MIAMI (Apr. 19, 2009) – For four invaluable weeks at the Normandy Gym in North Miami, undefeated middleweight prospect “Chairman of the Board” Michael Oliveira (11-0, 8 KOs), the heir apparent to retired Brazilian boxing star Acelino “Popo” Freitas, acted more like a sponge than a young prize fighter. The 19-year-old Oliveira, who is trained by Danny Hawk at Normandy Gym, absorbed everything he heard or viewed from the Hall of Fame-bound boxer also training in the North Miami gym, Bernard Hopkins, who had set-up training camp there to prepare for his eventual victory last month against Roy Jones..
Oliveira, living and fighting out of Miami, is unique among contemporary professional boxers, coming from an affluent family, attending Miami Dade Community College, and having only a two-match amateur career.
“I didn’t spar with Bernard,” Oliveira explained, “but he pulled me aside each day for about 15 minutes to teach me his personal moves. He told me not to forget anything, because he was only teaching me once, and I learned a lot from him. He taught me that age was just a number, to put my mind and heart into training, and with determination you can conquer anything. Anything is possible if you train hard, he stressed.”
Watching Hopkins workout live also benefited the talented teenager. “He is very, very calm in the ring,” he noted. “He never wastes unnecessary energy; he’s not fidgety, he glides around the ring. And he’s very, very focused on his opponent. I noticed that he only throws a punch when he’s almost certain it’ll land. I just listened, watched and took everything in. It was a great experience.”
Oliveira Enjoyed Brazilian Celebration Last Weekend
Michael received his award as the 2009 Brazilian Athlete of the Year this past Friday night at the Brazilian International Press Awards ceremony in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. The following day Michael was a special VIP guest in front of 20,000 at Brazilian Day festivities in Miami.
Oliveira is slated to fight April 30 on a show at Miccosukee Resort in Miami, tuning-up for his proposed homecoming, August 7 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
“I’ve been training, sparring and pushing my body to the limit with Danny at the gym.” Michael concluded. “The hardest part of boxing is training. Fighting is easy because you’re in top shape and do what you’ve been practicing. I can’t wait to get back in the ring to fight.”
Go to www.MichaelOliveira.com for more information about Michael. Oliveira’s valued sponsors include The Confianca Moving, The Beira – Mar and Pro 1 from Sao Paulo, Dumonde Travel (Michael’s official travel agency) and the multi-national fuel company, Shell.
’84 Olympic Team Partial Reunion One of Many Highlights of “Hassle at the Castle”
One of the many exciting highlights of the Friday, May 7, “Hassle at the Castle” professional-boxing benefit gala at the Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York, will be a partial reunion of the legendary 1984 Olympic Boxing Team including all-time great multiple world champions Evander Holyfield (bronze) and Pernell Whitaker (gold), former World Champion and Gold Medallist Mark Breland and Gold Medallist Tyrell Biggs.
The star-studded event is being put on by Nick Garone’s X-Cel Worldwide in Association with Film Producer John Edmonds Kozma and his company Bang Productions and the legendary Lou Duva.
“Lou was instrumental in putting together this show and we thought since he is turning 88 years old, it would be a good tribute to have some of the guys from the 1984 team here,” explained Kozma, who has arranged most of the celebrity appearances for the event. “Donna Brooks, Lou’s daughter reached out to them and, based on the tribute to Mr. Duva, these guys were more than happy to come and do their part.”
“It’s phenomenal to have some of the guys showing up at this,” added Garone who organized the live professional boxing also being featured. “This says a lot about how they feel for Lou and the respect they have or him to come to the event. I’m excited myself to meet some of these guys and it’ll be an honor to have them at the event.”
VIP ticket holders to “Hassle at the Castle” will be able to meet all the celebrity guests in the castle library from 7 to 9. “We’ll take one VIP table at a time in there and meet them one-on-one and get photos and autographs in an in-close personal situation,” explained Kozma.
Other high-profile guests scheduled to attend include “Gentleman” Gerry Cooney, Burt Sugar, Emile Griffith, “Vicious” Vivian Harris and a Mystery Hall of Famer.
“Hassle in the Castle” will also feature six world-class professional boxing bouts.
In the main event, power punching two-time former Super Middleweight World Champion Byron “Gator” Mitchell (28-5-1, 21 KOs) will face “Next Great Champ” winner Otis “Triple OG” Griffin (21-6-2, 8 KOs) in a 12-round duel for the USBA Light Heavyweight Title.
In the main supporting bout, former #1 heavyweight contender “Big” Michael Grant will make his return to the ring. The towering 6′ 7″ Grant (45-3, 33 KOs) is undefeated since 2003 and was last seen scoring a unanimous 12-round decision over the respectable Paul Marinaccio to win the NABA-US Heavyweight Championship at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel.
Also scheduled for action are Maryland-based welterweight Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor (7-0, 5 KOs), and Patterson, New Jersey’s Elvin “KoKo” Sanchez (3-0, 3 KOs) and two more fights that are currently TBA.
Between bouts, high-fashion models will showcase Carla’s Closet Swimsuits, as seen in 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.
“Hassle in the Castle” is a benefit honoring the Shea Megale Trust for SMA and the Elena Melius Foundation.
Tickets are priced at General $350 and VIP $500 and are available at www.ringsidenow.com or by calling 310.592.9134. Open Bar and Hors D’oeuvres are included with ticket purchase. Oheka Castle is located at 135 West Gate Drive in Huntington, New York. For more information, call 310.592.9134 or visit www.championsofboxing.com. On fight night, doors will open at 6:30 pm. VIP Meet & Greet will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 and the first bout starts at 7:45.
First Annual BBBofC Southern Area Boxing Awards Dinner Announced
Mr Michael Collier, Chairman of the British Boxing Board of Control Southern Area, announced today that the First Annual BBBofC Southern Area Boxing Council Awards Dinner will be held at The Grange City Hotel, 8-14 Cooper’s Row, London, EC3N 2BQ on Saturday 24th July 2010.
On making the announcement Mr Collier said “This is the first event of this type we, at the Southern Area Boxing Council, have organised and are sure this will be the standard by which all future Boxing Award Dinners will be judged.
We believe that, as the Southern Area Boxing Awards Dinner 2010 is a five star event, it deserves a five star setting. As such, befitting an event of this stature, the prestigious Grange City Hotel at Tower Hill will be the venue for the inaugural event and, hopefully, future Southern Area Boxing Council Award Dinners.
The Southern Area is the largest region of the BBBofC and we are fortunate enough to have many of Great Britain’s best boxers in our area. I’m not just talking about the household names, I’m talking about exceptional fighters that are dedicated to their craft. Some make it to a title shot, but many never get the chance to shine on the major stage yet still put in the hours, week in and week out, in gyms across the region so that they can give the best possible performance every single fight. Their dedication and determination has given us some of the best boxing around.
Therefore it is only fitting that we host an event to honour these great fighters, past and present, as well as the many rarely seen “backroom boys” that are the true life and soul of boxing. These guys work hard making our sport the success it is today but never get the recognition they rightfully deserve, until now, that is.”
The First Annual Southern Area Awards Dinner will be held at The Grange City Hotel, 8-14 Cooper’s Row, London, EC3N 2BQ on Saturday 24th July 2010 commencing at 6:30pm prompt.
Besides the actual award ceremonies and dinner there will also be live music, a DJ, a guest speaker, guest appearances and an auction. The Southern Area Boxing Council have negotiated accommodation at the 5 Star rated Grange City Hotel at a special rate of £99 per room.