NEW YORK (Aug. 14, 2008) – The new World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Lightweight Champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley will defend his title for the first time against Edner “Cherry Bomb” Cherry on Saturday, Sept. 13, in the co-feature of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, which begins live at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
The main event of the world championship doubleheader features Lightweight World Champion Nate Campbell vs. Joan Guzman for Campbell’s International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) 135-pound titles.
The Bradley-Cherry fight is being presented by Gary Shaw Productions and Thompson Boxing. The main event is being promoted by Don King Productions from a venue to be determined.
Bradley (22-0, 11 KOs), a four-fight veteran of the SHOWTIME boxing series ShoBox: The New Generation, captured his belt with an upset, split-decision victory over Junior Witter on May 10, 2008, by scores of 115-113, 114-113 and 112-115 on ShoBox.
“I’ll never forget when they read the scores and I was announced as the new world champion,” said the 24-year-old Bradley who lives in Palm Springs, Calif. “It was a dream come true.”
That night, Bradley became one of 28 ShoBox fighters that have gone on to become world champions after appearing on the series.
“Now it’s time to make my first title defense where the big boys fight, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING,” he continued.
“I’m here to prove that my fight against Witter was just the beginning. I have plenty of exciting fights left and I intend to successfully defend my title against Cherry. I’ve worked extremely hard to become a world champion and I have to admit, I enjoy the view from up here.”
Bradley, who was a long shot to dethrone Witter in England, will have considerable pressure to perform at the championship level against Cherry. Some boxing insiders believe that fighters improve 25 percent when they win a world title as a result of a boost in confidence. If this holds true, Bradley has the chance to be a very special fighter, but the pressure is on to perform.
Cherry, who will be fighting in his first world title fight, is an all-action fighter that can take a punch. Styles make fights and this one has all the ingredients to be a memorable championship scrap.
Cherry (24-5-2, 12 KOs), a chiseled veteran with three straight quality victories, showed tremendous motivation and ability in his last outing by knocking out the crafty Stevie Johnston in the tenth and final round of their lightweight bout in May.
A native of the Bahamas, Cherry now resides in Wauchula, Fla., and has campaigned as a lightweight for most of his career. He’ll be fighting for the first time as a super lightweight on Sept. 13.
Most fighters would prefer a tune up fight before taking on a world champion at a new weight, but Cherry isn’t like most boxers.
“I relish challenges and will never back down from a championship fight,” said the 26-year-old Cherry. “I was considered a big lightweight so moving up five pounds won’t be as a big a deal for me as it would be for others.”
“I think I’m in the same position as Bradley was when he fought Witter in May. Bradley had nothing to lose and was hungry for a win since it was his first world title fight. Now it’s me who has the appetite for a world title. The challenger, as Bradley proved, is extremely dangerous in these types of situations.”
After Bradley-Cherry, SHOWTIME delivers what could be the lightweight fight of the year. The brash and colorful Campbell will defend three world title belts against the speedy and undefeated two-division world champion Guzman.
The fighters have verbally slammed each other well before contracts were even signed. With the fight nearing, Campbell and Guzman will likely abandon the trash talk and let their fists speak for themselves.
Antonio Diaz Returns On August 29th Against Juan Pablo Montes de Oca
(ORANGE, CA) August 14 – One of this era’s most exciting warriors, former IBA junior welterweight champion Antonio Diaz thrilled fight fans with every swing of his fists. And after a three-year layoff, the pride of Coachella returned to the ring earlier this year and picked up right where he left off. On Friday, August 29th, Diaz continues on his road back to the top with an eight round bout against Juan Pablo Montes de Oca in the main event of Thompson Boxing Promotions’ ‘Path to Glory’, which will take place at Omega Products International in Corona, California.
Also in action in separate bouts will be hot welterweight prospects Pavel Miranda and Mauricio Herrera.
Tickets to “Path to Glory”, a five bout card of world-class professional boxing, are priced at $75, $45, and $30, and may be purchased by calling 714-935-0900. Doors open at 6:30pm, and the first bell is at 7:45pm.
Antonio ‘Toño’ Diaz (43-5-1, 29 KOs) has been fighting the best in the world for 13 years, including Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley, and Juan Lazcano, and he holds wins over the likes of Cory Spinks, Micky Ward, Ivan Robinson, Emanuel Augustus, and Omar Weis. The former IBA junior welterweight champion, with 12 title defenses to his name, took a break from the ring in 2005, but when he returned in July with a 12-round win over Felix Flores, it was like he had never left. Currently, the 32-year old is riding a four fight winning streak, one he hopes to extend when he takes on Las Vegas’ Juan Pablo Montes de Oca (9-14-2, 6 KOs), whose record doesn’t reflect his competitive spirit when the bell rings.
In what should be an exciting six round welterweight contest, 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.
An eight round contest at 147 pounds will see Tijuana’s Pavel Miranda (17-2, 10 KOs) looking to rebound from an upset loss to unbeaten prospect Ty Barnett when he takes on Riverside native Alex Viramontes (9-5, 3 KOs), Unbeaten junior welterweights with identical records will clash in a four rounder when Anaheim’s Danny Escobar (1-0, 1 KO) takes on Los Angeles’ Antonio Orozco (1-0, 1 KO), and in the four round opener, Huntington Park’s Daniel Hernandez (1-0, 1 KOs) squares off against Pomona’s Ricardo Sanchez (0-1).
Tecate Commemorates Mexican Independence Day With Enhanced Programming For Its Consumers
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (August 14, 2008) – As the most authentic Mexican cerveza in the United States, Tecate celebrates Mexico’s Independence Day with three exciting boxing bouts featuring some of the most talented Hispanic athletes in the sport. Adult consumers in Houston, Las Vegas and Los Angeles will have the opportunity to be a part of these remarkable events and join the grand celebration.
“We understand the importance of this holiday among Tecate’s consumers and we are excited to collaborate with Golden Boy Promotions to present a boxing program that reflects the brand’s authenticity, character and boldness,” said Carlos Boughton, brand director for Tecate equity. “As a leading marketer within the sport, Tecate will be launching various promotional programs to ensure that our loyal customers are part of this traditional festivity.”
The lightweight showdown of Diaz vs. Katsidis will kick off the series of matches on Sept. 6 at Houston’s Toyota Center. As the primary sponsor, Tecate will conduct several radio promotions with KTJM “La Raza,” including a 50-ticket giveaway. Thematic point-of-sale displays will be developed specifically for the fight, while various restaurants and bars will hold special events throughout August. The boxing bout will be broadcasted live on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark” show.
The celebration continues in Las Vegas on Sept. 13 with Tecate’s primary sponsorship of the Casamayor vs. Marquez championship fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. In support of the sport and this fight, Tecate will launch a comprehensive regional marketing campaign beginning Aug. 13. Boxing aficionados in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico will receive a $20 mail-in-rebate for the HBO Pay-Per-View event with the purchase of a 12-pack of Tecate. Tickets also will be available through radio sweepstakes. Additionally, Tecate will host autograph sessions with Golden Boy fighters, while thematic point-of-sale cards and customized out-of-home ads will promote fight details in key markets.
Finally, on Sept. 27 Tecate will serve as secondary sponsor of the Mosley vs. Mayorga bout scheduled to take place at Los Angeles’ Home Depot Center. From Sept. 15 – 27 approximately 250 retailers in Southern California and Nevada will support Tecate’s sponsorship with thematic POS and posters. Additionally radio partnerships and grassroot promotions will help increase awareness of this event.
By bringing the passion of boxing—a prominent sport among Hispanics—to Houston, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, Tecate reaffirms its commitment to adults in the United States and offers them a month-long celebration of Mexican Independence Day.