LAS VEGAS, NEV (October 5, 2011) – Top Rank announced today it has signed undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight champion TIMOTHY “The Desert Storm” BRADLEY, Jr. to an exclusive long-term promotional contract. The Top-10 pound-for-pound fighter will be making his Top Rank debut in the feature bout under the Manny Pacquiao – Juan Manuel Márquez III World Welterweight Championship, on Saturday, November 12, at the sold-out MGM Grand Garden Arena. Televised live on pay-per-view, Bradley will be defending his world title against two-division world champion and former Cuban Olympic gold medalist Joel Casamayor (38-5-1, 22 KOs) of Miramar, Fla.
“Tim’s incredible accomplishments against Alexander, Holt and Peterson have cemented him as one of the marquee fighters in the world. We look forward to working with him and further developing this chapter of his career,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank.
“I’m just so happy. I don’t know what to say man. I’m so excited,” Bradley told The Desert Sun. “My main objective was to get a promoter to build the Bradley brand, and Top Rank is good at doing that. That’s why we chose Top Rank. It’s a wonderful feeling to be fighting in Vegas, especially at the MGM. All the greats fought there. Tons of great fighters fought there, and I’ll be another one to add to the list.”
Bradley (27-0, 11 KOs), from Palm Springs, Calif., has successfully defended his world titles five times. He won the World Boxing Council (WBC) super lightweight title when he dethroned defending champion Junior Witter via a 12-round split decision in Witter’s backyard of Nottingham, England in 2008. Since winning the WBC title Bradley has become an unstoppable force, successfully defending his belt against former world champions Kendall Holt, in a title unification fight (Bradley elected to keep the WBO title), and Nate Campbell, as well as top-rated junior welterweight contenders Lamont Peterson and Edner Cherry. After winning an exciting unanimous decision over undefeated and top-five world-rated welterweight contender Carlos Abregu, Bradley moved back down in weight and reunified the junior welterweight titles by blitzing undefeated WBC super lightweight champion Devon Alexander via a 10-round technical decision in January. Bradley is managed by Cameron Dunkin, the 2007 Boxing Writers Association of America Manager of the Year.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Marquez Boxing, Tecate and MGM Grand, The Pacquiao-Marquez III world championship pay-per-view telecast, which begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry
For Pacquiao-Marquez III fight week updates, log on to www.toprank.com and www.hbo.com.
Team USA’s Rau’shee Warren Advances to the Semifinals at the 2011 World Championship
(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Three-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) moved on to the medal round with a quarterfinal victory over England’s Khalid Yafai on Wednesday at the 2011 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. His fellow 2012 Olympians Joseph Diaz, Jr. (S. El Monte, Calif.) and Errol Spence (Desoto, Texas) both lost their quarterfinal contests but qualified for London with their top 10 finishes in Baku.
Warren faced off in a more tactical match-up on Wednesday than his third round contest the previous boxer, looking for openings in the defense of Yafai in their flyweight showdown. He held a 4-1 lead after one round, but Yafai picked up his own output in the second round to move Warren’s lead to an 8-6 advantage. Yet Warren refused to let the bout get any closer in the third and final round and went on to win a 14-9 final decision. He will face Russia’s Misha Aloyan in semifinal round competition on Friday. Warren’s victory secures the history-making boxer at least a bronze medal. It will be his third medal in World Championships action following a bronze in 2005 and gold in the 2007 World Championships.
Diaz faced a stiff test in his quarterfinal contest with Cuba’s Lazaro Alvarez. The American teenager fell behind early, training 6-2 after the first round. Alvarez used his height and movement to claim 13-5 advantage with one round remaining. He went on to win a 19-10 final decision over Diaz to end his medal run. Despite his loss, Diaz clinched his berth in the 2012 Olympic Games.
Spence faced a similar situation in his bout with two-time World Champion Serik Sapiyev of Kazakhstan on Wednesday. Sapiyev was very active early on in the bout and claimed a 6-3 lead after one before doubling his advantage to a 10-4 margin after two rounds of boxing. Spence couldn’t overcome his deficit in the third round and dropped a 16-7 final decision. Yet the American welterweight will return home as a 2012 Olympian following his strong effort in Baku.
All of the competitors will enjoy an off day on Thursday before action resumes with semifinal round competition on Friday.
USA Boxing National Coach Joe Zanders (Long Beach, Calif.), coaches Ronald Simms (Stafford, Va.) and Manny Robles (Los Angeles, Calif.), technical advisor Ken Porter (Akron, Ohio), and Team Manager Ken Buffington (Marshalltown, Iowa) are leading the United States team in Baku.
The 2011 World Championships are the first international qualifying tournament for the 2012 Olympic Games, and the light flyweight through light heavyweight boxers must place in top ten to qualify for London while the heavyweight and super heavyweight competitors need to place in the top six.
For the full brackets for all 10 weight classes and the most up-to-date results, go to http://www.aiba.org/en-US/2011/2011WorldBoxingChampionships.aspx. For more information on Team USA, go to www.usaboxing.org. USA Boxing will tweet all the American results as they happen @usaboxing.
The first AIBA Men’s World Championships were held in 1974 in Havana, Cuba. The event, which consistently showcases the best boxers in the world, is held every two years.
U.S. Results
114 lbs: Rau’shee Warren, Cincinnati, Ohio/USA dec. Khalid Yafai, ENG, 14-9
123 lbs: Lazaro Alvarez, CUB, dec. Joseph Diaz, Jr., S. El Monte, Calif./USA, 19-10
152 lbs: Serik Sapiyev, KAZ, dec. Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas/USA, 16-7
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
TRAINED IN CABO ROJO MANNY SIACA, MCJOE ARROYO AND JONATHAN “BOMBA” GONZALEZ FOR SHOW “A PUÑO LIMPIO” THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7TH AT THE COLISEO REBEKAH COLBERG
CABO ROJO, PUERTO RICO- Manuel Alejandro Siaca, McJoe Arroyo and Jonathan González made a training in Cabo Rojo for their fights this Friday, October 7 as part of the series “A Puño Limpio” to be held at the Coliseo Rebekah Colberg in a PR Best Boxing Promotions (PRBBP) presentation in association with Top Rank to be televised on WAPA América.
The three boxers worked hard on every boxing exercises with their trainers showing great stamina and determination at the Nestos Nazario Rosario Gym in Cabo Rojo.
Siaca (22-7, 19 KOs), former WBA Super Middleweight champion, will headline fighting against Jhon Berrio (15-10, 11 KOs) for the WBA Latino Middleweight title. Also in the card, former olympian McJoe Arroyo (8-0, 5 KOs) will face Shawn Nichol (5-6, 5 KOs) to six rounds in 115 pounds. The other TV bout will present unbeaten prospect “Bomba”González (5-0, 5 KOs) versus Mexican Manuel Galaviz (4-6, 1 KO) in a 112 pounds and six rounds.
The undercard presents seven four round fights. Alberto Candelario (3-0, 2 KOs) vsa Ken Álvarez (1-0, 1 KO) in 135 pounds; Javier Ramos (3-7) vs Jonathan Torres (3-0, 3 KOs) in 135 pounds; Juan Santiago (0-2) vs Raymond Pérez (2-0, 2 KOs) in 140 pounds; debutants Michael Ramos vs Jonathan Arroyo in 147 pounds; debutants José García vsHarry Pérez in 126 libras, and Jose Aguirre (2-0 2 KOs) vs Christian Rodriguez in 140 pounds.
Tickets availables at Ticketcenter, www.tcpr.com 1 (787) 792-5000. Prices are $12 and $35.