DENVER—WBC-USNBC national cruiserweight champion Ryan Coyne joined his hometown-favorite Cardinals at pre-game batting practice on Saturday at Coors Field in Denver before the Cards took on the Rockies. Coyne was lucky enough to spend some time at the cage with Major League Baseball’s three-time National League Most Valuable Player Albert Pujols.
They posed for photographers with Pujols landing “one on the kisser” of Coyne. Maybe Pujols should have enlisted Coyne to land a few punches on the Rockies’ before the game on Saturday as the home team went on to defeat the Cards 15-4.
Coyne has set up his camp in Colorado to gain the benefits of high-altitude training before making his first world title appearance on June 25 against defending WBA cruiserweight champion Guillermo Jones (37-3-2, 29 KOs), from Panama, at The Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo.
Tickets priced at $25, $50, $125 and $300 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Family Arena Box Office, all MetroTix outlets including online at metrotix.com or charge by phone at (314) 534-1111. All tickets include parking.
Coyne graduated from St. Charles High School where he was named “St. Charles County Football Player of the Year” in 2001. He played collegiate football at University of Missouri from 2001 to 2002. Injuries shortened his football career, and he returned to St. Charles to pursue a boxing career while earning a bachelor’s degree from Lindenwood University in 2005. Coyne also is known for having fought into the semi-finals during the fourth season of The Contender, televised on Versus, before suffering an accidental headbutt that forced him to leave the competition
IBF junior middleweight champion Cornelius “K9” Bundrage has an old score to settle with Sechew Powell. After a stunning fifth-round technical knockout over Cory Spinks in St. Louis on Aug. 7 to win his first world title, the Emanuel Steward-trained Bundrage immediately looked to avenge his first loss as a professional, which came at the hands of Powell in 2005.
Powell is a southpaw who won his first 20 fights before running into Kassim Ouma at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 2006, where he lost by decision. His only other loss came against Deandre Latimore in 2008, a defeat he avenged in his last appearance on March 3, 2010, winning a majority decision over St. Louis’s Latimore in an IBF elimination bout that earned Powell the right to face Bundrage, the newly crowned champion.
Bundrage was also a fast starter, having won his first 21 fights before running into Powell. He later did what Powell was unable to do, winning a unanimous decision over Ouma when he faced the Ugandan in 2008.
Bundrage went on to face future world champion Yuri Foreman in 2009. The bout was ruled no contest after an accidental clash of heads in the third round left Foreman unable to continue. Bundrage immediately went on to take the title from Spinks in his next match.
WBA cruiserweight champion Guillermo Jones will receive a test from undefeated hometown fighter Ryan Coyne who holds the WBC USNBC national cruiserweight championship.
Jones began his career at 147 pounds but it took him adding and astonishing 53 pounds and fighting at the 200-pound limit before he won his first world championship, a 10th-round technical knockout over Firat Arslan in 2008. Jones is a gifted athlete and true fighter who has an uncanny ability to find a way to win in almost every circumstance.
The Panamanian lost a disputed split decision in 2005 to future world champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, but he rebounded to defeat former world champions Kelvin “Concrete” Davis and Wayne “Big Truck” Braithwaite.
In his last appearance, Jones scored an 11th-round technical knockout over respected former interim WBA cruiserweight world champion Valery Brudov when the two met on Oct. 2 in Panama City, Panama.
Coyne graduated from St. Charles High School where he was named “St. Charles County Football Player of the Year” in 2001. He played collegiate football at University of Missouri from 2001 to 2002. Injuries shortened his football career, and he returned to St. Charles to pursue a boxing career while earning a bachelor’s degree from Lindenwood University in 2005.
He has made steady progress in his boxing career, maintaining an unblemished record since turning professional in 2006. He won the WBC-USNBC national title last summer at Scottrade Center in St. Louis by knocking out Warren Browning in the ninth round.
Coyne also is known for having fought into the semi-finals during the fourth season of The Contender, televised on Versus, before suffering an accidental headbutt that forced him to leave the competition.
Coyne trains out of the Sweat Pound 4 Pound Gym in Clayton, Mo., under the tutelage of trainer Jose Ponce. The addition of strength and conditioning expert Matt Brown has helped “The Irish Outlaw” to increase his power.
Tavoris Cloud returns to the Gateway City after successfully defending his IBF light heavyweight crown in a slugfest against former world champion Glen Johnson on Aug. 7 at Scottrade Center. Cloud won a unanimous decision by the identical scores of 116-112.
Cloud possesses an 81-percent knockout ratio, even though his last three fights were won by unanimous decisions. Possessing an aggressive style and a plethora of power in both hands, Cloud is a throwback fighter that likes to overwhelm his opponents with brute force.
His tenacity and vaunted power have caused other world champions to avoid facing him. Yusaf Mack does not have that luxury as he has been named by the IBF as the mandatory challenger to Cloud.
Mack is a 31-year-old veteran from Philadelphia. He remained unbeaten in his first 24 matches, fighting between middleweight and super middleweight. Mack settled in at the 175-pound light heavyweight limit beginning in 2008, and he promptly reeled off five straight victories.
He fought well in a pivotal fight with respected former light heavyweight world champion Glen Johnson in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on Feb. 5, 2010, before being stopped by technical knockout in the sixth round.
In his last appearance, Mack defeated Otis Griffin on March 4 in Los Angeles. This was an IBF elimination bout, which put Mack in line to next face Cloud. He is also the reigning USBA light heavyweight champion; former NABA and NABF light heavyweight champion; and former USBA super middleweight champion.
ST. CHARLES, Mo.—Promoter Don King will bring Devon Alexander “The Great” (21-1, 13 KOs) back to the St. Louis area on June 25 to face a significant test in his hometown from noted Argentine knockout artist and World Boxing Organization No.-3 ranked contender Lucas Matthysse (28-1, 26 KOs) at The Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo.
King will support the Alexander-Matthysse main event with a history-making fight card that will mark the first time four world championships have been presented in Missouri during a single event.
Undefeated International Boxing Federation light heavyweight champion Tavoris “Thunder” Cloud (21-0, 18 KOs), from Tallahassee, Fla., will defend his title against IBF No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Yusaf “Mack Attack” Mack (29-3-2, 26 KOs), from Philadelphia; rising heavyweight Bermane “B-Ware” Stiverne (20-1-1, 19 KOs), from Haiti, will square off in a World Boxing Council heavyweight elimination bout opposing Ray “The Rainman” Austin (28-5-4, 18 KOs), from Cleveland; World Boxing Association cruiserweight champion Guillermo “El Felino” Jones (37-3-2, 29 KOs), from Colon, Panama, will meet undefeated WBC USNBC champion Ryan “The Irish Outlaw” Coyne (16-0, 6 KOs), from St. Louis; and IBF junior middleweight champion Cornelius “K9” Bundrage (30-4, 18 KOs), from Detroit, will defend his title against IBF No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Sechew Powell, from Brooklyn, N.Y.
Tickets priced at $25, $50, $125 and $300 will go on sale on Friday (May 20) at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at the Family Arena Box Office, all MetroTix outlets including online at metrotix.com or charge by phone at (314) 534-1111. All tickets include parking. The event is being promoted by Don King Productions. Alexander vs. Matthysse, presented in association with Golden Boy Promotions; Cloud vs. Mack, presented in association with Bash Boxing/Lights Out Promotions; and Stiverne vs. Austin will be televised on HBO beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT (8:45 p.m. CT).
WINDHOEK, Namibia—Former World Boxing Association lightweight champion Paulus “The Hitman” Moses (27-1, 19 KOs) bolstered his chances of another title shot on Saturday by scoring a first-round knockout over Argentine opponent Miguel Lombardo at the Windhoek Country Club Resort in Namibia.
Moses landed a picture-perfect body shot near the end of the opening stanza that sent Lombardo to the mat where the referee counted him out at just 2:59 into the contest.
“I love fighting in my hometown of Windhoek in front of the people who know me best and support me most,” Moses said after the victory. “My goal is to fight for another world championship, and the people of Windhoek provide me all the inspiration I need.
“Don King is my promoter and he said I would win by knockout, and that is just what happened. I know he believes in me and will soon find the opportunity for me to become champion again.”
King was pleased his fighter did what was expected of him.
“Paulus Moses and all of his fans in Namibia are serving notice to the rest of the boxing world that another title fight is warranted,” King said. “Paulus fights for himself, his hometown and his country. That is what makes him great.”
Moses scored a fifth-round technical knockout victory over Sergio Omar Priotti, also from Argentina, in a spirited contest held on Nov. 25 in Windhoek.
Moses traveled to Japan in 2008 and defeated Yusuke Kobori to win the WBA lightweight crown. Interim WBA lightweight champion Miguel Acosta, from Venezuela, trekked to Windhoek for a showdown with Moses on May 29. He handed Moses the sole loss of his career to become the outright WBA lightweight champion.
WINDHOEK, Namibia—Former World Boxing Association lightweight champion Paulus “The Hitman” Moses (26-1, 18 KOs) will face Miguel Lombardo (15-9-1, 6 KOs) on Saturday at the Windhoek Country Club Resort in Moses’ home country of Namibia.
Lombardo hails from Argentina. Moses most recent opponent was also an Argentine, Sergio Omar Priotti. Moses scored a fifth-round technical knockout victory over Priotti in a spirited contest held on Nov. 25 in Windhoek.
“It is always inspiring to fight in my hometown,” Moses said. “These are my true fans. They want nothing more than to see me regain a world championship, and every win gets me that much closer to that goal.”
Moses traveled to Japan in 2008 and defeated Yusuke Kobori to win the WBA lightweight crown. He lost the title in a showdown against then-WBA interim lightweight champion Miguel Acosta.
Moses’ promoter Don King wishes his fighter well against Lombardo
“I predict a knockout win for Paulus Moses on Saturday night,” King said from his office in Deerfield Beach, Fla. “I want everyone in Windhoek to know that I am cheering with you for Paulus on Saturday. Nothing would please me more than to have him fighting for another world championship soon. He is a tremendous fighter.
HOLLYWOOD, FLA (February 17, 2011) – World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight champion and the Pride of Puerto Rico MIGUEL COTTO and his Hall of Fame trainer EMANUEL STEWARD will host a Media Workout Next Tuesday! February 22, beginning at Noon ET, at the Heavyweight Factory Gym in Hollywood, Fla (3389 Sheridan Street, No. 558, Hollywood, Fla 33021).
Joining Cotto and Steward will be Hall of Fame Promoter BOB ARUM.
Cotto is training for his WBA super welterweight title defense against two-division world champion RICARDO MAYORGA whichheadlines "Relentless" -- the pay-per-view extravaganza on Saturday, March 12, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. The fight will be promoted by Arum and fellow Hall of Fame inductee DON KING, marking their first co-promotion in five years.
"Relentless: Cotto vs. Mayorga" will be promoted by Top Rank, in association with Cotto Promotions, Don King Productions, Tecate and MGM Grand, and produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®.
DETROIT—Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns was at Kronk Gym in Detroit yesterday and today (Tuesday and Wednesday) for fighter media workouts before Saturday’s world championship unification at the nearby Silverdome in Pontiac between undefeated 140-pound world champions Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley (26-0, 11 KOs), from North Palm Springs, Calif., and Devon Alexander “The Great” (21-0, 13 KOs), from St. Louis.
Bradley, who is the World Boxing Organization junior welterweight champion, said after yesterday’s workout that the bigger the challenge, the better for him.
“I love to take risks,” Bradley said. “That’s what this fight is all about. To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. It’s time. He’s the only one who would fight me. Promoters need to start taking the same risk fighters take in the ring, putting the best against the best.
“I come to fight. That is my game plan. I’m ready to go 12 full rounds. I’ve had six sparring partners. I’ve been adjusting to the angles of a southpaw opponent.”
Alexander arrived in the Motor City late on Monday night, and he was at Kronk Gym today.
“The fans are going to see two fighters determined to not lose, and that makes for a great fight,” Alexander said. “I feel like I am going to win every round from the opening bell. That’s my mindset. I’m a man that likes to take control. I’m a leader, not a follower.”
His trainer Kevin Cunningham said boxing fans will see a great fight on Saturday night.
“Timothy Bradley is ranked No. 1 at 140 pounds, and Devon is ranked No. 2 by most writers,” Cunningham said. “Now it’s time to find out who is really No. 1.
“This is going to be a great fight because both fighters have tremendous boxing skills and great hearts. Now it comes down to which fighter executes best—and executes his fight plan best—on Saturday night.”
Bradley seemed to sincerely enjoy the tips Hearns, the first boxer to win world titles in four weight divisions, gave him in the ring.
“He’s a big guy,” Bradley said of the ring legend Hearns. “He looks like he could still fight. He told me to keep a hard, stiff jab and to turn over my punches because that’s where the power comes from. I consider the Kronk Gym as hallowed ground.”
DETROIT—In honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day national holiday on Monday, we asked Devon Alexander and Timothy Bradley—two young, undefeated American world champion boxers who will meet in a title unification match on Jan. 29 at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich. (HBO: 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)—for their thoughts on Dr. King, and the influence he had upon them.
Devon Alexander: “Martin Luther King was legendary. Without him, I don’t believe things would be like they are today. We might still be struggling for basic equality. He was a major figure in the black community. He taught non-violence and tried to make peace between people. No drama. He just wanted to bring people together. All Americans should be proud of who he was and what he stood for. It made him a world figure, a historical figure.
“His influence on me in particular is that I remember him telling black people to be proud and not to be ashamed of who you are. It sounds simple, and it is, but it’s also very important. He always said everybody should be treated equally. I like all races and people and believe in equality. No man should get better treatment simply based on their race or color, and I think Dr. King taught me that in the words he wrote, the way he spoke and the way he led people.
“He was a great leader for all Americans. He wanted all children to be able to go to school and not be discriminated against. He did not believe in segregation. Dr. King was a hero to us all, and he will never be forgotten. I have the opportunity every day to go out and achieve whatever I want to, and it is because of him that I get that chance.”
Timothy Bradley: “Martin Luther King was a realist, a man who had a dream to stop slavery and give all people equal freedom. He stood by his beliefs. He was a warrior with a warrior mentality. He did not take ‘no’ for an answer and because of his determination, he was unfortunately taken from the people that he freed.
“Due to what he accomplished, I have had opportunities that I might not otherwise have had today, and I am grateful for the freedom that he not only gave me but all the other African Americans living in this United States of America today.
“My family and I celebrate Martin Luther King Day all the way through February by joining together with the community at certain celebrations to honor black history month. It is our distinct pleasure and honor to be there in remembrance of one of the greater leaders in our time, Dr. Martin Luther King.”