MANCHESTER, Conn. (Feb. 12, 2010) – WBC rated No. 10 featherweight contender, unbeaten NABF champion Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard, is getting closer and closer to a major fight. In his last bout (Jan. 29), Remillard destroyed Rafael “The Dominican Man” Lora (11-2, 5 KOs) for the second time in a row, defending for the first time the NABF belt he won September 19 by way of a fourth-round technical knockout. Lora’s team complained that the original fight was unjustly halted, but they soon discovered that sometimes you should watch out for what you wish..
At Mohegan Sun in the rematch, Remillard unleashed pure, unadulterated fury on and all over Lora, who was unable to answer the bell for the fourth round. Rumors after the fight circulated that Lora broke two or three ribs and possibly suffered a fractured jaw.
“I just wanted to get the fight over with and move on with my career,” the 23-year-old Remillard explained. “They petitioned the NABF after our first fight. We gave them a rematch because we didn’t want anything hurting us. It was nice to have my first title defense at home, too. I was able to showcase some of the things we had been working on.”
Now the WBC’s No. 1 ranked American featherweight, Remillard is almost there in terms of his ultimate goal of fighting for a world title. “A big fight is right around the corner,” Matt remarked. “It’s starting to hit me and came on fast. My team has done a great job getting me here. My division is full of talented fighters. I’d like to fight anybody in the top 15, top 10. There are a lot of good fights out there for me and a few of us are trying to get from prospect to contender.”
WBA featherweight champion Elio “The Kid” Rojas (21-1, 13 KOs) defends his belt Feb. 20 in Mexico against No. 3 rated Guty Spades, Jr. (45-7, 28 KOs), while No. 1 contender Israel “Magnifico” Vazquez (44-4, 32 KOs) faces rival Rafael Marquez for the fourth time May 22 in Los Angeles. The other top rated WBC featherweight contenders are, in order, No. 2 Juan Carlos “Miniburgos” Burgos (24-0, 17 KOs), No. 4 Jhonny Gonzalez (42-7, 30 KOs), No. 5 Cholatarn O. Piriyapinyo (33-0, 19 KOs), No. 6 “Doctor” Oleg Yefimovych (17-1, 1 KOs), No. 7 Rafael “Chocho” Guzman (24-1, 17 KOs), No. 8 Justin “Le Malin” Savi (23-0, 15 KOs), No. 9 Cyril Thomas (36-3-4, 10 KOs), and No. 10 Remillard.
“Maybe a fight against another unbeaten prospect is next,” Remillard offered. “We’re all waiting in line along with a few guys who have one loss. Whatever my promoter and manager want to do is good by me. One way of moving up the list, though, is to takeout each other. Last year at this time, I remember thinking about being where we are right now. One great fight for me can lead to a TV network picking up a world title fight. That’s what I’m aiming for.”
Henry-Garay PPV Feb. 27
Light heavyweight contender Chris “Hard Hittin’” Henry hopes to parlay his explosive win by sixth-round technical knockout of Shaun George, last July on ESPN, into a February 27 upset of former WBA light heavyweight champion Hugo Hernan “Pigu” Garay for the WBA Interim title. Garay-Henry is the main event, live from El Polyforim Benito Juarez in Cancun, Mexico, in one of two world championship shows on “The Double Assault” pay-per-view event, presented by KO Entertainment in Mexico and PR Best Boxing Promotions in Puerto Rico, in association with All Star Boxing and Sampson Boxing LLC.
The unique broadcast is being distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports for live viewing at 9 PM/ET – 6 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN, DISH Network, Viewer’s Choice and Shaw PPV for a suggested retail price of only $34.95.
WBA No. 4-ranked Henry, fighting out of Houston, has been the NABF, NABA, IBA Inter-Continental and USNBC light heavyweight champion during the past four years. “This is a big step-up for me,” Henry said from his Texas training camp. “Everybody has looked at me as a stepping stone to get to bigger guys, but I am one of the best light heavyweights, and I’ve worked hard to get where I’m supposed to be. I’m a throwback fighter who goes all out. Garay may not be a great puncher but he’s a 2-time world champ. He throws a lot of fast punches and I’m a big hitter. Pay-per-view fans are going to watch a great fight. I’m looking for a big W.”
Garay (32-4, 17 KOs), rated No. 3 by the WBA, is a popular Argentinean who defeated Yuri Barashian by decision for the WBA light heavyweight title in 2008, successfully defended against present WBO Interim champion Juergen Braehmer by decision, and then lost his belt by decision last June to Gabriel Campillo. Garay and Henry fought each other in the 1997 World Under-19 Tournament.
“We were just amateurs but I saw the politics of boxing even back then,” Henry noted. “I thought I did more and should have won; we fought in his hometown. We were kids then and now we’ve grown into men.”
Former WBA & WBC super flyweight title-holder Cristian Mijares, No. 5 by the WBA and No. 14 by the IBF, drops back down to his natural weight class against an opponent to be determined. Revered Mexican boxer Mijares was considered one of the world’s top pound-for-pound boxers after winning a decision against Alexander Munoz in their 2008 WBC/WBA super flyweight unification match.
“The Double Assault” pay-per-view action commences at 9 PM/ET live from Reben Rodriquez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, with hometown hero Wilfredo “WV2” Vazquez, Jr., who plans to make Puerto Rican history when he fights the 19-year-old being billed in the Philippines as the next Manny Pacquaio, “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona, for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO junior featherweight title.
WBO No. 2 rated Vazquez, Jr. (17-0-1, 14 KOs), the WBO Latino super bantamweight champion, would become the first Puerto Rican son of a world champion (Wilfredo Vazquez, Sr.) to capture a world title by defeating former WBO super flyweight titlist Sonsona (14-0-1, 12 KOs), ranked No. 3 by the WBO.
Unbeaten cruiserweight prospect Carlos Negron (7-0, 6 KOs), 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian, provides chief support in a 6-round bout against Rudy Ashworth. Also fighting on the card in their pro debuts are flyweight McWilliams and bantamweight McJoe Arroyo, 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian twins.
Jason Cintron Aims to Make a Statement on 2/27
Reading, PA – Jason Cintron may have a familiar last name but boxing fans are still getting to know the Reading, PA junior welterweight. The 28-year-old Cintron aims to take another step towards asserting himself as a world class prospect when he faces Maurice Chalmer on February 27 at the Rodeway Inn & Conference Center in Allentown, PA.
The eight-round bout will be the co-featured attraction of a ten-fight professional/amateur boxing event promoted by King’s Promotions. Travis Kauffman of Reading, PA will face Bernard Brown in the main event.
Most fans know Cintron’s older brother, former welterweight champion and current junior middleweight contender Kermit Cintron. While boxing runs in his blood, it wasn’t Jason’s first love.
Cintron picked up the sweet science to stay in shape while playing football at Thadeus Stevens College of Technology in 2000. After graduating with a degree in masonry, Cintron continued to hone his craft as an amateur. He turned pro after 24 bouts and won his first ten fights before losing to unbeaten Hank Lundy of Philadelphia. He says he learned more in his sole defeat than in all of his previous combined wins.
“I learned from my mistakes,” Cintron, 11-1 (3 knockouts), says. “I was overconfident and made unnecessary mistakes. It was a good experience and now I’m back.”
Cintron rebounded with a dominant points win over durable veteran Martinus Clay this past December and will face another experienced veteran in Chalmers. The 33-year-old Chalmers has faced mostly unbeaten opposition in his 17-fight career, including world champion Andre Berto and contenders James Kirkland and Miguel Espino. Cintron will try to measure himself up against that level of competition with an impressive win.
“I just love competition. I want to compete against the best fighters in the world because I feel I have that capability.”
Far from being overshadowed by his more famous older brother, Jason feels inspired by his brother’s success and hopes to one day reach that same plateau.
“I look up to my brother. I always see how he got up there and I know I can get up there with him. Hopefully someday we can both call ourselves world champions.”
Bragging rights will be at stake in the amateur portion of the night when fighters from the Allentown Boxing Club challenge their counterparts from Reading’s King’s Gym.
Tickets are priced at $25.00, 50.00 and 65.00 and are now available at the Rodeway Inn (610-395-3731), Kingsboxing.com and the Allentown Boxing Club (Luis Melendez: 484-860-5162). A special student discount of $5.00 off any ticket price will be available at the door only along with student ID. A portion of ticket sales will be donated by King’s Promotions to the Allentown Boxing Club. Doors open at 6:00 pm; first bout starts at 6:30.