January 29 (Merrillville, IN) - Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana fight fans are invited to Langel’s Pizza, 2833 Highway Avenue in Highland, Indiana, this Thursday at 6 p.m. for the official boxer weigh ins for One In A Million’s six-bout card the following night. Sponsored by Miller and Miller Lite, the Miller Girls will be at Langel’s taking photos and awarding prizes including tickets to Friday night’s six-bout boxing card at the Radisson at Star Plaza in Merrillville. “We’re looking forward to another great year with Octavius James’ One In A Million and Miller,” said Rodney Langel, owner of Langel’s Pizza. “Boxing and Miller is the perfect one-two combination.” In Friday night’s main event, One In A Million’s franchise player, Michael “The Midnight Stalker Walker” (17-0-1, 11 KOs) looks to keep his unbeaten streak alive by making quick work of Jerome Elder of Indy. Highly touted by boxing insiders, Walker is a top middleweight prospect in a division deep in talent.When asked who he wants next, Walker responded, “Ronald Hearns. He says he’s the ‘Chosen One.’ Let’s see him choose to step in the ring with me. We’ll see if he’s made of the same stuff that his daddy (Thomas Hearns) was. I doubt it.”At 5′1″, featherweight Evette Colazzo may be the smallest fighter on the card, but she may be the biggest in action. A two-time Chicago Golden Gloves Champ, “KO Queen” Colazzo (2-0, 2 KOs) faces a very brave Kim Colbert on Friday.

Just 45 minutes from downtown Chicago, the Radisson at Star Plaza is located at I-65 and US 30 in Merrillville, IN. Doors open at 7 p.m. First bout at 8 p.m. 

HBO Sports

HBO’s late-night boxing series kicks off the new year with a high-powered heavyweight showdown when HBO Boxing After Dark: Alexander Povetkin vs. Eddie Chambers is seen Saturday, Jan. 26 at 10:00 PM. (ET/PT), from the Tempodrome in Berlin, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team of Bob Papa, Max Kellerman and Lennox Lewis will be ringside for the event, which will be available in HDTV, as well as closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdate: Jan. 27 (9:00 AM)

HBO2 playdates: Jan. 27 (4:45 PM.) and 29 (midnight)

With two undefeated records on the line, Alexander Povetkin (14-0, 11 KOs) takes on Eddie Chambers (30-0, 16 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round heavyweight eliminator bout. A gold medalist at the 2004 Olympics, Povetkin, from Tschechow, Russia has taken the heavyweight division by storm. Coming off an 11th-round knockout of former heavyweight champion Chris Byrd, he’s out to secure a shot at the heavyweight crown.

Just 25 years old, fast-handed Pennsylvania native Chambers is already a seasoned ring veteran with 30 pro bouts under his belt. Scoring a 12-round decision victory over heavyweight contender Calvin Brock in his last fight, Chambers has proven himself one of the top talents in the division.

“Champions of Tomorrow” Friday night at Foxwoods Resort Casino

Press Release

PROVIDENCE (January 22, 2008) – One sure sign of respect in boxing is when a fighter calls out a potential opponent in the media. It’s rare for a boxer with only 11 pro fights to be such a target, especially one coming off of a 15-month inactive stretch due to an injury, but that’s exactly where Manchester favorite Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard (11-0, 7 KOs) finds himself.

Remillard is preparing for Friday night’s (Jan. 25) 10-round title bout against WBC Youth featherweight champion Manuel Perez (11-3, 2 KOs) in the co-main event on “Champions of Tomorrow,” promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Remillard has been out of the ring since suffering a wrist injury, twice requiring surgery, after he won the WBC Youth super featherweight (September 23, 2006) that Matt was unable to defend and relinquished because of his aforementioned injury.
Perez’ first lost was in 2006 to Rashiem Jefferson, who is now 15-0-1 (6 KOs) and reportedly has been in Denver sparring with Perez, who surprisingly chose to defend his title belt on the road. According to an Internet report, Jefferson claims that he has been trying to fight Remillard for quite some time but Matt hadn’t accepted, and that Rashiem was familiar with Remillard and would give Perez a great look at Matt’s style.
“If he (Jefferson) has been calling me out,” Remillard responded, “I don’t know who he was supposedly contacting. I’ve been out of action for 15 months. If he had called my promoter, Jimmy Burchfield, we’d probably be fighting him for his title (USNBC) this Friday night. I saw Jefferson around in the amateurs. He’s a respectable fighter, but for him to call me out and talk like I’m nobody, well, that’s a slap in my face.
“He’s helping Perez but I couldn’t care less. Jefferson doesn’t fight anything like me and if they think he can imitate me, they’re both in for a big surprise. I’m just focused on Perez right now. I’ve had the best training camp of my career preparing to fight him. Jefferson sounds like a clown.”
Jefferson and his manager plan on accompanying Team Perez to Foxwoods. “I hope they have tickets,” Remillard’s promoter, Jimmy Burchfield, remarked. “They’ve never contacted me about fighting Matt or for anything else. After Matt beats Perez we can talk about Jefferson possibly being next on Matt’s dance card.”
2004 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada (10-1, 2 KOs) squares-off against former world heavyweight title challenger Charles Shufford (20-7, 9 KOs) in the other 10-round, co-main event on “Champions of Tomorrow.”
Two other Connecticut fighters will be in action. Hartford light welterweight Addy Irizarry (3-1, 2 KOs), a corrections officer at a Connecticut prison, faces Tonya Gallegos (4-6, 2 KOs), while recent University of Connecticut graduate Brian Macy, a poker card dealer at Foxwoods who is from Ledyard, makes his pro debut versus super middleweight Pete Guthy (1-1-1, 1 KO).
Unbeaten cruiserweight prodigy and 9-time U.S. amateur champion, Aaron Williams (15-0-1, 11 KOs), battles former world kickboxing champ Manu Ntoh (17-13-1, 10 KOs) in an eight-round match.
New England fans have waited quite a few years for Friday’s light heavyweight showdown between Iraqi War-veteran Chris Traietti (7-0, 4 KOs) and “Irish” Joey McCreedy (5-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round bout. Throwback middleweights Richard “Bobo” Starnino (8-2-1, 1 KO), of Providence, and New Bedford’s Eric Pinarreta (1-1, 1 KO) bring an old-fashioned border war brawl into the ring for their four-rounder.
Also on the undercard in four-round bouts are undefeated Rhode Island super middleweight Angel Camacho, Jr. (8-0, 4 KOs) versus Terrence “TJ” Jones (10-10, 6 KOs) and unbeaten Brockton super middleweight Manuel Antonio Lopes (4-0, 1 KO) meets John “The Baptist” Michael Terry. All bouts and fighters are subject to change.
Former world title contender “Sucra” Ray Oliveira will be inducted into the CES Ring of Honor in a ceremony during the “Champions of Tomorrow.” Unbeaten heavyweight contender “Baby” Joe Mesi (36-0, 29 KOs), promoted by CES, will make a special presentation to Oliveira.
“Champions of Tomorrow” will be taped live and air on Saturday, February 2 at 7:30 p.m. on CN8 and will also stream online at www.CN8.tv. Following the broadcast, the show will be available ON DEMAND to Comcast Digital Cable customers for at least one week. “Champions of Tomorrow” will also air on Cox Sports Television on February 1 at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets for “Champions of Tomorrow” are priced at $40.00, $65.00 (Silver), $100.00 (Gold) and $150.00 (Jimmy’s Platinum Club). Two VIP Presidential Suites are also available (call CES for details as well as sponsorship opportunities). To purchase tickets or for additional information contact CES (1.401.724.2253/2254 - www.cesboxing.com) or Foxwoods (1.800.200.2882/www.foxwoods.com). Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7 PM/ET.

Martin “EL GALLITO” Castillo, former World Boxing Association flyweight champion, will challenge current World Boxing Organization super flyweight champion Fernando Montiel on Saturday, February 16th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The twelve round world title bout will be featured on the under card of the pay-per-view extravaganza headlined by the rematch rumble between world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik and former world champion Jermain Taylor.  

Castillo (33-2, 17 KOs), from Mexico City , Mexico , has won 12 of his last 13 bouts.  He captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) 115-pound title in 2004, winning a 12-round unanimous decision over defending champion Alexander Munoz.  He held the title for nearly two years before losing it to Nobuo Nashiro on July 22, 2006 in Japan . He is currently the WBA and the International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) top-rated contender and the WBO and the WBC’s No. 2 contender. He is also rated # 1 by Ring Magazine and # 3 by ESPN.   

Since losing to Nashiro, Castillo has won his last three bouts, most recently winning a dominant ten round unanimous decision over Jonathan Perez on October 26, 2007 in Cicero , Illinois .

Currently working with new trainer Rudy Perez, longtime trainer of Marco Antonio Barrera, at the South El Monte Teamsters Boxing Club in South El Monte, California, Castillo spoke about his upcoming challenge for his second world title.

“Training has been excellent; Rudy and I have been very comfortable since the first day.

We’ve been working very hard at the gym getting ready for this title fight.”

Speaking specifically about Montiel, Castillo said “We’re working on cutting off the ring. Montiel runs way too much and I will have to force him to fight. I’m going to fight an intelligent fight and I plan on being victorious. I’m very thankful for this fight and 100% ready and hungry to win.”

About fighting on HBO Pay Per View in Las Vegas , Martin stated, “I’m thrilled to fight on the big stage. I’m very thankful to Top Rank for this opportunity and I plan on putting on a terrific performance for the fans in attendance and those watching on pay per view.”

In regards to his long supportive fans, Castillo said, “I’m very thankful for my fans support. I’m very appreciative that they’ve been with me throughout my career and I plan not to let them down.”

Speaking about the long talked about fight with Jorge Arce, “EL GALLITO” said  ”I’m completely focused on Montiel. After this fight I will consider my options with other fights but right now it’s all about preparing for February 16th.”

Also featured on the undercard is a World Boxing Council super flyweight title bout between champion Cristian Mijares and three-time world title challenger Jose Navarro. In addition, junior middleweight contender Ronald Hearns, son of legendary boxer Tommy Hearns, will risk his undefeated record against Juan Astorga in an eight round bout.

The Kelly Pavlik vs. Jermain Taylor rematch (The Epic Battle Continues) will be promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Top Rank Inc. The 12-round rumble will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View on Saturday, February 16th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas  beginning at 9p.m. (EST) / 6p.m. (PST). The bout will take place at a catch weight of 166 lbs. as Taylor exercises the rematch clause in his contract from the original Pavlik fight.

Tickets are priced at $600, $400, $300, $200 and $100 are on sale at MGM Grand Arena Box Office. Tickets will also be sold at all Las Vegas Ticketmasters locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Macy’s West at the Fashion Show Mall, and Ritmo Latino.) Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000 or MGM Grand 800-929-1111. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com

NEWPORT, South Wales (Ticker) - Undisputed super-middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe has revealed he expects his ’super fight’ with Bernard Hopkins to take place on April 12 in Las Vegas.

Negotiations have been on-going between the Welshman’s camp and representatives of the American, rated the best light heavyweight in the world, but Calzaghe said an announcement is expected soon.

The bout had widely been expected to be in April but Calzaghe said final details were almost complete.

“Talks with Golden Boy Promotions, Hopkins’ representatives, are almost over and I’ve been told the fight’s on April 12,” the BBC Sports Personality of the Year wrote in his column in the South Wales Argus. “The venue is not set in stone but it does look like the fight will be in Las Vegas and will be in one of the mega casinos.

“I am hopeful that by this time next week the deal will be sealed, but if it isn’t it seems like it will only be a matter of time.”

Calzaghe, who will turn 36 in March, said that fighting in America is the logical step at this point in his career.

“The clock is ticking on how much longer I carry on,” he said. “I don’t want people to look back at my career and say I defended my title over 20 times but I bottled the chance to make a big name for myself in the States.

“I want to be remembered as someone who was always ready to take the biggest fights and biggest challenges and Hopkins is the right fight for me.”

Updated on Saturday, Jan 12, 2008 4:06 am, EST