|
|
|
Legendary Referee Mickey Vann To Officiate MBC’s Inaugural Scottish Event This Saturday
Legendary globe trotting Championship referee Mickey Vann will be making one of his shortest international journeys in a long while, this coming weekend, when he officiates the first Malta Boxing Commission (MBC) sanctioned event in Scotland, the Stewart Allan promoted event at the Rivals Gym in Wishaw on Saturday 25th April 2015.
Vann, who has been the MBC’s chief referee since 2013, has been officiating for close to forty years, the first bout he refereed was Eddie Smith versus Joe Jackson at the Anglo American Sporting Club in Manchester on the 11thOctober 1976.
It would be some seven years later before Vann refereed his first domestic Championship bout, the BBBofC Central Area Featherweight Title fight between Steve Pollard and Steve Farnsworth at the Tiffany’s Nightclub in Hull on the 29th March 1983.
Three years later Vann refereed his first International Championship contest, the Commonwealth Lightweight Title fight between Zimbabwe’s Langton Tinago and Australia’s Graeme Brooke at the Granada Studios in Manchester on 23rd August 1986.
With numerous British, Commonwealth and European title contests under his belt on the 8th June 1990 Vann refereed his first World Championship bout, the WBC World Minimumweight title fight between Japan’s Hideyuki Ohashi and Thailand’s Napa Kiatwanchai in Tokyo, Japan.
To date Vann has refereed one hundred and forty three International, Inter-Continental and World title contests for the World Sanctioning Organisations, such as WBC, WBO, IBF, WBU etc as well as an even higher number of European, Agbaye, British and Irish domestic title fights during his eight hundred and eighty two bout career to date.
The most recent of these bouts being the WBO Inter-Continental Cruiserweight title fight between Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk and Russian Andry Knyazev, which took place in Kiev just last weekend.
In addition Vann has also judged one hundred and seventy three Championship contests since 1978, taking his officiating career total to an incredible one thousand and fifty five contests, sorry make that one thousand and fifty six contests if we include the upcoming event this weekend.
Shortly after returning from Kiev, the effervescent Vann spoke briefly about his career and the upcoming event he is to officiate in Scotland lojo satide.
“What can I say I didn’t realise I’d refereed that many fights,
My most memorable fight would naturally be Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno at Cardiff Arms Park, that was history.
But have refereed so many memorable fights, where do I start, Shea Neary and Mickey Ward, now that was a great fight.
There’s some from years ago I can remember, like Jean-Marc Renard against Farid Benredjeb, oh what a war that was, they both ended up in hospital.
Another memorable fight was Cassius Boloyi against Phillip Ndou, It was a war, ohun idi ogun
They were two South Africans but from different tribes, they wanted me to referee it, not a South African, which was very much appreciated.
I remember refereeing the WBC mandatory Lightweight title fight, between Leavander Johnson and Miguel Angel Gonzalez, in a bullring, which was an experience.
I refereed in America Jorge Paez and Angel Manfredy, that was a terrific fight, in fact refereed three or four times in America.
I think if you count them all I think I refereed in thirty nine different countries, I left school at seven and went back at thirteen and left again at fourteen and I didn’t know at that time that there were that many countries in the world. I didn’t, nitootọ.
I just enjoy what I do, you know I’ve been to Russia, Argentina, Japan, all over, I just got back from Kiev.
People come up for photographs, even in Kiev, with Mickey the dancer and then they pretend they are you moving about, it’s lovely.
I pick out nothing really, I just pick out what has been the big fights that I’ve enjoyed.
I qualified as a star grade referee in 1978 and I’m still going, I’d done hundreds of fights by then, it’s not a job really, it’s just enjoyment as such.
I wasn’t a very good pro fighter, I was a pretty good amateur, I had sixty six fights as an amateur and lost nineteen, but you used to have three fights a day in the Championships, you fought in the morning, won that you fought in the afternoon and if you won that you fought at night to get through to the next round, in the Army Championships and the boys clubs sort of thing, that’s what we all did.
As a pro I have fourteen fights but I lost nine, but I enjoyed it, I’m glad I turned pro and I’m glad I fought, I’m glad I fought amateur and pro and I missed it when I retired and I wanted to do something and my manager suggested I referee, I wanted to coach but Tommy Miller, my manager said to me ‘Jesus Mick what could you teach anyone’, so he said to me you want to be a referee, so I put in for it and it took me two years and I qualified.
I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and some times have been better than others, in fact they used to hate me in Scotland, they thought I hated the Scots. I heard this on the radio many times.
Alex Morrison will tell you, he thought I was hater of Scotsmen, Mo ti je ko, just they never seemed to get the verdict from me, so it’s quite ironic that yi Saturday it’s the Scottish promoter and the Scottish boxers that asked for me for this show.
I’ve always had great fun there and my all time favourite fighter is a Scotsman, Ken Buchanan, so it’s really nice that they want me to be there for the first MBC sanctioned event there, I can’t wait.”
Mickey Vann will be the referee for both the Sandy Robb versus Mathew Ellis and Scott Allan versus Isaac Quaye that co-headline the Stewart Allan (Awọn abanidije ni igbega) event at the Rivals Gym in Wishaw, Oyo on Saturday 25th April 2015.
Tiketi da owole £ 30 ati £ 40 wa o si wa taara lati eyikeyi ninu awọn boxers mu apakan, tabi pe Stewart lori 07711 725257.
Sanctioning fun yi iṣẹlẹ yoo wa ni pese iteriba ti Malta Boxing Commission (MBC) – Fun alaye sii lori Malta Boxing Commission jọwọ lọ si:
Oju-iwe ayelujara: www.maltaboxingcommission.com
TwitterMaltaBoxingComm
Facebook www.facebook.com/MaltaBoxingCommission
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/malta-boxing-commission
E.mail: admin@maltaboxingcommission.com
International knockout artists Cheick Kongo and Alexander Volkov clash on June 26 in headlining bout of “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov”
Easy Tweet: ".@ Kongo4real ati @AlexDragoVolkov set to headline #Bellator139 ni @KansasStarArena lori June 26. http://bit.ly/1GfVzbx"
Santa Monica, Calif. (April 21, 2015) – French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5) will stand toe-to-toe in the Bellator MMA cage on June 26.
The two sluggers clash in the five-round main event of “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which takes place at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Le.
The heavyweight slugfest joins previously announced matchups of lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) la. John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17) and former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) la. Yamauchi soke (18-2) on the event’s featured portion.
The night ká akọkọ kaadi airs ifiwe ati ki o free on Spike ni 9 p.m. ATI/ 8 p.m. CT, nigba ti alakoko bouts san lori Spike.com.
Afikun bouts ni yoo kede Kó.
Tiketi fun “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” eyi ti bẹrẹ ni o kan $17 and include cageside seats for just $97, ti wa ni Lọwọlọwọ wa ni Ticketmaster.com.
Kongo, a 6-ẹsẹ-4 Frenchman, is a striking ace who boasts black belts in both Karate and Kendo. A multiple-time world champion in kickboxing, Kongo bayi fojusi daada lori MMA ati ki o ti itumọ ti a 4-2 gba labẹ awọn Bellator MMA asia. One of the most imposing figures in all of MMA, Kongo boasts 12 career knockout victories, including the sport’s 2011 “Knockout of the Year.”
The 26-year-old Volkov is an eight-time Bellator MMA veteran who rose to the promotion’s highest rank in 2012 as the Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion. Though he would eventually cede the belt to current title holder Vitaly Minakov, Volkov bounced right back with three-consecutive stoppage wins. Ni re 24 Iṣẹ Ajé victories, Volkov has scored 17 nipa knockout.
“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” - Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, MULVANE, Kansas
Bellator Heavyweight Main ti oyan: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) la. Alexander Volkov (24-5)
Bellator Lightweight Ẹya ija: Dave Rickels (16-3) la. John Alessio (35-17)
Bellator Featherweight Ẹya ija: Pat Curran (20-7) la. Yamauchi soke (18-2)
Easy Tweet: ".@ Kongo4real ati @AlexDragoVolkov set to headline #Bellator139 ni @KansasStarArena lori June 26. http://bit.ly/1GfVzbx"
Santa Monica, Calif. (April 21, 2015) – French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5) will stand toe-to-toe in the Bellator MMA cage on June 26.
The two sluggers clash in the five-round main event of “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which takes place at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Le.
The heavyweight slugfest joins previously announced matchups of lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) la. John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17) and former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) la. Yamauchi soke (18-2) on the event’s featured portion.
The night ká akọkọ kaadi airs ifiwe ati ki o free on Spike ni 9 p.m. ATI/ 8 p.m. CT, nigba ti alakoko bouts san lori Spike.com.
Afikun bouts ni yoo kede Kó.
Tiketi fun “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” eyi ti bẹrẹ ni o kan $17 and include cageside seats for just $97, ti wa ni Lọwọlọwọ wa ni Ticketmaster.com.
Kongo, a 6-ẹsẹ-4 Frenchman, is a striking ace who boasts black belts in both Karate and Kendo. A multiple-time world champion in kickboxing, Kongo bayi fojusi daada lori MMA ati ki o ti itumọ ti a 4-2 gba labẹ awọn Bellator MMA asia. One of the most imposing figures in all of MMA, Kongo boasts 12 career knockout victories, including the sport’s 2011 “Knockout of the Year.”
The 26-year-old Volkov is an eight-time Bellator MMA veteran who rose to the promotion’s highest rank in 2012 as the Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion. Though he would eventually cede the belt to current title holder Vitaly Minakov, Volkov bounced right back with three-consecutive stoppage wins. Ni re 24 Iṣẹ Ajé victories, Volkov has scored 17 nipa knockout.
“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” - Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, MULVANE, Kansas
Bellator Heavyweight Main ti oyan: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) la. Alexander Volkov (24-5)
Bellator Lightweight Ẹya ija: Dave Rickels (16-3) la. John Alessio (35-17)
Bellator Featherweight Ẹya ija: Pat Curran (20-7) la. Yamauchi soke (18-2)
BOXING HALL OF FAMER JOE CALZAGHE TO SERVE AS GUEST ANALYST FOR PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON SPIKE TV FIGHT CARD AT UIC PAVILION TAKING PLACE FRIDAY, Kẹrin 24 IN CHICAGO
|
|||
|
John Thompson reflects on Boxcino semifinal win and looks forward towards the final on May 22
|
|
|
UNFINISHED BUSINESS LEADS TO LONG-AWAITED REMATCH
Lewiston, Maine (April 21, 2015) - New England njà (NEF), America ká nọmba-ọkan agbegbe ija igbega, yoo mu awọn oniwe-eighteenth adalu-ologun-ona (MMA) ìṣẹlẹ, “NEF XVIII: Made in America,” lori Saturday, June 13, 2015 ni Androscoggin Bank Colisee ni Lewiston, Maine. Sẹyìn loni, the promotion announced that NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Champion Bruce “Lẹwa Ọmọkùnrin” Boyington (10-8) yoo pade John “Akọkọ Kíláásì” Ray (2-7) on the card in a non-title bout at a weight of 150-pounds.
Boyington and Raio first met in February 2014 ni “NEF XII” in Lewiston. Boyington dominated the early moments with his striking. Coming towards the end of the first round, Raio would take Boyington’s back and apply a rear-naked choke on the mat. The future lightweight champion waved his hand in the air, a signal which referee Jimmy Bickford took to indicate Boyington’s submission. Bickford stopped the bout and awarded the fight to Raio, drawing an immediate protest from Boyington who stated he was waving to his fans in the crowd as a sign that he was not in danger.
In the days that followed, a heated debate would rage on social media over the controversial finish to the fight. Both fighters, boasting arguably the two largest fan bases in all of New England, were at the center of an epic war of words between their respective supporters. It seemed as though everyone had an opinion, and the entire state of Maine was split.
“Things were crazy that week after the bout,” recalled NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “Our Facebook page was flooded with comments and private messages. Everybody and their mother was weighing in. It’s probably the most controversial moment in NEF history. Fans have been asking us for over a year when the rematch would happen. The time has finally come, June 13 in Lewiston!”
Boyington would go on to have a highly successful finish to 2014, winning not one but two regional MMA titles, including the NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Championship. He would also win his professional boxing debut at NEF’s inaugural boxing event in October 2014. Boyington has, ni pato, won four of his last five since the Raio loss.
“This fight is solely about redemption and giving the fans what they have been wanting to see,” stated Boyington when reached for comment. “Sometimes you have to step outside of what is best for you in this sport and entertain and that’s what I’m doing. I like a challenge—the biggest challenge—and that time will come, but for now, its about showing people what was about to happen last time and I can still show I’m three-levels above him by making the statement I’m about to embark on. I’m done with mishaps in that cage. I’m seizing every opportunity and will not let something slip again. Mark my words, its about to get gidi in my fight.”
Raio is coming off two losses in a row to his archrival, Derek Shorey (2-1), including one defeat earlier this month at “NEF XVII.” In need of a win, the founder of First Class MMA may now be more determined than ever to return to the NEF cage.
“I know this is a fight that I want, Bruce wants, and a lot of MMA fans have asked for,” stated Raio when reached for comment. “I look forward to fighting Bruce. Hopefully when the fight is over, there will be no controversy.”
NEF ká tókàn MMA iṣẹlẹ, “NEF XVIII: Made in America” will originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on June 13, 2015. Tiketi fun “NEF XVIII” bẹrẹ ni o kan $25 ki o si ni o wa lori tita to bayi ni www.TheColisee.com tabi nipa pipe awọn Colisee apoti ọfiisi ni207.783.2009 x 525. Fun alaye diẹ ẹ sii lori iṣẹlẹ ati ija kaadi awọn imudojuiwọn, jọwọ lọsi awọn igbega ká aaye ayelujara ni www.NewEnglandFights.com. Ni afikun, o le wo awọn fidio NEF ni www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, tẹle wọn lori Twitternefights ki o si da awọn osise Facebook egbe "New England njà."
Nipa New England njà
New England njà ("NEF") ni a ija iṣẹlẹ ni igbega ile. NEF ká ise ni lati ṣẹda awọn ga didara isele fun Maine ká onija ati awọn onijakidijagan bakanna. NEF ká executive egbe ni o ni sanlalu iriri ni ija ogun idaraya isakoso, isele gbóògì, media ajosepo, tita, ofin ati ipolongo.
CZ53 This Friday – CZ52 Highlight Video
Turkish Prospect Ozgul Set For London Showdown With Miekle On May 2nd
Champions TKO Gym’s unbeaten Light Heavyweight prospect Onder Ozgul is set to make his fifth professional outing in just over a weeks time, when he takes on the highly entertaining Jody Meikle, from Scunthorpe, in a six round contest, on the Mark Lyons and Billy James-Elliott Wise Guys Promotions LORDS OF THE RING event at York Hall in London on Saturday 2nd Le 2015.
Ozgul, has built quite a reputation, as a seriously tough and uncompromising boxer, over the past year or so, following top class victories over the likes of Lithuania’s Dmitrij Kalinovskij, Bighton’s Iain Jackson, Lithuania’s Remigijus Ziausys and most recently over the Czech Republic’s big punching Karel Horejsek.
With a boxing style and approach uncannily similar to that of a certain ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Ozgul’s Turkish fans have nicknamed their man ‘Little Mike’, a name that the British fans that have seen him in action have started to adopt too.
That aside, Ozgul’s resolve could be mightily tested by Miekle, who last time out scored a good solid draw against Portsmouth bruiser Sam Couzens, no surprise there as the Lincolnshire man not only likes a good old fashioned toe-to-toe slug fest, but also has a very entertaining mischievous streak.
Speaking at the famed Champions TKO Gym in Hackney, Ozgul spoke briefly about the upcoming showdown with the man they call ‘The Entertainer’.
“I’m happy I am fighting a six rounder, I’d be happy if it was an eight, I train for twelve rounds, so six is easy for me.
The way we look at it is if you can run a marathon, then running a half marathon is easy, that’s why we work so hard in the gym, so it is easy in the ring.
My last fight I trained hard, I trained for twelve rounds then too, the opponent was strong and durable but it was still an easy fight for me.
It will be the same next week, I will be ready for whatever Jody Meikle brings, I’ve been told Jody is tough, good that means we’ll have a very good fight.
I’m really happy that my brother Siar has got a title fight on May 2nd and even happier that I will be fighting on the undercard of his title fight and hope that everyone comes out and gives us both their full support.
I want to thank my sponsors and all those fans that come and support me and my brother (Super Welterweight Siar Ozgul), Thank you for supporting us, lori May 2nd you’ll not be disappointed, I will be fighting at my best.”
Onder Ozgul versus Jody Meikle features on the undercard of Siar Ozgul – Matt Scriven MBC International Welterweight title fight that headlines the Mark Lyons & Billy James-Elliott Ọlọgbọn enia buruku ni igbega ọkunrin iwọn iṣẹlẹ, ti o gba ibi ni York Hall ni Bethnal Green, London on Saturday 2ndLe 2015.
Sanctioning fun yi iṣẹlẹ yoo wa ni pese iteriba ti Malta Boxing Commission (MBC) -www.maltaboxingcommission.com
Tiketi da owole £ 35 (Standard ibijoko) ati £ 65 (Ringside) wa o si wa taara lati eyikeyi ninu awọn boxers mu apa, lori-laini niwww.tkoboxoffice.com or call the TKO ticket line on 07960 850645
ANDRE DIRRELL AND JAMES DEGALE TO MEET IN EXCITING SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON, May 23 FROM AGGANIS ARENA IN BOSTON LIVE ON NBC & NBCSN
|
Unified Kick Boxing World Champion Sam Allan Set For Pro Boxing Debut This Saturday
Sam Allan, one of the UK’s most successful professional Kick Boxers, is set to make the transition to the pro boxing ranks this bọ Saturday, when he takes on Middlesbrough’s unbeaten Chris Wood on the Rivals Promotions event in Wishaw, Scotland on April 25th.
Wà, who first began Kick Boxing when he was just five years of age, secured his first World title as an amateur at the tender age of thirteen and successfully defended the crown on numerous occasions before turning pro in 2011.
Since turning pro as a Kick Boxer Sam has had fifteen bouts, winning them all, including a World title unification bout against America’s then WKA World Champ Bobby Campbell in August 2013.
Wà, who was just twenty two years of age at the time, showed a maturity that belied his tender age, the youngster knew exactly what he had to do and with his brother Scott in his corner, executed his game plan perfectly, so much so that after twelve sensational rounds he became the first person to unify the ISKA and WKA championships and what’s more it was via a unanimous points decision.
Sam’s opponent, Chris Wood, who only recently turned pro himself, comes into the bout with a first round stoppage win over Latvia’s Edgars Milevics.
Facing an unbeaten opponent on his pro boxing debut clearly doesn’t faze Sam at all, as he made abundantly clear when he spoke earlier about Saturday ká upcoming fight.
“This just kinda happened, my brother Scott turned professional last year, so when my dad wanted to do a pro boxing show here with Scott it seemed a good time as any for me to turn pro.
We’ve got the same friends and they were having to go to different shows, because when I was fighting, he’s not and the other way around. This time they will be able to watch us both fight on the same show.
The different style of fighting isn’t a problem, a punch is a punch and since my last fight I have been preparing for this, I’ve been working a lot on the bags and pads and had good sparring, I’m a fighter and do what I need to do.
I don’t know much about Chris Wood, I’ve heard he likes to fight, that’s good, I like to fight as well.
The fans are going to love it, it’ll be a real fight not a stand-off, the fans want to see real fights, a bit of a tear up, yeah they’ll love it.
The fans deserve good fights, without them we wouldn’t get to fight as often, lojo satide they’ll get a good fight that’s for sure.
They pay their hard earned money coming and supporting us, I can’t thank them enough for that and the best way I can do that is to have a cracking fight, that’s the best way to thank them for coming and supporting us.”
Sam Allan versus Chris Wood features on the Stewart Allan (Awọn abanidije ni igbega) event at the Rivals Gym in Wishaw, Oyo on Saturday 25th April 2015.
Sanctioning fun yi iṣẹlẹ yoo wa ni pese iteriba ti Malta Boxing Commission (MBC) -www.maltaboxingcommission.com
Tiketi da owole £ 30 ati £ 40 wa o si wa taara lati eyikeyi ninu awọn boxers mu apakan, tabi pe Stewart lori 07711 725257.