April 5, 2000
Sal LoNano, the manager of "Irish" Micky Ward, met with HBO executives
yesterday to negotiate a possible late summer date for the newly crowned WBU
Jr. Welterweight Champion. Ward, now rated number six by the CBZ is being
mentioned as a potential title challenger for WBC counterpart, Kostya Tszyu.
Arturo Gatti, the former IBF Jr. Lightweight Champion who brutally retired
Maine's Joey Gamache, is also a likely opponent for Ward. Stay tuned.
Boxing will be showcased nearly every weekend this month within the
confines of New England. This Friday, boxing returns to the beautiful
Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino when undefeated knockout sensation Angel Vazquez
of Hartford, CT, squares off with veteran tough-guy Bernard Harris for the
vacant USBA Featherweight title. Vazquez (18-0, 15 KO's) is rated the number
three challenger for "Prince" Naseem Hamed's WBO title. In order to fulfill
his dreams of winning a world title, he must overcome the always prepared,
Harris who brings a 17-4-2 record with 8 KO's into their match-up.
In the co-feature, Wilfredo Rivera, a recent knockout victim to former
lightweight champion, "Sugar" Shane Mosley will hope to return to his winning
ways at the waters of junior middleweight when he faces the streaking Robert
Frazier. This one promises to be a good one. For ticket information, call
1-888-332-5600 or purchase tickets at the Mohegan Sun box office for a measly
$35. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., and the first bout kicks off at 7:30 p.m. If
you aren't in the New England area, tune into ESPN2 at 9:00 p.m. EST.
This month also marks the return of super-middleweight prospect, Scott
"The Sandman" Pemberton, who will battle the always exciting, Glenwood "The
Real Beast" Brown on Friday the 21st at the Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet in
Cranston, RI. Pemberton, of New Bedford, MA, is now rated twelfth by the WBA
and fifteenth by the IBF and brings a record of 20-2-1 with 16 KO's into his
toughest test to date. Brown, a former world title challenger at
welterweight has already dropped two close 10 round decisions to New
England's Vinny Pazienza and Dana Rosenblatt, who's right hand shattered from
the resilient skull of Brown, 48-11, 29 KO's.
Kabary "The Egyptian Magician" Salem of Brooklyn, NY will appear in the
ten-round co-feature. For those of who may forget, Salem was the opponent
who fought Randie Carver before Carver died of brain injuries this past fall.
Local favorites, 154-pound Brian Dumas, 190-pound Arthur Saribekian and
Melvin Cumba are also slated to appear in separate bouts. For ticket
information, please call Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertain & Sports, Inc.
at (410) 724-2253 or visit their web site at www.cesboxing.com.
Last but not least, IBO Super-middleweight, "Dangerous" Dana Rosenblatt
of Malden, MA, makes his first appearance since avenging his lone defeat to
Rhode Island nemesis, Vinny Pazienza. Rosenblatt, 36-1, 29 KO's, who had
hinted that he may remain a 168-pounder after his victory over the Paz, will
face Iowa's Jimmy Crawford on April 28th. Crawford is rated ninth in the
world at light heavyweight by the IBF. Both fighters have agreed to meet at
the contracted weight of 165 pounds at Foxwoods Resort & Casino.
|