The Neutral Corner

Tomasz Adamek defends his IBF cruiserweight title against Bobby Gunn on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark. This is the third appearance for Adamek at the Rock. Here's what the parties had to say today at the final press conference:

Kathy Duva, Promoter, Main Events: “Tomasz Adamek is the reason the fans come out. They come out because every time he steps in the ring it’s exciting, it’s compelling. That crowd that comes to see him make it so exciting. He and the crowd feed off each other somehow. It is just electrifying to be in the room! And we’re all going to be there on Saturday because we want to experience that again.”

David Feldman, Bobby Gunn Promoter: “We are very pleased to be a part of this great historical card. There will be a knockout. I know a lot of you went out to see the fireworks last Saturday night, well we can promise you that come this Saturday you will see a lot of fireworks. We’ve got a lot of surprises. We’ve got a great game plan. We had a great training camp. And we just want to let everybody know to expect the unexpected this Saturday night. Bobby Gunn will walk out of that ring with the championship belt around his waist."

Bobby Gunn: “This fight is my dream. This is the modern-day Cinderella story. No one expects great things of me. A lot of the media has ripped me off. If I didn’t come to fight this fight at my best, to fight my heart out, I wouldn’t have respect for the sport and I love the game. I’m a warrior. You know, beware of a dangerous man. Because I am, I’ve got nothing to lose.”

Andrew Gmitruk, Tomasz Adamek trainer (in response to the Cinderella story comment from Gunn): “It’s really nice to hear fairy tales, but those stories are for children. We are grown men. We are going to teach reality on Saturday.”

Tomasz Adamek: I can make a guarantee now. Bobby Gunn and my fans around the world will see my winning effort and another knockout on Saturday night.”

In response to Adamek’s comment Bobby Gunn said with a smile “He’s not as nice as he was at the last press conference, he’s meaner now!” Kathy Duva said “yes, Tomasz Adamek has his game face on.”

On Monday at the WAMU Theater at Madison Square Garden, SHOWTIME is expecting to make a formal announcement about the formation of a six-man super middleweight round-robin tournament.

What makes this such an intriguing concept is that the proposed tournament features six of the sport's best super middleweights.

IBF Middleweight champ Arthur Abraham (30-0, 24 KOs), Andre Dirrell (18-0, 13 KOs), WBC super middleweight champ Carl Froch (25-0, 20 KOs), Mikkel Kessler (41-1, 31 KOs), Jermain Taylor (28-3-1, 17 KOs) and Andre Ward (19-0, 12 KOs) will make up the list of competitors.

It's not a slam dunk, however. There will be a lot of things that have to be worked out. Will these matchups play well in their respective venues? Can the numerous promoters all agree on things? Someone could come out of this with as many as three losses. Unfortunately, boxing is a sport where records often dictate who a boxer takes on as an opponent.

Here's to hoping that SHOWTIME, which has a history with these fighters, can pull this off.

More information will be forthcoming.

- MARCUS HENRY

Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko (26-1, 22 KOs), the IBF bantamweight champion, will defend his title against Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan (32-1, 26 KOs) in the main event this Saturday, July 11, live on Showtime (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla.

Here are the picks:

Continue reading "Predictions: Agbeko vs. Darchinyan" »

Mayor Ralph V. Suozzi has announced that Glen Cove’s Howard Davis Jr., gold medalist at the 1976 Olympics, will be honored July 10, 2009 with a street-naming ceremony. Mayor Suozzi invites residents to join him at 5:30 p.m. at the corner of Mason Drive and Burns Avenue for the festivities, which will include a mural presentation and street sign presentation.

Mason Drive at Burns Avenue will be renamed “Howard Davis Drive” in recognition of Howard Davis Jr. and his father, Howard Davis Sr., two Glen Covers who have left a lasting impact on our community.

“We are proud to have this opportunity to celebrate all that Howard Davis Jr. and Howard Davis Sr. have contributed to Glen Cove, the sport of boxing and the Olympics," said Suozzi. "Both of these men were proud of their hometown, and our community is equally as proud of them and all that they have accomplished.”

Howard Davis Jr. was born and raised on Mason Drive in Glen Cove, one of ten children in his family. In 1976, he won the Olympic gold medal in the Lightweight Division in Montreal, Canada. Davis Jr. was also named the Outstanding Boxer of the 1976 Olympics, receiving the Val Barker Trophy, in an Olympics year that included Sugar Ray Leonard, Michael Spinks and Leon Spinks. He turned pro after winning the Olympics and retired in 1994 with a professional record of 36-6-1 with 14 knockouts.

Howard Davis Sr. will be honored for his contributions as a “Father of the Community.” He served as his son’s boxing trainer for nearly his entire career. He passed away earlier this year.

Curtis "Showtime" Stevens (20-2, 14 KO) will take on unbeaten Polish contender Piotr Wilczewski (22-0, 7KO) at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on July 11. The card is headlined by IBF cruiserweight champion, Tomasz Adamek defending his belt against Bobby Gunn.

Stevens, a 24-year-old native of Brownsville, Brooklyn, is hoping that a win will move him closer to a title shot in the super middlweight division.

A team of 10 Irish fighters will compete against Long Island fighters at Kennedy Memorial Park, in Hempstead, on July 18.

The rosters of fighters, drawn from all over Ireland, includes: Michael Conlan, Tyrone McKenna, Stephen Donnelly, Patrick Gallagher, Mark Ginley, Niall McGinley, Michael Bustard, Connor Coyle, David Walsh and James Fryers.

Rodriguez (left) and Hlatshwayo in their first fight in November

The IBF's #2 rated welterweight Delvin Rodriguez (24-2-2, 14KO) will take on IBF #3 Isaac Hlatshwayo (28-1-1, 10KO) for the vacant IBF welterweight championship on Saturday, August 1 at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, Ct.

It's a rematch of their highly entertaining draw that took place in November in Hlatshwayo's home country of South Africa. Rodriguez actually dropped Hlatshwayo in the 9th, but that still wasn't enough to get the judges on his side.

Rodriguez promises to take the decision away from the judges on August 1.

"I know I am going to knock him out this time around so the scorecards won't matter," Rodriguez said in a statement. "I know that I can take his best punches and that he can not take mine. In the rematch I am going to go right at him from the opening bell until I knock him out."

Star Boxing's Joe DeGuardia, Rodriguez' promoter, also expects his fighter to put on a show.

"The first fight was a good fight, definitely worthy of a rematch," he said. "While I think its noteworthy that the press in South Africa thought Delvin won the fight, as did I, it is going to be a great rematch and I am looking forward to August 1st , not backward."

Photo credit: Star Boxing

- MARCUS HENRY

Yes, he's still fighting. No, we're not sure why. Roy Jones Jr., who has nothing to prove in the ring, will fight a man who ultimately did not prove too much.

Jones Jr. meets Jeff Lacy in "Hook City," on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center in Biloxi, MS. “Hook City” will be presented by Square Ring Promotions, Inc. and broadcast live on pay-per-view.

Jones Jr. (53-5, 39 KOs) is from Pensacola, Florida, while Lacy (25-2, 17 KOs) is from St. Petersburg, Florida. Not sure why the fight isn't in the Sunshine State.

Don King will announce plans for a special Michael Jackson tribute at his next scheduled event, a boxing card on July 11 at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla.

According to a release sent out by the promoter's office, King promoted the historic Jackson’s Victory Tour in 1984 and brokered a colossal sponsorship deal between Michael Jackson and Pepsi. -- CASSIDY

According to a report in the Manila Standard, Manny Pacquiao will star in a movie with WWE wrestler, Batista. The name of the movie is Wapakman. It's also being reported that Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Szcheringer will be in the movie.