Hollywood, Florida – May 18, 2010. – Undefeated Junior Welterweight sensation Danny O’Connor has been added to the “HOMETOWN HEROES TO WORLD CHAMPIONS” card at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT on Saturday night May 22, 2010. O’Connor (11-0, 3 KO’s), from Framingham, MA, puts his undefeated record on the line when he takes on his toughest opponent to date in slick southpaw veteran Broderick Antoine (10-9-1, 5 KO’s) in a special attraction..
“We are very excited to showcase Danny O’Connor on this great card and we want to thank TKO Promotions, and Chet Koerner, for inviting us to participate, “said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing. “I am really looking forward to finally fighting at the Mohegan Sun Casino, a place where I have been attending fights for years and where I have always envisioned fighting. I expect all my fans to make the trek to support me, “said O’Connor.
A 25-year old southpaw known for his ring savvy, boxing ability, and clean punching, O’Connor was a high school wrestling champion who do not begin his stint in the sweet science in 2004. Danny went on to win four New England Golden Gloves titles, a National Golden Gloves crown, and he scored a dominating victory over eventual in May of 2008 Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz of the Dominican Republic just prior to the games. And though O’Connor would drop a hard-fought decision to Javier Molina in the Olympic trials, the 141-pounder was selected as the US team alternate and he traveled to Beijing for the 2008 Games. Once the Olympics were over, O’Connor made his debut as a professional, stopping Jose Guerrido in two rounds on September 17th, 2008. Since then, he remained undefeated through 11 contest and returns to the ring to try for number 12 on May 22nd at Mohegan Sun Casino.
HOMETOWN HEROES TO WORLD CHAMPIONS is headlined by an IBO Middleweight Title bout between “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo Jr. and Chicago’s Angel “Toro” Hernandez of Chicago.
Priced at $125.00, 60.00 and $30.00, tickets for HOMETOWN HEROES TO WORLD CHAMPIONS are available through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com), phone 1-800-745-3000.) Tickets are also available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office. Doors on the evening of the event will open at 6:30pm with the first bell at 7:30pm
Travis Kauffman: The Great American Hope
Reading, PA (5-18-10) – Not since Evander Holyfield reigned supreme during the late 1990s has America had a heavyweight champion to unite behind. As the Klitschko brothers and David Haye vie for dominance in a divisions where the top contenders are anonymous to most Americans, the call for an American challenger grows ever louder.
Travis Kauffman hears those cries as a call to action.
The 24-year-old Kauffman, a native of the rugged Pennsylvania city of Reading, will face Chris Koval of Youngstown, OH this Saturday, May 22 at the Sovereign Center in Reading. King’s Promotions will promote the pro-am boxing event entitled “Pain on Penn Street”.
The Kauffman-Koval fight will be contested for the vacant WBF Intercontinental Heavyweight title. More importantly, it will give Kauffman an opportunity to show the boxing world and his hometown fans why he is one of the sport’s best kept secrets.
“I’ve known I was going to be heavyweight champion of the world ever since my first amateur fight at nine years old,” says Kauffman, who has a record of 19-1 (15 KO). “In 15 years of boxing I’ve been through it all. I’ve been hit by the biggest punchers, danced with the fastest slicksters but I’m still here. I believe deep inside of myself that I’m here for a reason, and that is to become heavyweight champion of the world.”
Unlike most modern American heavyweights who are transplants from other sports, Kauffman had an extensive amateur background that consisted of 64 bouts and was highlighted by a gold medal at the Police Athletic League Nationals. This experience has served him well in the pros, where the 6’3″, 230 pound Kauffman has had to outsmart larger foes on many occasions. He’ll have to outsmart and outslug another bigger foe in Koval, who is 6’4″ and routinely weighs in at 260 pounds. Of Koval’s 24 wins, 18 have come by way of knockout, to go along with 6 defeats.
“I always believed that it wasn’t the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog,” Kauffman says. “The bigger the challenge that is in front of me, the hungrier I get. I have a family, my two sons and my stepchildren that I fight for. I want to provide a better life for them and that motivates me so much. But I also fight for my fans, the people that have always believed in me through thick and thin.
“I’m proud to be an American and I would love to be the man that brings the heavyweight championship back here for good. The Klitschkos are great fighters so it won’t be easy but I never doubt myself for one second. Success only comes before Work in the dictionary so I live, eat and breathe Boxing.”
“Pain on Penn Street” will also feature Reading-based lightweight Van Oscar Penovaroff (4-0-1, 3 KO), welterweight Joseph Judah (5-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, NY, super-middleweight Derrick Webster (5-0, 4 KO) of Glassboro, NJ and the debut of Allentown, PA heavyweight William Miranda. Complete undercard information will be announced shortly.
Tickets, priced at $65, $50, $35 and $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at Kingsboxing.com, the Sovereign Center Box Office at 700 Penn Street in Reading (610-898-7200) and at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com).
Hitz Boxing’s “Quest for 50” at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino on May 29
A Las Vegas-style night of boxing you don’t have to get on a plane to enjoy.
Montell Griffin goes for his historic 50th victory
Hitz Boxing will be hosting a very special night of boxing on Saturday, May 29 at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino, as Chicago’s own former WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Montell Griffin (49-8, 30 KOs) will go for his historic 50 th victory against former world title challenger Ross “The Boss” Thompson (27-14-2, 14 KOs).
From a well-known Chicago fight family, Griffin handed Roy Jones Jr. his first loss and twice defeated James Toney. This night of world-class boxing will be special not only because of Griffin’s 50th victory, but it will also likely be the final fight of his amazing career.
The high-class atmosphere and luxurious surroundings the Horseshoe has to offer make this a Las Vegas-style night of boxing you don’t have to get on a plane to enjoy. Horseshoe Casino is just 20 minutes outside of Chicago and is the best place to see boxing in the area, bar none. The Venue is an intimate, comfortable venue with luxurious seats, a spectacular gaming area, free parking, exquisite food and all the amenities, plus, a full-night of world-class boxing for reasonable ticket prices.
The “Quest for 50” undercard is loaded with a long list of comebacking veterans and up-and-coming young contenders from the Chicago area. Scheduled to appear in separate bouts are middleweight Henry “Western Warrior” Coyle (10-2, 9 KOs) from Chicago via Ireland. Coyle comes from a fighting family and was an All Army champ, who had over 300 amateur fights.
Also slated for battle are Chicago welterweight Achour Esho (7-0, 5 KOs); power punching Chicago-based cruiserweight and former UFC fighter Terry Martin (4-0, 4 KOs); Chicago middleweight Mike Kurzeja (3-0, 3 KOs); Chicago super middleweight Ninos Abraham (4-0, 1 KO) and Chicago light welterweight Russell Fiore (3-0, 3 KOs).
In addition, comebacking Chicago-based former bantamweight and featherweight contender John Lewus (23-4, 19 KOs) will have his second fight in 12 years; and Rafael Murphy, son of former cruiserweight contender Kenny Murphy and nephew of former IBF Cruiserweight Champion Leroy Murphy, will make his professional debut.
“Quest for 50” tickets are on sale now, starting at a fan appreciation price of $10. For more event information, visit www.hitzboxing.com.