hakuho (Davaajargal Munkhbat), Justine Henin, Vitaliy & Wladimir Klitschko, Edson Arantes Do Nascimento ‘Pelé’, Michael Schumacher, Jacqueline (Jackie) Silva, Oscar Washington Tabarez.
“It’s really an honour. I am so proud that UNESCO has nominated me for such an important and prestigious position. I am very excited by the opportunity and I will strive to do everything I can to help promote and develop sports”.
Sapiyev, 29, who was forced to end his career after the Games due to a severe wrist fracture, was also recently awarded a Presidential Scholarship and will be leaving soon to the United Kingdom to start a Masters degree in Sports Management at Brunel University in London.
Former Heavyweight Champ Larry Holmes visits Transformed Madison Square Garden
On Friday afternoon, former heavyweight champ Larry Holmes visited Madison Square Garden and gave MSG a pair of signed gloves, and signed a photo from his 1979 title defense over Mike Weaver that will be featured in The Garden’s new Signature Suite Level that will debut in late October as part of the third and final phase of The Garden’s top-to-bottom Transformation. The Signature Suites Lobby will feature memorabilia from people and events that have left their “signature” on The Garden.
Holmes not only fought in the Garden three times, but he served as a sparring partner for Muhammad Ali as Ali got ready for his first bout with Joe Frazier – “The Fight of the Century.” Holmes toured the arena and met with construction workers, one of whom screamed out “Larry you’re my idol.”
Holmes posed for pictures with him, and when asked if he still has that famous left jab, told the group: “I may have lost some of my hair, but I never lost that left jab.”
The Madison Square Garden Company President & CEO Hank Ratner accepted these incredible artifacts on behalf of the company while providing a first look at the new Chase Square lobby set to be unveiled later this month.
The historic, three-year $1 billion Transformation of Madison Square Garden will be completed this fall, fans will get their first look on October 25 when the Knicks take on the Charlotte Bobcats in their final preseason game.
Moore seeking championship glory in his second home Saturday at Mohegan Sun
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (Oct. 1st, 2013) — There’s nothing boxing fans love more than a champion, so the best way for Cleveland native Michael Moore (12-0, 6 KOs) to endear himself to the Connecticut crowd Saturday night would be to leave the ring with a new piece of hardware.
The undefeated light middleweight prospect will put his unbeaten record on the line Saturday, Oct. 5th, 2013 when he faces the dangerous Alexis Hloros (16-5-2, 12 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Council U.S. National Boxing Council (WBC USNBC) title in the 10-round main event of Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Showdown At The Sun” card at Mohegan Sun Casino.
Living and training in New Haven, Conn., under the guidance of his new manager, Massimo Liguori, Moore has found a second home 500 miles east of his hometown in Ohio. After linking up with Liguori a year ago, Moore introduced himself to his new fan base in May with a unanimous-decision win over Doel Carrasquillo at Mohegan. Saturday will be toughest test to date; Hloros, a Mount Clemens, Mich., native, hasn’t fought since suffering a knockout loss to unbeaten prospect and world-title challenger Demetrius Andrade in September of 2009, but he’s gone toe-to-toe with some of the best in his weight class, including Andrade and James Kirkland, whom he faced in 2011. Hloros’ best stretch came in 2008 when he finished 7-0-1 with 6 knockouts.
The Moore-Hloros title fight is one of seven bouts on “Showdown At The Sun.” New Haven native Edwin Soto (9-0-2, 4 KOs) and Hartford’s Zack Ramsey (5-0, 3 KOs), who need no introduction to the Connecticut crowd, will put their unbeaten records on the line against one another in the eight-round welterweight co-feature.
“Showdown At The Sun” also features the return of New Haven welterweight Christian Lao (4-2, 2 KOs), who will end a 15-month layoff when he battles Envicii Dixon (2-2-1, 1 KO) of Lancaster, Pa., in a four-round bout. Lao is one of six New Haven fighters on the undercard; the city will also be represented by heavyweight Solomon Maye, who will make his professional debut in a four-round bout against Cortland, N.Y., native Randy Smith (1-1); and light heavyweight Charles Foster (4-0, 2 KOs) who fight for the first time since June of 2012 in a six-round bout against the tough Taneal Goyco (5-6-1, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia. The 6-foot-1 Goyco is no stranger to fighting in his opponent’s backyard; he recently fought in Delaware in August and beat hometown favorite Frankie Filippone by majority decision.
Also fighting out of New Haven, light middleweight David Wilson (1-0) will battle veteran Danny Lugo (2-4, 1 KO) of Harrisburg, Pa., in a four-round bout. Lightweight Edwin Cotto (1-1, 1 KO) of Willimantic, Conn., will face newcomer Jamar Coleman of Lancaster in a four-round bout. Cotto debuted at Mohegan in January with a win over Ian James.
Tickets for “Showdown At The Sun” are $40, $65 and $125 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office. All fights and fighters are subject to change.