Kathy Duva:
“This is a very important fight and we’ve seen lots of fighters in this situation look past the guy in front of him. In this situation Tomasz is putting a lot on the line and we really have got to give him all the respect in the world for continuing to stay active and wanting to challenge himself as much as he can, before he gets to that fight he’s been working for literally his whole life.”
“This man (McBride) pretty much made a name for himself by scoring one of the biggest upsets ever and ending Mike Tyson’s career. We are not taking that lightly at all and nor should anyone else.”
Doug Jacobs, Integrated Sports: “I know there are 2 fights on that night (4/9), but we have the better card, we have the less expensive card and we are on every cable system.”
Jerry Quinn: “I’ve been reading in the papers where the Adamek corner is planning a fight for September with the Klitschko’s but there’s an old saying, “It’s not over when (until) the fat lady sings.” And that’s the way we feel. Kevin is in great condition, we’ve pulled no punches in this one. He has a conditioning coach, he did a lot of sparring, and he had the hypnotist. That’s what he wanted and that’s what he got. I think it’s going to be a very exciting fight and we welcome everyone to come out.”
Kevin McBride: “This is great opportunity for me to show the world that I am a contender and not a pretender.”
“You know, I did say ‘I’m gonna shock the world and beat Mike Tyson’, and I did do what I said. I’m not going to say that I am going to shock the world when I beat Tomasz Adamek, but I’m going to upset the world and especially the Polish people because I’m here to win. Talk’s cheap and you have to put it together on that night.”
“Everyone says he’s fast, he’s this, that, and you know I never heard of Tomasz Adamek until I got the word of the fight from Jerry Quinn. Now that I have, I’ve seen him fight and he’s a top class fighter, but I believe I have the equalizer in both hands to win this fight.”
“I haven’t done weights in 5 to 6 years and I started benching like 200 pounds, just last week I was benching 425 pounds. I feel so strong and my mind is focused, because I have a hypnotist and he has hypnotized me like he did for the Tyson fight. I’m not leaving any stones unturned. This is a big opportunity for me. It’s probably my last chance to show the world that I have what it takes. As a kid growing up I wanted to be the first born Irish heavyweight champion of the world… Adamek is in the way and hopefully after I beat Adamek I get an opportunity to fight for the world title and show the world.”
“On the 9th it’s going to be exciting because I come to win and there’s only two ways I’m coming out of that ring: one is with my hand raised in victory; and two on the stretcher… I’m coming here to fight and I’m gonna show what Irish pride is!”
“I have watched some of Adamek’s fights… There is flaws, but I ain’t gonna tell you because on the 9th you’re gonna see them. I’m gonna be me own referee and me own judge because I come to win. Saturday night is the night.”
Ziggy Rozalski: “Kevin wants to ‘spoil our soup’ like he did with Mike Tyson, but when we started our training camp in Pennsylvania I told Roger, don’t take him lightly. And Tomasz did not take him lightly; we had a great training camp. We are ready for Kevin McBride.”
Roger Bloodworth: “Training camp was very peaceful. It allowed us to focus, cause we’re not taking this man (McBride) lightly at all. Anybody that takes a 6-foot-6, 270 pound man lightly, well he needs to be hypnotized. It gave us a good opportunity to work on a lot of things. I saw a lot of improvement and you’ll see that in the ring Saturday night.”
Tomasz Adamek: “I’ve prepared well with Roger. For 7 weeks we stayed in Bushkill, Pennsylvania.” He added, “Roger trains me a little bit more every day. I’ve changed my style, I’m more flexible. When you see my first fight in heavyweight (compared) to now, I am much more different. I’m everyday a better fighter.”
“I’ve never trained the same for every fight, I think in my last couple fights my physical coach gave me more exercise because my body is stronger. I feel very good right now, no pain, nothing. I am at my natural weight, 216 -218. I don’t want more because I want to keep my speed.”
“Before my big fight in September I must beat Kevin. I respect Kevin and I am ready. I will give all my fans a good show, because I am a warrior. This is my destiny.”
“A couple years ago we were talking about how some day Tomasz was going to get ready to challenge for the heavyweight title. We are finally getting close to it, but before that happens he has one big challenge. Kevin is not just a challenge, he is a BIG challenge and we mean that quite literally.”
INFO:
The April 9th card at Newark’s Prudential Center features Tomasz Adamek vs. Kevin McBride in the IBF International/NABO Heavyweight Championship fight. There are 6 undercard fights scheduled, subject to change. The Brick City Boxing Series card is presented by Main Events & Ziggy Promotions. Doors open at 6:45pm, first fight 7:00pm.
Tickets are priced at $253, $103, $78, and $53. Tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com, Charge-by-phone: 1-800-745-3000, Ticketmaster Express 866-448-7849 and Ticketmaster ticket centers. Tickets are also available at Prudential Center’s Box Office.
Adamek vs. McBride will be distributed in the United States and Canada 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, DISH Network and Avail-TVN and Canada via Viewer’s Choice, Bell TV and Shaw Cable PPV for a suggested retail price of only $29.95
Available as an Ustream online PPV exclusive, the live video broadcast of the fight will be offered for $29.95 in U.S. / Canada athttp://www.ustream.tv/brickcityboxingUSAand $4.95 Worldwide athttp://www.ustream.tv/brickcityboxinginternational
$65 tickets released for Berto-Ortiz
NEW YORK, NY (April 6, 2011) – The MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office has released additional $65.00 tickets today for the April 16 “East-West Showdown” championship boxing event featuring World Boxing Council (“WBC”) Welterweight World Champion and undefeated star Andre Berto against powerful, WBC # 5 rated challenger “Vicious” Victor Ortiz, at MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods. There will be no additional tickets available at that price level after this small release.
“East-West Showdown: Berto vs. Ortiz” is presented by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Golden Boy Promotions. The bout will be televised live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing starting at 9:45 PM/ET 6:45 PM/PT. The broadcast kicks off with Amir “King” Khan (24-1, 17 KOs) defending his WBA Super Lightweight World Title against Paul “Dudley” McCloskey (22-0, 12 KOs) from the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, England.
“We wanted to give fight fans one last shot at getting in at this price,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods is a room that was made for boxing and we are very happy to be there for the second time in five weeks. Berto-Ortiz is going to be a terrific fight between young, exciting fighters who are coming to win. April 16 is going to be explosive!”
The lightning-quick Berto (27-0, 21 KOs), a 2004 Haitian Olympian fighting out of Winter Haven, Florida, captured the vacant WBC Welterweight World Title in 2008 by way of a seventh round technical knockout of Miguel Angel “Miki” Rodriguez. Berto has made five successful title defenses against World Champions Steve Forbes “2 Pound” (UD12), Luis Collazo (UD12), Juan “Iron Will” Urango (UD12), and Carlos “El Indio” Quintana (TKO8), as well as veteran Freddy “Riel” Hernandez (TKO1) last November.
Ortiz (28-2-2, 22 KOs) is one of the most popular fighters in the game. The hard-punching southpaw from Ventura, California holds victories over former World Champions Nate Campbell (UD10), Vivian Harris (KO3) and Carlos Maussa (KO1) as well as high profile opponents such as Antonio Diaz (TKO7), Mike Arnaoutis (TKO2) and Jeffrey Resto (TKO2). The former NABO/USBA title holder has won four of his last five fights, with his last fight against Lamont Peterson ending in a 10-round majority draw on December 11, 2010.
Tickets are priced at $350, $200, $125, and $65 and are on sale through the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com, by calling the MGM Grand at Foxwoods at 1-866-646-0609, or in person at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office.
WBO IN SALTA, ARGENTINA TO PROMOTE BOXING TO THE YOUTH IN THE CITY AND NEARBY AREAS
World Boxing Organization (WBO) President, Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel, is in the city of Salta, Argentina, where is involved in the promote of boxing for the kids and youth there, as part of the program Kids Drug Free.
Yesterday, Valcarcel was in Salta, Argentina, with Mayor Miguel Isa. There, in a high hill, they put a ring where is required go up in cable railway, getting there people of the city, boxers, trainers and media to join the colorful activity. Valcarcel donated boxing equipment for the city Gyms and then, the WBO leader put on gloves with Isa.
“I’m very happy to be here, in this beautiful city, and very surprised for the excellent job you are doing in the city with the young people and the kids who practice boxing”, Valcarcel said to the media and people.
Also, Valcarcel visited some gyms in the city, including the Carlos Monzon Gym in jail, where over 50 prisoners are practicing boxing.
Meanwhile, Mayor Isa was grateful to the WBO for the support in his city saying that “the promotions of a healthy living by the boxing practice helps these young people and kids who suffers addictions and who need this things. The visits of important people of boxing means a lot to this people. This motivate us to continue in this work for our youth and kids”.
Along with Valcarel and Isa, there were Jorge Molina Latino WBO President and Osvaldo Bisbal, presidente of the Argentina Boxing Federation.
SUCCESS IN COSTA RICA WIN OF HANNA GABRIEL IN THE NEW NATIONAL STADIUM
While, Valcarcel was last week in Costa Rica in the opening of the New National Stadium, where boxing star Hanna Gabriel defended her WBO Junior Middleweight Championship with a KO over Melisenda Perez in a sold out night.
In San Jose, Costa Rica, Valcarcel was in some activities, including with Costa Rica President, Laura Chinchilla, who received from the WBO a title belt and a plate, naming her the “People’s Champion”.
WBO donated boxing equipment to different gyms in Costa Rica.
John Murray wants world title shot in 2011
Manchester ace John Murray has briefly had the World Boxing Council (WBC) world title wrapped around his waist – now he wants it there permanently.
Murray got the “world” belt after winning the WBC Youth Lightweight title back in 2006.
It was handed to him as a stand-in for his own title ahead of a photo call at Alexandra Palace.
But following his successful European lightweight title defence at the weekend against Karim El Ouzaghari, he wants the 135lb one for keeps.
“Junior Witter won the WBC title that night, and that belt was the only one on hand to give to John,” said trainer Joe Gallagher.
“John had to give it back sharpish, but now he wants the real thing.”
Murray is already WBC number two in the rankings, and will have only strengthened his position with his victory at York Hall.
“I want that world title shot in 2011 so much,” he said.
“I’ve been talking to promoter Frank Warren about the next step, and there should be something in the pipeline.
“I’ve definitely put myself in the shop window with that win at the weekend, and I’m ready to move up in class.”
Following his win over Ouzaghari, Murray has now moved up two places to number four in the prestigious Ring Magazine lightweight rankings.
He is now one spot behind Kevin Mitchell conqueror Michael Katsidis, with champions Humberto Soto, Brandon Rios and Juan Manuel Marquez ahead of him.