Mormeck can stamp himself as a Heavyweight force with an impressive showing.

This is a “crossroads” bout in the truest sense of the word.

Press Release is as followed:

Pensacola, FL–

USBA and NABA Heavyweight Champion “Fast Fres” Oquendo 32-5 (31 KOs) has signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Square Ring Promotions and will face former two-time world champion Jean Marc Mormeck  34-4 (22 KOs) on May 6, 2010 at the Halle Carpentier Arena in Paris, France.

Oquendo, 36 years old, had two opportunities for world championships. On Sept. 20, 2003, he lost a controversial decision to Chris Byrd  for the International Boxing Federation crown in Connecticut. In his very next fight, he was ahead on the scorecards, when there was a very controversial stoppage in the 11th round against John Ruiz in Madison Square Garden for the World Boxing Association title on April 17, 2004.

“We were very fortunate in signing Oquendo that Mormeck and his promotional company, J3M Promotions, who we’ve been collaborating with, were interested in fighting Oquendo in his next heavyweight bout,” said John Wirt, CEO of Roy Jones, Jr.’s Square Ring Promotions. “I see it as a crossroads fight between two outstanding veterans with the winner being in line for a world title opportunity.”

“When Mormeck agreed to meet me, he made a big mistake,” said Puerto Rican born Oquendo who lives in Chicago. “I am grateful for the opportunity he gave me, and I respect him as a former two-time cruiserweight champion, but now he is dancing with the big boys and this is a totally different ballgame up here.”

Mormeck won his first heavyweight outing against tough Vinny Maddalone in Paris on December 17, 2009 with an 8th round decision. This will be his second bout as a heavyweight in Europe, since the champions are all Europeans.

The fight will be seen live on the Orange Television Network in France.

Fans will welcome the return of the exciting sports program “Solo Boxeo Tecate” (Just Boxing Tecate), the 90-minute live action-packed show featuring Golden Boy Promotions’  top contenders as well as up-and-coming superstars including, Pablo Cesar Cano, Omar Figueroa, Danny Garcia, Frankie Gomez, Charles Huerta, Lucas Matthysse, Carlos Molina, Luis Ramos, Ronny Rios, Carlos Velasquez and many more.

“We are thrilled to have ‘Solo Boxeo Tecate’ back on TeleFutura as part of our exciting sports programming lineup,” said Bert Medina, senior vice president and operating manager for TeleFutura. “Golden Boy Promotions is a leading promotional player in the boxing industry and we are proud to be partnering with them to provide an exceptional sporting franchise to our viewers.”

“Solo Boxeo Tecate’ has been a great launching pad for Hispanic fighters and is where many have begun their careers,” said Oscar de la Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions. “We are very excited to once again have such a wonderful stage to showcase our top contenders and up-and-coming prospects.

“Solo Boxeo Tecate” will air live on Friday nights at 11:30pm ET/10:30pm Central/8:30pm PT and will be available exclusively through TeleFutura with English subtitles via CC3

Details regarding the first event of the series and subsequent events will be announced shortly.

Univision.com (keyword: Solo Boxeo) will feature the best of each show with video highlights of the fights and weigh-ins, exclusive interview footage and in-depth fighter profiles. Photos will capture each fight shot-by-shot. Articles and blogs will provide the latest news on the headliners, previews and recaps, as well as expert analysis on all the fights. Boxing fans will be able to express their own opinions and reactions on Solo Boxeo forums, vote for their favorite fighters, and submit their ideas for interview questions on the Tú Preguntas section.

It is signed, sealed and delivered for May 15 at New York’s  Theatre at Madison Square against Paul Malignaggi. Tickets ($65-555) are already available, and given the high price of these ducats, Khan’s marketability will be tested.

The importance of this bout for Khan cannot be understated. It will be his first turn as an HBO headliner, and some will argue, his toughest professional test to date.

After winning a Silver Medal for Great Britain in the 2004 Olympics, he won his first 18 professional contests before Breidis Prescott knocked him out in one round. Since the Prescott loss, Khan has won four straight, including a belt-winning effort against Andriy Kotelnik.

Despite his recent run of success, there are still lingering questions about Khan’s chin. That shaky beard made the light-hitting Malignaggi the ideal opponent for the Brit’s US debut.

While this has the makings of a tactical match, Khan is not pleased with Malignaggi’s recent accusations of possible PED use. Khan is trained by Freddie Roach and has sparred with Manny Pacquiao.

“I train with Manny and whatever he does, I do,” Khan recently told the UK press. “Does that mean I’m on drugs? We love working hard and only a few fighters work as hard as we do, but to talk about drugs is rubbish.”

“The guy just wants to build publicity for himself. Anytime they want to do a drugs test on me, I’ll put my hand up and take one to prove what I’m saying.”

I train with Manny and whatever he does, I do,” said Khan. “Does that mean I’m on drugs? “We love working hard and only a few fighters work as hard as we do, but to talk about drugs is rubbish.

With those accusations in the air, Khan promises to dispatch the brash Brooklynite.

“I shut these fighters up with my fists and that’s what I’ll do with Paulie Malignaggi.”

Pacquiao would love nothing more than to satisfy up to 45,000 spectators tonight when he meets Joshua Clottey at tricked-out Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He would also love to keep that amazingly wrinkle-free smile on the face of Jerry Jones. The only thing that stands in his way is Clottey, a double-tough welterweight from Ghana whose body of work is, unlike most records in boxing, not an illusion. He has fought many solid fighters over the years, but has come up short in some of his biggest fights.

Despite his accomplishments, Clottey has found himself written off by nearly everyone except his kin, perhaps, and, to the delight of chalk eaters all over America, he is as much as a 5 to 1 underdog on some books. Clottey, 35-3 (20), has not exactly done much in the last two months to change the perception that he is a fighter in over his head.

In early February, rumors about the laxness of his training camp were rampant; his trainer, Godwin Kotey, was denied a visa from Ghana and Clottey was forced to go with late substitute Lenny De Jesus. De Jesus has been the object of ridicule in some corners primarily because he is a locksmith by day. Eighty-five percent of boxing participants–trainers, writers, managers, promoters, cutmen, indeed, even fighters themselves–have day jobs, but somehow De Jesus has become an object of ridicule for practicing a perfectly respectable trade.

Joshua Clottey, 32, will not win or lose this fight based on the fact that Lenny DeJesus is his chief second. If he wins, it will be a startling upset; if he loses, it will be because Pacquiao is simply the better boxer.

This fight, however, is not exactly a walkover, and there are a few angles worth looking into. First, Pacquiao, 50-3-2 (38), is back in the ring after a fairly short turnaround—roughly four months—after his bout with Miguel Cotto, which was fairly taxing for the first four rounds. In addition, in Clottey, Pacquiao will be facing his first true welterweight test. Miguel Cotto agreed to a catchweight and Oscar De La Hoya, who had fought as high as middleweight, entered the ring against Pacquiao, at 145 pounds, looking like he was in the sixth week of a hunger strike. Clottey has weighed as much as 154 pounds in his career, and has the clear physical advantage going in. One perfect punch from Clottey, perhaps his unique right uppercut, could bring Pacquiao trouble.

Another angle, recently brought up Freddie Roach, concerns dirty tactics, the accidentally-on-purpose kind Clottey seems to specialize in. The last roughhouse authority Pacquiao faced was the late Agapito Sanchez in 2001 and Pacquiao came out of that fight with a massive cut, a few bruises, and an unimpressive technical draw. (Other than Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez, Sanchez is, perhaps surprisingly, the only fighter to push Pacquiao hard over the last ten years.) If Clottey starts winging shots below the belt or starts charging with his head, the uncertainty principle—the boxing version of it, at least—might come into play. In the end, however, barring the completely unexpected, the outcome will of this bout will most likely hinge on skill and skill alone.

Both fighters are coming off of fights with Miguel Cotto. Clottey, now fighting out of the Bronx, New York, dropped a close split-decision to Cotto last summer in Madison Square Garden, and Pacquiao steamrolled the Puerto Rican superstar for a 12th round TKO in November. At times, Cotto managed to keep Clottey off-balance by boxing, which is not a good sign for Clottey going into his fight with Pacquiao. After all, Pacquiao, 31, is twice as fast as Cotto and also has the advantage of being a southpaw.

Against Clottey, Pacquiao most likely will adopt his buzzsaw version of a stick and move strategy, and Clottey will spend most of his time trying to cope with it. Clottey, whose tight defense (according to Compubox, Antonio Margarito missed 1,338 punches out of the 1,675 he threw at Clottey during their 2006 bout) is predicated on blocking shots with his arms and gloves, has to guard against being too passive against Pacquiao, otherwise he risks being overwhelmed.

If Clottey changes gears, unlikely after 15 years as a pro, and tries to manhandle or bumrush Pacquiao, then the Filipino superstar may have some rough moments early. But Clottey looks like a fighter who is a little too comfortable in his style and will likely revert to his typical methodology somewhere along the way. His spotty commitment to offense will give Pacquiao, General Santos City, Philippines, too much time to set up on the outside, where his supersonic hand speed will allow him to pelt Clottey virtually at will. Lashing straight lefts and thudding right hooks, thrown from an assortment of angles, will probably keep Clottey in his shell. Clottey is a sturdy welterweight, so it seems unlikely that he will end up splayed out on the canvas like David Diaz or Ricky Hatton. After a few close early rounds, Pacquiao should be able to firebomb his way to a unanimous decision.

Check out more of Carlos’ work at: http://www.thecruelestsport.com

“We are thrilled to be bringing this sensational card to the Mohegan Sun,” stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing. “We had great success with our shows at Mohegan Sun in 2009 and we are looking to build off that and continue to provide boxing fans throughout the whole northeast area with exciting world class fights and entertainment.”

“Rodriguez vs. Arnaoutis is a very intriguing fight. You have two guys who are very familiar with one another and who have both been in very big fights throughout their respective careers. This is a huge fight for both guys. If Delvin wins, he reestablishes himself as one of the top welterweight contenders in the world. If Mike wins, he will show everyone that he is a true force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division. Both guys are going to leave it all in the ring come April 2nd, which promises to produce an event you won’t want to miss.”

“Mohegan Sun is thrilled to bring back Star Boxing and Connecticut’s own Delvin Rodriguez for the main event. Star Boxing delivers great bouts each and every time they come to our arena, and April 2nd is shaping up to be a very exciting night of live boxing,” stated Bob Yalen, Director of Sports and Entertainment at Mohegan Sun.

The Danbury resident Rodriguez is coming off a high profile 2009. After an impressive win at Mohegan Sun in March in an Official IBF Title Eliminator, Rodriguez lost a heart breaking razor thin decision to Isaac Hlatshwayo for the IBF Welterweight Championship of the World in August (also at Mohegan Sun). In Rodriguez’s next fight in November, he traveled to Poland to square off against the countries native son, Rafal Jackiewicz, in yet another IBF Title Eliminator. In a bout that saw Rodriguez throw 700 more punches than his opponent and seemingly dominate for the entire twelve rounds, Jackiewicz was surprisingly awarded the decision.

“I had some real tough luck in 2009, but I’m done looking in the past, I’m looking forward to a fresh start with my career in 2010, and to repositioning myself for another world title opportunity,” stated Rodriguez. “This is a must win fight for me, and I plan on leaving it all in the ring come April 2nd. I respect Arnaoutis as a fighter, but there is no way he is going to come into my backyard and take my USBA belt away from me.”

Arnaoutis is no stranger to the controversy Rodriguez experienced in 09. In 2006 Arnaoutis lost a highly controversial split decision to Ricardo Torres for the Vacant WBO Light Welterweight World Title. In his last fight for the Vacant USBA Light Welterweight Title, Arnaoutis once again came up on the wrong end of a questionable split decision, losing to Tim Coleman in a fight that ringside announcers had Arnaoutis comfortably ahead in.

“The only thing on my mind right now is Delvin Rodriguez and my fight with him on April 2nd,” said Arnaoutis. “I’m looking at this fight like there is no tomorrow if I lose. I want that belt and I want to show everyone that I am going to be a force in the welterweight division, and that’s exactly what I plan on doing.”

A complete list of the amazing and talent loaded undercard will be announced shortly. Tickets are priced and available at $75, $45 and $30 and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Star Boxing office at (718) 823-2000. Star is currently holding choice seats for prime customers. To find out more information about this terrific offer or to purchase these exclusive tickets please call Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000 or visit www.starboxing.com. Tickets may also be purchased through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com or purchase tickets by calling 1-800-745-3000.

Training in the hardened gyms in his hometown of Philadelphia , the 29 year old Hopkins is preparing to the return to the ring for the first time as a welterweight, a move which he has contemplated for the last couple of years.

“I’m almost six feet tall and it’s been a struggle to make 140 for a long time. Today, I’m more than two weeks out for the fight against Norwood and I’m at 151. All those problems I had making weight are long in the past and I feel so much stronger in training these last few weeks” said Hopkins.

Sporting a record of 28-1-1 (11KO’s), Hopkins has long been known for his outstanding boxing skills with highlight reel knockout power. In his last bout fifteen months ago, he faced WBO junior welterweight title holder Kendall Holt on six days notice, battling evenly over twelve rounds, losing a close split decision.

Norwood, 43-3-1 (23KO’s), was among the best fighters of late 90’s, the southpaw owning a WBA Featherweight title defense against boxing superstar Juan Manual Marquez.

“I’m very familiar with Norwood , I’ve been watching his fights for years. My job will be to use my height and reach advantage against him. He’s going to want to stay inside against me so I’ll have to be smart about my attack as the fight progresses” continued Hopkins .

About his future plans at welterweight, Hopkins said “I’d like to fight Andre Berto, but first I need take care of business on March 25th. Norwood is going to be a tough fight but I’m ready to go. I’ve got a great team with TKO Boxing Promotions and Cameron Dunkin, 2010 is going to be a terrific year for me.”

The outstanding undercard for FIGHT NIGHT 2 AT THE COMMERCE CASINO features sensational Canadian newcomer Mikael Zewski , California based pro debuters Flavio Rodriguez and Randy Caballero, The Brothers Chudinov, Dmitry and Fedor, undefeated Russian lightweight prospect Arman Sargysan and Ukrainian prospect Ivan Redkach.

In a special attraction four round heavyweight bout, Mike Finney of San Jacinto , California will square off against Carson City , Nevada ’s Steve Fierro.

More information on this evening of professional boxing will be announced shortly.

Presented by TKO BOXING Promotions, tickets for Fight Night 2 at the Commerce Casino, starting at $25, can be purchased through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com or by phone 800-745-3000). The Commerce Casino is located at 6131 Telegraph Road. Doors on the evening of the event will open at 7pm, with the first bell at 8pm.

Prior to the 2001 baseball season, baseball pundits and fans alike could reasonably conclude the following about Barry Bonds:

1.)   Barry Bonds was an exceptional baseball player

2.)   Barry Bonds was physically achieving what many people thought impossible for someone his age, but as suspect of an achievement as it may have been, it was still explainable and therefore celebratory.

Then, the 2001 season happened. Bonds hit 24 more homers than the previous season and broke Mark McGwire’s single season record. He batted .328 with 137 RBI’s and a slugging pct. of .863, an astounding accomplishment for a 36-year-old. At an age where most players’ statistics begin to plummet, he rewrote the baseball record books.

The 2001 season was so disproportionate to his previous achievements that it served as an “eye brow raiser.” At that time there wasn’t any conclusive evidence linking Bonds to steroids, but when you looked at the numbers, his age and what he achieved, you at least raised an eye brow.

Manny Pacquiao placed a microscope on his achievements this past winter when he declined to accept Floyd Mayweather’s contractual request to submit to Olympic-style random blood testing. Whether you believe Manny is reasonable when he says he feels drained after such tests, the amount of money left on the table for declining such a request is enough to give pause.

Still, all of Manny’s achievements up to this point are explainable and reasonable. Is it suspicious that in March 2008, he was in a war with Juan Manuel Marquez at 130lbs and by November of 2009, he was crushing an established and bigger Miguel Cotto at 145lbs? Sure. But Manny is an exceptional workhorse whose training regime is second to none. Up to this point, his achievements should still be celebrated.

This Saturday, Pacquiao is set to face Joshua Clottey in what could be his “2001 season”.  Clottey has never been stopped inside of 12 rounds. He is a much bigger Welterweight than Pacquiao, has a solid chin and is a defense-first boxer.  His three losses come from a disqualification, a decision to Antonio Margarito and a very questionable loss to Miguel Cotto.

Yes, Manny Pacquiao is arguably the best boxer, pound for pound, on the planet. His last three wins illustrate a type of streak that is incomparable to any recent fighter. On the surface, this fight should serve no other purpose other than to showcase Pacquiao’s skill set, Dallas’s new venue and help magnify the public’s desire for a fight with Floyd Mayweather. But a closer look at the Pac Man’s last three tornado wins should lead someone to the following three facts:

1)     Oscar De La Hoya was not only in the twilight of his career but was physically and mentally drained prior to the start of the fight.

2)     Ricky Hatton is not, nor was he ever, an elite boxer. He was a very good fighter whose most notable win was against a much older Kostya Tszyu. In his two opportunities to fight on the grand stage, he was knocked out.

3)     Cheaters never prosper, but they sure can hurt you. Miguel Cotto was badly beaten and battered in his 2008 loss to Antonio Margarito, who would later lose his boxing license for tampering with his hand wraps prior to his 2009 fight with Shane Mosley.

This fight with Clottey is an entirely different animal. Clottey is still on the rise, he hasn’t been unceremoniously battered into a pulp like Cotto and he’s not going to drop his hands and engage in a pub fight like Ricky Hatton.

Manny is by far the superior fighter. He has the faster hands, and his pace is likely to frustrate and confuse Clottey. A unanimous decision win for Manny would be nothing more than a stamp on a hall of fame career.  However, I cannot help but realize that going into this fight, the following states are relevant:

1.)   Manny Pacquiao is an exceptional boxer.

2.)   Manny Pacquiao is physically achieving what many people thought was impossible for someone his size, but as suspect of an achievement as it may be, it’s still explainable and therefore celebratory.

Maybe Manny is telling the truth and has absolutely NO idea what a steroid even is. Maybe he’s a once-in-a-lifetime fighter.

As a longtime boxing fan, I know anything can happen in a fight, but then again, a knockout of a very game, very big, very underestimated Clottey on Saturday should at least…be cause to raise an eyebrow. Or two.

In the scheduled 12-round main event, to be televised by HBO, Kelly Pavlik of Youngstown, OH, defends his WBC/WBO middleweight titles against Sergio Martinez, of Buenos Aires, Argentina..

Jones, 26, scored the biggest win of his career Feb. 27 when he earned a unanimous 10-round decision over former world-title challenger Henry Bruseles, of Gurabo, Puerto Rico, in front of a standing-room-only crowd in the Grand Ballroom of Bally’s Atlantic City.

A pro since 2005, Jones is 20-0, 16 K0s. He was ranked No. 8 by the World Boxing Association (WBA), No. 11 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and No. 16 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) prior to the win over Bruseles.

Munoz, 31, has a record of 18-2-1, 11 K0s. In his last fight, Munoz was stopped in the 12th round by undefeated top contender (No. 3 WBA, No. 2 WBO) Antonin DeCarie, of Montreal, Canada.

Tickets for this blockbuster card are priced at $50, $100, $200 and $350. They are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing Promotions (215-765-0922) and all Ticketmaster outlets (1-800-745-3000). Tickets also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.xcom and www.Ticketmaster.com.

New York State heavyweight champion Darrel “King David” Madison (14-1, 3 KOs), coming off of an 8-round split decision win last July against Nagy Aguilera, now rated No. 12 by the IBF, defends his title belt against dangerous southpaw Robert Wiggins (20-7-1, 12 KOs) in the 8-round main event.

Rosedale’s (NY) unbeaten light heavyweight Ronson Frank (13-0, 7 KOs), by way of Guyana, recently signed a promotional contract with O’Shea Brothers Boxing Promotions.

“Ronson has rich bloodlines and a lot of potential,” promoter Brian O’Shea said. “His older brothers, Steve (1984 Olympian) and Raul, are both former world title challengers. We’re showcasing Ronson on this card and have big plans for him in the future. With Madison-Wiggins on top, Ronson fighting in the co-feature, and a solid undercard, our March 12th show is loaded from top to bottom with some of the best, most entertaining fighters in the New York area.”

Bronx featherweight Maureen “The Real Million Dollar Baby” Shea (13-2, 7 KOs) is off the card due to a minor injury, but fellow Bronx featherweight Nydia “Da Phnominal” Feliciano (2-0-1, 0 KOs) faces national kickboxing champion Jennifer Han (0-1) in a 6-round bout.

In other 6-round bouts, undefeated Bronx super middleweight Hajro Sujak (5-0, 2 KOs) fights Rondu Campbell (2-4-1), while Astoria (NY) light middleweight (by way of Cyprus) Lambros “Lionheart” Karaolides (5-0, 4 KOs) tangles with Ashantie “Volcano” Hendrickson (1-5).

On the undercard in 4-round bouts are Bronx bantamweight Raul Lopez (2-0-1, 2 KOs) against Reinaldo Cintron (1-1, 1 KO), and Yonkers featherweight favorite Chazz McDowell (1-0, 1 KO) versus Filberto Nieto (1-5, 1 KO).

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $50.00 (General Admission) and $75.00 (Ringside), are available to purchase by calling 914.216.9381. For more information go on line at www.osheabrosboxing.com or call 914.216.9381. Doors open 6:30 PM/ET, first bout 7:30 PM/ET.

Joshua Clottey drops his gloves and heads to the red corner. He curses about something under his breath–a misfired punch, maybe? No one at ringside could tell. He looked sharp, sounded sharp. “Take it easy,” the manager, Vincent Scolpino, quietly urges. Clottey’s face tightens. Clottey is a man on a mission: he is fighting Manny Pacquiao in a few days. He has something to prove.

Clottey Working the Pads, Courtesy of Tony Mangia

Clottey’s skin is beaded with sweat. The manager squirts water into Clottey’s mouth and towels the perspiration from his face. Nothing is said. Clottey breaks away and paces the ring. Camera flashes burst and Clottey has the presence of mind to give everyone surrounding the ring a frontal shot. He doesn’t smile or frown. His sweatpants and three layers of tee-shirts are soaked through. There is nothing flashy or phony about about this 32 year-old fighter who has 39 pro bouts under his belt.

What drives a man to step into the ring–millions of dollars now–but what compels him to step in for the first time? Respect, vengeance or maybe necessity? Joshua Clottey’s story begins as a member of the “Ga” tribe in Accra,Ghana. The streets of Ghana have produced top-ranked boxers like Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey. They trained in Bukom and that’s where Clottey laced up his first gloves. Ghanian fighters are known to fight in a patient, methodical manner, knowing how and when to attack. Clottey epitomizes this style and says,”Ghanians are by nature, proud and polite. They perform their tasks neatly, down to woman carrying a car battery on her head.” Don’t let this analogy fool you. Clottey has an agressive style and good movement. He is strong, has punching power, and can wear you down in the late rounds.

Clottey’s opponent is Manny Pacquiao, 31, of the Philippines, widely considered the best ‘pound for pound’ boxer in the world. The Boxing Writer’s Association of America recently called Pacquiao the ‘Fighter of the Decade, 2000-2009.’ Not bad credentials considering that Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather Jr. come from that same era.

Clottey may be concentrating on Pacquiao now but, possibly, in the back of his head is his fight with Miguel Cotto last June at Madison Square Garden. Many felt that the Puerto Rican, Cotto, won a favorable home crowd split decision against Clottey by hanging on for the final three rounds, which were pretty much dominated by the Ghanian. Clottey, now a Bronx resident, was on the cusp of superstardom in the fight world. Now he is only known as a good fighter. If that match was still on his mind, Clottey didn’t show it while running on the treadmill.

Clottey, surrounded by cameras and tape recorders at Kingsway Gym in Midtown Manhattan, ran at a steady gait and gave curt answers. “It’s past,” and “I’m fine,” he answered reporters in his thick accent. Still, he never cracked a smile or a pained face. “Done,” was all he said as he hopped off the treadmill and got laced up by his trainers.

No posse, loud music or theatrics. Clottey’s team is all business.