Micky Ward Wins Boxing Writers Award For Integrity; Plus Tidbits

By a vote of the officers and board of directors of the Boxing Writers Association of America, the recipient of the 2010 James A. Farley award for “Honesty and Integrity in Boxing” is Micky Ward.

Ward, a tough junior welterweight from Lowell, Massachusetts, compiled a career record of 38-13 (27 KOs). He is best known to boxing fans for his legendary trilogy with Arturo Gatti, fights that were the final three of Ward’s career, the last being on June 7, 2003.

The movie “THE FIGHTER,” based on Ward’s career is a serious contender for Academy Awards honors. As a result, Ward has transcended his sport and is now known to the mainstream public. He has been a fan-friendly fighter both inside and outside the ring, going out of his way to accommodate the public.

Ward, 45, fought with integrity throughout his career. He never made excuses when he lost and never gloated after a victory. As brutal as his legendary battles with Gatti were, the sportsmanship both men displayed was exemplary. An unlikely friendship ensued and Gatti enlisted Ward’s services as his trainer for the final fight of his career.

Ward will be honored at this year’s BWAA dinner. The date and venue are to be announced.

SHUMENOV FIGHTS JOPPY AFTER BRAEHMER “RUNS” OUT OF TOWN

SHYMKENT, Kazakhstan (Jan. 7, 2011) – Despite the unannounced departure from Kazakhstan of WBO champion Juergen Braehmer, WBA/IBA Light Heavyweight Champion Beibut Shumenov decided not to allow the devastating news derail his homecoming as a World Champion when he defends his titles Saturday night against 3-time world champion William Joppy in the 12-round main event at the Ice Mansion in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

Failing to notify the promoters and his refusal to be examined by the federation doctor in Shymkent, Braehmer returned home to Germany on Tuesday claiming a case of diarrhea prevented him from facing Shumenov in a Unification bout.

Shumenov (10-1, 6 KOs) will now put his titles on the line against 3-time world middleweight champion William Joppy (39-6-2, 30 KOs), who was in Kazakhstan and scheduled to fight Saturday evening against WBA No. 6 and Interim PABA light heavyweight champion Gayrat Ahmedov (15-0-1, 10 KOs).

Click the link for an interview with Shumenov’s head trainer, Kevin Barry, regarding Braehmer and Joppy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HetyFQzYtOw

“I trained too hard for Braehmer and will not disappoint my fans and many dignitaries, including the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, attending this sold-out show,” Shumenov explained. “I’m putting Braehmer in the rear view mirror and intend to get right back on track defending my titles against Joppy, who I applaud for accepting this fight, and focus on collecting the other world light heavyweight titles.”

“The Unification” is being presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions and KZ Event Productions. Shumenov owns and operates the Las Vegas-based KZ Event Productions along with his brother, Chingis, and is promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions.

Also fighting on Saturday night’s card are three boxers fighting under the KZ Event Productions banner: WBA No. 13 welterweight Ravshan Hudaynazarov (13-0, 11 KOs) vs. former Mexican welterweight champion Jose Luis “Chelin” Cruz (41-7-2, 33 KOs), WBA FEDALATIN Welterweight Championship; former Kazakhstan National amateur champion Alexandr Zhyuravskiy (9-0, 7 KOs) vs. Ruben “Modern Day Warrior” Galvan (27-14-4, 10 KOs), WBA International Championship; and Ahmedov (15-0-1, 10 KOs), vs. Dzhizak Abdullakimov (13-4, 3 KOs), Interim PABA and WBA International Championships.

For additional information about go online to www.goossentutor.com or www.KZEventProductions.com.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Jan. 6, 2011) — Fresh off a historic year in combat sports, Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., is ready to kick off 2011 in style at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

Live professional boxing returns to Uncasville, Conn., on Friday, Feb. 4, 2011, as CES presents “Block Party” at the Mohegan Sun Arena. CES’ first show of 2011 features the best talent from various New England neighborhoods, headlined by Providence, R.I., super middleweight Vladine Biosse (9-0, 4 KOs) and also starring New Haven, Conn., super middleweight Elvin Ayala (20-5, 9 KOs) – CES’ newest acquisition – and Ledyard, Conn., light heavyweight Brian Macy (5-1, 2 KOs) in his long-awaited return.

“This is an exciting card from top to bottom,” CES president Jimmy Burchfield said. “There’s something for everybody, whether you’re a fan in Rhode Island, Connecticut or Massachusetts. The name ‘Block Party’ is a fitting title because this truly is a celebration of the continued success of New England boxing. On the top of the card, you’ve got Vladine Biosse, one of the top prospects in boxing, defending his New England super middleweight title against a dangerous opponent. Vladine won four fights in 2010, including a classic battle in front of 42 million homes on ESPN against ‘Irish’ Joey McCreedy, and continues to climb the ladder with each fight.

“With Elvin Ayala in the co-feature, you’ve got an established, ring-savvy veteran and a former world-title challenger who is willing to fight anyone at any given time, and Brian Macy, a University of Connecticut graduate and one of the most popular fighters in his state, is a wonderful story, having served his country for 10 months in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army and now returning to the ring to resume his promising boxing career.

“This is a must-see event and we’re looking forward to filling every seat in the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena.”

A former college football standout at the University of Rhode Island, Biosse will put his New England super middleweight title on the line against hard-punching veteran Samson Onyango (20-7, 13 KOs) in the eight-round main event. Onyango is originally from Nairobi, Kenya and now fights out of Brockton, Mass. Onyango’s most recent bout was a hard-fought, unanimous decision loss to undefeated Hungarian light heavyweight prospect Zsolt Erdei on Nov. 20 in Atlantic City, N.J.

The six-round co-feature pits Ayala against an opponent to be determined while Macy will fight for the first time in two years against Walter Foster (4-3-1, 4 KOs) of Berkeley, Mo., in a four-round middleweight bout. Macy returned home in September of 2010 following a 10-month stint in Baghdad.

The undercard of “Block Party” features: New Haven junior welterweight Edwin Soto (5-0-1, 2 KOs) in a six-round rematch against Bryan Abraham (2-4-2, 2 KOs) of Schenectady, N.Y. (the two fought to a draw on June 26, 2010 at Mohegan in one of the top regional fights of the year); New Haven super bantamweight Luis Rosa Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) facing Vero Beach, Fla., native Aaron Chavez (2-2, 1 KO) in a four-round bout; and Randolph, Mass., heavyweight Billy Mofford (9-1-2, 4 KOs) battling Chicago’s Theron Johnson (4-3, 1 KO) in a six-round contest.

In a special, welterweight feature, Lowell, Mass., native Sean Eklund (7-4, 1 KO) — the nephew of former world title challenger “Irish” Micky Ward, whose incredible story is portrayed in the box-office sensation, “The Fighter” — will defend his Eastern Boxing Association (EBA) New England title against Noel Garcia (2-6-1, 1 KO) of Springfield, Mass. Ward will work Eklund’s corner, along with Ward’s half-brother Dicky Eklund, who is also portrayed in the film. Sean Eklund won the title last year on March 19 with a victory over previously-unbeaten Eddie Soto, who had defeated him in 2009.

Puerto Rican welterweight Javier Flores (4-0, 4 KOs) of Hartford will make his United States debut against tough veteran Marcus Hall (4-2-1, 2 KOs) of Rochester, N.Y., in a six-round bout (Flores’ first four professional fights — all knockout victories — were held in his native Puerto Rico), and Thomas Falowo (1-0, 1 KO) of Providence, R.I., who won his pro debut two months ago on Nov. 12, will battle the dangerous Greg McCoy (2-1-2, 1 KO) in an exciting, four-round interstate middleweight bout.

Tickets for “Block Party” are $40, $65 and $105 and can be purchased by calling CES at (401)724-2253/2254 or calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. Fans can also purchase tickets online at www.cesboxing.com, www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Mohegan Sun box office. For more information on “Block Party,” visit www.cesboxing.com or www.mohegansun.com. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:30.