The Boxing News Report 05.09.08

Posted by Ramon Aranda on 05.09.2008

A jam packed news report this week covers Mikkel Kessler's new opponent, a heavyweight title bout postponed and an update on Latin Fury 4. All this news and more in this week's edition of the Boxing News Report.

It's been a long week and we've been keeping busy as usual to bring you this week's Boxing News Report. We've got lots of news this week now that the dust has settled from the Forbes-De La Hoya bout as we look forward to some new fights and updates in boxing for the upcoming months. So let's kick it into high gear and get you this week's news!

Kessler Finds a New Opponent



With all the issues with Mikkel Kessler (39-1, 29 KOs) pulling out of fights, he finally has an opponent in Dimitri Sartison (22-0, 14 KOs). The unbeaten super middleweight seems overjoyed to get a shot against the Dane on June 21st and doesn't seem to mind that it'll be in Kessler's backyard.

"I'm glad to box in Copenhagen," said Sartison. "I am totally psyched up. This world championship chance is what I've always worked toward. Along the way, I've had to bite down to get through some bad luck with injuries – but now it has paid off. I've always believed in myself. With my trainer Magomed Schaburow and my team, we were just in an extremely hard training camp near Moscow. I couldn't have prepared any better and harder than I did there. I'm doing the rest of my preparation in Hamburg. I want to bring the WBA title to Germany!"

"Dimitri Sartison has more than earned this chance," added promoter Dietmar Poszwa. "I'm very happy for him, because he worked very hard for years to get this world championship fight. In this duel he's certainly an underdog, but as we all know anything is possible in boxing!"

We'll be interested in seeing how Kessler performs after his first professional loss and after such a rollercoaster past few months regarding his next bout.


Chagaev Pulls out of Rematch with Valuev



The WBA heavyweight titlist Ruslan Chagaev has pulled out of his scheduled May 31st title defense and rematch with 7-foot Nicolai Valuev and has been postponed due to a supposed illness.

"Ruslan Chagaev suffers from a protracted virus infection," stated his Dr. Michael Ehnert. "In medical terms it's a viral laryngitis and pharyngitis. For non-doctors, it's a highly feverish viral infection of the upper respiratory tract with heavy symptoms. The medical treatment makes it absolutely necessary that he stop training." Chagaev's trainer Michael Timm was forced to miss the title defense of stablemate First Arslan last Saturday with similar symptoms.

This isn't the first time Chagaev has pulled out of a fight and we're beginning to wonder if Ruslan ever intends on defending that belt. A press conference later in the week revealed that the fight will now take place on July 5th.


Latin Fury 4 PPV Update

With Glen Donaire having already been added to Top Rank's Latin Fury PPV this week to face Ulises Solis, super featherweight prospect Brandon Rios (16-0, 10 KOs) of Oxnard, CA has finally been set up with an opponent. He will open up the card in a 10-round bout against Culiacan, Mexico's Ricardo Dominguez (24-3, 15 KOs).

The card currently looks like this:

Jorge Arce (48-4-1, 37 KOs) vs. Devid Lookmahanak (18-0, 9 KOs)
Ulises Solis (26-1-2, 20 KOs) vs. Glen Donaire (16-3-1, 8 KOs)
Humberto Gutierrez (22-0-1, 17 KOs) vs. Efrén Hinojosa (29-4-1, 17 KOs)
Brandon Rios (16-0, 10 KOs) vs. Ricardo Domínguez (24-3, 15 KOs)

The Latin Fury 4 PPV will be televised live on PPV on Saturday, May 17 from Aguascalientes, Mexico at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.


Joel Julio Moves Up in the Rankings

After a hard fought win over Ishe Smith on April 30th, Joel Julio (32-1, 29 KOs) has moved up to the #4 ranked WBC super welterweight contender and is looking to take on one of the title holders at 154-pounds.
"Ishe is a difficult opponent because he is so good defensively," said Julio. "That is why I wanted to fight him. Now I want to get back in the ring and fight for a title as soon as possible."

Julio (32-1, 29 KO's) is also ranked #4 by the IBF, #6 by the WBA, and #8 by the WBO. The 23-year-old Monteria, Colombia native has stopped 21 opponents within the first three rounds. He has won his last five bouts, three by knockout. In 2005 Julio was named "Prospect of the Year" by several media outlets, including ESPN.com.


Martin Castillo Retires

Former super flyweight world champion Martin Castillo has retired from boxing; it was announced today by his longtime manager Frank Espinoza.

"We've talked numerous times over the last couple of weeks and Martin has concluded that this is the end of the line for him. He didn't feel like himself during the Montiel fight and is happy with what he has accomplished in the sport. As he put it 'I owe everything to boxing and I don't want to fight anymore if I can't go at a world class level.'"

Castillo was stopped by Fernando Montiel in the fourth round on February 16, 2008 in a super flyweight title bout in which Montiel was defending his World Boxing Organization belt. The 31 year old Castillo, a native of Mexico City, finishes his career with a record of 33-2 with seventeen knockouts. He won the WBA super flyweight by defeating Alexander Munoz on December 3, 2004 in Laredo,Texas.


Naseem Hamed Forced to Move

According to a report published by the Sun UK, Prince Naseem Hamed has left his home city in shame and moved his wife and family into a £4million mansion hundreds of miles from Sheffield.

Hamed has moved them to an exclusive neighborhood, which included neighbors such as Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley.

In regards to the move, friends of Hamed said he feared for wife Eleasha and his sons after fans in South Yorkshire turned against him. Friends claimed he could no longer go out without being taunted for causing a car crash. Hamed had served 16 weeks in prison for his role in the car accident..

One friend quoted by the Sun UK stated: "Once everyone wanted to shake his hand but now he gets constant abuse."

(Credit: Johnny Benz, Doghouseboxing.com)


AEG Acquires Shares of Golden Boy Promotions

AEG has entered into an agreement with Golden Boy Promotions to acquire ownership shares of the Los Angeles-based organization, it was announced y Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions and Tim Leiweke, President & CEO, AEG. The acquisition will make AEG the company's second largest shareholder behind De La Hoya. AEG owns the Staples Center in Los Angeles, as well as the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, MSL's Los Angeles Galaxy and a portion of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers.


Random Newsbits

- Former three-time world champ Jeff Fenech will battle 50-year great Azumah Nelson on June 24th.

- WBO #2/WBC #4 lightweight Amir Khan (17-0, 13 KOs) will face former Bristish 130lb titlist Michael Gomez (35-8, 24 KOs) on June 21 at the NIA, Birmingham, England

- Manny Pacquiao has decided to postpone his departure for the US to May 12 so he can attend the formal turnover rites of Army chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, who will assume the post of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Of Staff from Gen. Hermogenes Esperon. His bout with David Diaz is scheduled for June 28th.

- This week marks the second anniversary of the tragic death of Diego "Chico" Corrales.


Weekend Fights

This Saturday night on SHOWTIME, WBC super lightweight titlist Junior Witter defends against Timothy Bradley. The undefeated 24-year-old boxer Bradley, of Palm Springs, has traveled approximately 2,100 miles total by car for his 21 professional fights. In fact, he has fought exclusively in California and never traveled farther than 230 miles by car from his hometown. Since turning pro in August 2004, Bradley has fought in Ontario (11 times), Corona (five times), Santa Ynez (three times), Los Angeles (once) and Lancaster (once).

On Saturday, that will change dramatically, however, when the WBC super lightweight No. 1 contender travels 5,300 miles to challenge WBC Super Lightweight Champion Junior Witter in Nottingham, England.

SHOWTIME will televise the world title bout Saturday at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT.

That's all for this week folks and until next time, see you at the fights!