Fans of this country’s premier heavyweight boxer, take note: Shane “Mountain Warrior” Cameron’s fight against Terry Smith will now go live on two platforms. Maori Television will screen the match up as the feature fight in CAMERON’S CRUSADE, live, exclusive and free-to-air on Saturday September 27 at 8.00 PM..
The broadcaster will simultaneously stream live from the Christchurch Town Hall Auditorium on their website at www.maoritelevision.com
Changes have already been made to the boxing schedule, to bring forward the Mountain Warrior’s battle to second of the night. This is in recognition of other key sporting events in later in the night – the rugby league NRL playoffs.
Nicklow vs. Rivera Rematch Set for Nov. 1 at Patriot Center
Junior Middleweights to Meet Again as Co-Feature on Jimmy Lange Card
Fairfax, VA — One of the year’s most-highly anticipated Beltway bouts has been officially made and fight fans will see undefeated Jesse “The Beast” Nicklow (19-0-1) of Baltimore and Charlottesville’s George “War Time” Rivera (8-3, 3 KOs) slug it out again in an eight-round rematch on Saturday, November 1 at the Patriot Center. Ice Promotions officials announced today that the Nicklow-Rivera bout will serve as the co-feature on its card featuring popular Northern Virginia headliner Jimmy Lange taking on Grover Wiley.
The junior middleweight fighters squared off on September 5 at Baltimore’s Du Burns Arena with Nicklow pulling out the unanimous eight-round decision, but not without controversy or last-minute efforts on the part of Rivera. The Maryland native was seemingly well on his way to his 19th victory displaying effective punching power and knocking Rivera down in the fourth round. However, Rivera became re-energized after being slugged by Nicklow after the referee advised both fighters to retreat to his respective corner before the start of the eighth round. The controversial incident caused a stir among both camps and the crowd, which Rivera took full advantage of by charging forward and dropping Nicklow twice in the final round. Nicklow was able to pull himself together and pull out the unanimous decision.
The 10,000 seat Patriot Center on a Jimmy Lange-headlined card provides an ideal location and stage for the warrior’s to come back and battle again. Baltimore is just 55 miles north of the George Mason University campus, while Charlottesville is a short, two-hour trip northeast.
A mainstay in and around Baltimore over the past three years, this will be Nicklow’s first fight in Virginia and only second outside of Maryland (he fought in Washington, DC on May 25, 2007). He trains out of Jake “The Snake” Smith’s Baltimore Boxing Gym.
Rivera has been a frequent fighter in Northern Virginia with his last local bout at the Jimmy Lange-sponsored Diego Corrales benefit held last October in McLean. Originally from Spanish Harlem in New York and now fighting out of Staunton Boxing Club, Rivera is looking to get back on the winning track after winning nine of first with setbacks in his last two fights.
Hometown hero Lange returns from a 17-month layoff due to an injured shoulder to face veteran Wiley in the Main Event. Two more local fighters, Jaime “The Punisher” Palma (13-12-1, 6 KOs) of Alexandria, Va., and Smithburg, Md.’s Dean “Pitt Bull” White (14-9-1, 3 KOs) will face off in an eight-round welterweight rematch. Also on the card will be Fontaine Cabell (22-8-2, 17 KOs) taking on Chad Greenleaf (10-10-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-round bout.
Ticket, priced at $30, $50, $75, $100, $150, $200, $300 and $500 (VIP Ringside), are on sale and can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling phone charge at (703) 573-SEAT (7328), logging onto www.ticketmaster.com or by visiting the Patriot Center Box Office. Group tickets and sponsorships are available by calling (703) 536-6060.
The United States’ Top Female Boxers to Vie for Pan American Championships Gold, October 3-7 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Twelve of the nation’s top female boxers will vie for gold at the 2008 Pan American Women’s Boxing Championship, October 3-7 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The event will be the first international competition of 2008 for the women, and will provide an early test as they prepare for the World Championships later in the year. The squad will depart for Port of Spain for the event on Wednesday, October 1.
The team boasts a strong mix of veterans and newcomers to the international scene with 12 reigning national champions representing the United States in the event. Reigning Pan American champion Franchon Crews (Capitol Heights, Md.) is returning in 2008 to defend her title, but will be competing at her new light middleweight class after boxing at the middleweight division for the past three years. She will be joined in Trinidad by four fellow veterans: three-time light flyweight national champion Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas), six-time national champion and 2007 Pan American Championships gold medalist, flyweight Cheryl Houlihan (Santee, Calif.); five-time light bantamweight national champion Sacred Downing and three-time lightweight national champion Caroline Barry (Colorado Springs, Colo.).
In addition, six U.S. Future Stars National Championship titlists will round out the United States roster. Pinweight Sylvia Villapando (Houston, Texas); bantamweight Cynthia Moreno (Phoenix, Ariz.); featherweight Jody Ann Weller (Pomona, N.Y.); two-time light welterweight champion Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.); middleweight Meredith Della Giustina (Versailles, Ky.), light heavyweight Mioshia Wagoner (Lawrence, Kansas) and heavyweight Tiffanie Hearn (Louisville, Ky.) will all vie for their first international hardware.
The 2008 Pan American Women’s Boxing Championship will open competition on October 3 at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre in Port of Spain, and conclude with final round action on October 7.
The U.S. team will be led by Christy Halbert (Brentwood, Tenn.), Ray Kerwick (Spokane, Wash.) and Daniel Vassar (Spokane, Wash.). Randy Richard (Opelousas, La.) will travel to Trinidad with the team as the AIBA official.
The United States claimed six medals at the 2007 edition of the event, including two gold medals and hopes to duplicate their success in 2008. The women will compete in bouts consisting of three, two-minute rounds as the international rules are different than the United States, in which they box four, two-minute rounds.
Team USA
101 lbs: Sylvia Villapando, Houston, Texas
106 lbs: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas
110 lbs: Cheryl Houlihan, Santee, Calif.
114 lbs: Sacred Downing, Trenton, N.J.
119 lbs: Cynthia Moreno, Phoenix, Ariz.
125 lbs: Jody Ann Weller, Pomona, N.Y.
132 lbs: Caroline Barry, Colorado Springs, Colo.
138 lbs: Queen Underwood, Federal Way, Wash.
154 lbs: Franchon Crews, Capitol Heights, Md.
165 lbs: Meredith Della Giustina, Versailles, Ky.
176 lbs: Mioshia Wagoner, Lawrence, Kansas
189 lbs: Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, Ky.
Coach: Christy Halbert, Nashville, Tenn.
Coach: Ray Kerwick, Spokane, Wash.
Coach: Daniel Vassar, Spokane, Wash.
AIBA Official: Randy Richard, Opelousas, La.
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).