Philadelphia, PA–Take some time off and the public forgets you. A few years ago, Kassim “The Dream” Ouma was the hottest young fighter in boxing. Now, question marks surround the all-action Ugandan. Ouma, former IBF junior middleweight champion, returns to the ring Saturday evening, Oct. 4, when he takes on veteran Martinus Clay in the scheduled 10-round main event at the National Guard Armory in Northeast Philadelphia..
The 29-year-old Ouma, looking to end a three-fight losing streak, makes his first start since March 28 when he dropped a 10-round decision to Cornelius “K9” Bundrage, of Detroit, MI, at the Seneca Allegany Casino in Salamanca, NY. A national TV audience (ESPN 2) saw a lethargic Ouma go through the motions that night, same as he did in his previous fight five months earlier in Carbazon, CA, when Mexico’s Saul Roman out-hustled him over 10 rounds.
Coming off a spirited 12-round loss to then world middleweight champion Jermain Taylor on Dec. 9, 2006, in Little Rock, AR, Ouma was poised to regain his junior middleweight belt when things fell apart.
“Kassim needed a break; he was getting stale,” said co-manager Tom Moran. “The Roman and K9 fights were close, but it wasn’t the old Kassim. He fought his heart out against Jermain Taylor but he lost focus after that. He fought Roman and K9 without his normal passion. He needs a fresh start.”
Clay, 26, is originally from Wilson, NC, but now lives in Norristown, PA. His 13-18-4 record includes five knockouts and it was compiled against some of the best welterweights (147 pounds) and junior middleweights (154) around.
A pro since 2001, Clay holds a win over Minnesota’s Matt Vanda, then 34-1, and he also boxed a 10-round draw with unbeaten Harry Joe Yorgey, now 21-0-1. Clay also in ubeaten in his last three fights, which include a knockout over Detroit’s Shawn Purdy and an eight-round draw with Baltimore’s Tim Coleman, now 14-0-1.
“It’s a start back to where I want to go,” Ouma said. “It all goes through him (Clay) right now just like when I started out. It isn’t about winning titles. It’s about proving I can be the fighter I once was.
“I need to be the old Kassim, letting my punches go. My mind was not settled for those last two fights. I trained at home (Palm Beach Gardens, FL), not in Philly where I had trained before. I didn’t have my conditioning coach. But I don’t want to keep making excuses. I miss being in the ring. I can’t wait to prove that Kassim has something left.”
As far as Clay is concerned, Ouma is not taking him lightly.
“Any man can give you a challenge and this guy (Clay) is working out of Philly now so you know he is thinking tough,” Ouma said. “I know he is better than his record. I need to find myself and get the second part of my career started properly with an impressive showing.”
The Ouma-Clay contest tops a seven-bout card titled “Shamrocks and Dreams” and it will feature several Irish fighters.
Irish-born and Philadelphia-based middleweight “Slick” Simon O’Donnell puts his 6-1 record on the line in the co-feature and the card will mark the American debut of the Hyland brothers, Patrick (14-0) and Paul (12-0), both unbeaten and Irish National Champions.
Dennis Hasson, of Kensington, who is 4-0, 2.
K0s, and lives on Tusculum Street across from where Rocky Balboa lived in the movies, appears in a six-round super middleweight contest.
Tickets priced at $40, $60 and $100 and can be purchased by calling 1-866-777-5077 or by going online at www.Philadelphia Worldwide.com .
The show is being promoted by Philadelphia Worldwide.
Showdown in Motown October 17!
Superfight Rematch for the IFBA Light Middleweight title at Palace of Auburn Hills
In a 10-round rematch of the two best active female boxers in the sport, Detroit icon Mary Jo Sanders (25-1, 8 KOs) will face New Mexico’s Holly “Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (22-1-2, 6 KOs), on Friday, October 17 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan.
In June of this year, Sanders, the six-time champion in four different weight divisions, was dealt her first career loss in five years as a professional. Fighting in her backyard of the Isleta Casino & Resort in Albuquerque, Holm scored a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Sanders and won the IFBA Junior Middleweight world title.
This time, however, the Detroit native vows the outcome will be drastically different.
Sanders says she didn’t to stick to her game plan in the first fight and is eager to avenge the loss and recapture the IFBA title. “I’ve been given a second chance with this rematch and intend to take advantage of it.
Sanders, the Ring Magazine Female Fighter of the Year, is the former WBC, IBA and WIBA Welterweight; WIBA Junior Middleweight and current IBA Middleweight World Champion. The formidable Holm has held the IBA Light Welterweight; WIBA, WBC, IFBA, WBA, and IBA Welterweight; and IBA Light Middleweight Championships.
The “Showdown in Motown”, promoted by Donofrio Boxing in association with KO World Class Boxing, will headline an exciting night of professional boxing at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The undercard will feature Emanuel Steward’s Aaron Pryor Jr. (11-0, 8 KOs) against Sam Merza (14-1, 11 KOs); Detroit’s own Lanardo “Pain Server” Tyner (16-0, 9 KOs); and Jackie Kallen’s Damian “Damo” Fuller (30-5, 14 KOs).
The entire undercard lineup will be announced shortly.
Tickets for the “Showdown in Motown” are available at The Palace of Auburn Hills Box Office, palacenet.com, all TicketMaster outlets or via charge by phone at 248-645-6666.
Doors open at 6:30 pm and fights start at 7:30.
World Boxing Hall of Fame Hosts 29th Annual Banquet
Antonio Margarito, Lennox Lewis, Pernell Whitaker, and Greg Haugen among the award winners
LOS ANGELES — The World Boxing Hall of fame is proud to announce that its 29th Annual Banquet of Champions is scheduled to take place on November 15th, 2008 at LAX Marriott, located at 5855 West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90045. Social hour will begin at 6:00 pm, followed by dinner and induction ceremony at 8:00 pm.
Dinner tickets are priced at $100.00, $150.00 and $200.00. For ticket information and all the details call: 626- 964-2414 or visit official Website at www.wbhf.org.
2008 Inductees:
Boxer Category:
Greg Haugen, Marvin Johnson, Lennox Lewis and Pernell Whitaker
Expanded Category:
Miguel Diaz, Akihiko Honda, Gilberto Mendoza, Alberto Reyes.
Posthumous Category:
Luis Rodriguez-welterweight champ and Guido Bardelli- Light Heavyweight Champ
Other Awards:
Antonio Margarito will be presented with a Fighter of the Year award.
Fight of the Year honors goes to the Vasquez – Marquez Rematch.
Lifetime achievement award will be presented to Bob Arum of Top Rank.
Special Humanitarian award will be presented to Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy
Sheriff Lee Baca and councilmember Bernard Parks will receive Special Recognition Awards.
Greg Haugen (40- 10-1, 19 KO’S), who was born on August 31st, 1960 and currently resides in Seattle, Washington, began his illustrious professional career in November of 1982 and did not put down the gloves till December of1999. Mr. Haugan is a two time IBF lightweight Champion of the world and a one time WBO light welterweight Champion of the world. Greg Haugen won his first eighteen professional fights prior to besting Jimmy Paul in December of 1986 for the International Boxing Federation Lightweight Title.
He lost his first title defense to Vinny Pazienza by decision which many thought was a robbery. In 1988 he won the title back in a rematch and defended it twice successfully.
In 1989 he lost his IBF title for good to Pernell Whitaker, while earning the biggest paycheck of his career. Haugen’s legacy is perhaps best defined by his light welterweight title challenge against Julio Cesar Chavez at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City in front of 132,247 spectators.
Marvin Johnson (43 -6, 35 KO’S) was born on April 12th, 1954 in Indianapolis, Indiana.Marvin, nicknamed “Pops” had a stellar amateur career that included National Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight Championship in1971, Middleweight National Golden Gloves Championship in 1972 and a bronze medal at the Munich Olympics in 1972.
Johnson started his professional quest in 1973 and won his first six bouts by a knock out.He has won a version of a Light Heavyweight title three different times and fought ring greats such as Matthew Saad Mohammad, Michael Spinks and Mustafa Mohammad.
Johnson’s 1979 rematch fight with Mohammad was considered a fight of the year by many observers. Marvin Johnson was named a Comeback Fighter of the Year in 1984 by the Ring magazine. He ended his professional career in 1987 loosing his title for the third time to Leslie Steward in Trinidad and Tobago.
Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker (40 – 4-1, 17 KO’S), who is considered among the greatest pugilists of all time, was born on January 2nd, 1964 in Norfolk, Virginia. Mr. Whitaker has enjoyed a tremendous success in amateur ranks; he won a silver medal at 1982 World Championships in a lightweight division and a gold medal in Pan American Game’s in1983. “Sweet Pea” turned pro in1984 after winning a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. As a professional Pernell Whitaker has achieved success that most can only dream of; he became a world champion in four different weight divisions, beginning from lightweight all the way up to junior middleweight. In 1989 The Ring Magazine named Pernell Whitaker the Fighter of the Year and in 2002 the same magazine ranked him as 10th greatest fighter of the last eighty years. At his prime the defensive wizard was considered the best pound for pound boxer in the world. His boxing career ended in 2001.As of 2005, Whitaker has taken on a role as a trainer in his home state of Virginia.
Lennox Lewis ( 41- 2- 1, 32 KO’S), who is considered one of the most dominant heavyweights of our era, was born on September, 2nd,1965 in West Ham, England.
Lennox Claudius Lewis became a top amateur boxer in Canada and won a world junior championship in super heavyweight division in 1983. After loosing a controversial decision to American Tyrell Biggs in 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, he decided to wait four more years to fulfill his dream, which he did in 1988 in Seoul, Korea, where he won a gold medal in super heavyweight division. In a final match Lewis defeated future world champion Riddick Bowe by second round TKO. He then moved back to England and started his pro career in 1989.
Lewis, who often referred to himself as a pugilist specialist, defeated every professional opponent he faced, one of only three World Heavyweight Champions to do so, with Rocky Marciano and Ingemar Johansson being the other two. Along with Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield, Lewis is one of three boxers in history to have won a heavyweight championship three times. In 2002 Lewis destroyed Mike Tyson in one of the most anticipated heavy weight bouts in recent times, which also turned out to be the highest grossing event in Pay-Per- View history. Lewis TKO’d Vitali Klitchko on cuts in Los Angeles in July of 2006 in a very exciting heavy weight brawl, which turned out to be the final fight of his professional career. Upon retiring from boxing, Lewis moved to Miami Beach with his wife and two kids and is currently working as a boxing commentator on HBO.
More information is to follow.
A nonprofit organization based in California, World Boxing Hall Of Fame is dedicated to preserving and honoring boxing and its history.
For ticket or sponsorship information call: 626 964-2414
Visit our Website at www.wbhf.org
Don King inducted into the American Gaming Association Hall of Fame
Don King was honored by the American Gaming Association with induction in the Gaming Hall of Fame at their 20th annual charity dinner and ceremony on Tuesday at the Red Rock Hotel & Spa in Las Vegas.
King has promoted dozens of historic boxing events in Las Vegas and Atlantic City that helped these tourism cities become two of the top destination resorts in the world.
King was joined by chef-proprietor Emeril Lagasse, fellow boxing promoter Bob Arum and riverboat gaming pioneer Bernard Goldstein, founder of Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc.
King promoted or co-promoted 12 of the top 20 highest-grossing live gates in the history of the state of Nevada, including four of the top five. He still holds the record for highest attendance ever at a boxing match in Nevada, Larry Holmes vs. Gerry Cooney at the outdoor stadium at Caesars Palace with 29,214 spectators on June 11, 1982.
He promoted over 20 blockbuster events in Atlantic City, N.J., but it was the five fights he promoted with Mike Tyson that solidified Atlantic City as ethe East Coast capital of prizefighting in America.
King promoted or co-promoted seven of the 10 largest pay-per-view events in history, as gauged by total buys, inlcuding three of the top five, and they were all stage at MGM Grand in Las Vegas: vs. Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield II; vs. Holyfield I; and vs. Peter McNeeley.