Names Making News And What’s On For January 2008

Happy New Year one and all, I hope everyone’s holiday was good because it’s now time to get back in the groove. Let’s start out 2008 with a few rumors, updates and fights already signed making headlines.

But, before we get started, a word of condolence. The boxing world recently lost a true warrior in the ring. Yo-Sam Choi of South Korea defended his WBO Inter-Continental Flyweight title against Heri Amol on Christmas in Seoul, Korea, and after the bout, Choi collapsed and was rushed to a near by hospital where he slipped into a coma.

Choi was pronounced brain dead a short while later and on January 2, pronounced dead after he was taken off life support. Choi’s family had the fighter removed from the support system and his vital organs will immediately go to four different patients on the transplant list.

We here at SaddoBoxing want to give our heartfelt best wishes to the family of Yo-Sam Choi and a "thank you" for all he contributed to the sport. He was a true champion, not only in the ring, but outside as well.

Pound for pound number one ranked fighter in the world Floyd Mayweather Jr., fresh off his December 8 TKO win over Ricky Hatton, is rumored to be in negotiations to enter the world of Mixed Martial Arts. Although Mayweather himself has not confirmed these rumors, there has been more than one member of his camp to whisper that is where "Pretty Boy" Floyd will be headed in the near future.

Former trainer and father Floyd Mayweather, Sr. has gone public with his disapproval of the idea that his son may enter the MMA field but only time will give us the true answer to this rumor. Floyd Jr. did say that he was taking the year off from boxing, didn’t he?

The four men who are accused of murdering former British Heavyweight Champion James Oyebola were remanded back into custody without bail on January 3 after appearing in court. 22 yearr old Kanyanta Mulenga, 19 year old Rene McKoy, 18 year old Cyle Carth and 23 year old Dean Francis will await trial scheduled this March for allegedly shooting the 47 year old former champion outside a Fulham, London bar in July of 2007.

Promoter Dan Goossen announced on January 3 that WBO Welterweight Champion Paul "The Punisher" Williams, 33-0 (24), will defend his title on February 9 against Carlos Quintana, 24-1 (19). Quintana was the opponent that most expected Williams to face after IBF Welterweight Champion Kermit Cintron pulled out of their proposed Feb 2 showdown with a supposed hand injury, but it was not made official until yesterday.

As for the venue, Goossen stated "We are not sure at the moment, only that it will be held in Puerto Rico." Goossen also confirmed that IBF Featherweight Champion Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero will defend his title against Jason Litzau on February 29. That fight will be aired on ShoBox.

On the Bill:

Friday January 4:
Hard Rock Casino, Biloxi, Mississippi, USA.
Anthony Peterson, 25-0 (18), vs. Jose Antonio Izquierdo, 16-1-1 (13), light welterweights
Lamont Peterson, 23-0 (11), vs. Antonio Mesquita, 34-0 (26), welterweights

Million Dollar Elm Casino, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Allen Green, 25-1 (18), vs. Rubin Williams, 29-2-1 (16), super middleweights
Zahir Raheem, 28-2 (16), vs. Ricardo Dominguez, 23-2-2 (15), lightweights

Saturday January 5:
Bally’s Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Paul Malignaggi, 23-1 (5), vs. Herman Ngoudjo, 16-1 (9), IBF Light Welterweight Title
Glen Johnson, 46-11-2 (31), vs. Hugo Pineda, 39-3-1 (28), light heavyweights

Thursday, January 10:
Perfectural Gym, Osaka, Japan
Hozumi Hasegawa, 22-2 (7), vs. Simone Maludrottu, 26-1 (10), WBC Bantamweight title
Wladimir Sidorenko, 20-0-2 (7), vs. Nobuto Ikehara, 27-1 (19), WBA Bantamweight title

Friday, January 11:
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood Florida, USA
Edison Miranda, 29-2 (25), vs David Banks, 15-3-1 (2), super middleweights
Jean Pascal, 20-0 (14), vs. Omar Pittman, 15-3-1 (8), super middleweights

Saturday, January 12:
York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, UK
Kevin Mitchell, 24-0 (17), vs. Thomas Okanja Aryeetey, 2-1 (1), Commonwealth Super Featherweight title
Anthony Small, 17-1 (11), vs. Mehrdud Takaloo 25-6 (17), vacant British Southern Area Light Middleweight title

Lotto Arena, Antwerp, Belgium
Jackson Osei Bonsu, 26-1 (23), vs. Brice Faradji, 25-8 (8), European Welterweight title

Monday, January 14:
Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Alexander Munoz, 31-2 (27), vs. Katsushige Kawashima, 32-6 (21), WBA Super Flyweight title

Friday, January 18:
Meadowside Leisure Centre, Burton-On-Trent, Uk
Esham Pickering, 32-6 (12), vs. Sean Hughes, 14-6-1 (1), British Super Bantamweight title

Saturday, January 19:
Casino, Rama, Ontario, Canada
Steve Molitor, 25-0 (10), vs. Ricardo Castillo, 33-4 (22), IBF Super Bantamweight title

Burg-Waechter Castello, Dusseldorf, Germany
Ruslan Chageav, 23-0 (17), vs. Matt Skelton, 21-1 (18), WBA Heavyweight title
Sergiy Dzinziruk, 34-0 (22), vs Lukas Konecny, 35-2 (17), WBO Light Middleweights title

Madison Square Garden, NY, USA
Roy Jones Jr., 51-4 (38), vs. Felix Trinidad ,42-2 (35), light heavyweights
Mike Mollo ,19-1 (12), vs .Andrew Golota, 40-6-1 (33), heavyweights
Roman Karmazin, 36-2-1 (23), vs. Alex Bunema, 28-5-2 (14), light middleweights

Friday, January 25:
Goresbrook Leisure Centre, Dagenham, UK
Colin Lynes, 30-3 (12), vs. Gianluca Branco, 39-2-1 (21), European Light Welterweight title

Saturday, January 26:
Senayan Indoor Stadium, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Chris John, 40-0-1 (21), vs. Roinet Caballero, 22-7-1 (16), WBA Featherweight title

Click to read more boxing articles by Daxx Kahn

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