February 12, 2021–Acelino Freitas, who was one of boxing’s biggest stars, looked to reclaim the WBO lightweight world title when he fought the surging Zahir Raheem. Relive the match on tonight’s edition of Classic Fight Night on fubo Sports Network.

Freitas (37-1, 32 KOs) was riding a two-fight winning streak after dropping the WBO title to Diego Corrales. The Brazilian was considered one of the sport’s most exciting fighters based on his prodigious knockout power. Coming off the biggest win of his career by defeating Mexican legend Erik Morales, Raheem (27-1, 16 KOs) earned the shot at the vacant title.

The bout took place on April 29, 2006, at The Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

See if Freitas was able to catch Raheem tonight at 8 PM ET.

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Tacoma, WA (March 6th, 2014) – Four fights into his boxing comeback under the Halquist Productions banner, #6 Ranked WBO Jr. Welterweight, Zahir Raheem (35-3, 21 KOs), is ready to step up to the highest tier and grab the respect that he’s vastly fought for throughout his dramatic career. Fighting with a pre-existing hand injury in his NABO title fight with Bayan Jargal on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights in January, Raheem, although victorious, was unable to display the KO power he had shown in his previous three fights. Now, with his hand fully healed, Raheem is primed to make a huge statement in the junior welterweight division and is once again positioned to step back in the ring and face anyone in the weight class.

“Zahir’s record speaks for itself,” said promoter, Brian Halquist. “Only losing seven times throughout his entire boxing career including the amateurs; he is a pure winner. Now riding a six fight win streak and ranked sixth in the world, Zahir is ready to step up and show the world what he’s capable of.”

The hand injury that affected Raheem’s Friday Night Fights performance against Bayan Jargal came two weeks before the fight during a sparring session. Pre-fight X-Rays showed that the right hand had indeed been broken, but knowing that this wasn’t an opportunity he could miss along with the Friday Night Fights main event already in trouble due to the Arash Usmanee injury, Zahir knew it was best to fight with the injured hand. While the pain was manageable pre-fight, the hand was severely aggravated only a couple of minutes into the fight, effectively forcing Zahir to fight one handed for ten rounds.

Dedicating his life to the sport of boxing, including going an astonishing 213-4 in the amateurs and earning a spot on the 1996 U.S. Olympic boxing team headlined by Floyd Mayweather Jr., Raheem is ready to take on the best fighters in the world. After giving boxing his all throughout his 17 year career, Raheem is once again ready for the biggest spotlight that Boxing has to offer and couldn’t be more excited.

“First and foremost I cannot change things I have no control over,” said Raheem. “I say that because I find myself focusing on being a more exciting fighter. I have no control over my injury that happened during the Jargal fight. All I could do was figure out how to win with one hand. My focus and determination is to win a world title and have fans and networks begging me not to retire when that time comes.”

Raheem’s shining moment came in 2005 when he outclassed Erik Morales in a victory that earned Raheem Ring Magazine’s Upset of the Year award and the opportunity to fight Acelino Freitas for WBO’s vacant lightweight title. The Freitas fight resulted in a heart breaking defeat for Raheem, losing by a very controversial split decision victory.

Following the frustrating loss to Freitas, the business side of boxing made it nearly impossible to match Zahir with a fighter of his caliber. Raheem’s name was established and everyone else knew that he deserved to fight the top lightweight contenders available. After a dispute with his promoter and a handful of less than desirable fights later, Raheem decided to step away from the public eye and focus on what he needed to do to get back in spotlight.

Raheem’s attorney, Gregory Bloom of ChaseLawyers stated, “Although Zahir took some time off, he never stopped looking and preparing for the right opportunity. Brian Halquist has done a great job in helping Zahir get back into title contention, and Zahir Raheem is ready to take on anyone at 140lbs and is ready to fight for a world title.”

Raheem has maintained excellent fighting shape, training out of his King Raheem’s Boxing and Cross-Training gym in Atlanta, GA. Having gone 4-0 with 3 KO’s and a new NABO title around his waist in his stellar comeback, Raheem is back in the spotlight and ready to continue his journey as a legit contender in the junior welterweight division.

Juan Antonio Rodriguez scored an eight round majority decision over late replacement Yenifel Vicente in a Jr. Lightweight bout at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

Rodriguez used his size to push the action. Vicente fought well in spots as he tried to use quick shots as he went up two weight classes on five days notice.

Rodriguez, 129 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 77-75 on two cards and 76-76 and is now 25-4. Vicente, 129 lbs of the Dominican Republic is now 25-2-2.

Zahir Raheem scored a ten round unanimous decision over Bayan Jargal in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Scores were 99-91, 91-91 and 97-93 for Raheem, 139 lbs and is now 35-3. Jargal, 139 1/2 lbs of Mongolia is now 17-5-3.

Lateef Kayode remained undefeated by scoring a 6th round stoppage over Jonta Willis in a scheduled eight round Heavyweight bout.

Willis was solid throughout the contest and started to really dominate after the fourth round. In the sixth round, Kayode landed body shots that sent Willis across the ring. Kayode landed a barrage of punches on the ropes and the fight was stopped at 1:07 of round six.

Kayode, 222 lbs of Hollywood, CA is now 20-0 with 16 knockouts. Wllis, 219 1/4 lbs is now 9-8-1.

Tacoma, WA (January 7th, 2014) – Less than a year after making his comeback to boxing, Zahir Raheem (34-4-0, 21 KOs) will make his return to National TV this Friday when he takes on Bayan Jargal (17-4-3, 11 KOs) in the co-televised feature of Battle at the Boat 94 presented by ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA. Headlining the six bout card will be Juan Antonio Rodriguez (25-4-0, 23 KOs) taking on Dominican fighter, Yenifel Vicente (25-1-2, 17 KOs), in an eight round super featherweight bout.

A limited amount of tickets are still available for Battle at the Boat 94, scheduled for Friday, January 10th, and can be purchased at the Emerald Queen Casino box office and online through Ticketmaster. Prices start at $35. Fans are encouraged to arrive at the showroom early as the televised features will start at 6 PM. Doors open at 5 PM.

Since making his first appearance with Halquist Productions last March, Raheem has rolled through the opponents put in front of him going 3-0 with three knockouts; none of them lasting longer than four rounds. On Friday, Raheem will attempt to preserve the momentum in his scheduled ten round bout with Jargal, who most recently was setback on a Friday Night Fights card against Chris Howard. Training out of his “King Raheem’s Boxing and Cross Training Gym” in his current hometown of Stone Mountain, Georgia, Raheem is ready to prove that he belongs among the elite in boxing’s super lightweight division.

“We’re really excited to feature Zahir back on a national stage,” said promoter, Brian Halquist. “When he steps into the ring Friday night, he’ll let his gloves do all the talking.”

Since joining the Halquist Productions team a year ago, Raheem has seen his stock rise to be currently ranked #3 in the NABA, #4 in the NABO, and #7 in the USBA. A solid victory in front of a live national audience this Friday could set up a very appealing 2014 for the Philadelphia native whose fans all around the world believe he has what it takes to become a world champion.

The main event of the night figures to be a crowd pleaser with the hard hitting Juan Antonio Rodriguez matched up with the very aggressive Yenifel Vicente who replaced Arash Usmanee earlier this week after Usmanee sustained an ankle injury while sparring over the weekend. Rodriguez had a very successful 2013 going 3-0 with three knockouts while Vicente also went undefeated in 2013 with two early stoppage victories while winning the WBC FECARBOX super bantamweight title in June against Jorge Diaz.

A press conference open to the media will take place on Thursday at 5 PM prior to the fighter weigh ins at the Emerald Queen Hotel and Casino in Fife.

# # #

About Halquist Productions
Promoter, Brian Halquist started Halquist Productions in 1989 when he promoted up and coming heavyweight boxing contender, Joe “The Boss” Hipp. In 1997, the Emerald Queen Casino and Brian Halquist Productions started the popular northwest boxing series, “The Battle at the Boat,” bringing boxing back to the Pacific Northwest. Halquist Productions is the Northwest’s premier fight promotional company and has promoted events on Showtime, HBO and ESPN and also a co-produced Showtime’s historic boxing event in St. Lucia, West Indies. The Battle at the Boat continues to be the longest running boxing series out of any casino in the United States.

On Friday, January 10, promoters Greg Cohen Promotions, DiBella Entertainment, Brian Halquist Productions, GH3 Promotions will proudly present “Battle at the Boat 94”, a night of high-level professional boxing, televised live, worldwide by ESPN in the I-5 Showroom of the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

In the night’s main event, IBF #8-ranked Afghani-Canadian Arash Usmanee (20-1-1, 10 KOs) will face Mexican KO artist Juan Antonio “El Mozo” Rodriguez (25-4, 23 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight battle.

And in the televised co-feature, longtime top contender and Erik Morales conqueror Zahir “Z-Man” Raheem (34-3, 21 KOs), the former Philadelphian turned hometown Tacoma hero, will continue his comeback against an opponent that is TBA.

On the undercard, former top cruiserweight contender Lateef “Power” Kayode (19-0, 15 KOs) will make the second appearance of his heavyweight campaign.

31-year-old Usmanee, was born in Afghanistan, is now based in Montreal, but trains in Las Vegas with former champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. He was last seen fighting to a draw with current IBF Super Featherweight Champion, Argenis Mendez, in August of 2013. In a battle many felt the aggressive Usmanee had won, the fight was declared a majority draw with one judge scoring for Usmanee.

Puebla, Mexico’s hard-punching southpaw Juan Antonio Rodriguez was last seen n November of this year, scoring a TKO 4 over Javier Mercado at the Centro de Convenciones IMSS, in Tlalpan, Mexico. Rodriguez has been very competitive against top level opposition including former IBF Featherweight Champion Billy Dib, but has just fallen short. The fight against Usmanee will be his chance to join the upper ranks of the division.

37-year-old Zahir “Z Man” Raheem was a top-level featherweight for many years and scored a nationally televised win over all-time-great Erik Morales and dropped a highly questionable decision to multi-world champion Acelino Freitas. He began his comeback earlier this year and has notched three victories since stepping away in 2010. He was last seen scoring an impressive TKO 2 over Tim Coleman at the Emerald Queen Casino.

Undefeated 30-year-old Nigerian Lateef Kayode is best known for fighting to a draw with world champion and Roy Jones conqueror Antonio Tarver in June 2012. Kayode began campaigning as a heavyweight earlier this month and scored a devastating TKO 2 over Travis Fulton at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California.

“I am happy to be working with so many great promotional firms to bring this sensational event to the fans in Tacoma. We are expecting a total sell-out, standing room only.” said event promoter Greg Cohen. “Arash Usmanee is the uncrowned champion of the world and I congratulate ESPN for recognizing his importance and putting him in another main event of one of their exceptional broadcasts. The entire night will be terrific. There is also a full undercard of local prospects. I expect this to be one of the best shows of the year.”

“We are very excited to be working with Friday Night Fights once again,” said Brian Halquist. “We have now been working with Zahir for over a year now and are absolutely ready for a national showcase. Being 3-0 with 3 knockouts, Zahir has done everything we have asked of him and more. After Zahir defeated Morales there were always questions surrounding a Raheem vs. Pacquiao fight, leaving behind some unfinished business. He belongs on the world stage and that’s where we’re going to take him.”

Tickets for “Battle at the Boat 94” are available through Ticketmaster and start at $35. All bouts are subject to change. The Emerald Queen Casino is located at 2024 E. 29th St, in Tacoma. This event will begin at 6:00 pm (PST). Visit GCPboxing.com for more information. This event is for persons 21 years of age and older. No one under 21 will be admitted.

Tacoma, WA (November 2nd, 2013) – In a wild situation regarding the main event fight between Zahir Raheem and Tim Coleman, extra effort had to be taken to keep the fight on. In a scheduled 143 pound fight, Zahir Raheem weighed in at 141 pounds while Coleman weighed considerably higher. To rectify the situation, Raheem had to gain almost nine pounds in the past 12 hours to meet the newly scheduled 150 pound weight agreement while Coleman continued to cut.

“Zahir is a world class fighter and is the main reason this fight isn’t scratched,” said promoter, Brian Halquist. “He agreed to take on a fight with Coleman who weighed in two weight classes above what was scheduled. We couldn’t have asked for any more from Zahir and we’re very happy to have him as part of the Halquist Productions team.”

Halquist Productions’ Battle at the Boat 93 will take place tonight at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA. Six fights are anticipated throughout the night including the main event between Zahir Raheem and Tim Coleman scheduled for 10 rounds of action. Five other fights, all scheduled for four rounds each, will take place throughout the night on the undercard portion of the show. Doors open at 6 PM with the first fight starting at 7 PM.

MAIN EVENT
Zahir Raheem:
Tim Coleman:

UNDERCARD
Jeremy McCleary: 130.5
Manuel Ortega: 131.5
Contract Weight: 132 Lbs.

**Corben Page: 129.5
Marcello Gallardo: 128.5
Contract Weight: 129 Lbs.

***Cameron Sevilla-Rivera: 156
Mark Garcia: 153
Contract Weight: 154 Lbs.

Jared Teer: 152
Dex Montenegro: 153
Contract Weight: 154 Lbs.

Jason Novelli: 167
Luis Iniguez: 165.5
Contract Weight: 168 Lbs.

* The main event has agreed to weigh in tomorrow.

** $150 will go from Corben Page’s purse to Marcello Gallardo

*** $100 will go from Cameron Sevilla-Rivera’s purse to Mark Garcia

Tacoma, WA (October 16th, 2013) – Halquist Productions’ Zahir Raheem will return to the Emerald Queen Casino on November 2nd to take on Las Vegas’ Tim Coleman in the main event of Battle at the Boat 93. The bout will be scheduled for ten rounds with a 143 pound limit. Raheem is coming off of two straight knockout victories fighting under the Halquist Productions banner in his return to the ring, pursuing another shot at a world title.

Tickets for Battle at the Boat 93, set for Saturday, November 2nd are available and can be purchased at the Emerald Queen Casino box office or through Ticketmaster. Prices start at $25.
Raheem (33-3-0, 20 KO’s), known for his dominating unanimous decision victory over a prime Erik Morales on an HBO telecast at the Staples Center in 2005, has exceedingly impressed the local fight crowd in the Northwest. He’s knocked the rust off with knockout victories over Santos Pakau (28-8-2, 11 KO’s) in March and Justin Juuko (45-12-1, 30 KO’s) at the latest Battle at the Boat in June. Living in Atlanta and training out of his King Raheem’s boxing and cross training gym, Raheem will be stepping up in challenges when he takes on Tim Coleman (19-3-1, 5 KO’s) in November.
Coleman is the former defending USBA light welterweight champion, defeating Mike Arnaoutis for the title and defending it once against Patrick Lopez in what has remained as his signature victory. Coleman has most recently appeared twice on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, stepping into the ring against the likes of Vernon Paris and Kendall Holt.
“The Raheem vs. Coleman fight is a career fight for both fighters,” said promoter, Brian Halquist. “Whoever comes out on top on November 2nd will definitely have a shot at something much larger.”
On the undercard portion of the show, one of Washington’s premier boxing prospects, Jeremy McCleary, will be making his professional debut. He will be taking on Manuel Ortega in a four round battle with a weight agreement of 132 pounds. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
Doors for Battle at the Boat 93 will open at 6 PM with the first fight scheduled for 7 PM. Halquist Productions’ Battle at the Boat continues to be the longest running professional boxing series at any Casino in the United States. Events have been televised on major sports networks such as ESPN 2, HBO, and ShowTime. For more information about Battle at the Boat 93 and all other Halquist Production events, please visit www.halquistproductions.com and the official Facebook and Twitter pages of Battle at the Boat and CageSport MMA.

MAIN EVENT – 10 Rounds
Zahir Raheem def. Justin Juuko via TKO4, 0:27

SEMI-MAIN EVENT – 6 Rounds
Gabriel Pineda def. Dave Petryck via UD (60-54)(59-55)(59-55)

UNDERCARD – 4 Rounds
Marcelo Gallardo def. Anthony Smith via MD (38-38)(39-37)(39-37)
Drew Brokenshrie def. William Fernandez via UD (39-37)(40-36)(40-36)
Ricardo Maldonado def. Cory Vom Baur via UD (39-37)(39-37)(39-37)
Antonio Neal def. Juan Carlos Rodriguez via 3rd Round TKO, 1:32
Charon Spain vs. Zachary Cooper – Majority Draw (40-36, Zach Cooper) (38-38)(38-38)

MAIN EVENT
Zahir Raheem: 141.5
Justin Juuko: 143
Contract Weight: 144

SEMI-MAIN EVENT
Dave Petryck: 148.5
Gabriel Pineda: 146.5
Contract Weight: 142

UNDERCARD
Antonio Neal: 148.5
Juan Carlos Rodriguez: 148
Contract Weight: 147

Ricardo Maldonado: 139
Cory Vom Baur: 140
Contract Weight: 140

Zach Cooper: 149.5
Charon Spain: 150
Contract Weight: 150

Drew Brokenshire:147
William Fernandez: 144
Contract Weight: 147

Anthony Smith: 130.5
Marcello Gallardo: 131
Contract Weight: 132

Tacoma, WA (May 29th, 2013) – Halquist Productions and the Northwest’s premier professional boxing promotion, Battle at the Boat, will be returning to the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA on June 1st for their 92nd installment of world class boxing. In the ten round main event, Zahir Raheem (32-3-0, 19 KO’s) will be taking on Uganda’s Justin Juuko (45-11-1, 30 KO’s). Five other bouts will take place throughout the night including a six round semi-main event featuring Gabriel Pineda (3-0-2, 1 KO) facing off against Dave Petrcyk (4-3-1). Also being featured on the card is CageSport featherweight champion and Tacoma native, Drew Brokenshire, making his professional boxing debut.

Tickets are still available for Battle at the Boat 92, set for Saturday, June 1st, and can be purchased at the Emerald Queen Casino box office or through www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices start at $25.

Raheem made waves throughout the boxing world in 2005 when he easily defeated hugely favored Erik Morales, earning Ring Magazine’s “Upset of the Year” award. The fight was supposed to be the launch to superstardom for Raheem, but after losing a heartbreaking split decision to Acelino Freitas for the vacant WBO lightweight title seven months later, he quickly faded into obscurity and took a break from boxing after back to back victories in 2010. In late 2012, Halquist Productions and Raheem crossed paths resulting in a long term promotional contract between the two and officially starting the comeback to Raheem’s career and his quest to become a world champion.

“We have a plan for Zahir that is going exactly as we hoped it would,” said promoter, Brian Halquist. “That plan was to knock the rust off with two favorable matchups followed by a step up in challengers that will put him in position for a title shot. He’s assembled a great team in Atlanta that has been helping him tremendously on the road to become a world champion. After his June 1st fight, we’ll showcase his talents to the world through TV on his next and third fight as a member of Halquist Productions.”

In March, Raheem fought for the first time in over two years at the Emerald Queen Casino against Toppenish’s Santos Pakau (28-8-2, 11 KO’s). Raheem went to work quickly and effectively using his left hook to the body followed up by textbook headshots that dropped Pakau early leading to a second round TKO.

The semi-main event features two gritty northwest fighters, Dave Petryck and Gabriel Pineda, duking it out for a scheduled six rounds. Petryck was also featured in the semi-main event in March when he defeated Northwest junior welterweight champion, Virgil Green by unanimous decision. Many fans in attendance considered the Petryck/Green fight as the fight of the night consisting of a back and forth war with big shots and strong chins that kept the fight going all six rounds.

The full card for Battle at the Boat 92 featuring many Northwest fighters can be seen below:

Zahir Raheem vs. Justin Juuko
Dave Petryck vs. Gabriel Pineda

Drew Brokenshire vs. William Fernandez
Antonio Neal vs. Carlos Rodriguez

Zach Cooper vs. Charon Spain
Ricardo Maldonado vs. Cory Vom Baur

Marcello Gallardo vs. Anthony Smith

Doors for Battle at the Boat 92, set for June 1st, will open at 6 PM with the first fight scheduled for 7 PM. Halquist Productions continues to be the Northwest’s premier boxing promotion, promoting everything from the region’s top prospects to world title fights that have been seen around the world. For more information about Battle at the Boat 92 and all other Halquist Productions events, please visit, www.halquistproductions.com along with the official Facebook and Twitter Pages of Halquist Productions, Battle at the Boat, and CageSport MMA.

Tacoma, WA (May 20th, 2013) – Superstar King Raheem is once again headed to Tacoma, WA to fight in the main event for Halquist Productions’ Battle at the Boat 92 at the Emerald Queen Casino. In March, after a two year layoff from boxing, Raheem (32-3-0, 19 KO’s) dominated Santos Pakau (28-8-2, 11 KO’s) in the official comeback to the sport he loves.

Battle at the Boat 92 is scheduled for Saturday, June 1st at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA. Tickets for the event are still available and can be purchased through www.ticketmaster.com and at the Emerald Queen Casino box office. Doors for the event will open at 6:00 PM with the first fight scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Raheem’s next test on his path to become a world champion will be Uganda’s Justin Juuko (45-11-1, 30 KO’s). Juuko, who has previously fought for the WBC and WBA world titles, is expected to be a good matchup for Zahir as he continues to get back into fighting shape. It could be a very intriguing night for Raheem as Juuko has fought some of the best in the world including: Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, and Diego Corrales.

In Raheem’s last fight at Battle at the Boat 91, Raheem was scheduled to go ten rounds against Santos Pakau in a match that was supposed to knock the rust off after not having fought in over two years. He may still need time to do that as Raheem went straight to work with the jab and landed the TKO victory 2:20 into the 2nd round.

The king’s boxing career has been full of ups and downs. The Philadelphia native accumulated a 213-4 amateur record and earned the opportunity of a lifetime when he participated in the 1996 Olympics with teammates and some of boxing’s finest: Floyd Mayweather Jr, Eric Morel, Fernando Vargas, David Reid, and Antonio Tarver.

After compiling a 26-1 professional record, Raheem got his next opportunity to fight Mexican legend, Erik Morales for the vacant WBC international title. The fight was supposed to be a warm up fight for Morales as he was scheduled to fight Manny Pacquiao shortly after. Raheem surprised the boxing world by defeating Morales with a convincing unanimous decision and winning Ring Magazine’s upset of the year award. Raheem didn’t get the chance to fight Pacquiao like many would believe, but instead landed a fight with Acelino Freitas for the vacant WBO lightweight title. After a back and forth war with Freitas, Raheem lost the fight via heart breaking split decision.

Raheem hasn’t fought for another world title since, but training out of his “King Raheem’s Boxing and Cross Training” gym in Atlanta, GA, signing with Halquist Productions, and staying focused at once again returning the top, he has every chance at getting a title fight in the near future.

When asked what advice he would give to kids to become a successful boxer like himself, Raheem said “No matter what you believe you are correct. If you believe you can’t, you won’t. Always believe in yourself even when no one else does.”

Halquist Productions has built a reputation around the nation as the premier fight promoter in the Northwest. The Battle at the Boat boxing series continues to be the longest running professional boxing series at any Tribal casino in the United States. Numerous title fights have taken place at the Emerald Queen Casino through Battle at the Boat. The promotions prominence has brought in every major sports network including: ESPN, HBO, and Showtime to televise past featured bouts. Five other bouts including a six round semi-main event along with an undercard featuring four, four round fights is also scheduled throughout the night. For more information on Battle at the Boat 92 and all other Halquist production events, please visit www.halquistproductions.com and the official Facebook and Twitter pages of Halquist Productions, Battle at the Boat, and CageSport

Tacoma, WA (April 15th, 2013) – For the first time in seven years, the future is looking bright for the kid out of Philadelphia, Zahir Raheem. Boxing fans may be familiar with the name from when he gained worldwide exposure in 2005 when he not only upset a prime Erik Morales (48-2-0, 35 KO’s at the time), but dominated the man who fans referred to as “El Terrible.”

In the 2005 fight that was aired on HBO from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Morales was a clear favorite to win as it was simply a warm up fight for his upcoming prize fight rematch against Manny Pacquiao. Raheem was in control from the opening bell of the first round, using his jab and his speed to leave Morales completely baffled. The fight went the distance and all three judges awarded the fight to Raheem (118-110, 115-113, 116-112).

Raheem’s next fight would come seven months later against Acelino Freitas for the vacant WBO lightweight title. The fight would be high paced with both fighters throwing a flurry of punches showing off their speed and stamina as the fight lasted all 12 rounds to put the winner in the judges’ hands. One judge scored the fight in favor of Raheem 115-113; however the other two judges favored Freitas 112-116 and 113-115. The heartbreaking split decision loss would be Raheem’s last momentous fight.

It became hard for the king to stay on his throne. Promoters were hesitant to put their top contenders against the dangerous lightweight. Raheem was done taking on so-so fights. He beat Morales and had a controversial loss against Freitas. The business of the sport put Raheem in a bad spot. No opportunities meant no big paydays. In 2010, Raheem defeated Roberto Valenzuela via second round KO. It would be his last performance before taking some time off from the sport he loved.

In the fall of 2012, Raheem, and promoter, Brian Halquist, crossed paths. Halquist’s promotional company, Halquist Productions made a commitment a couple of years ago to not sign a fighter unless that fighter had a real chance of becoming a world champion. Halquist knew that Raheem had that potential. Raheem signed a long term promotional contract with Halquist Productions and was immediately scheduled to fight in Tacoma, WA on March 23rd, 2013 against Santos Pakau (28-7-2, 11 KO’s)

Raheem was cautious in the first round; Feeling his way around the ring, getting to know his opponent, and setting up his game plan. It didn’t take long for Raheem to do what he came for. In the second round, Raheem came out firing. A series of four hard left body shots and a shot across the temple stunned Pakau as he stumbled backwards and to his knees. Pakau would be knocked down three times in the round including being knocked through the ropes during his last trip to the canvas, ultimately completing the first step in Raheem’s comeback pursuit to become a world champion.

“I am very happy and proud to be working with Halquist Productions. Brian is no rookie when it comes to this business and neither am I, so with us working together we can move mountains; and we will. I am just excited and can’t wait for June 1st. It’s another chance for me to do what I love to do and that’s fight and win,” said Raheem from his gym in Atlanta.

Raheem is scheduled to fight again in Tacoma at the Emerald Queen Casino on June 1st, 2013 against an opponent yet to be named.

Halquist Productions has promoted numerous title fights over the years having fights being televised on ESPN, ESPN 2, HBO, and Showtime. Halquist began his promoting career when he signed on with up and coming heavyweight, Joe “The Boss” Hipp in 1989. Since, Halquist Productions has become the premier fight promoter in the Northwest with event having been featured on HBO, Showtime, and ESPN. For more information on Zahir Raheem or any other Halquist Production events, please visit www.halquistproductions.com and the Battle at the Boat Facebook Page.

MAIN EVENT: 10 ROUNDS

Zahir Raheem vs. Santos Pakau

Zahir Raheem def. Santos Pakau TKO2 2:20

SEMI-MAIN EVENT: 6 ROUNDS

Virgil Green vs. Dave Petryk

David Petryk def. Virgil Green MD (57-57)(59-55)(58-56)

UNDERCARD: 4 ROUND BOUTS

Antonio Neal vs. Robert Yager

Antonio Neal def. Robert Yager KO1 1:28

Julian Dutkel vs. Kelvin Medley

Kelvin Medley def. Julian Dutkel MD (38-38)(39-37)(39-37)

Ricardo Maldonado vs. Dex Montenegro

Ricardo Madlonado def. Dex Montenegro UD (40-36) (40-36) (40-36)

Zach Cooper vs. Josh Solis

Zach Cooper def. Josh Solis TKO3 1:40

MAIN EVENT: 10 ROUNDS

Zahir Raheem: 143

Santos Pakau: 143

Contract Weight – 144 Lbs.

SEMI-MAIN EVENT: 6 ROUNDS

Virgil Green: 143

Dave Petryk: 145

Contract Weight – 145 Lbs.

UNDERCARD: 4 ROUND BOUTS

Julian Dutkel: 144

Kelvim Medley: 142.5

Contract Weight – 144 Lbs.

Zach Cooper: 153.5

Josh Solis: 159

Contract Weight – 154 Lbs.

Antonio Neal: 147.5

Robert Yager: 146

Contract Weight – 148 Lbs.

Ricardo Maldonado: 142.5

Dex Montenegro: 143

Contract Weight – 143 Lbs.

Solis and Cooper have a monetary agreement in place for the weight at issue.

Tacoma, WA (March 18th, 2013) – After two years, fight fans all around the world will get their chance to once again witness Zahir “King” Raheem (31-3-0, 18 KO’s) back in the ring in pursuit of a world title. Raheem is scheduled to fight on Saturday, March 23rd at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA where northwest boxing fans will get the first look at the superstar when he takes on Toppenish’s Santos Pakau (28-7-2, 11 KO’s) in the Main Event of Battle at the Boat 91.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to fight for Halquist Productions and I look forward to a very successful journey, “said Raheem about his much anticipated comeback to boxing.

Boxing enthusiasts throughout the world remember a crucial day in 2005 when lightweight champion, Erik Morales, took on the rising Zahir Raheem. The fight was intended to be a warm up fight for Morales before his scheduled super fight rematch against Manny Pacquiao. Raheem didn’t have the same plan in mind. He stepped into the ring determined to let the world know he was ready for a title shot. He did just that. With the vacant WBC International lightweight title on the line, Raheem battled through 12 rounds with Morales and controlled the entire fight. The judges awarded Raheem with the unanimous decision. Ring Magazine named the fight “Upset of the Year” and Raheem was suddenly on his way to what appeared to be stardom.

No one would step up to fight the crafty boxer out of Philadelphia until seven months later when Raheem finally got a shot at the vacant WBO lightweight title against Acelino Freitas. Raheem knew that it was a must win in order to prove his win over Morales was no fluke. The fight went 12 rounds. One judge scored the fight 115-113 for Raheem. The other two judges disagreed, scoring closely for Freitas. Raheem would lose the fight via a heartbreaking split decision. After defeating Morales and barely losing to Freitas it was almost impossible for Raheem to find a quality opponent. An opponent he knew he deserved. Raheem was left to face easy wins again, ultimately taking away the challenge that feeds fighters. His last fight would come in August of 2010 where he KO’d Roberto Valenzuela in the 2nd round.

Now signed with Halquist Productions, Raheem has been given a new hope to his dream of becoming a world champion. The first step in the process will come in the main event of Battle at the Boat 91 this Saturday when he will step into the ring against Santos Pakau at the Emerald Queen Casino.

In the Semi-Main event of Battle at the Boat 91, Vancouver’s Virgil Green (5-1-0) is set to face Dave Petryk (3-3-1) out of British Columbia. Green is replacing the originally scheduled Marcelino Pineda who was injured while training last week. Green trains out of the Fisticuffs gym with head coach, Leonard Gabriel, and reigns as the current Northwest Jr. Welterweight Champion.

The action packed undercard is filled with local talent:

Julian Dutkel (debut) vs. Calvin Medley (debut)

Zachary Cooper (1-0-0) vs. Josh Solis (debut)

Antonio Neal (debut) vs. Juan Carlos Rodriguez (1-1-0)

Ricardo Moldonado (debut) vs. Dex Montenegro (1-1-1)

With the long term promotional contract signed with Halquist Productions, fans throughout the Northwest will get a chance to see Raheem work his way to another world title fight throughout 2013 at future Battle at the Boat events. The Battle at the Boat series continues to be the longest running boxing series at any Tribal casino throughout the United States. Halquist Productions has promoted fights that have been televised on every major sports network including ESPN, ESPN 2, HBO, and Showtime. For more information about Battle at the Boat 91 and all other Halquist Production events, please visit www.halqusitproductions.com

Tacoma, WA (February 28th, 2013) – After a brief layoff, Zahir Raheem will make his way into the ring when Halquist Productions brings Battle at the Boat back to the Emerald Queen Casino for the 91st time. In the main event, Raheem (31-3-0) is scheduled to fight Spokane’s Santos Pakau (28-7-2) in a 10 round thriller that will have fans excited to see Raheem once again take a run at a world title fight.

Tickets for Battle at the Boat 91, scheduled for March 23rd, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Emerald Queen Casino box office or online via Ticketmaster.

Raheem recently signed a long term promotional agreement with Halquist Productions and fans can look forward to seeing him fight in Battle at the Boat main events at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA throughout 2013. “I’m very excited for one and I’m proud to be a part of such a good team in Halquist Productions,” said Raheem when asked about how he’s feeling about getting back in the ring.

King Raheem shook the boxing world in 2005 when he earned Ring Magazine’s “Upset of the Year” after defeating a prime Erik Morales who was coming off a victory over Manny Pacquiao. After Raheem defeated Morales, he and his management team found it difficult to find a big name opponent as Raheem was ready for his title shot, but no worthy opportunities were coming his way.

After a 2 year layoff from his last professional boxing match, Raheem his ready to start his title run fresh with Halquist Productions. The first step in the process will be taking on Santos Pakau on March 23rd

“We’re very excited to bring Raheem back to boxing. He’s had some huge victories throughout his career. We’ll fight him at the Emerald Queen Casino a couple of times and see what happens after that,” said promoter, Brian Halquist, about the signing of Zahir Raheem.

In the semi-main event, local up and comer Marcelino Pineda (3-0-0, 3 KO’s), fighting out of the Round 3 Boxing Club in Toppenish, WA will step into the ring with British Columbia’s, Dave Petryk (3-3-1). This will be Pineda’s 4th appearance at the Emerald Queen Casino. Pineda is coming off a 1st round TKO victory at Battle at the Boat 90. Petryk will be making his 2nd appearance on Battle at the Boat card after coming off a close decision loss in early 2012.

Along with the two headliners, four other action packed bouts will take place throughout the night. The Battle at the Boat has turned into the longest running boxing series at any tribal casino in the United States and has become the premier boxing promotion in the Northwest. Halquist Productions has promoted numerous title fights that have been showcased on every major sports network in the nation including: ESPN, ESPN 2, HBO, and SHOWTIME. For more information about Battle at the Boat 91 and all other Halquist Production events, please visit www.halquistproductions.com

Tacoma, WA (December 11th, 2012) – Philly product Zahir Raheem, training out of Stone Mountain, GA, is coming out of retirement to once again chase the dreams of becoming a world champion. Raheem (31-3-0, 18 KO’s) has signed a promotional contract with Halquist Productions, a company based in University Place, WA, that also promotes Battle at the Boat boxing and CageSport MMA at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA.

“We’re very excited to bring Raheem back to boxing. He’s had some huge victories throughout his career. We’ll fight him at the Emerald Queen Casino a couple of times and see what happens after that,” said promoter, Brian Halquist, about the signing of Zahir Raheem.

Fans will get a chance to witness Raheem back in action at upcoming Battle at the Boat shows throughout 2013 as he once again prepares to earn his way back to the top with the hopes of getting another shot at the title.

“I’m very excited for one and I’m proud to be a part of such a good team in Halquist Productions,” said Raheem when asked about how he’s feeling about getting back in the ring.

The crafty boxer who prefers to go by “King Raheem” is most widely known for his victory over a prime Erik Morales in 2005, 6 months after Morales defeated Manny Pacquiao. The fight was supposed to be a warm up for Morales who was already scheduled to fight Pacquiao after the Raheem fight. When Raheem was awarded the unanimous decision over Morales, it was considered Ring Magazine’s “Upset of the year.”

Contrary to what many (including Raheem) thought, title fights and other marquee matchups did not come knocking on his door. In fact, no worthwhile opponents came across. Raheem’s victory over Morales caused him to be viewed as a dangerous threat in the ring; a low value, high risk fight. Even though Raheem had all of the talent in the world, promoters didn’t want to risk their fighter taking on the rising Zahir Raheem, who’s Olympic teammates: Floyd Mayweather Jr., Fernando Vargas, Antonio Tarver, Eric Morel and David Reid all had championships in their resumes.

“The past is the past. I can only look at today and tomorrow while learning from yesterday. I feel good. I’m healthy excited to show the world what I can do,” said Raheem about his boxing career.

Raheem’s lone title shot would come against Acelino Freitas almost a year later for the vacant WBO lightweight title. It was a close fight that could have gone either way, and in the end the judges awarded Freitas with the split decision. Raheem went 5-1 after the tough loss to Freitas including consecutive victories over journeyman, Roberto Valenzuela, that still mark his last fights.

Brian Halquist has been running Halquist Productions since 1986 when he signed up and coming heavyweight contender, Joe “the Boss” Hipp, and has established a reputation in the Northwest as having the most premier fight promotions on the west coast. Coming up on its 90th show, Battle at the Boat is known for putting up high quality cards that are packed with local talent, proven veterans from all around the world and showcasing some of boxing’s biggest prospects on the rise. Halquist Productions have promoted events that have been featured on ESPN, HBO, and Showtime. For more information on Zahir Raheem, Battle at the Boat, and all other Halquist Production events, please visit www.halquistproductions.com.