NEW YORK, NY (April 12, 2011) – World Boxing Council (WBC) # 5 rated “Vicious” Victor Ortiz plans to go full throttle in order to knockout WBC Welterweight World Champion and unbeaten star Andre Berto in their highly-anticipated 12-round “East-West Showdown” on April 16 at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
With training camp winding down and fight week here, Ortiz kept his comments short and to the point regarding his fight with Berto. Below are notes from Ortiz’s training camp in Oxnard, California:
How was training camp for this fight?
“Training has been great.”
Have you prepared differently for Berto than previous opponents?
“I have trained like never before in my life.”
What is a typical Ortiz training day like?
“It’s ‘Vicious.'”
Who have you been sparring with?
“My main sparring partner is Francisco “Chia” Santana; the others are a secret.”
What is the most imperative strategy to win this fight?
“Knock Berto out.”
How do you feel about coming to the East Coast to fight?
“I will go to the end of hell and back to get my belt.”
24-year-old Ortiz (28-2-2, 22 KO’s), fighting out of Ventura, California, is hitting his fighting prime and has developed into one of the most popular fighters in boxing. The hard-punching southpaw 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 will look to capture his first world title by defeating Berto on April 16.
“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 KO’s) defending his WBA Super Lightweight World Title against Paul “Dudey” McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s) from the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, England.
Tickets are priced at $350, $200, $125 and $65 and are available through the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com or by calling the MGM Grand at Foxwoods at 1-866-646-0609.
Brazilian Boxing Revolution working for WBC #20 Michael Oliveira
MIAMI (April 12, 2011) – The movement spearheaded by MO Productions to establish undefeated Michael “The Brazilian Rocky” Oliveira as a star in his native Brazil is moving forward as TV Globo, the third-largest network in the world, committed to a two-year, six-fight commitment featuring the 20-year-old Oliveira.
After his 10-round unanimous decision victory March 25 in Sao Paulo against previously unbeaten Argentinean prospect Abel “El Principito” Nicolas Adriel (10-1-2, 3 KOs), in which Oliveira captured the Interim World Boxing Council Latino Super Middleweight Championship, Michael returned home to Miami. His father and president of MO Productions, Carlos Oliveira, remained in Sao Paulo for meetings with TV Globo and potential sponsors.
The Oliveira-Adriel headlined “International Boxing Challenge,” presented by MO Productions, aired live Mar. 25 on SporTV, TV Globo International and GloboEsporte.com.
Oliveira, the promoter, has revealed a number of interesting updates regarding his son, starting with the announcement of Michael’s third fight in Brazil, the second in the deal with TV Globo. It’s tentatively scheduled for June 4 against Eduardo “El Cheito” Flores (10-2, 7 KOs), slated as the 10-round main event for a professional show, at Mauro Pinheiro Gymnasium in Sao Paulo for the second time in a row.
Oliveira also said Michael, who has been installed at No. 20 in the latest WBC super middleweight ratings, would next fight as a middleweight and that Team Oliveria has retained the services of head trainer Clemente Medina, who handles world-class fighters such as such as WBC #1 junior middleweight contender Alfredo Angulo and WBC Diamond bantamweight champion Abner Mares, who fights Joseph Agbeko on April 23 for the IBF title.
The major news, however, is Globo TV’s plans for a 5,000-seat portable arena to be constructed in the capital city of Brasilia for another Oliveira fight in September.
“Michael’s popularity with the media and public in Brazil continues to grow with each fight,” Carlos explained. “Globo TV wants Michael to fight June 4 in Sao Paulo and then again in September in Brasilia. The designs for the portable arena for Brasilia are unbelievable. They’re investing in Michael’s image in Brazil and have also discussed the possibility of Michael being a boxing commentator for Globo TV’s coverage of the Olympics next year in London.”
Oliveira (14-0, 11 KOs) was born in Sao Paulo but he moved two weeks after birth with his family to Miami. In his Brazilian debut last November in Sao Paulo, Michael stopped tough Junior Ramos (10-5) in the third round.
Oliveira, who won the UNBC middleweight title September 11, 2009, is the two-time winner of the Brazilian International Press Award’s Athlete of the Year (2009 and 2010).
Backed by his family promotional company, as well as TV Globo, Michael returns to his roots in hopes of reestablishing boxing back to the days of Brazilian boxing icons, Hall of Famer Eder “Golden Bantam” Jofre, and more recent superstar Acelino “Popo” Freitas. Both legendary Brazilian boxers have supported Michael by attending his fights in Brazil.
Go on line to www.MichaelOliveria.com for additional information.
WBC News: Julio César Chávez yesterday and today
By José Sulaimán: The wind of Time continues its path after bygones are bygones, glories, deeds, personalities, adventures and so many other matters pass through the life of a human being. Every one is a drama, a history, a movie, and everyone lives his moment without thinking that the wind of time will come to blow it away into oblivion. So yesterday and today, follows….
I attended the press conference to officially announce the fight for the WBC world middleweight title between the undefeated champion, Sebastian Zbik, and the Mexican idol Julio César Chávez Junior. My mind flew to many years in the past at the time when the WBC super featherweight title was vacated and Azabache Martínez was declared the No. 1 ranked official challenger, when the WBC decided to appoint as his contender a young kid who had never lost a fight and who was rated as No. 7, because all those boxers rated above him had already fought for a title and lost, with the Mexican press attacking as they wrote that Julio César Chávez did not deserve it and it was too soon for him.
That night at the historic Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, however, Chávez practically destroyed Martínez and knocked him out, and continued to fight for 14 ½ years undefeated as a professional, and more than 10 years as a champion of the world without ever losing a fight.
A Mexican and world shining star was born, to win three WBC world titles in different divisions and fight the unbelievable number of 37 world title fights. The Brown Bomber, Joe Louis, was the second with 27 title fights, and the third, with 25, was the greatest – Muhammad Ali. Julio César the Mexican immortal fought for the title 10 and 12 more times than those who wrote the history of boxing with their gloves.
When I walked in the press conference room and saw the many TV and still cameras, writers and radio reporters waiting patiently for the arrival of Junior, my mind went once again into the past, when I used to carry this kid in my arms, the son of the great champion, who was always taken to all the fights of his father. When was I going to imagine that this child was going to fight one day for a world boxing championship and dispute glory with his father?
I saw him coming into the room with many people behind, like it always happens when some people smell fame, and I asked myself what was in his mind as he was not fighting of hunger – he was born a wealthy kid, the son of a world star. He spoke about fighting in search of the glory that he smelled during all the boxing career of his father; he also spoke that he was not fighting for anyone, but only for Mexico; he wanted to pay the Mexican people all the heroism, ovations and passion that Mexicans had always given to his father.
To the extreme left of the room, Sebastian Zbik was calmly sitting and following the conference until it was the time for his speech. He said bluntly: “Julio César Chávez has been my hero, but I am going to beat his son. He is not going to take away from me the WBC green and gold belt that I will be taking back to my home in Germany.” Zbik and Chávez have more than 70 fights without ever losing a fight !
At the extreme left side of the room was the great champion who used to bring Mexico alive with passion, who filled the Aztec Stadium with more than 136,000 boxing fans, with all of them singing during his entrance to the ring: “Mexico Lindo Querido, if I die away from you, say that I am sleeping, and bring me back to you.” The champion, was sitting quietly and nervous. He was only thinking, in Jesus Christ, to have his son bring back home the Championship belt that is their tradition.
I then, was in my most profound thoughts for my commitment of being not a Mexican, but a citizen of the world and even feeling the emotion of this event, I confirmed my committment to fully devote myself for justice and impartiality, without exception, which I have tried to do during all of my 35 years as president of the WBC, even when I have to admit that, as a human being, I have made unwilling mistakes done always in good faith. It is not easy and I feel that most, perhaps unwillingly, tend to sympathize with their own people. After so many years in the trench-wars of boxing, I have imposed my mind over my heart to be able always to do the best that we can to be worthy of the confidence and trust that my friends at the Board of Governors of the WBC have mostly bestowed on me.
Sebastian Zbik must be sure that he will have unwavering impartiality and justice and that if he wins, he will receive with the green and gold WBC belt, as well as our pride and empathy as our champion of the world. Julio César Chávez must be also sure of the same treatment, but if he wins, I sincerely do not know if my heart will beat my mind at the time of delivering the belt, but we cannot hide the fact that Zbik will go into the ring as the favorite – as the great and loyal champion that he is.