MANCHESTER, Conn. (June 10, 2010) – Undefeated, 23-year-old NABF and NABO champion Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard arguably rates as America’s leading contemporary featherweight and the old-school fighter can’t wait to prove his worth to the boxing world. Remillard, now rated No. 7 by the World Boxing Council, may not have a true signature fight, yet, but he improved his pro record to 23-0 (17 KOs) last month with a fourth-round TKO of Carlos Rivera (16-4-2), retaining his NABF belt and capturing the vacant NABO strap. The Manchester, Connecticut fighter had to overcome his first taste of adversity in the ring, a cut over his eye that required eight stitches..
“It was the first time I was ever cut in a fight,” Remillard said. “I didn’t paw at it but realized that I could lose on a cut, so I picked-up the pace. It was a wake-up call for me. The cut was clean and there’s no scar tissue.
“With each fight I’m getting more confident, utilizing my boxing skills more but, at first, it was a little more difficult against a southpaw like Rivera. The first round was like a chess match. I may have lost the round but, I had to establish my left foot outside of his left, and I did.”
Remillard has shown some signs being like a young Micky Ward, another New Englander known for his vicious body attacks. Lately, “Sharp Shooter” has been zeroing in on his opponents’ livers with tremendous results, including a few breath-taking shots unloaded on Rivera.
“I was known for throwing good body shots in the amateurs and I brought it to the pros,” Matt explained. “Today, not a lot of fighters do that well. Some guys are so tough, especially Mexicans, that they can take good head shots and walk through them. Good liver punches effect a fighter later on, slowly suffocating ‘em, and that’s something I’ve been working hard on in the gym. I’m trying to use pin-point accuracy, not rush, to find the right spots. Years ago, maybe in my third or fourth fight, Micky Ward told me to tap upstairs and then bring that left hook to the body. We still talk about that whenever we meet at fights. A good head-shot immediately affects a fighter. They may not give-up from one good body shot, so I remain patient, knowing it may take two or three rounds to take its toll.”
The top two American featherweight prospects are Remillard and unbeaten, 22-year-old USBA champion Mikey Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs), while two others in the best American featherweight debate are veterans Steven Luevano (37-2-1, 15 KOs), former WBO titlist, and Cornelius Lock (19-5-3, 12 KOs).
Already savvy enough to realize that, in the business of boxing, Remillard knows all of the stars need to be aligned properly, in terms of risk and reward, for two undefeated prospects to face-off in a showdown. “I understand it takes money and television to make something like that happen,” Matt spoke about rumors of a fight against Garcia. “I’m willing to fight anybody but I leave that to my promoter (TKO Boxing) and manager (Bret Hallenbeck). Garcia stopped Rivera in the seventh round (Aug. 29, 2009) in his 18th fight, I stopped him in the fourth of my 22nd fight. Hey, nobody is calling me out, and I’m not the type to call-out fighters. So, I’ll continue working in the gym and wait for my big opportunity.
“There’s so much talent in our division, just like in the welterweight and super middleweight divisions. Maybe somebody will start a tournament like the Super Six (super middleweights) that will guarantee money, television and exposure. And the double-elimination is cool, too.”
For now, though, Remillard will bide his time. Time, of course, is on the side of the tattooed-fighter called “Sharp Shooter.” The throwback, fan-friendly prize fighter from Connecticut is made for television. A self-proclaimed gym rat, Matt continues to sharpen his skills, preparing for a future fight against a top 10-ranked foe, in order to prove to all that he belongs among the 126-pound elite.
Comanche Boy ShoBox Card Cancelled, next bout July 8th!
The June 25 ShoBox bout featuring George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah and Fernando Guerrero at the Santa Ana Casino in Bernalillo, NM has been cancelled, due to scheduling conflicts between promoter Lou DiBella and the ShowTime network. Tahdooahnippah, who is training in Las Vegas with Jeff Mayweather is making the most of the cancellation and using his time with Mayweather to prepare for another fight scheduled July 8th at Remington Park Casino, Oklahoma City, OK. and will be featured as the Main event.
Tahdooahnippah’s next fight is scheduled Thursday, July 8, 2010, at the Remington Park Casino, Oklahoma City, OK. Ticket info will be available shortly at www.comancheboy.com or www.remingtonpark.com.
Hanks vs. White in Heavyweight Clash
The June 24th Battle in the Ballroom fight series presents a top heavyweight battle in a full night of ring action. In the featured fight of the night undefeated heavyweight Joe “The Future” Hanks is back and he’s in with the Bayou Banger 22-2 Johnnie White. Over the past 12 months White has been in with top contenders Dominch Guinn and Seth Mitchell, and is currently the 65th ranked heavyweight in the USA, and with 18 knockouts will be Hank’s stiffest test so far. Since Hanks first round KO of Baby Tyson Cliff Couser in April at the Marriott, Hanks has KO’ed Marcus Dickerson and Anthony Gatt to improve his record to 13-0 with 9 knock outs. People in the fight business are starting to talk about a big future awaiting Hanks and it starts with White!
Only 150 tickets are left for this Battle in the Ballroom show on Thursday June 24th at the Irvine Marriott and it will be a full six bout show featuring both pro boxing and mixed martial arts! Get your tickets before there gone!
Looking to stay undefeated is Ballroom favorite Hugo Centeno Jr. out of Oxnard as he returns to defend his 3-0 3ko win streak under ballroom lights. Fans can’t miss Hugo’s walkin complete with sombrero and mariachi singer.
Fight fans will see Eder Peralta 1-2 out of Pasadena fight Richard Contreras 1-1 from Riverside duke it out in our 122lbs super bantamweight fight of the night.
We have two pro debuter’s set and ready to go toe-to-toe in our 135lbs boxing matchup as Long Beach’s David Morales takes on Riverside’s Juan Reyes. Both fighters eager to seek out their first professional win.
Christmas will come early this year for MMA fans as Ballroom favorite Chris “The So-Cal Kid” Saunders 6-1 from Long Beach is set to throw caution to the wind and face local favorite 3-0 Andy Morales of Laguna Beach in a 3-round Battle for supremacy. Morales coming off his impressive April 1st Ballroom win against Vince Parra. This fight is scheduled as the co-main event and should not disappoint.
Our first MMA fight of the night features Raja Shippen( 2-4-1) out of Lake Forest as Raja faces pro debuter Carlos Aguilar fighting out of Buena Park This fight is set at 150lbs.
Tickets start at $32 and $40
4th Street Traffic Live @ WBC Night of Champions, Cardiff 29th – 31st July 2010
Fresh from their prestigious support slot with Welsh legends, The Stereophonics in the brand new Cardiff City Stadium, Welsh rockers 4th Street Traffic have confirmed to play at the WBC Night of Champions International Boxing Festival at the Cardiff International Arena on 29th – 31st July 2010.
4th Street Traffic are a young band from South Wales, who are creating quite a name for themselves around the UK and beyond. Having been veterans of the underground rock circuit, mainstream success seems just around the corner for what has been described as ‘easily the hardest working band in Wales, if not the UK’! The band has shared a stage with such names as The Stereophonics and Kids In Glass Houses, to widespread critical acclaim.
The World Boxing Council are very proud to announce their appearance at the Night of Champions festival in Cardiff, where the band will have the opportunity to play in front of over 100 current and former world champions of the sport, as well as the British Olympic boxing team for London 2012, and thousands of boxing fans.
The WBC Night of Champions is a 3-day boxing festival that comprises of:
The world film premiere of ‘Risen’, the inspiring story of the life of Welsh boxing legend Howard Winstone, who despite losing the fingers on his right hand, went on to win a world championship title in boxing.
A pre-Olympic tournament between the British Olympic team and a ‘Rest of the World’ team.
The WBC Night of Champions Gala Awards Dinner.
4th Street Traffic will make sporting history at this event, as at the Team GB V Rest of the World tournament, for the first time ever, the boxers will be played in to the ring by a live rock band. This is a world’s first, as it has never been done before at a major boxing event.
The WBC Night of Champions is your chance to catch 4th Street Traffic at a prestigious and star-studded event, before their seemingly inevitable step in to mainstream success. With tickets for the events as low as just £20, it’s a well-priced way to see the band too.
There’s also a bit of boxing apparently…