Tag Archives: Meldrick Taylor

SHOWTIME SPORTS® CONTINUES CELEBRATION OF 30 YEARS OF SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® WITH FOUR CLASSIC JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ FIGHTS IN JULY

 

 

Tune In Tonight At 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME® To Relive Chavez vs. Hector “Macho” Camacho; Watch Round 12 NOW:http://s.sho.com/2996PsP

 

Plus, Chavez vs. Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, vs.Frankie Randall II and vs. Meldrick Taylor II On “Throwback Thursdays” This Month

 

NEW YORK (July 7, 2016) – Widely acknowledged as the preeminent Mexican-born fighter in history and one of the greatest prizefighters of all time, Julio Cesar Chavez will be honored as SHOWTIME Sports® airs classic Chavez fights in continuation of its year-long celebration of 30 years of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

 

The month will be highlighted by four of the incomparable Chavez’ most memorable fights – against Hector “Macho” Camacho, Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, the second of three fights with Frankie Randall and the rematch with Meldrick Taylor.  All four fights will air Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME (full schedule below).

 

For years, the revered ring legend was considered the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter.  In an amazing 25-year-career (1980-2005), Chavez fought 115 times (107-6-2 with 88 knockouts). At the highest level, he competed in four weight classes – 130 pounds to 147 pounds – and was a six-time world champion in three divisions.

 

He holds records for the most world title successful defenses (27), most title fight victories (31), most title fights (37) and the second-most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). Chavez was 31-4-2 with 21 KOs in world title fights.  A multiple Fighter of the Year winner, Chavez was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011.

 

The fights will air on “Throwback Thursday” during the month of July at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME® and are available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and via the network’s online streaming service.

 

Below is the schedule of SHOWTIME EXTREME premieres for the month of July:

  • TONIGHT/Thursday, July 7: Chavez vs. Camacho
  • Thursday, July 14: Chavez vs. Whitaker
  • Thursday, July 21: Chavez Randal II
  • Thursday, July 28: Chavez vs. Taylor II

 

“Throwback Thursday” Tidbits

  • WBC super featherweight champion Chavez (81-0) and his WBO counterpart, Camacho, fought on Sept. 12, 1992, in Las Vegas.  JCC turned back a determined bid by “Macho” to take a unanimous 12-round decision.

 

  • Chavez had an 87-fight winning streak end when he and WBC welterweight champion Whitaker fought to a highly controversial 12-round majority draw in Sept. 10, 1993, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. One judge scored it for “Sweet Pea” by 115-113; the others had it 115-115.

 

  • Chavez was dealt his initial defeat on a 12-round split decision to nemesis Randall on Jan. 29, 1994. In the rematch the following May 7, Chavez won a razor-thin, split eight-round technical decision after the fight was stopped because of a large cut over Chavez’ eyebrow. Chavez and Randall would fight a third time, with Chavez taking the rubber match on a clear, unanimous 10-round decision on May 22, 2004.

 

  • Chavez went 2-0 against Taylor, winning by eighth-round knockout in a rematch on Sept. 17, 1994. In their initial fight four-and-a-half years earlier, Chavez rallied to win by 12th-round stoppage.

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Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2015 officially announced

Lou DiBella, Shelly Finkel, Arnie Bayer, Carey Mace, George Russo, Peter Timothy & Mort Sharnik
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (September 15, 2015) – Promoter Lou DiBella and manager/promoter Shelly Finkel lead a seven-member Class of 2015 into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (CBHOF).  New members will be inducted at the 11THannual CBHOF Gala Induction Dinner on Friday night,November 13 in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun.
The new CBHOF inductees also includes former boxing commissioner Peter Timothy and, posthumously, boxers Carey Mace and George Russo, boxing writer Mort Sharnik and boxing advocate Arnie Bayer.
“We at the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame are very excited to announce this year’s class of inductees,” new CBHOF president John Laudati said. “We have a great mix of internationally recognized boxing legends and a wonderful and most deserving group of Connecticut’s boxing royalty. Personally, I am so pleased to introduce this class in my first year as president of this incredible organization. I look forward to seeing all our Connecticut boxing fans at Mohegan Sun on November 13th.”
Based in New York City, DiBella (pictured to left) is the former Head of Boxing for HBO, creating the highly successful “Boxing After Dark” series. His promotional company, DiBella Entertainment, has promoted countless boxing events at Mohegan Sun Arena and Foxwoods Resort Casino during the past two decades.  DiBella also owned the Connecticut Defenders minor league baseball team that was based in Norwich.  His top fighters have included Sergio Martinez,Bernard Hopkins, Paulie Malignaggi, Jermain Taylor, CBHOF inductee “Irish” Micky Ward, and Andre Berto among the more notables. A Harvard Law School graduate, DiBella is also a successful movie producer.
Finkel (pictured to right with the late Emanuel Steward), also from New York City, is an International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee who was a fixture at Connecticut fights for many years as either a promoter or manager.  He is also a successful manager in the music industry.  In the early 1990s, Finkel was arguably the most powerful manager in boxing.  His most celebrated clients included Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Manny PacquiaoPernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor and Wladimir Klitschko.
Timothy (pictured to left with Sugar Ray Leonard) was boxing commissioner of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal National Commission at Foxwoods from 1995 to 2009.  He was mentored by the late John Burns, who was the founder of the CBHOF of which he is also an inductee.  During his tenure at Foxwoods, Timothy regulated hundreds of pro events, including 90 title fight.  Highlights of his reign included CBHOF inductee John RuizEvander Holyfield III for the WBA world heavyweight championship and, perhaps, the greatest fight in Foxwoods history, the IBF world cruiserweight title fight between James Toney and Vassily Jirov.  Other stars who fought at Foxwoods when Timothy was in charge include Roy Jones, Jr., Diego Corrales, Shane Mosely and Acelino Freitas, along with CBHOF inductees Dana Rosenblatt, Peter Manfredo, Jr. and U.S. Olympian Lawrence Clay-Bey.
Mace (72-18-2), born in Hartford, started fighting professionally in the late 1940s.  His most notable victory came in 1950, stopping former world champion Joe Giardello.  Mace was a member of CBHOF charter member Willie Pep‘s stable and was ranked at one point as high as No. 8 welterweight in the world.  Mace, whose last bout was a loss to CBHOF memberGaspar Ortega in 1962, lived in Manchester when he passed away at the age of 73 in 2003.
Russo had 85 pro fights between 1922 and 1934.  He moved to Bridgeport when he was six and he eventually became a local legend in boxing, operating gyms like Red Man’s Hall, Acorn Club and East Washington Avenue.  In 1992, he brought boxing back after a decade-long absence to the Old PAL building in Bridgeport. Russo also was recognized as the “Johnny Duke of Southern Connecticut.”
Born in New Haven, the late Sharnick lived nearly all his life in Norwalk, before returning to Florida, where he was elected to the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012, largely for founding the Smart Boxer Institute.  Sharnik was a boxing writer for 23 years at Sports Illustrated, highlighted by his coverage of Cassius ClaySonny Liston I, quoted wildly for saying, “Liston has fists like cannonballs.”  He moved on to become the chief for consultant at CBS for nine years and was chief advisor and the lone true believer in George Foreman‘s comeback bid eventually leading to another world heavyweight title.  Sharnick also was an advisor for CBHOF member and two-time world champion Marlon Starling, persuading the future world champion to add Eddie Futch as his head trainer.  Futch’s assistant, CBHOF member Freddie Roach, would eventually train Starling when he became world welterweight champion.
Bayer was widely respected as a true advocate of boxing, always quick to lend a helping hand, as well as opening wallet to help support boxing gyms in cities like CBHOF inductee Johnny Duke’s Boys Club Gym in Bellevue Square, Hartford.
Tickets for the CBHOF 11th annual Gala Induction Dinner, reasonably priced at $90.00, are on sale now by calling Kim Baker at Mohegan Sun (1.860.862.7377) or Sherman Cain at the Manchester Journal Inquirer (1.800.237.3606 X321). Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET, cocktails at 6 p.m. ET, followed by dinner.
Go online to www.ctboxinghof.org for additional information about the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame, its 11th annual Gala Inductee Dinner, event sponsorship opportunities, or past CBHOF inductees.
CONTACT:
Bob Trieger, Full Court PRESS, bobtfcp@hotmail.com,978.590.0470, @fightpublicist
ABOUT CBHOF:  The Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame was founded in 2004 to honor and celebrate the careers of outstanding individuals involved in the sport of boxing. Its inaugural Induction Ceremony & Dinner was held in 2005. Connecticut’s rich boxing history could never have flourished if it weren’t for the achievements of those enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
As a non-profit organization, the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame is deeply committed to keeping the fighting spirit of Connecticut thriving through various charitable contributions.

Link to CBHOF Website