Houston Boxing in August |
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StubDog.com :: Event Information And Articles :: Houston Boxing in August
There’s nothing in the world
like Texas heat in August. On Saturday, August 22nd, four of boxing’s
best will square off at Houston’s Toyota Center in an event that will
raise the temperature of a sweltering summer of boxing even higher – HBO’s
Boxing After Dark.
In the main event, former Undisputed Lightweight World Champion and hometown
hero Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz takes on former 140-pound world titleholder
Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi of Brooklyn, New York, while the co-featured
bout sees heavy-handed Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero challenge for a world
title in a second weight class when he takes on IBF Junior Lightweight
World Champion Malcolm Klassen.
Boxing’s most exciting pound for pound fighter, Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz
(34-2, 17 KO’s) has accomplished a lot in the sport for a young man of
just 25 years old. A former WBA World Lightweight Champion who defended
his title five times before adding the WBO and IBF World Titles to his
resume with technical knockouts of Acelino Freitas and Julio Diaz respectively,
Houston’s finest is coming off an epic war with Juan Manuel Marquez in
February when he got knocked out. “Ever since graduation, I’ve just been
in the gym and I can’t wait to get back into the ring,” said Diaz who
just recently graduated from the University of Houston – Downtown in a
political science. ”Malignaggi is a slick opponent and a good test, but
I’m confident that with my fans in Houston behind me, I’ll win the fight
in exciting fashion.” Houston’s Diaz will enjoy a hometown advantage and
he’ll also get a weight concession as Malignaggi will not be able to weigh
more than 138 ½ pounds at the weigh in. Malignaggi will drop an extra
1 ½ pounds. Smart move by Team Diaz after Juan Manuel Marquez demolished
him in an action packed fight, choosing a lighter-hitting type.
A brash Brooklynite who has been to the top of the boxing world as a former
Junior Welterweight World Champion, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi (26-2,
5 KO’s) is more than flash in the ring. Owner of wins over Lovemore N’Dou,
Herman Ngoudjo and Edner Cherry, the 28-year-old Malignaggi has also gone
to battle against boxing superstars Miguel Cotto and Ricky Hatton, but
he knows that no fight is more important than the one ahead of him on
August 22nd as it could lead to a another world title shot for him if
he beats Diaz.
Hailing from Hammanskraal, South Africa, Malcolm Klassen (24-4-2, 14 KO’s)
is the latest in the line of hard-nosed South African fighters to ascend
to the peak of the boxing mountain. A ten-year veteran who rebounded from
a rocky start to his career to win 11 of his last 12 bouts, Klassen came
to the attention of the boxing world in 2008 with his win over former
Five-Time World Champion Manuel “Mantecas” Medina and followed that with
a seventh round technical knockout of South African boxing legend Cassius
Baloyi in April that earned him the IBF 130-pound championship.
A ferocious puncher whose last 16 wins have come by knockout, Robert “The
Ghost” Guerrero (24-1-1, 17 KO’s) has the type of power that can change
the direction of a fight in a split second. A native of Gilroy, California,
the popular Guerrero knows what it’s like to compete at the game’s highest
level, having won the IBF Featherweight World Title twice. Now competing
at 130 pounds, Guerrero – who is fresh off of an eighth round stoppage
of veteran Efren Hinojosa in June – is ready to join the select few who
can claim to be a world champion in two different weight classes.
“An exciting evening of boxing like this is what the Boxing After Dark
series is known for, and I can’t think of any place better to have it
than at Toyota Center in Houston,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of
Golden Boy Promotions. ”The fans in Houston are knowledgeable and enthusiastic
and we’re giving them plenty to cheer for with their hometown fighter
Juan Diaz taking on Paulie Malignaggi and Robert Guerrero looking to win
another world title against Malcolm Klassen. This will be a great night
for Houston and for boxing.”
Both bouts, which are presented by Golden Boy Promotions, with Diaz vs.
Malignaggi being presented in association with DiBella Entertainment and
Guerrero vs. Klassen being presented in association with Branco Sports
Productions, will air on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:45 pm ET/PT
(8:45 pm CT). Doors open at 3:30pm and the first bout begins at approximately
3:45pm CT. Tickets, priced at $250, $125, $70, $45 and $25, go on sale
on Friday, July 10th at 10am CT, and may be purchased online at www.ToyotaCenterTix.com,
by phone at 1-866-4-HOU-TIX and at select Houston area Randalls locations.
Tickets will be available at the Toyota Center Box Office beginning Monday,
July 13th at 9am CT. You have the opportunity to purchase tickets before
they go on sale to the public. The Toyota Center Insider presale is available
Wednesday, July 8 at 10:00 AM until Friday, July 10 at 10:00 AM.
For more information regarding the August 22nd event, please visit www.goldenboypromotions.com
Also, Savarese Promotions recently announed Thursday Night Throw Down,
the first of many high quality boxing events in Houston. Savarese Promotions,
owned and operated by former heavyweight champion Lou Savarese, claims
to be a company that focuses on promoting high quality events in a professional
atmosphere, supporting both the athlete and the sport. A portion of the
night's proceeds will benefit Casa El Buen Samaritano.
Don’t miss the main event, August 6th at Hilton Americas Houston. Zack
Page, the only one to defeat "Mean Gene" will fight Eugene Hill in a rematch
for the heavyweight title. Houston locals, Cliff English and Chase Shields
take the ring for some hometown competition. Other fights featuring Terrance
Woods vs. Anthony Greeley, Gerardo "Tin Tin" Ibarra vs. Jerron Lockette,
Chris "Hollywood" Hernandez vs. Mike Wagendlast, Steve "Freight Train"
Collins vs. Brad "The Vanilla Gorilla" Bowers, Lanardo Tyner vs. Davey
Armstrong and Tiffany Junot vs. Kimberly Ann ConnorCheer them on ringside
: General Admission and VIP seating available.
