For the last weeks and months German boxing fans have been wondering about the future plans of promoter Ahmet Öner. This Tuesday (January 19th) the cooperation between ARENA and major TV network Sat.1 will officially be announced at a press conference in Hamburg. The ProSiebenSat1 Media Group is one of the biggest, most important and most influential private TV networks in Germany. They had been involved in boxing from 1997 until 2001 broadcasting world championship fights of WBO light heavy champ “Tiger” Dariusz Michalczewski..
Now Sat.1 will feature the re-match between German heavyweight hope Steffen Kretschmann (14-1, 13 kos) and Russian tough-guy Denis Bakhtov (32-5, 21 kos). In June 2009, Bakhtov had pulled off an upset by knocking out Kretschmann in one round. Now the German is seeking for revenge.
Details on date and place of the first joint venture between ARENA and Sat.1 will follow next week.
BOXING PROMOTERS ASSOCIATION CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER THIRD MEETING IN LAS VEGAS
The Boxing Promoters Association (BPA) held its third meeting on January 11th in Las Vegas, with a renewed sense of optimism for boxing in 2010. In a full day of meetings at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, the President, Joe DeGuardia, and the various Committees gave reports and moved forward with the planned agenda. The growing group of over 30 promoters heard committee reports outlining collaborative efforts for television and Internet distribution, venue agreements, legislative activities, and a host of other issues the group will tackle in the new year.
BPA ENTERS DISTRIBUTION ARRANGMENT WITH MAGAZINE
At the meeting it was announced that the BPA would be entering into a distribution agreement with a boxing publication. The arrangement will provide a Boxing Magazine for fans while providing the magazine with the massive distribution capabilities of the BPA membership as each promoter will distribute the magazine free of charge at every boxing event.
BPA CREATES WEBSITE
The BPA also addressed the need for an exclusive and informative BOXING website, which would be akin to the websites currently used by the NFL, MLB and other sports. The BPA agreed upon the domain of BoxingPromotersAssociation.com.
BPA, ABC, AARP UNITE
Another major development that the BPA agreed upon was to work with the American Association of Ringside Physicians and the Association of Boxing Commissions to assist in and become a member of a standardized medical database. Part of the agreement includes an exclusive arrangement for access and collaboration with respect to the Boxing Medical Database, which in turn will ensure the integrity of fighter’s medical records and speed up the process for promoters to obtain those records. In addition, the arrangement will be cost effective, saving both boxers and promoters money. This collaborative effort among Promoters, Doctors and Commissions is the first of its kind and symbolic of the progress spearheaded by the BPA.
TIME TO JUDGE THE JUDGES
Another significant development was the decision BPA made at the meeting to begin taking steps in creating a Judicial over-sight process to review inept judges.
In addition, various regulatory issues regarding boxing throughout the United States, as well as pending National Boxing Legislation were reviewed and discussed.
OTHER RELATED/GROUND BREAKING BOXING NEWS
In other BPA related news, it was reported that the three major sanctioning organizations in boxing, the WBC, WBA and IBF, reached an agreement in which the three organizations will for the first time in boxing history unite, cooperate and work together. The meeting, which took place in Cancun, Mexico included WBC President, Jose Sulaiman, WBC Executive Secretary Mauricio Sulaiman, IBF President Marian Muhammad, IBF Chairman of Officials Larry Hazzard and WBA Executive Vice President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza.
The unity of the three organizations, which announced that they plan to work more with boxing commissions throughout the world as well as the Boxing Promoters Association, is viewed as a very signifcant development towards the betterment of the sport of boxing. One of the main topics of discussion at the organization’s meeting, which was also a topic at the BPA’s meeting (as previously mentioned herein) was developing a system to rate the performance of judge’s decisions.
Dream Matchups and Long Awaited Returns Scheduled For February 26th at The Hammond Civic Center
January 19 (Merrillville, In) – In an era of boxing where dream matches are beginning to made on the International Level One In A Million Boxing, Inc. is scheduling the most coveted Middleweight Showdowns since top Middleweights Mike “Choir Boy” Landini and Carlos “The Force” Tite squared off nearly 25 years ago and what a better place to hold this historic Middleweight Title Fight then the same place Landini and Tite met, the Historic Hammond Civic Center.
On February 26th the top middleweights in the region will square off to show who is truly the best. Michael “The Midnight Stalker” Walker will square off against fellow One In A Million Boxing stablemate Derrick “Superman” Findley in a showdown for the ages.
“This is a fight fans have been asking about for a longtime. Everyone was wondering if it was ever going to happen, but after speaking to both of these extremely talented fighters they were both up for the fight. Neither one has backed away from a challenge yet, so this is a fight guaranteed to deliver fireworks!” said One In A Million Boxing President Tyree Ortiz.
Also a very long awaited comeback of a special young lady that all boxing fans know is scheduled. “Merciless” Mary McGee will step back in the ring for her first fight since her epic match with Kristy “Rose” Follmar in April of last year, wanting to deliver the same kind of excitement from her last fight McGee is ready to move back in full swing. “I am working with the One In A Million Boxing Team,” said McGee. “We are working on finding an opponent to the highest caliber like Kristy Follmar, I want to make sure when I step in the ring February 26th that the whole World knows Mary McGee is BACK!”
V.I.P. hot seat events will also being taking place weeks prior to the event at five designated bars and restaurants with opportunity to win two VIP Table tickets for this extravagant night of fighting with the Miller Lite girls as the hosts with these locations and dates soon to be named.
Tickets for “Fight Night 2010” are on sale now and can be purchased at VIP Table Seat – $100,
Ringside Table Seat – $50, and General Admission – $30. Tickets can be purchased at www.oneinamillionboxing.com The Hammond Civic Center Box Office, or by calling (866) 438-7372.
The Hammond Civic Center is located at 5825 Sohl Ave., Hammond, IN. Doors open at 7 p.m. The first bout is scheduled at 8 p.m. and for more ticket information or fight night events please visit us at our knockout website and leave us some feedback: www.oneinamillionboxing.com. Or by calling (866) 438-7372. Tickets for this phenomenal night of boxing are guaranteed to go fast so make sure to get yours now.