Julio Cesar Chavez Jr said “….I am going to prove on Saturday night that I belong in big fights” at a Top Rank press conference in Los Angeles. He added “…I never chase after any fighter, even De La Hoya. I fight for the people. In Mexico the people want to see De La Hoya and myself in the ring.” Chavez Jr., the Son of the Legend, of Culiacan, Mexico takes on undefeated Luciano Cuello of Argentina on Top Rank’s “Latin Fury 8 – Tijuana Thunder’ on Saturday night..
The Tijuana Thunder announce team will be Rich Marotta, Al Bernstein and Maureen Shea. This will be the announcing debut for Shea, a communications major at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. Maureen, a professional boxer, was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. Born in 1981, she was raised by a Irish father, a now retired NYPD Detective. Maureen’s mother, of Mexican heritage, worked in the airline industry and this afforded ample travel to Maureen. Maureen spent much of her youth growing up in the Bronx and in the Guadalajara area of Mexico.
“Maureen is very charismatic and all of us at Top Rank are excited she is on the announce team,” said Bob Arum.
Jimmy Lennon will be the ring announcer.
Chavez Jr vs. Cuello will be available on iNDEMAND, DirecTV and the Dish Network.
ROMAN VS VILLERREAL BATTLE FOR WBC TITLE
5 FOR $50 TICKET SPECIAL ANNOUNCED
Big Night of Battle In The Ballroom Boxing On April 8th
A very good boxing show just became a great boxing show, as promoter Roy Englebrecht announced today that he has added a Championship Bout to the Irvine Marriott’s Battle In The Ballroom show set for Wednesday, yes Wednesday, April 8th. This title fight will feature undefeated and world ranked Manny Roman as he puts his perfect record on the line facing Perris’s Anthony Villerreal, and they will battle for the WBC YOUTH INTERCONTINENTAL BELT. This mega title bout will be the Main Event of the five bout pro card.
Plus on this great night of action Englebrecht has also announced a very special ticket offer, realizing that during these times people are looking for great bargains, so the 5 For $50 offer is born! For only $50 a fan will get a $40 ticket, a beer or soft drink, a food item, a newly designed Battle In The Ballroom T-Shirt, and a haircut from any Orange County Sports Clips shop. This offer, purchased separately would total $89, but the first 200 fans can purchase it for $50, a big $39 savings! To purchase the 5 For $50 offer, fans must call Drew at Roy Englebrecht Promotions at 949-760-3131.
In the unpredictable world of boxing, dreams can come true or be broken with a single punch, and the Roman vs Villerreal match up is one of these moments. With a perfect 14-0 record with five knockouts, a win over Villerreal puts Roman into a 2009 world title bout! But in what might be Roman’s toughest opponent so far, Villerreal, who is not called the “Baby Assassin” for nothing, will come in looking for that one punch to “punch” his ticket to a world ranking. At 8-2 with four knockouts Villerreal can match Roman’s firepower, and that is why this big fight is for a WBC Belt!
This high-impact night of professional boxing will also see one of Southern California top amateur stars make his USA pro debut, as Oxnard’s Hugo “The Boss” Centeno Jr faces Stockton’s Luis Abundes who is also debuting.
Englebrecht thinks so highly of Centeno, who had a 85-5 amateur record and won Jr. Olympics and PAL national titles, that he has signed him to a five bout promotional contract.
The five bout card will also feature Santa Ana’s 5-4 Isreal Navarette vs 2-3 Samuel Jude Yniguez, Las Vegas’s 1-0 Angel Magdaleno vs 0-1 Alejandro Solorio, and Santa Ana’s Jose Sanchez in his pro debut facing LA’s 0-2 Shawn Waite.
Doors open at 6:30pm, and the first bell rings at 7:30pm. Tickets, priced from $50 to $32, are available online at www.battleintheballroom.com.
Other News – Be sure to take a look at www.battleintheballroom.com as our website has been completely re-vamped. See our up to date fight cards as well as sign up to make comments in our blog section of our website. Check out pictures in our gallery from previous fights from both our MMA and Boxing events at the Irvine Marriott.
McGee Prepares For Super Fight Against Follmar “Date With Destiny“
March 24 (Merrillville, In) – The City of Hammond hosted the 7th Annual Pampered Woman Show at the Jean Shepherd Center on March 21-22 and Octavius James’ One In A Million Inc. joined forces with the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana to help provide food to those less fortunate.
“We definitely appreciate the support we have received from Mr. James & One In A Million, because to get that support means a lot,” said Chanda Dixon, Food Sourcing/Volunteer Coordinator for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. “All proceeds are going towards a worthy cause and people around the area that really depend on our food pantries.”
NABC Lightweight World Champion “Merciless” Mary McGee took time out to sign autographs for those individuals that attended the event and donated non-perishable goods to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.
“It’s an honor for us to give back to Northwest Indiana and Mary (McGee) was extremely excited at the opportunity to help,” said C.E.O. of One In A Million Inc. Octavius James. “Times are hard right now and anything that we can do to lighten someone’s load or brighten someone else’s day we will most certainly lend a hand.”
While at the packed event McGee took some time to prepare her body for her upcoming World Title bout against Kristy “Rose” Follmar (16-1, 9KO’s) which will take place at the Hammond Civic Center on Saturday, April 25th, 2009. McGee received a full body massage from Pamela Davey of Concepts In Massage and also was given a manicure and pedicure from students of the Area Career Center School of Cosmetology.
Octavius James’ One In A Million Inc. was one of many booths that packed into the Jean Shepherd Center for two days of total pampering. “(The Pampered Woman Show) has grown over the years and we have moved it from the Hammond Civic Center to the Jean Shepherd Center since we have more space and we can accommodate more vendors,” said Donna Muta, Special Events Coordinator for the City of Hammond.
Also featured on the “Date With Destiny” card is the Co-Main Event of Michael “Midnight Stalker” Walker (19-1-2, 12 KOs) vs. Orphius Waite (4-0, 3 KOs). Derrick “Superman” Findley (13-2, 8 KOs), Ed “2 Fast 2 Furious” Ochoa (7-0, 7 KOs), Josh Crouch (3-0, 3 KOs), Angel Hernandez (11-3, 9 KOs), “Big” Ty Ortiz (Pro Debut), Plus Brother & Sister “The Pit Bull” Jimmy Perez Jr. (4-1, 1 KOs) Tiffany Perez will also be featured and in a special amateur bout.
Tickets for “Date With Destiny” can be purchased at VIP $100, VIP ringside $75, ringside $50, and general admission $30 and they are available from any Ticket Master location at (219) 791-1234, (312) 559-1212, (866) 438-7372, www.TicketMaster.com or at the Hammond Civic Center Box Office (219) 853-6378.