WBO jr. middleweight champion Sergiy Dzinziruk has a new opponent for his sixth world title defense – Daniel Dawson will replace originally scheduled Sherzod Husanov of Russia. The fight, scheduled for 12 rounds, will headline a sensational event on Friday, May 14, 2010, at the Chumash Casino Resort (3400 E. Highway 246, Santa Ynez, California), co-promoted by Gary Shaw Productions and Art Pelullo/Banner Promotions. Due to a delay at the local consulate in Ekaterinburg, Russia, Husanov will not receive his passport in time for the fight..
Dzinziruk, 35-0 with 23 knockouts, is a native of Brovari, Ukraine. He will make his United States debut in this fight – he has been based in Germany for his entire professional career and fought exclusively in Europe. He moved to Los Angeles at the beginning of March. He said through an interpreter, “For a long time, I’ve wanted to come and fight in America, but it never happened for whatever reasons. The minute the opportunity came up, I came here. I’m a fighter. This is work for me, and I’m here to show the American people who I am. All I want to do is win the fight.”
Now 34 years old, Dzinziruk won the WBO title in December, 2005. He was also an international amateur standout – he represented Ukraine in the 1996 Olympics and was the silver medalist at the 1997 World Championships.
Dawson, 34-1 with 24 knockouts, is a native of Australia who is also now based in Los Angeles. Now 32 years old, he was a kickboxing and Muay Thai [Thailand-style kickboxing] champion before switching to boxing. As a boxer, he is a former Australian junior middleweight and middleweight champion. He said, “It’s a dream come true for me to be here, and I’m doing what I love to do with some good quality trainers and sparring partners. I like to consider myself a great ringmaster. The way I move in the ring, the way I attack, my precision punching, everything I do is very precise. And I always come to fight – I always come to bring it.”
In the co-featured bout scheduled for eight rounds, 21 year-old undefeated junior lightweight prospect Archie Ray Marquez, 9-0 with 6 knockouts, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, will face Juan Santiago, 12-3-1 with 7 knockouts, of Denver, Colorado.
More exciting bouts will complete the card. All bouts subject to change without notice.
Doors open at: 5:30 P.M. PT with the first bout beginning at 6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets priced at $25, $40, $55, $70, and $85 can be purchased at Chumash Casino Resort’s Club Chumash, the Chumash Casino Resort webpage – www.chumashcasino.com, and by phone at StarTicketsPlus – 1-800-585-3737.
Unbeaten Zsolt Bedak fighting outside of Europe for first time in WBO title fight vs. Vazquez“Undefeated Champions” PPV May 29 in Puerto Rico
HOBOKEN, N.J. (May 5, 2010) – Hungarian-born and Germany based Zsolt “Mr. Lefthook” Bedak, the WBO No. 1 contender, fights outside of Europe for the first time in his pro career May 29 against WBO Junior Featherweight Champion Wilfredo “WV2” Vazquez, Jr., headlining the “Undefeated Champions” pay per view event, airing live in the United States from Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
“Undefeated Champions,” presented by PR Best Boxing in association with All Star Boxing, features three world title bouts. It is being distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9 PM/ET – 6 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, and DISH Network, for a suggested retail price of only $34.95.
Boricua star Vazquez (18-0-1, 15 KOs), the son of a former world champion (Wilfredo Vazquez), makes his first title defense against unbeaten challenger Bedak (14-0-1, 12 KOs), who doesn’t believe fighting for the first time outside of Europe will be a problem for him.
“This will indeed be my first pro fight outside of Europe and, sure, this is a new situation for me,” Bedak explained. “However, I am not really concerned about this. Also, the champ is in a special situation because it can be even harder to fight in one’s hometown as fans, friends, family, sponsors, etc. can put quite some pressure on a boxer defending his title and not wanting to disappoint them.”
Bedak, 26, captured the WBO European and WBO Inter-Continental super bantamweight titles last year. “This will, of course, be my most important fight and it’s an honor for me to be shown in television in the U.S.,” Zsolt added. “I expect a fair and open fight. I am prepared to go 12 rounds – I always do — and would not be surprised if the fight goes the full distance.
“I rely on a good combination of technique and power, as well as quick moves and jabs. Vazquez is a complete and very skilled fighter, offensively. I’ve fought four Latin fighters, so I have some experience with that style.”
WBO junior lightweight champion Roman “Rocky” Martinez (22-0-1, 14 KOs) makes the second defense of his title in the 12-round co-feature against WBO No. 10 rated Gonzalo “El Destructor” Mungia (17-6-3, 13 KOs) Martinez, rated No. 3 by The Ring, takes on the reigning WBO Latino super featherweight title-holder, Nicaraguan challenger Mungia.
The third world title fight on this explosive, highly-entertaining card matches females Hanna Gabriel (9-0-1, 5 KOs) and Gardy Pena (9-1-2, 6 KOs) for the vacant WBO super welterweight crown in a 10-round bout. Fighting on the undercard are the Arroyo twins, bantamweight McJoe (1-0, 1 KO) and McWilliams (1-0, 1 KO), the former Puerto Rican Olympians. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
David Rodela & Frankie Gomez Headline “Fight Night Club” On May 27
Southern California’s finest will be in action in more ways than one on the May 27 edition of “Fight Night Club” at L.A. LIVE’s Club Nokia, veteran “Dangerous” David Rodela, rising star Frankie Gomez and Jesus Rodriguez will be joined by longtime contender Jose Navarro and members of the local Police and Sheriff’s departments for what will be another memorable night of boxing action.
In the main event, Rodela will face an opponent to be determined in an eight round lightweight match and bouts featuring Gomez, Navarro and Rodriguez will round out the televised portion of the event.
Also featured will be two amateur bouts featuring the best of the LAPD and the LA Sheriff’s Department, as they look to lay down the law in the boxing ring for pride and bragging rights.
“Fight Night Club” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and AEG and is sponsored by DeWalt Tools, McDonald’s, Budweiser, Vitamin Water and USTREAM. The series will return to L.A. LIVE’s Club Nokia on June 24, July 29, August 26, September 30, October 28 and November 18. The fights will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net (FSN) and its regional sports network affiliates (check local listings) and streamed live online at www.ustream.com and www.RingTV.com at 8 p.m. PT/11 p.m. ET. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. PT and the first bell rings at 7:00 p.m. PT
Tickets, priced at $250 (VIP On-Stage Seats, which are limited to only ten per show and allow purchasers to sit ringside on Club Nokia’s stage near VIP’s attending the fight [De La Hoya, Mosley, etc.], receive an autographed boxing glove and provide buyers access to the Club Nokia VIP Room [must be 21 years of age and over]), $100 (VIP Front Row Balcony Seats which grant buyers access to the Club Nokia VIP Room [must be 21 years of age and over]), $60 (VIP Balcony Seats which grant buyers access to the Club Nokia VIP Room [must be 21 years of age and over]) and $19.75 (General Admission: Floor Standing Room & Balcony Seats) are on sale now and may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 online at http://www.ticketmaster.comor through any Ticketmaster outlet or the STAPLES Center box office. Group tickets and full series tickets at a discounted rate are also available by calling 1-877-AEG TICKETS (1-877-234-8425).
Oxnard’s “Dangerous” David Rodela (14-3-2, 6 KO’s) will have the local fans’ in his corner as he makes his third appearance in the “Fight Night Club”. Owner of wins over the likes of Julio Gamboa, Kevin Kelley and Jose Luis Soto Karass, this exciting 27-year-old is ready to improve his “Fight Night Club” record to 3-0 on May 27.
East Los Angeles and amateur phenom Frankie Gomez (2-0, 2 KO’s) has already compiled a host of amateur honors and made his pro debut on the Hopkins vs. Jones II Pay-Per-View undercard in Las Vegas. Now, the junior welterweight prospect will make his triumphant return home to face off against an opponent determined in his first pro fight in Los Angeles.
A 2000 U.S. Olympian and former world title challenger, East Los Angeles’ Jose Navarro (26-5, 12 KO’s) will open up the televised broadcast with his first fight in his hometown since 2004. Since that win over Martin Armenta, the 28-year-old bantamweight has competed in Japan, Russia and the Philippines in search of a world title, but he’s starting a new quest for the belt in LA this May.
In a televised swing bout, Lancaster, California lightweight Jesus Rodriguez (1-0) will look for his second pro win in front of what promises to be another packed house at L.A. LIVE’s Club Nokia on May 27.
Opponents for Rodela, Gomez, Navarro, Rodriguez and a full undercard will be announced at a later date.