LAS VEGAS, NV (January 28, 2019) – Prince Ranch Boxing’s undefeated featherweight sensation, Issac “Canelito” Avelar (15-0, 10 KOs), has arrived in the United States to start training with former world champions, Joel Casamayor and Bones Adams. Avelar, who is promoted by Sugar Promotions, is seeking a big fight here in the States with a notable opponent.

“I feel Canelito can take his career to the next level with Casamayor and Bones guiding his corner,” said manager Greg Hannley, CEO of Prince Ranch Boxing. “Canelito is a very strong and skilled fighter who has a crowd-pleasing style. Right now, we are in talks with some high-profile promoters about getting him a fight here in the USA. We will know more soon, and an announcement will be made in the near future.”

“It’s been a dream of mine to have a big fight in the United States of America,” said Avelar, who hails from Aguascalientes, Mexico. “Right now, my focus is getting acclimated to the high altitude of Las Vegas. I believe in myself and I’m going to take full advantage of this opportunity. I have a great team supporting me. I’m very grateful to my manager Greg Hannley, and my promoter Oscar Vazquez, who are making this dream of mine come true.”

Issac “Canelito” Avelar captured the WBC FECOMBOX featherweight title in early February of 2018. In his last fight, Avelar scored a first round knockout, a bout that took place in his hometown of Aguascalientes, Mexico, in April of 2018.

Las Vegas (June 4, 2015) – Four-Time world champion Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor has confirmed that he will appear and have a booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the second annual Box Fan Expo that will take place Saturday September 12, 2015. The Box Fan Expo will coincide with Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s last fight and Mexican independence weekend.

Casamayor was a great amateur boxer who won the gold medal for Cuba at Bantamweight during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He then turned pro after defecting to the United States on the eve of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He is a former WBC, WBO, WBA and Ring Magazine champion.

Casamayor, will have merchandise to sell to his fans, as well as photos and memorabilia. He joins “Terrible” Terry Norris among early commitments to this year’s Box Fan Expo.

This unique fan experience event, which allowed fans to meet and greet boxing legends, past and current champions and other celebrities of the sport, debuted last September to large, enthusiastic crowds. This year the Expo will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and once again, allow fans a chance to collect autographs, take photos and purchase merchandise and memorabilia.

Exhibitors such as boxing gear, apparel, broadcasting media and other brand companies who wish to participate will have a chance to showcase their products to fans and the whole boxing industry.

Last year’s inaugural Box Fan Expo featured some of the most popular fighters and boxing celebrities in recent history. Fans were treated to visits with Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr, Sergio Martinez, Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Mikey Garcia, James Toney, Riddick Bowe, Leon Spinks Terry Norris, Shawn Porter, Chris Byrd, Jesse James Leija, Lamon Brewster, Ray Mercer, Earnie Shavers, Mia St-John, Erislandy Lara, Peter Quillin, Jean Pascal and Austin Trout. Also appearing were current WBC Champion Deontay Wilder, the charismatic Vinny Pazienza, Paul Williams, noted commentator Al Bernstein and top trainer Roger Mayweather of Mayweather Promotions.

The roster of attendees for this year’s Box Fan Expo will be announced throughout the next several months and weeks leading up to the event.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available online at: http://www.boxfanexpo.eventbrite.com

View the official promo video of Box Fan Expo here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/video-2/

View Promo Flyer here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/promo-flyer/

View Photos Gallery 2014 here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/photos/

For anyone in the boxing industry or brand companies who wish to be involved and reserve a booth as an exhibitor or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Box Fan Expo at:

U.S.A telephone number: (702) 997-1927 or (514) 572-7222

For any inquiries please email: [email protected]

More information on the Box Fan Expo is available at: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

You can follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter at: https://www.twitter.com/BoxFanExpo and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that former world champion Joel Casamayor tested positive for Marijuana for this past Saturday’s title bout with Timothy Bradley

“It’s unfortunate. If the commission finds him in violation of the drug-testing regulations, they could fine him or suspend him, or a combination thereof,” Nevada Commission head Keith Kizer said Thursday.

LAS VEGAS – Jose Benavidez Jr.’s days as a prospect means time as an understudy. There was a lot to study Thursday. At the top of the lesson plan, there were examples of what-to-do, what-not-to-do at a news conference that ended in a profane, trash-talking exchange between Tim Bradley and Joel Casamayor.

“it’s crazy, I’m just not that kind of person, not someone who wants to be talking back and forth,’’ said Benavidez (13-0, 12 KOs), a Phoenix junior-welterweight who faces Puerto Rican Sammy Santana (4-4-2, 0 KOs) in a scheduled six-rounder on a Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez undercard that includes Casamayor and Bradley for the World Boxing Organization’s junior-welterweight title. “I’d just rather stay quiet, show what I can do in the ring. I just don’t think people like hear all of that stuff.’’

Whether anybody wanted it or not, they got an earful Thursday. It started with Casamayor, who ordered Bradley to sit down. He ordered once, twice, three times. Casamayor was just getting started. When Bradley refused, Casamayor, a black man from Cuba, screamed a racial epithet, the N-word, at Bradley, an African-American. Even in a sport where almost anything goes, it crossed a line.

The 19-year-old Benavidez witnessed from a seat in the second row on a makeshift stage in a ballroom at the MGM Grand. One day, that could be him. Top Rank is betting he will be a star. He is perhaps their most prized prospect. If he fulfills those expectations, it is all but inevitable that he will face one the trash-talkers of his time in face-to-face encounter.

“Hopefully, I will be a world champion and get an opportunity like that,’’ he said. “When I was an amateur, I had some moments like that. I wear glasses, so guys would get in my face. But it doesn’t really faze me much. It just actually motivates me more to show what I’ve got.

“But it’s lesson. Oh yeah, a good lesson.’’

Benavidez’ most significant lessons of late have been in sparring at the trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood with Amir Khan. Benavidez said he has spent a lot of time working on his jab and body punches. Meanwhile, he’s in no hurry. He likes being a student.

“It’s important not to rush things, because if I do, if I don’t learn all this basics, I won’t ever be that world champion anyway,’’ said Benavidez, the student who often sounds like a teacher.

AZ NOTES
· After Saturday at the MGM Grand, Benavidez’ next fight is expected to be in February. Day and place have yet to be determined.

· Boxing will be a Thanksgiving appetizer in Phoenix on Nov. 23. A card promoted by Iron Boy and Estrella is scheduled for El Zaribah Shriners Auditorium at 552 North 40th Street. Super-bantamweight Alexis Santiago is scheduled for the main event on card scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Former world champion Joel Casamayor was involved in a minor car accident on Tuesday but has injuries that will force him out his July 28 bout with Jorge Teron but the espn2 televised card will have a new main event with great importance as Victor Cayo and Lamont Peterson will now square off in an Jr. Welterweight elimination bout according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Joel has a bad back and sore ribs. He may have broken a rib or two, but he’s OK,” said Leon Margules of Warriors Boxing. “He’s very, very sore. Obviously, he can’t fight. The doctor told him no training for about a month.”

The winner of Peterson-Cayo will become a mandatory challenger for the Khan-Judah winner. After the July 23 date fell apart, the fight was due to go to a purse bid on July 5.

“Both guys were still training and when the fight fell out (earlier in the week) I called Cayo and told him to stay in the gym,” Margules said. “Then when we had a chance to put it on July 29, I called (Peterson manager and trainer) Barry Hunter and told him we could go to purse bid on July 5 or we could just make a deal and get it done on July 29. They wanted to get the fight on.”

March 14, 2011 – With his recent victory over once beaten Manuel Leyva (18-2, 10 KO’s), former three time World Champion and Olympic Gold medal winner, Joel Casamayor (38-5-1, 22 KO’s) is seeking fights against anyone in the top ten at Lightweight and Jr. Welterweight.

“I know I can compete at the top level,” said Casamayor. “I just beat Leyva who had only been beaten once in eighteen fights. My only losses in the past five years are to Juan Manuel Marquez and Robert Guerrero, who many consider to be the best in the lightweight division. My track record shows that I’ll fight anyone, anytime so I want to let everyone know that I’m not going anywhere. My goal is to keep wining, and eventually get another title shot at Lightweight or Jr. Welterweight.”

Luis Decubas Jr., who manages Casamayor went on to say, “Joel is an elite fighter and anyone he fights will have their hands full. I’m looking to get him right back in the ring against a top level opponent as soon as possible

Through out the 1950 Cuba was undergoing their Revolution, in the early 1960’s they imposed an embargo that is still in operation today with America. Since those days they have developed the world’s top amateur Boxers, we only got to see them unfortunately every 4 years at the Olympics. The odd one got out and turned professional like Joel Casamayor who went on to become a 2 weight world champion, nothing else of note made an impact on the pro scene. That was until late in 2006 when it was revealed that three 2004 Olympic Gold medallist’s had defected whilst in a training camp in Venezuela. One of those was Heavyweight Odlanier Solis who’s quickly torn his way through sixteen opponents knocking out twelve of them. Tomorrow Solis 30, will take on Ray Austin 28-4-4(18) in Miami in a WBC title eliminator, the winner becoming Vitali Klitscko’s mandatory challenger, assured of a shot in 2011.

Hello Odlanier, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – You are fighting Ray Austin and the winner becomes Vitali Klitschko’s WBC mandatory. What are your thoughts on Austin and this fight?

Odlanier Solis – My thoughts are very simple: I will blow away Ray Austin and then go on, beat Vitali Klitschko and finally become the first ever Cuban heavyweight champion of the world. I have been waiting for a long time to get my hands on Klitschko who decide to run away and hide as long as he could. I thank the WBC and my promoter Ahmet Oener for giving me the chance to finally fight for the world title. I know that I have to beat Austin to get there so that’s what I’m gonna do on Friday in Miami.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your training for this fight? Where has it been, how has it gone & who have you sparred with?

Odlanier Solis – I had a good training camp in Miami. I sparred with a young German fighter named Erkan Teper who is very fast and moves well. I also had some more seasoned and experienced partners like Larry Donald. Unfortunately, he had to return home after a couple of days because I hit him too hard. But I give him props for coming to Miami to work with me. We had some other guys there as well. The camp was alright and I thank my coach Pedro Luis Diaz and all the other people around like Ahmet and Jose Perez who organized everything perfectly.

Anson Wainwright – Obviously you want to fight one of the Klitschko’s in 2011, what do you think of both of them?

Odlanier Solis – Honestly, I don’t care about them. I don’t care about any of my opponents. I know that I am the best heavyweight fighter in the world today and I also know that I only have to focus on myself and what I do in the ring. When I step into the ring and fight my own fight it doesn’t matter who stands in the opposite corner. I’ll simply run over every opponent who faces me.

Anson Wainwright – Could you tell us about team Solis, who is your trainer, manager & promoter? Also what gym do you train at most of the time?

Odlanier Solis – As I said before, my trainer is Pedro Luis Diaz. He is a very experienced coach and I have known him for a long time. He was our national team coach back home in Cuba. In the last years he also made himself a name at the pros and I cannot imagine a better trainer. He organizes everything for me and I thank him for all the hard work and effort. Ahmet Oener is my promoter since I started my professional career. He brought me to where I am right now. Before I even signed with him he told me that I would become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. We’re both on the same page on that and we are ready to go all the way together. Then there is Jose Perez who is taking care of a lot of things for me. He is working closely with Ahmet. Those are the most important people around me right now. I live and train in Miami.

Anson Wainwright – What was it like growing up in Havana as a kid and how did you first get involved in Boxing?

Odlanier Solis – I started boxing when I was quite young. We didn’t have many different choices in Cuba. If you wanted to mean something and be somebody you had to get involved in sports. When I first entered a boxing gym the coaches immediately told me that this is what I was born to do. They saw something special and made me work hard to exploit my talent in the best possible way. So I got hooked to it.

Anson Wainwright – You had a fantastic amateur career, you won gold in the 2004 Olympics and won the World Championships three times. Can you tell us about some of your other amateur credentials? What current pro’s did you fight and how did you do? Also what was your record?

Odlanier Solis – It would be far easier if you asked me who I didn’t beat… I basically won every title there was to win and never lost an important tournament. I am a seven-time Cuban national champion, three-time Pan-American champion, winner of the World Cup and the Nation’s Cup, Junior World Champion… what else do you want to know? I beat guys like Sultan Ibragimov, Alexander Alexeev, David Haye… and whoever entered the ring with me.

Anson Wainwright – In the 2001 World Championship final you stopped current WBA champion David Haye. Can you tell us about that fight? did you drop him etc?

Odlanier Solis – Haye was a decent fighter. I remember that he connected with a nice uppercut early in the fight. He provoked me with that. But then I took control, did what I have to do and gave him the beating of his lifetime. The referee stepped in and prevented him from getting knocked out.

Anson Wainwright – You also beat Felix Savon two out of three. He is widely thought of as one of the Greatest Heavyweights to ever fight. Tell us about those fights? How good was he?

Odlanier Solis – Savon is a legend. Of course, it was a special thing for me to beat him. But then again he is just another name on the list. I know what I have to do in the ring. And I do it in the best possible ways. I am not afraid of big names and the respect I feel for a person will never stop me from beating up my opponent when we face in the ring. Once I step to the ropes I just do what I have to do. That’s all.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do away from Boxing? what are your hobbies & Interests?

Odlanier Solis – I hang around with my friends and family a lot. I am rather a calm guy. Oh, and I love fishing.

Anson Wainwright – I’m sure you’ve heard it said many times but some people have asked about your weight. Last time you fought at 268. Your only 6’1, what is your answer to that? Presumably you still feel in great condition?

Odlanier Solis – I don’t understand why people are worrying about my weight so much. To me the most important thing is how I feel and how I move in the ring. I am a heavyweight fighter so I don’t have to enter the ring at a certain limit. As long as I got the power to go twelve, fifteen or even thirty rounds I don’t care how much I’m carrying around. Just look at me fighting and tell me afterwards if I’m carrying too much weight and if I look to be in shape or not. My coach always says: At the amateurs my body looked better on photos but now I have more punching power. Amateur boxing and professional boxing are too different things. You need more power at the pros because every shot can be decisive. I trust in my team and in my ability and I believe that now I am bringing the full package: Speed, technique, stamina and power. Just watch me fight and ask that same question again after that fight.

Anson Wainwright – Several other Cuban Heavyweights have turned pro since you have including Mike Perez, Luis Ortiz, Yasnay Consuegra etc what are your thoughts on those guys?

Odlanier Solis – I don’t care about other fighters. When I meet them I chat with them but I don’t talk about boxing. It doesn’t matter to me. The guys you mentioned were looking up to me when I was the amateur champion. I fought Luis Ortiz a couple of times at the amateurs and beat him at will. The other two were still too young. I think I’m sort of an idol for them. I’m happy for them that they want to try their luck at the pros but they won’t have any chance to win a title – at least not as long as I am around…

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans who are looking forward to seeing you in action against Ray Austin?

Odlanier Solis – Watch the fight, enjoy the show and support me on my way to finally ending the reign of the Klitschkos!

Thanks for your time “La Sombre”

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

Midweek Musings – Word is Pacquiao will now fight on 7 May and not as originally thought 16 April, he’ll be in with one of Berto, Mosley or Marquez…Top Rank has shows on 19 February (Montiel-Donaire) & 26 February, 12 March (Cotto-TBA), 19 March (Lopez-TBA) & now the Pacquiao card, also mentioned is a possible early June showdown between JuanMa & Gamboa if both win interim fights, that looks a pretty solid first half of the year for them…No such line up as yet from Golden Boy, I look forward to seeing them fill there dance cards in the coming weeks…On 18 February Fernando Guerrero will take on Saul Roman on ESPN in his hometown of Salisbury, Maryland where he’s fiercely popular…I’m looking forward to seeing Jean Pascal – Bernard Hopkins this weekend. There’s lots of intrigue in this fight, will youth prevail or will the old man once again spring the surprise? He couldn’t could he?…Over the past month we’ve had some cracking fights Marquez-Katsidis, Soto-Antillon & Khan-Maidana this weekend in Germany we could get our fourth in as many weeks with Marco Huck against Denis Lebedev, it pits two heavy handed Cruiserweights who don’t like to take a backward step, unless someone goes to sleep early it looks like a barnburner…Finally congratulations to World ranked Lightweight Brandon Rios, his wife gave birth on the 2 December to a little girl, Mia Guadalupe who weighed 6.1, he says he’ll be back at the Palms in Las Vegas on 26 February against one of the Miguel’s either Acosta for the WBA title or Vazquez for the IBF crown.

If there are any fighters you would like to hear from you can contact me on [email protected]

LAS VEGAS – It was entertaining as a one-sided fight could be, but finally, “The Rematch” was a one-sided fight. Blame it on Marquez’s class – the ageless type.

Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, in a rematch of 2009’s Fight of the Year, Mexico City’s Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KOs) and Houston’s Juan Diaz (35-4, 17 KOs) squared up to determine the lineal lightweight champion of the world. Twelve rounds later, it was the same guy as it was when the night began, with Marquez winning by unanimous decision scores of 116-112, 118-110 and 117-111.

The 15rounds.com scorecard concurred, scoring it 118-110 for Marquez.

Diaz’s strategy, to box and keep his weight from falling over his front foot, was a sound one for survival. But starting in round 1, and with only a brief exception in rounds 2 and 3, it was not a strategy that would ever bring him victory.

For his part, Marquez was the same master craftsman he has always been, riddling Diaz with left uppercut-right cross-left uppercut combinations whenever the younger man’s enthusiasm brought him within range. The rest of the time, Diaz was safe, but he wasn’t in the fight.

Afterwards, Diaz hinted at the possibility of his retirement, saying he still wasn’t sure about his future and thanking his hometown of Houston for its undying support.

Marquez, meanwhile, addressed the possibility of a rubber match with pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao, after his victory.

“I think the third fight with Pacquiao is the one the aficionados want,” Marquez said. “And it’s the best thing for the fans.”

Class tells: Pirog ruins Jacobs
Golden Boy Promotions’ eye for talent has been questioned often since its inception. What Russian Dmitry Pirog did to Golden Boy prospect Daniel “Golden Child” Jacobs in the co-main event of “The Rematch” will make such questions all the more prevalent.

Pirog (17-0, 14 KOs) outclassed Jacobs (20-1, 17 KOs) in each round, using fundamental boxing to solve the speedy Brooklynite, before catching him flush with a perfect right cross, knocking Jacobs out cold at 0:57 of the fifth round to become the WBO middleweight champion of the world.

After a fairly even opening stanza, round 2 began with Pirog marching forward behind a right cross and extremely efficient footwork, entirely neutralizing Jacobs’ reflexes. Then Jacobs wisely began the third on his bicycle, circling away from Pirog, fighting part of the round as a southpaw and regaining his composure. Round four, too, passed in a somewhat even fashion.

Pirog came out in the fifth, however, backed Jacobs to the ropes and waited for him to start a tentative punch. At that moment, Pirog stepped fully into a right cross that landed on Jacobs’ chin and dropped him to the blue mat in a pile. Referee Robert Byrd wisely forwent his 10-count, waving an immediate conclusion to the fight.

Guerrero brushes away “Cepillo”

Boxing may never know Joel Casamayor’s true age, but Saturday it learned how old he now is: Too old.

In a junior welterweight scrap some in Mandalay Bay’s Events Center hoped would be competitive, California’s Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (27-1-1, 18 KOs) easily decisioned Cuban Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor (37-5-1, 22 KOs) by lopsided unanimous scores of 98-89, 98-89 and 97-90.

Down in each of the match’s first two rounds and penalized a point for holding, the previously resilient Casamayor looked old and spent, Saturday, as Guerrero hurt him with every landed left hand. In round 2, a Guerrero left cross even stunned Casamayor to the point of dropping both gloves and looking around in disbelief before rallying to wrap his arms round Guerrero’s trunks.

Never a strict adherent to the Queensbury rules, Casamayor looked particularly sad in his opening six minutes against Guerrero, when he was reduced to fouling to survive rather than win.

After such a shaky start, though, Casamayor, whose chin has never been doubted, found enough of his stride to give Guerrero quality rounds. Still, a Guerrero left hand or two seemed to buckle Casamayor’s old knees in almost every round.

But as the fight progressed, and Casamayor threw more punches, Guerrero began to holster his left hand, gradually sapping the match of its emotion. By the ninth round, a few vocal fans began to boo the action in the ring while the large majority of the Events Center crowd expressed its displeasure with abject silence.

The final stanza, though, saw Guerrero over-commit to a left hand and impale himself on Casamayor’s outstretched right glove. But the suspense passed quickly when Guerrero rose and boxed to a comfortable victory.

Linares plays bus driver, takes Juarez to school

Venezuelan Jorge Linares literally towered over Houston’s Rocky Juarez at Friday’s weigh-in. Saturday night, Linares towered over him figuratively too.

In the first fight of “The Rematch’s” pay-per-view telecast, Linares (29-1, 18 KOs) easily decisioned Juarez (28-7-1, 20 KOs) over 10 one-sided rounds to win the WBA’s vacant lightweight title by unanimous scores of 99-90, 97-92 and 99-90.

The fight began as Juarez fights always do, with Juarez doggedly chasing his opponent, eating punches and unable to let his own hands go. Linares, who would look nimble in the ring with anyone, looked positively balletic across from the heavy-footed Juarez. Snapping jabs and dancing away, Linares gave Juarez a boxing lesson in the fight’s first four rounds.

Towards the end of round 5, Linares landed one of many left uppercuts, and this one caused Juarez to stumble backwards and drop to the blue mat, a place one rarely finds him. Unable to hurt Linares and now worried that Linares might hurt him, Juarez, who’s hesitant even when he’s winning, began trading two Linares uppercuts for his every landed jab – a formula destined to fail.

What few vocal fans there were gave a number of halfhearted “Rocky, Rocky” chants as the fight progressed, and Juarez’s eyes continued to close, but the arena was otherwise silent enough for the bell to cause echoes at the end of each round.

The final round saw most of the fight’s sustained action, but those three minutes did not feature nearly enough pressure from Juarez to undo the 27 minutes that preceded them. The problem for Juarez, finally, is not just that he is now 0-6 in world title fights. It’s that he’s losing by larger margins in his every subsequent challenge.

Undercard

It was a case of dog attacks man in “The Rematch’s” final off-television match, as undefeated junior welterweight Los Angeleno Frankie “The Pit Bull” Gomez (5-0, 5 KOs) went through Minnesota’s Ronald Peterson (2-3, 2 KOs) without a modicum of resistance. A Gomez left hook to Peterson’s liver ended the match at 2:14 of round 1, when Peterson chose not to continue.

The fourth match on the untelevised undercard might well have been its best, as unheralded Mexican lightweight Juan Manuel Montiel (6-3-1, 1 KO) swapped blows and taunts with Nevadan Mike Peralta (4-6, 1 KO) in a well-matched six-round bout, which Montiel won by unanimous scores of 58-55, 60-53 and 58-55.

Despite spitting blood for half the fight and appearing fatigued throughout, Peralta nevertheless entertained the local crowd with his heart and will. Finally, though, Montiel had too much class, and the judges did not see the fight competitive as fans did.

The night’s third bout came to a rapid and ugly end when Australian Sakio Bika (28-4-2, 19 KOs) fouled undefeated and unarmed Frenchman Jean Paul Mendy (29-0-1, 16 KOs) at 1:19 of the first round of their IBF super middleweight eliminator, losing by disqualification and bringing some well-deserved hostility from the desert crowd.

In a maneuver disappointingly reminiscent of a different super middleweight – Arthur Abraham and his right hand to a kneeling Andre Dirrell in March – Bika knocked Mendy to the canvas and then stepped forward and fired a point-blank right uppercut at the defenseless Frenchman. Mendy, who had almost no power to speak of while upright, tilted forward and landed on his own forehead. Referee Joe Cortez called an immediate end to the match.

Mendy was later able to walk from ringside unassisted.

At Friday’s weigh-in, ESPN commentator (and cruiserweight contender) BJ Flores said the man to watch on Saturday’s undercard was a Brit by the name of George Groves. Flores was right. Accompanied to ringside by heavyweight titlist David Haye and favoring a left hook-right cross combination, Groves (10-0, 8 KOs) chopped away at Mexican Afredo Contreras (11-8-1, 5 KOs) until a somewhat early intervention by referee Russell Mora halted the match at 0:48 of the sixth round.

While Contreras did not appear to be in any trouble, and never went down, Groves, for his part, appeared to be committing fully to each of the right crosses with which he tagged Contreras with increasing frequency.

Before that, “The Rematch” got off to a quick and violent start Saturday afternoon as Maryland heavyweight Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell (18-0-1, 12 KOs) went directly through overmatched Philadelphian Derek Bryant (20-6-1, 17 KOs), stopping him at 1:45 of the first round.

After firing a succession of left hooks to Bryant’s body, Mitchell went upstairs with lefts and rights to the head and continued his assault till referee Kenny Bayless had seen enough.

The opening bell rang on a sparse Events Center crowd at 2:40 PM local time.

Photo by Tom Hogan/Hogan Photos

It will be a battle of former world champions according to Dan Rafael of espn.com when Joel Casamayor battles Robert Guerrero on July 31st as part of the Juan Manuel Marquez – Juan Diaz rematch undercard.

Casamayor-Guerrero, a scheduled 10-rounder at a maximum contract weight of 139 pounds, rounds out the four-fight telecast that will include Marquez-Diaz II, 2009 ESPN.com prospect of the year Daniel Jacobs facing Russia’s Dmitry Pirog for a vacant middleweight title and a lightweight bout between former two-division titlist Jorge Linares and perennial contender Rocky Juarez.

“I made a promise to the ‘Fight Freaks’ that this would be a freak card and I think I’ve delivered that,” Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com. “I love Casamayor against Guerrero. It’s a big step up for Guerrero and a big opportunity for Casamayor. It’s one of those true crossroads fights. We have Linares-Juarez done and we have Jacobs fighting an undefeated fighter for a world title. I think the rematch of the fight of the year has become more than just that. I think it’s going to be the night of the year.”

“We are finalizing the contract, but we have an agreement by e-mail and have agreed on all the deal points,” Schaefer said.

“Joel is a veteran and he wanted a bigger fight. He wanted Khan,” manager Luis DeCubas Jr. told ESPN.com. “But if it’s not Khan, he’ll fight Guerrero. I think we’re in a different league than Guerrero. Robert is a great young fighter, but he’s never been in there with anyone like Joel. He’s real green. We’ll go through Guerrero first and then we’ll go get Khan or (junior welterweight titleholder Timothy) Bradley, or anyone else.”

“I think to have Linares back [fighting in the U.S.] and fighting a credible opponent like Rocky, I think it’s a big test for Linares, and it’s high noon for Rocky,” Schaefer said. “It’s a very interesting matchup.”

15rounds’ Matt Yanofsky exclusively goes 1 on 1 with unbeaten 140 lb contender Joan Guzman. Guzman, a former two division world champion, also informed us of his upcoming bout July 31 against Joel Casamayor. Here is what he had to say.
click-to-listen-to-joan-guzman