ATLANTIC CITY, NJ–Sergio Martinez retained the undisputed Middleweight title with a eleventh round stoppage over previously undefeated Englishman Darren Barker at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Martinez boxed well over the first two frames using his quickness. Barker got into the fight in round three as he landed a couple nice right hands but probably wasnt enough to take the round. In round four, Barker landed numerous right hands that had blood squirting out of the nose of the champion. Martinez settled in once again by flicking shots from his unorthodox “Hands Down” defense. Martinez started putting more punches in bunches in round six only to have Barker land a big right at the bell.

Martinez started getting comfortable by sticking and moving while Barker was looking for the one big score. Round eight was an action filled fight with Martinez and Barker standing toe to toe for much of the last ninety seconds of the frame with Martinez landing four and five punch combinations while the challenger landing a solid left hook and yet another good right.

Martinez had a big round nine as he rocked Barker with a huge right hook that buckled Barker across the ring. Martinez threw and landed some of the twenty some odd punched that were to follow and had Barker in trouble for the first time in the fight.

Martinez ended things with a huge right hook to the side of the head that sent Barker down on his back and he could not beat referee Eddie Cotton’s ten count

Andy Lee got even with Brian Vera by scoring a ten round unanimous decision in a Middleweight bout.

Lee started round one trying to establish the jab. In round two Landed a huge left that sent Vera sprawling to the canvas just before the bell sounded to signal the end of the round. Lee continued to dominate in round three as that frame was highlighted by a monstrous left uppercut that Vera took well. Round four saw the effects of Lee’s work by a cut that was formed around the left eye of Vera. The fight was fought at a fast pace with both guys getting good shots. Despite the cut, Vera came back to have a strong round five as he blasted Lee with a couple of hard right hands.

Lee landed a beautiful check hook that sent Vera head first into the corner post in round six and then buckled Vera with a hard left in round seven. Round was a great action round with Lee continuing to land solid left hands while Vera pounded away with a handful of right hands.

The two continued to slug going down the stretch and it was Vera who continued to land the bigger shots but a visibly exhausted Lee hung and was able to avenge his only career loss

Lee, 163 lbs of Limerick, IRE won by scores of 99-90; 99-90 and 98-91 to raise his mark to 27-1. Vera, 160 lbs of Austin, TX is now 19-6

In a mild upset, Daniel Lugo scored a four round unanimous decision over Kevin Rooney Jr. in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Scores were 39-37 on all cards for Lugo of Harrisburg, PA and is now 1-1. Rooney of Catskills, NY is now 2-1.

J’Leon Love remained perfect by scoring a six round unanimous decision over Eddie Hunter in a Middleweight bout.

Scores were 60-54; 60-53 and 60-53 for Love of Detroit and is now 9-0. Hunter of Kent, WA is now 5-7-2.

In the first bout of the evening, Troy Artis sprun an upset by dropping Israel Dufus three times in round three to gain the stoppage in that round which was a scheduled four round Middleweight bout.

Dufus controlled the first two round with good boxing skills.

In round three, Artis dropped Dufus with a hard left-right combination. He dropped him a second time from a straight right. Dufus was reeling when he ate several unanswered blows and dropped to his knees and referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout at 2:03.

Artis of Bronx, NY is now 3-2-1 with two knockouts. Dufus of Panama is now 2-1.

15rounds.com Claudia Bocanegra attended a unique press event where Middleweight contender Andy went to several bars in New York City to promote his October 1st rematch with Brian Vera as part of the Sergio Martinez – Darren Barker Middleweight title card

NEW YORK, NY (August 3, 2011) – DiBella Entertainment has added Irish middleweight contender Matthew “Mack the Knife” Macklin to its ever-growing stable of fighters. Macklin, 29, is an intelligent boxer-puncher, who has shown that he is not afraid to engage or press the action when necessary. He is currently ranked #4 by the WBA, #7 by the WBO, and #12 by the IBO, and has nothing but big fights on his mind as he joins the same promotional roster as middleweight champion Sergio Martinez and middleweight contenders Andy Lee, Brian Vera, Ronald Hearns, Peter Manfredo, Jr., and Ishe Smith.

There are times when a loss brings more positive attention to a fighter’s career than any of his previous victories. Coming off his most recent fight, a controversial loss to “Super” WBA middleweight titlist Felix Sturm, that statement could not be truer of Macklin, 28-3 (19 KOs). But now, Macklin is looking for redemption under a new promotional banner, a deal to bring him to the United States that was facilitated by Brian Peters, his manager since 2005.

“I am really happy to be signing with DiBella Entertainment,” said Macklin. “I’ve known Lou DiBella for many years. I met him in Manchester when Paulie Malignaggi fought Lovemore Ndou in 2008. We spoke about doing something together last year, but the timing wasn’t right. I feel that we’re now on the same wavelength. I’m excited about the future and I feel that I am in very good hands with Lou.”

Born in Birmingham, England, to Irish parents, Macklin was studying law at Coventry University while simultaneously competing as an amateur boxer. After winning the national senior Amateur Boxing Association of England welterweight title in 2001, Macklin made the decision to put his studies on hold, to the ire of his parents, in order to pursue a professional boxing career.

In Glasgow, Scotland, on the undercard of future featherweight champion Scott Harrison, Macklin stopped Ram Singh in just 112 second, on November 17, 2001. Going on to win his first nine bouts, six by knockout, Macklin built up enough of a reputation to challenge for the British junior middleweight title. Fighting Andrew Facey on November 6, 2003, Macklin lost a razor-thin 10-round decision by one point, with a score of 96-95.

Macklin bounced back from that defeat winning three straight before fighting professionally in Ireland for the first time against Michael Monaghan for the Irish middleweight title, on May 14, 2005, his 23rd birthday, at National Stadium in Dublin. Macklin won the belt with a fifth-round knockout, at 1:28 of the frame.

Three months after winning the Irish middleweight title, Macklin traveled across the pond to get his first taste of fighting in the United States, winning two bouts by knockout, stopping Leo Laudat in three in Atlantic City, and Anthony Little in two in Philadelphia.

Three fights later, Macklin would engage Jamie Moore in one of the best fights of 2006, in his second attempt to win the British junior middleweight crown. Fighting Moore at George Carnall Leisure Centre in Manchester on September 26, Macklin was quickly drawn into a brawl and the two continued to fight in the trenches for over nine brutal rounds, before the Irishman would succumb to a knockout halfway through the 10th frame.

“I fought Jamie Moore at the wrong weight,” said Macklin. “Although I shouldn’t have fought Moore’s fight, making weight was the problem in that bout. I felt weak, I had no stamina and no reflexes. I stayed at welterweight and junior middleweight for far too long. I am a middleweight.”

Maintaining a busy schedule over the next two years, Macklin would win his next six fights, three by knockout, including a 10-round decision over veteran Yori Boy Campas. Macklin then returned to his hometown of Birmingham to challenge Wayne Elcock for the British middleweight title on March 14, 2009, winning by TKO in the third. Macklin followed that up with a fight against Finnish Amin Asikainen six months later and destroyed him inside one round to add the European title to his collection.

After defending the European title in two of his next three victories, Macklin was poised to make a big slash on the world-boxing scene with a bout against former junior middleweight champion Winky Wright set for Las Vegas. However, that bout did not come to fruition when Wright pulled out after suffering an injury in training. A WBA eliminator against Khoren Gevor next presented itself with the winner to face Felix Sturm. Contractual issues led to Macklin pulling out of that contest, but he was rewarded with a direct shot at Sturm and, despite losing a highly controversial split decision on the champion’s home turf, made a statement with his dynamic performance.

“I went over to Germany and I proved myself. I felt that I won,” said Macklin, who lost the split decision by two votes of 116-112 for Sturm and a 115-113 tally in his favor. “I feel that if we fought 100 times, I would beat him every time. If it were up to me, I’d fight him next, although I don’t think he has any intention of pursuing a rematch with me. If he wants to fight me again, it’s an easy fight to make, as he is his own promoter. I think he knows that he cannot beat me. He’s not going to come to Ireland or England. Fighting Sturm in New York would be great, but I would go back to Germany if I had to. I’d expect a fairer crack at the fight. I think the German officials would be under a lot more pressure to make sure things were on the level, given the controversy of our first fight.

“I think the Sturm fight was an eye-opener for the boxing public at large. Sturm is a leading man in the middleweight division and I think I proved that I am among the top three middleweights of the world.”

DiBella Entertainment President Lou DiBella is excited about his new recruit.

“I viewed signing Macklin as a no-brainer,” said DiBella. “I have Sergio Martinez, the real middleweight champ, the best in the world. But clearly Matthew handled Sturm with ease and he has a claim at being the second-best middleweight in the world. He’s going to want a shot at Sergio and eventually that will make sense.

“I’m very, very happy with the deal,” he continued. “I happen to like the kid very much and that is part of it. There are certain guys who have very pleasing styles for TV. This guy rumbles but he also has skills. He’s fun to watch and made a case that he stands near the top of the middleweight division with the way he fought Sturm.”

Claudia Bocanegra was present at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods to capture the vivid moments of Sergio Martinez title defense victory over Sergiy Dzinzurak plus Andy Lee’s thrilling comeback knockout over Craig McEwan

Sergio Martinez continued his domination of the middleweight division by scoring an impressive 8th round KO over Sergiy Dzinziruk. Martinez dominated from the outset as he scored well from the outside and easily moved away from the jab of Dzinziruk. By the fourth Martinez began to open up and score more easily. Mid round, a left hand in the midst of a 4 punch combo caused Dzinziruk to take a knee. Martinez continued his dominance and scored a knockdown on a jab left hand at the end of round 5. Dzinziruk had perhaps his best round in the 7th when he finally opened up and landed some good jabs and left hands, but Martinez stormed back in the 8th and scored an early knockdown on a counter left hand. Dzinziruk rose on shaky legs only to be knocked down by a second counter left hand. He gamely fought on but one more flurry from Martinez dumped Dzinziruk on the seat of his pants and referee Arthur Mercante Jr. called the fight at 1:43 of round 8. Martinez notches another big win and improves to 47-2-2 with 26KOs while Dzinziruk loses his 0 and drops to 37-1 23KOs.

Middleweight’s Andy Lee and Craig McEwan fought an exciting ten round scrap that ultimately saw Lee come from behind to score an impressive KO. Lee started well and landed some strong right hooks over the first two rounds, a few of which visibly bucked the legs of McEwan. But McEwan began to find his rhythm in round 3 and started timing Lee with straight left hands and right hooks. Rounds 4-6 saw McEwan land some good shots which appeared to sap Lee’s strength and put him in retreat. Lee rebounded in round 7 though and began to turn the tables, landing some good right hooks that helped close the gap in the scorecards. A jab right hand combo at the end of round 9 dropped McEwan hard and Lee did all he could to finish him off. He had to wait till round ten when he landed a sweeping overhand left to the McEwan’s chin who dropped hard to the canvas. Referee Steve Smoger called off the fight without a count at 56 seconds of round ten. Lee showed heart in his come from behind victory and runs his record to 25-1 with 19KOs. McEwan loses for the first time as a pro and falls to 19-1 10KOs.

Featheweight Javier Fotuna of LaRomana, Dominican Republic scored a highlight reel KO in the first of HBO’s televised fights, knocking out a truly game Derrick Wilson (Miami, FL) in the eighth round. Wilson came to win and threw punches with reckless abandon from the start of the fight. Fortuna had the superior skills though and was able to time Wilson and land a perfect counter right that dropped him in the 3rd. Wilson rose and continued to fight hard which allowed him to survive the round. He arguably won the fourth round as he tagged Fortuna repeatedly with right hands but was again knocked down in the 6th via a left hand, right hook, left hand combo. Wilson had a good round 7 but was dropped for the third time mid-way through the 8th on a straight left hand. Again he rose and fought back gamely but ultimately paid the price for his bravery as Fortuna landed a perfect straight left counter that put Wilson out cold. Referee John Callas called the fight without a count at 2:27 of round 8. Fortuna is now 14-0 with 11KOs while Wilson slips to 8-2 2KOs.

Welterweight Thomas Durlorme of Carolina, Puerto Rico needed only two rounds to dispatch his over matched opponent Guillermo Valdes of Miami, FL. It was obvious from the opening bell that Durlorme was going to earn himself a stoppage; the only intrigue in the fight was how long it would last. Valdes was knocked around the ring for all of the first round and continued to take a beating in round 2 until referee Dick Flaherty intervened 2 minutes and 30 seconds into the round and saved Valdes from further punishment. The stoppage was premature but Valdes (now 12-3 3KOs) clearly had no chance and should be thankful he didn’t have to fight on.. The win keeps Durlorme unbeaten at 10-0 9KOs.

In the lone female bout of the card, heavyweight’s Sonya Lamanokis of Turner Falls, MA earned a unanimous decision over the formerly unbeaten Tanzee Daniel of Brooklyn, NY. From the opening bell both fighters stood toe to toe and fired shots to the body and head. This trend continued for each of the six rounds and seemingly made for a difficult fight to score. When the scores were announced though, the judges were in agreement and gave the fight to Lamanokis by scores of 58-56 and 59-55 (twice.) Lamanokis keeps her 0 and runs her record to 4-0 2KOs while Daniel slips to 4-1 1KO.

Light heavyweight Seanie Monaghan of Long Beach, NY battered Jackson, Missippi’s Billy Cunningham over 4 one-sided rounds to earn himself a unanimous decision. Monaghan pressed the action throughout the fight and consistently landed good left hooks to the body. Despite his best efforts, Monaghan never had Cunningham in trouble but did more than enough to earn scores of 40-36 across the board. He improves to 6-0 4KOs while Cunningham drops to 5-9 4KOs.

In the opening bout of the evening, junior middleweight Abraham Lopez (2-1-1) of Oxnard, CA outworked his opponent Andrew Jones (0-4) of Buffalo, NY over 4 rounds to claim a unanimous decision. Lopez battered Jones all fight with strong lead right hands and almost put him away in rounds 3 and 4. Scores were 40-36 and 39-37 (twice.)

POST FIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Sergio Martinez: “I want no easy fights. They (Paul Williams and Dzinziruk) are two different fighters. Paul Williams and Dzinziruk have different tactics. Dzinziruk is a very smart fighter but I beat him at his own game – the jab. It was supposed to be a technical fight.”

“(He wasn’t hit with) nothing special. I wasn’t hurt. I felt one punch, behind my head, but that happens in fights.”

“There was no emergency (after he was cut). It was just the moment to finish.”

“(How low can he go to make a Manny Pacquiao fight) Probably 154.”

“(Head trainer filling in for his brother Gabriel) Pablo (Sarmiento) did a perfect job.”

“Cotto would be a good fight. I just want to fight the best. If Cotto is man enough, he will ask to fight Sergio Martinez.”

“I will not stop until I am recognized as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.”

Lou DiBella, promoter of Martinez and Lee: “McEwan put on one of the gutsiest performances. He was leading after eight rounds and Lee had to do something dramatic.”

“I’m proud of Andy Lee’s performance. I’ll talk next week with Manny (Stewart, Lee’s manager/trainer). It won’t be Sergio (for Andy) the next fight. This made Andy an HBO fighter – the best thing he can do.”

“It was a terrific show. It turns out Dzinziruk was the right fight. This proved that he (Sergio) is a Hall of Fame fighter. Dzinziruk is an excellent fighter but Sergio may be the best fighter in the world.”

“Pound-for-pound, (Sergio) he is the best fighter in the world. Tonight you saw why he’s going to the Hall of Fame. He is the best middleweight from Argentina since Carlos Monzon.”

“We want the biggest fight out there.”

“That’s not up to me (making a Martinez-Miguel Cotto fight). It’s up to Bob (Arum). Maybe Cotto will be man enough to ask Bob to fight Sergio? Arum’s been lining up bum after bum after bum to fight Manny Pacquiao and Cotto. People should be lining up to fight him (Sergio), the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.”

Gary Shaw, co-promoter of Dzinziruk: “Sergio Martinez not only is the best 160 pound fighter in the world but he may be the best fighter in the world. I’ve been in this business since 1961 and I’ve never seen anybody with more hand speed than Sergio Martinez. We still have the best 154-pound fighter in the world. There isn’t a 154-pound fighter in the world we wouldn’t fight.”

Artie Pellulo, co-promoter of Dzinziruk: “We have the best junior middleweight in the world; Lou has the best middleweight in the world and one of the best, if not the best fighter in the world. Dzinziruk got up and knew he was fighting the best in the world. The better man won tonight; he fought the best middleweight in the world.”

Andy Lee: “Overall, I wasn’t happy with my performance. I hurt him early in the fight and I think that worked against me. I loaded up too much. I got into that habit and it was tough to get out. In the middle rounds I thought I was losing the fight. It was a big opportunity so I said to myself if I’m going to lose he’s going to have to kill me.”

“Basically I was flat-footed until I switched it up. Eventually I caught him at the end. I was fortunate but I deserved it. I don’t know what round it was but something inside me said I was going to take it.”

“He boxed very good. It was hard; we’re friends. I respected him before the fight and more now.”

“Sergio has great speed. He’d be a tough challenge for me.”

“I won the ninth, 10-8, but knew I needed a big finish and not leave it to the judges. One, two – he was on the ground. It wasn’t my best performance but it was a great victory. It was a hard fought fight. I showed courage and heart. I will get better.”

MASHANTUCKET, CT (Mar. 10, 2011) – The final “Diamond Elite” press conference was held today at Comix in Foxwoods Casino Resort. The WBC Middleweight Diamond Championship showdown, featuring 2010 Fighter of the Year Sergio Martinez and Sergiy Dzinziruk, will be on HBO World Championship Boxing along with Andy Lee vs. Craig McEwan in a “Celtic War.” All four fighters and representatives from their respective camps were in attendance.

Below are quotes from the participants:

Lou DiBella, promoter of Martinez and Lee: “I think it’s going to be a tremendous night of boxing. I can’t tell you how impressed I am with the property. Foxwoods is great and it’s been a pleasure working with the staff here.”

“This will be on television – HBO Sports – and it’s a very competitive card with the two fights on TV real TV fights. Sergio Martinez is the Fighter of the Year and had the Knockout of the Year. He’s fighting a guy who is a technically sound fighter with a great jab and defense. Sergiy will find out that he’s not in with just another fighter. I expect a very competitive fight.”

“I want to thank our sponsors: Corona, the Dominican Republic Tourism Board and Hennessey.”

“We have as terrific undercard off TV with some terrific fighters. We have a female heavyweight from New York, Sonya Lamonakis, fighting another fighter from New York (Tanzee Daniels). If you like women’s boxing, this is going to be a war.”

“This sport needs everybody pulling together. We’ve had four major promoters working together without a single problem. That’s how to elevate boxing and bring it back.

“We’re having ‘Celtic War’ five days before St. Patrick’s Day. I’m proud to promote Andy Lee. The winner of this fight will establish himself for the fighter he is. It’s the first opportunity for Craig and Andy on HBO and its stage and legitimacy.”

“My partner and one of the best judges of talent in the world is Sampson Lewkowicz. He scours the world looking for the next Sergio Martinez.”

“Some people will be a little surprised – Gabriel Sarmiento won’t be in Sergio’s corner because of a personal issue. His brother, Pablo, will be in Sergio’s corner. He’s trained Sergio before. Gabriel ran the camp until the final day of camp last Friday.”

“It’s no secret that I didn’t like this fight. HBO twisted my arm but I give them credit. This is the best possible opponent in the world to fight Sergio. Sergio agreed to fight him despite giving up his middleweight belt. He wants to leave a legacy of fighting the best and there’s no doubt that Sergiy is the best 154-pounder in the world.”

“This is what’s at stake (Diamond belt). It costs about $50,000 and has diamonds all over it. The stakes are big.”

“This (Martinez) is one of the most talented athletes and people I’ve ever worked with. Sergio is concerned with people and he has a sense of community and integrity. His nickname, ‘Maravilla,’ marvelous and he is indeed, marvelous.”

“Sergio promised me to speak in English at the next press conference. He has a great teacher and he’s done a great job.”

Sergio Martinez: “I thank HBO, WBC, my promoter, advisor, trainers Gabriel and Pablo, and my team. This Saturday you will see the best Sergio Martinez. This fight is for Argentina.”

Kery Davis, HBO: “We really have a special night of programming with the premier of the Runnin’ Rebels documentary immediately followed with world championship boxing starting at 10:30 eastern, 7:30 pacific. Sergio was a relatively unknown boxer but he beat Kelly Pavlik and followed that with unquestionably the Knockout of the Year against Paul Williams. Sergio is good looking, intelligent and he has charisma. The sky is the limit for him. He is fighting the challenge of his life. Many feel Sergiy Dzinziruk is the No. 1 154 pounder in the world. He is relatively unknown. When you put the best middleweight in the world against the best junior middleweight in the world, you should never apologize, and we don’t. Lee and McEwan are trying to make names for themselves and statements. They’re looking forward to fighting the winner of the main event. Sergio and Sergiy are stepping-up to take the challenge. Sergiy is stepping-up in weight. Sergio is fighting the toughest guy. We’re looking forward to a great night of programming.”

Scott Butera, Foxwoods Resort Casino, President & CEO: “Here at Foxwoods, we have a long-standing tradition with the sport of boxing and have hosted some of the boxing world’s most high profile fights and some of the world’s greatest athletes. As North America’s largest resort casino there are few venues in the Northeast more fitting to host this World Middleweight Championship bout featuring Sergio Martinez and Sergiy Dzinziruk than MGM Grand at Foxwoods and our world-class MGM Grand Theater. The event’s equally exciting undercard, dubbed the ‘Celtic War,’ pits the Andy Lee and Craig McEwan.

“And we have a ‘Who’s Who’ of industry vets on property for the big event, including Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment, Arthur Pelullo of Banner Promotions, and Gary Shaw of Gary Shaw Promotions, as well as none other than Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.

“We’re always thrilled to showcase Foxwoods to a national audience, and HBO’s live broadcast of Saturday’s event will provide a great vehicle for us to do just that. We’re grateful to everybody in this room. Let’s have a great night on Saturday.”

Robert Diaz, Golden Boy Promotions: “This is what boxing is about – four promoters working together to give the public two great fights. McEwan is in a tough fight but he’s more than ready. I can tell you that for a fact. He is fighting for his family, country and himself. Remember, there years ago what happened not too far from here (Lee was knocked out by Bryan Vera).”

Craig McEwan: “This is a big stage for me. I’m ready to put on a big show and show everybody what I’ve got. Andy’s a great guy but Saturday is business. Afterwards we can go out for a pint. I’ve always wanted the (WBC) green belt and this fight will get me one step closer to that.”

Andy Lee: “Everything has been said. Craig, I know well, but I have a job to win this fight. Afterwards we can be friends. I’ve trained 100-percent and want to thank Sugar Hill and Roger Lee. I’ve had the best camp ever, in Florida, with a lot of sparring and conditioning. We’ve left no stone unturned.”

Gary Shaw, co-promoter of Dzinziruk: “This is a tremendous fight, deserving to be at MGM Grand at Foxwoods. I’m happy because it is a great fight. I want to thank HBO for putting Sergiy on their card because he’s truly a great fighter. It may not turn out the way Lou and his team think.

“I am a cancer survivor. If you’re over 40, get a PSA test. It saved my life and it could save yours.

“To Lou and Sampson, thanks for taking this fight and I give a lot of credit to them because Sergio had the opportunity for an easier fight. But they took the challenge and I have a lot of respect for Sergio. I represent the best 154-pounder in the world, the single best in the world at 154 pounds, and he wanted this fight. It’s a big step up; up in weight for the fight, and they didn’t want it. I know at the end of the day, no matter what Sergio and Sampson say, it is an impossibility to knockout Sergiy. We will leave here with a win; I guarantee it!”

Artie Pelullo, co-promoter of Dzinziruk: “I’ve put on more than 30 shows at Foxwoods since 1992. HBO and Ross Greenburg have a heckuva fight. They went out of their way to make it. They have the two best: best middleweight and best junior middleweight, who doesn’t know how to lose. It’s going to be great – two guys who know they need to win to move on. Boxing rewards you for winning and both know everything’s on the line. After Martinez knocked out Paul Williams, the fight we get is against the best middleweight in the world. We called Sergiy and he said make the fight. Both are in harm’s way. It’s going to be a very good show because they both know they have to win.”

Sampson Lewkowicz, advisor of Sergio Martinez: “This is my first time here at Foxwoods and it’s wonderful. HBO chose this fight because it’s the best money can buy. Gary Shaw says he guarantees he’ll win the fight. His partner, Artie Pellulo, didn’t say that. Sergio Martinez, if he doesn’t knock him out, he will beat him up. He went from 154 to 160 to be the best. There was no catch-weight because the champion is a middleweight. Sergio ‘Maravilla’ Martinez is the champion of the people, champion of the press; the champion of everybody on earth, inside and outside the ring. I am so proud to be part of this team.”

Pablo Sarmiento, trainer of Sergio Martinez: “Every training camp for Sergio gets better than the last. Saturday you will find out that it’s the best Sergio you’ve ever seen. The challenger is a great fighter and we respect him.”

Sergiy Dzinziruk: “I want to thank everybody for this opportunity and Sergio Martinez, especially, for the opportunity to fight in such a big fight. It’s a dream come true for me. I’m very excited. It’s going to be a great fight and I will be victorious at the end of the night.”

Bob Yalen, representing the WBC: “On behalf of the WBC, Jose and Mauricio, to Sampson, Sergio on behalf of the year you had, and Lou for promoting such a great fighter and fighter, let me present these plaques to all three of them.

“I’m a historian. I don’t think people realize how great a fight this is in the ring. Argentina and Europe have a great history of middleweight fighters. The Ukraine has built a great history. These are two great fighters. I thank HBO for allowing it to happen and Foxwoods for bringing it here.”

“DIAMOND ELITE FACT SHEET”

WHAT: “Diamond Elite” professional boxing show

BOUTS:

WORLD BOXING COUNCIL DIAMOND MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

MAIN EVENT – 12 ROUNDS — HBO

SERGIO “Maravilla” MARTINEZ SERGIY “Razor” DZINZIRUK

WBC Emeritus & The Ring Middleweight Champion WBO Light Middleweight Champion

2010 Fighter of the Year The Ring #8/1996 Ukraine Olympian

Oxnard, CA by way of Argentina Hamburg, Germany by way of Ukraine

46-2-2 (25 KOs) 37-0 (23 KOs)

“CELTIC WAR”

CO-FEATURE – MIDDLEWEIGHTS — 10-ROUNDS – HBO

ANDY LEE CRAIG McEWAN

WBA #5, WBC #13/2004 Ireland Olympian WBO #12, WBC #20

Detroit, MI by way of Ireland Hollywood, CA by way of Scotland

24-1 (18 KOs) 19-0 (10 KOs)

WBC YOUTH FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

10 ROUNDS

JAVIER “El Abejon” FORTUNA DERRICK “Dynamite” WILSON

La Romana, Dominican Republic Fort Myers, FL

13-0 (10 KOs) 8-1-2 (2 KOs)

6 ROUNDS – FEMALE HEAVYWEIGHTS

SONYA LAMONAKIS TANZEE “Sweet Tea” DANIELS

4-Time New York Golden Gloves Champion 5-Time New York Golden Gloves Champion

Turner Falls, MA by way of Greece Brooklyn, NY

3-0 (1 KO) 4-0 (1 KO)

6 ROUNDS – JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

THOMAS “The French” DULORME GUILLERMO VALDES

Carolina, Puerto Rico Miami, FL

9-0 (8 KOs) 12-2 (3 KOs)

4 ROUNDS – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

SEANIE MONAGHAN BILL “Steel” CUNNINGHAM

Long Island, NY Jackson, MS

5-0 (4 KOs) 5-8 (4 KOs)

4 ROUNDS – JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

ABRAHAM LOPEZ ANDREW “Drama” JONES

Oxnard, CA Buffalo, NY

1-1-1 0-3-1

(ALL FIGHTS AND FIGHTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

WHEN: Saturday, March 12, 2011

WHERE: MGM Grand at Foxwoods

PROMOTER: “Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk” is presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Gary Shaw Productions and Banner Promotions. “Celtic War: Lee vs. McEwan” is presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Golden Boy Promotions.

BROADCAST: The main event and co-feature will air live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:30 PM/ET / 7:30 PM/PT.

TICKETS: $450.00, $250.00, $125.00, $75.00 and $50.00 on sale through the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office, online at www.mgmatfoxwood.com, calling MGM Grand at Foxwoods at 1.866.646.0609, or in person at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office.

INFORMATION: Doors open at 7 PM/ET, first bout at 7:30 PM/ET, first HBO fight at 10:30 PM/ET.

For more information about DiBella Entertainment, including a list of all upcoming bouts, please visit www.dbe1.com, or follow Lou DiBella on twitter, @loudibella.

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

NEW YORK, NY (Feb. 25, 2011) – The MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office has released a small amount of $50.00 tickets today for the March 12 “Diamond Elite” championship boxing event, featuring 2010 Fighter of the Year Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez. There will be no additional tickets available at that price level after this small release.

“This is it,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “We wanted to give fans one last opportunity to get in at this price point because the first batch went so quickly. The way tickets are moving makes it clear that Sergio Martinez is the fighter who the people want to see.”

Tickets are going fast and the remaining $50.00 tickets are not expected to last through this weekend. Other tickets for “Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk,” are priced at $450, $250, $125, and $75 and on sale through the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com, by calling the MGM Grand at Foxwoods at 1-866-646-0609, or in person at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office.

Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KOs), the World Boxing Council (“WBC”) Emeritus and The Ring Magazine middleweight champion, headlines against World Boxing Organization (“WBO”) junior middleweight champion, Sergiy “Razor” Dzinziruk (37-0, 23 KOs), in a 12-round bout for the vacant World Boxing Council Diamond middleweight title.

“Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk” will air live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:30 PM ET / 7:30 PM PT.

Ethnic rivals Andy Lee (24-1, 18 KOs) of Ireland and Scotland’s Craig McEwan (19-0, 10 KOs) battle in the 10-round “Celtic War” co-feature, matching two of the top middleweight prospects in the world. A solid undercard is also on tap, featuring undefeated Dominican featherweight Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna (13-0, 10 KOs) and 2008 U.S. Olympian, junior middleweight Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (12-0, 8 KOs).

“Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk” will be presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Gary Shaw Productions and Banner Promotions. Lee vs. McEwan will be presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Golden Boy Promotions. Both bouts will be broadcast live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:30 pm ET / 7:30 pm PT.

For more information about DiBella Entertainment, including a list of all upcoming bouts, please visit www.dbe1.com, or follow Lou DiBella on twitter, @loudibella.

NEW YORK, NY (Feb. 24, 2011) – “Irish” Micky Ward, more popular now than ever after the success of the Oscar-nominated movie about his life, The Fighter, has been invited by promoter Lou DiBella to be a special guest March 12 for the “Diamond Elite” event at the MGM Grand Arena at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

World Boxing Council (“WBC”) Emeritus and The Ring Magazine middleweight champion, 2010 Fighter of the Year Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KOs), takes on World Boxing Organization (“WBO”) junior middleweight champion, Sergiy “Razor” Dzinziruk (37-0, 23 KOs), in the 12-round main event for the vacant World Boxing Council Diamond middleweight title.

The chief supporting fight is “Celtic War,” pitting exciting middleweights Andy Lee (24-1, 18 KOs) of Ireland and Scotland’s Craig McEwan (19-0, 10 KOs), in a 10-round bout of ethnic rivalry with potential world title shot implications for the winner.

The Martinez vs. Dzinziruk and Lee vs. McEwan fights will be broadcast on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:30 pm ET / 7:30 pm PT.

Ward has many direct ties to the March 12 event. Here are the seven degrees of Micky Ward, in association with the “Diamond Elite” event, with quotes from the consensus 3-time Fight of the Year participant:

Lou DiBella: The last four fights of Ward’s career (2002-2003), including the famed Gatti-Ward trilogy, were by far his most lucrative with approximately $3-million in purse earnings. By no coincidence, Micky was promoted by DiBella Entertainment for the final four fights of his 18-year pro career. “Lou is a good guy and a man of his word. He promised to make me a lot of money and he did. And all we needed was a handshake deal.”

Sergio Martinez: The Boxing Writers Association of America (“BWAA”) will hold its annual awards dinner May 6 in Las Vegas. Martinez will receive its 2010 Fighter of the Year, named in honor of the great Sugar Ray Robinson, while Ward receives the 2011 James A. Farley Award for Honesty and Integrity in Boxing. “Sergio is a great fighter, one of the best in the world today. He’s also a good person.”

James “Buddy” McGirt: Ward got to know the former two-time world champion and 2002 Trainer of the Year, Buddy McGirt, up close and personal in 2002-2003 when McGirt trained Gatti for all three fights of their epic trilogy. “Buddy was a great trainer and great fighter himself. I’m still good friends with him today.” McGirt is Dzinziruk’s co-trainer.

Andy Lee: Besides the obvious “green” connection linking their Irish heritage, Ward was the color commentator for the PPV airing of Lee’s most dramatic knock-out on March 16, 2007, against former world champion Carl Daniels in The Theater at Madison Square Garden. “Andy is a good, stand-up boxer who has a lot of talent.”

Freddie Roach: Another BWAA recipient in May – third year in a row and fifth time overall as the Eddie Futch Trainer of the Year – Freddie Roach, like Ward, is a Massachusetts native. Ward’s first amateur match at the age of seven was against Freddie’s younger brother, Joey. “I’ve known Freddie my whole life. I never fought Freddie because he’s older than me. I never really thought back then that Freddie would become the trainer he is today.”

Foxwoods: Although Ward never boxed in MGM Grand Arena at Foxwoods, he did fight four times in different venues at Foxwoods, winning three times against Steve Quinonez, Louis Veader and Mark Fernandez. Micky lost in the Bingo Hall to Antonio Diaz by 10-round decision on HBO. “I have great memories of fighting at Foxwoods. It’s still one of my favorite places for boxing.”

HBO: Micky fought six times on HBO (three times vs. Gatti, Jesse James Leija, Diaz and Shea Neary). “My experiences on HBO were excellent. HBO was really good for me. Everything was great, from Larry Merchant to Jim Lampley, who were MC’s at my retirement party, to everybody else at HBO.”

“Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk” will be presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Gary Shaw Productions and Banner Promotions. Lee vs. McEwan will be presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Golden Boy Promotions. Both bouts will be broadcast live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:30 pm ET / 7:30 pm PT.

Tickets for “Diamond Elite: Martinez vs. Dzinziruk,” are priced at $450, $250, $125, $75, and $50 and on sale through the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com, by calling the MGM Grand at Foxwoods at 1-866-646-0609, or in person at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods box office.

For more information about DiBella Entertainment, including a list of all upcoming bouts, please visit www.dbe1.com, or follow Lou DiBella on twitter, @loudibella.

Middleweight contender Andy Lee talks about his March 12 fight with Craig McEwan

Trainer Emanuel Steward talks Lee – McEwan; Miguel Cotto and Wladimir Klitschko

Undefeated Scottish Middleweight Craig McEwan talks about his March 12 showdown with Andy Lee