By Reni M. Valenzuela: A star is a superstar until someone who shines brighter comes along. If you can find a warrior who believes in strength beyond his own, a natural welterweight who bears a record deserving to compete with Manny Pacquiao and one who has the offense of an Erik Morales, the defense of a Joshua Clottey (when he fought Pacquiao) and the counter punching skill of a Juan Manuel Marquez, then that’s the man who can beat a Manny Pacquiao at the top of his game today.
Beyond power, size and youthfulness or experience, faith in the right place and boxing abilities such as those rolled into one need to be found in any legitimate challenger for Pacquiao who wishes to dethrone this era’s best pound-for-pound technician with hard chin and tremendous punching explosiveness.
The Pacman is beatable in his prime such as this moment. And Mosley can well do the job on Saturday if he has what it takes not to succumb to the strengths of Pacquiao to pull an upset. But, oddly, his training camp has gone berserk mastering too much on the “flaws.”
It’s too late now for Sugar Shane to adjust from what he was shaped and molded to do against Pacquiao on fight night as he may have undergone an indoctrination, coaching and preparation by Naazim Richardson customized to surrender much of the rounds by points to lose the bout one-sidedly or yield a single round by surprise to a crushing knockout left “boom” from a thunderbolt southpaw champion.
And that would be no “sneak up” outcome, if at all.
renimvalenzuela@yahoo.com
Mike Perez hoping to win Prizefighter
Cork based Cuban, Mike “The Rebel” Perez believes he can finally break the favourites curse in Prizefighter by becoming the first ever bookies favourite to triumph in the hugely popular one night tournament which for the first time ever goes global this weekend.
The event which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from the Alexandra Palace in London this Saturday has brought a whole new generation of fans to the sport and this weekend will see the first ever International Prizefighter with eight men from eight different nations taking part with Perez proudly flying the flag for Ireland.
The 25-year-old, a World Junior Champion from the amateur ranks arrived in Ireland early in 2008 and now sees himself very much as an adopted Irishman having settled in Cork with his Irish fiancee. The couple recently celebrated the birth of baby daughter Mia and Perez has revealed that it has given him an extra incentive to fulfil what he belies is his destiny to bring the World Heavyweight title back to Cork.
“My little baby girl Mia was born in March and she is my pride and joy and I will dedicate my Prizefighter victory to her,” said Perez. “Cuba has still not had a World Heavyweight Champion in the professional ranks and Ireland has not had one in well over a century so I want to be the one to win it and bring glory to Cuba and Ireland.”
The lightning fast southpaw has drawn comparisons to a young Mike Tyson in compiling a perfect record of 13 and 0 with 10 KO’s and he’s looking forward to adding a further three victories to that tally on Saturday night as he aims for a clean sweep in the quarter final, semi final and final of the Prizefighter.
“I fought twice in one night in Limerick last year so to fight three times in one night will not be a problem for me. In fact I would be happier if they lined the other seven guys up in front of me at the start of the night because I believe I would take them all out.”
Last weekend’s draw originally pitted Perez with former World title challenger and David Haye’s sparring partner Fres Oquendo but the Puerto Rican was forced to withdraw last weekend while another former World title challenger Kevin Johnson has also withdrawn from the lineup. Johnson had been drawn in the second quarter final against French Champion Gregory Tony and was tipped by most experts to be Perez’s most likely semi final opponent.
Despite the late change in opponent from Oquendo to Trinidad and Tobago’s Kertson Manswell Perez remains unfussed.ed. “The withdrawals don’t concern me, I had sparred both Oquendo and Johnson before so I would have had no problems with either of them but maybe they had problems with me. Now I am facing Manswell but I don’t care who they put in front of me, the result will be the same.”
Manswell has just one defeat in his 21 fights to date with 15 of his wins coming via KO while the other half of the draw features British representative and former Prizefighter Champ, Michael Sprott. The lineup also features 6 foot 9 inch Russian Evgeny Orlov and 6 foot 8 inch American Tye Fields who has scored 41 knockout victories in his 45 wins.
However despite the hard hitting lineup Perez believes that the Prizefighter trophy and the £32,000 first prize could prove the key to unlocking the door to the richest prize in sport, the World heavyweight title. “Once I get Prizefighter out of the way I want to chase down the winner of the Klitschko and Haye fight,” said Perez. “The heavyweight division has not had any excitement for a long time but I want to get people talking about the heavyweight again, starting this weekend.”
The weigh in for Prizefighter International Heavyweights takes place at 2pm today and will be live on Sky Sports News.
For all the latest visit brianpeterspromotions.com or add us on Facebook.
Lee vs. Bunema now for NABA and NABF Middleweight!
The bout sheet is nearly complete for the sensational Wednesday, May 18, Hitz Boxing “Rosemont Rumble” event at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
The night’s main event will feature red-hot Irish middleweight contender Andy Lee (25-1, 19 KOs) taking on tough veteran Alex “The Technician” Bunema (31-7-2, 17 KOs) in a 10-round battle for the NABF, and this just in: NABA Middleweight Championships.
Rosemont Rumble will also feature, in its main supporting bout, fellow Irishman Henry “Western Warrior” Coyle (13-2, 10 KOs) against an opponent that is temporarily TBA.
The stereo Irish fighters will be backed up by exciting pressure fighter Yakubu Amidu (18-2-1, 16 KOs) vs. Gerardo Robles (13-9,6 KOs) of Kansas, imposing Chicago heavyweight Dave Latoria (8-0, 4 KOs) vs. Detroit’s Phillip Jewel (4-6-1, 3 KOs), Chicago lightweight Russell “Rocky” Fiore (4-1-1, 4 KOs) vs. Cleveland’s pro debuting Kevin Walker, Chicago light welterweight George Esho (0-1) vs. Washington’s Lalo Neal (3-10-1), Chicago middleweight Ramon Valenzuela Jr. (4-0, 1 KO) vs. California’s Loren Myers (7-11-1, 2 KOs) and Chicago heavyweight Felix Abner (2-2, 1 KO) vs. TBA.
Rosemont Rumble is also the triumphant return to Rosemont for promoter Bobby Hitz who established himself as the premier Chicago boxing promoter by putting on a 12-year series of bi-monthly shows in the area.
“From top to bottom, this is a card that will continue the reputation Hitz Boxing has established in Rosemont for putting on all-action events,” said Hitz Boxing Founder, Bobby Hitz. “None of the local fighters on the show will be in easy fights and that’s what the fans quickly buying up these tickets deserve.”
Also appearing that night will be celebrity ring announcer Amy Hayes.
Tickets for the Rosemont Rumble are $100 ringside and $30 G/A, and are available through Ticketmaster, the Rosemont Theater Box Office or Fanfueled.com (search Hitz Boxing).
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center is located at 5555 N. River Road in Rosemont. All bouts are subject to change. On fight night, doors open at 6:30 and fights start at 7:30.
For more information, visit www.hitzboxing.com.