Thursday, April 28, 2011
No Holds Barred: George Hero and MidwoodMania II
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again speaks with the legendary coach and founder of the Midwood High School wrestling team in Brooklyn, New York, George Hero.
The 53-year-old Coach Hero will once again take to the mat in this event, which is aimed at promoting and popularizing the sport of wrestling and the Midwood High School wrestling team. At MidwoodMania II, Coach Hero will take on Adam Waxman in a match under NCAA rules. Adam Waxman, a 1987 graduate of Midwood, was the first captain of the Midwood wrestling team. Since 1990, he has been the owner of Fitness 1 Training in Brooklyn, so we can expect him to offer stiff competition to his mentor and former coach.
There will also be a full card of matches in folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling. This year, not only are numerous Midwood alumni returning to the mat, but also many other alumni from schools in Brooklyn will be competing as well.
MidwoodMania II takes place Saturday, April 30, beginning at 11 AM ET, at the Midwood High School Gymnasium at 2839 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. There is a Facebook page with more information about MidwoodMania II at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=183221558382474.
We spoke with Coach Hero on Tuesday about this event and what it means to the sport of wrestling and the combat sports in general.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
M-1 Global. Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has staged over 100 mixed martial arts events worldwide including the M-1 Selection tournaments and M-1 Challenge events, in Eastern and Western Europe, North America, and Asia. While discovering and developing the world's next generation of superstar fighters, M-1 Global's greatest asset is the number one heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. Make sure to catch their shows from around the world, including on Showtime in the U.S., and visit their web site, M-1Global.com, and the M-1 Facebook page for news, videos, and live streaming events.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, George Hero, Midwood, MidwoodMania, No Holds Barred, wrestling
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
No Holds Barred: Eric Nicholl Previews M-1 Challenge XXV
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Eric Nicholl of M-1 Global to preview the M-1 Challenge XXV mixed martial arts card, which takes place Thursday, April 28, at the Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Besides being shown live on Russian television, M-1 Challenge XXV will be streamed live and for free to the entire world. It can be seen on their web site, M-1Global.com, and the M-1 Facebook page. The stream will begin at 11 AM ET/8 AM PT in North America.
There are two title fights headlining this card. Shamil Zavurov (19-1) will try to defend his M-1 welterweight belt against Sengoku veteran Yasubey Enomoto (6-2), and Vinny Magalhaes (7-5) and Viktor Nemkov (10-2) will fight for the vacant M-1 light heavyweight title.
On Wednesday, we spoke by Skype to Eric Nicholl, who is in St. Petersburg, about this card and the future plans of M-1 Global around the world. Based on the previous M-1 shows, we all expect an exciting card filled with technique, action, and finishes.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
M-1 Global. Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has staged over 100 mixed martial arts events worldwide including the M-1 Selection tournaments and M-1 Challenge events, in Eastern and Western Europe, North America, and Asia. While discovering and developing the world's next generation of superstar fighters, M-1 Global's greatest asset is the number one heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. Make sure to catch their shows from around the world, including on Showtime in the U.S., and visit their web site, M-1Global.com, and the M-1 Facebook page for news, videos, and live streaming events.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, Eric Nicholl, M-1, MMA, No Holds Barred, Zavurov
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
No Holds Barred: Jeff Monson
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again speaks with American Top Team mixed martial arts fighter and grappling world champion Jeff Monson.
The next fight on his busy schedule will be Saturday, April 30, for the Strength & Honor Championship. This card, SHC4, will take place at the Hotel Kempinski in Geneva, Switzerland. In the main event, he will face Maro "the Mean Machine" Perak of Croatia in a heavyweight fight.
Right after that fight, he will remain in Switzerland to conduct seminars at the headquarters of FILA, the international wrestling federation as recognized by the International Olympic Committee, in Corsier-sur-Vevey. Then he will attend the Hard Fighting Championship 3 MMA card on May 6 in Martigny, Switzerland, which is being organized in collaboration with FILA, and the FILA Grand Prix tournaments in grappling, pankration, and combat grappling (amateur MMA) on May 7-8, also in Martigny.
We spoke with Jeff Monson by phone on Sunday night about this fight with Maro Perak and what to expect. He explained why it is "an honor" for him to be working with FILA on these events and sharing his combat sports knowledge with young, up-and-coming athletes. We discussed the involvement of FILA with MMA, how it will affect MMA as well as grappling and wrestling, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
M-1 Global. Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has staged over 100 mixed martial arts events worldwide including the M-1 Selection tournaments and M-1 Challenge events, in Eastern and Western Europe, North America, and Asia. While discovering and developing the world's next generation of superstar fighters, M-1 Global's greatest asset is the number one heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. Make sure to catch their shows from around the world, including on Showtime in the U.S., and visit their web site, M-1Global.com, and the M-1 Facebook page for news, videos, and live streaming events.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Labels: ADCC, Eddie Goldman, FILA, Jeff Monson, MMA, No Holds Barred
Sunday, April 24, 2011
No Holds Barred: MMA Goes to Russia, and What It Means for the World
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses a number of recent developments in mixed martial arts, including the rise of the countries of the former Soviet Union and what effect that is having on the sport and business of MMA. Also discussed are the prospects for MMA in Europe, Asia, and North America, how prospects are brought along differently in boxing and MMA and how their records must thusly be properly interpreted, the influence of the growth of grappling on MMA around the world, how MMA might get into the Olympics, and more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
M-1 Global. Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has staged over 100 mixed martial arts events worldwide including the M-1 Selection tournaments and M-1 Challenge events, in Eastern and Western Europe, North America, and Asia. While discovering and developing the world's next generation of superstar fighters, M-1 Global's greatest asset is the number one heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. Make sure to catch their shows from around the world, including on Showtime in the U.S., and visit their web site, M-1Global.com, and the M-1 Facebook page for news, videos, and live streaming events.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, grappling, M-1, MMA, No Holds Barred, Russia, wrestling
Thursday, April 21, 2011
No Holds Barred: Luigi Fioravanti Goes to Russia
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with American Top Team mixed martial arts fighter, "The Italian Tank" Luigi Fioravanti.
Now riding a five-fight winning streak, he will next be taking on the veteran Andrei Semenov in a middleweight fight on Thursday, April 28, at M-1 Challenge XXV. This card will take place at the Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, which is the home of Semonov. It will be streamed live and for free on M-1Global.com, the M-1 Facebook page, and many other sites.
We spoke Wednesday by phone with Luigi Fioravanti about this fight and his career. He explained why he has found more success as a fighter since moving up to middleweight. We discussed his approach to this fight, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
M-1 Global. Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has staged over 100 mixed martial arts events worldwide including the M-1 Selection tournaments and M-1 Challenge events, in Eastern and Western Europe, North America, and Asia. While discovering and developing the world's next generation of superstar fighters, M-1 Global's greatest asset is the number one heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. Make sure to catch their shows from around the world, including on Showtime in the U.S., and visit their web site, M-1Global.com, and the M-1 Facebook page for news, videos, and live streaming events.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Labels: Andrei Semenov, Eddie Goldman, Luigi Fioravanti, M-1, No Holds Barred
Sunday, April 17, 2011
No Holds Barred: Agbeko-Mares Preview, Ortiz-Berto Review, Poker Sites Busted
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews the Joseph King Kong Agbeko-Abner Mares fight coming up April 23, reviews the recent series of upsets in boxing including the victory by Victor Ortiz over Andre Berto on April 16, and discusses the implications of the U.S. government indictment of the founders of the three major online poker sites and the shutting down of those sites.
IBF bantamweight champion Joseph King Kong Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs) of Accra, Ghana, and the Bronx, New York, will defend his title against the unbeaten Abner Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs) of Hawaiian Gardens, California by way of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, in the finals of the Showtime bantamweight tournament. This fight will take place Saturday, April 23, at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles, and will be telecast in the U.S. on Showtime.
We spoke with Joseph Agbeko at a recent media workout at John's Boxing Gym in the South Bronx about what to expect in this fight. We also hear Abner Mares talk about this fight during a recent media conference call.
Not only has there been a rash of unexpected results of late in boxing, but it also is just as unexpected that so many upsets have been taking place at all in a sport where promoters and networks like to control the outcomes of fights through careful matchmaking as much as possible. The latest of these upsets in major fights took place in the main events on Saturday night, April 16, on both HBO and Showtime.
Victor Ortiz was still trying to live down accusations of being a quitter after indicating that he no longer wanted to fight in his 2009 TKO loss to Marcos Maidana, and a safety-first draw with Lamont Peterson in 2010. Now moving up to welterweight to face the then-unbeaten WBC champion Andre Berto, Ortiz vowed to prove that he had the heart of a fighter and a champion, and that his critics were wrong. Ortiz certainly re-established himself as a fighter to watch, as he won a bruising 12-round decision over Berto in the main event at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut. In that fight, yet another fight of the year candidate, both fighters were knocked down twice. We discuss that fight, as well as the upset victory by Orlando Salido against another previously-unbeaten fighter, Juan Manuel Lopez, in front of a pro-Lopez crowd in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
On Friday, April 15, it was announced that eleven defendants, including the founders of the three largest Internet poker companies doing business in the United States - PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker - had been indicted in the U.S. Southern District of New York on charges of bank fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling offenses. The domain names of these online poker sites were also seized by the U.S, government. According to U.S. law, Internet gambling is illegal within the U.S. One of these three poker companies, Full Tilt Poker, has been a major sponsor of mixed martial arts fighters, especially of late in Strikeforce.
We discuss the implications of these charges, and how they highlight the need for an international sports anti-corruption agency. We also hear the question about this asked of Jacque Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, at a recent news conference by Jens Andersen, the International Director of the anti-corruption organization Play the Game.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
M-1 Global. Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has staged over 100 mixed martial arts events worldwide including the M-1 Selection tournaments and M-1 Challenge events, in Eastern and Western Europe, North America, and Asia. While discovering and developing the world's next generation of superstar fighters, M-1 Global's greatest asset is the number one heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. Make sure to catch their shows from around the world, including on Showtime in the U.S., and visit their web site, M-1Global.com, and the M-1 Facebook page for news, videos, and live streaming events.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
Labels: Agbeko, Berto, Eddie Goldman, Mares, No Holds Barred, Ortiz, poker
Saturday, April 16, 2011
No Holds Barred: Warrior, Forthcoming MMA Movie, Previewed
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman reports from a screening of the forthcoming movie "Warrior". This major film, scheduled for release in September 2011, is a drama focusing on the quest of two estranged brothers to win a Grand Prix MMA tournament.
While Hollywood is known for its preposterous stories and clichés, especially in fight films, previews of the rough cut of this film have been getting glowing reviews from both general movie observers and many in the MMA community as well. Many are already mentioning the riveting performances of stars Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte as deserving of Oscar nominations.
We went to a media screening of "Warrior" Thursday night in New York, and recorded the comments of several of those in attendance immediately after the film concluded. We spoke with Jim Genia (mmajournalist.blogspot.com), Paula Romero, Kahleem Poole (kahl-one.com), Jeannie Rodriguez, and Al Bevilacqua (NYWrestling.com).
While this film is far from perfect in its portrayal of mixed martial arts, everyone with whom we spoke gave it a thumbs up. Our unanimous conclusion was: Whether you are a fan of MMA or not, "Warrior" is a must-see film.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
M-1 Global. Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has staged over 100 mixed martial arts events worldwide including the M-1 Selection tournaments and M-1 Challenge events, in Eastern and Western Europe, North America, and Asia. While discovering and developing the world's next generation of superstar fighters, M-1 Global's greatest asset is the number one heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. Make sure to catch their shows from around the world, including on Showtime in the U.S., and visit their web site, M-1Global.com, and the M-1 Facebook page for news, videos, and live streaming events.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Warrior
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
No Holds Barred: Bjorn Rebney of Bellator Fighting Championships
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Bjorn Rebney, the CEO of the Bellator Fighting Championships.
Their next show, Bellator 41, will be held Saturday, April 16, at the Cocopah Resort and Casino, in Somerton, Arizona, near Yuma. It will be shown live in the U.S. on MTV2.
On that card, Bellator featherweight champion Joe Warren has a non-title fight against Marcos "Louro" Galvao, and Bellator bantamweight champion Zack Makovsky has a non-title fight against Chad Robichaux. There are also the two semi-final fights in their season four featherweight tournament, as Wilson Reis fights Patricio "Pitbull" Freire and Kenny Foster fights Daniel Straus.
We spoke with Bjorn Rebney by phone Wednesday evening about this card and the past, present, and future of Bellator. We discussed their tournament format, which clearly distinguishes Bellator from most mixed martial arts companies where promoters pick and choose who gets title shots and who does not. We discussed their business model, which, according to Bjorn Rebney, has gotten them to a "cash flow break-even" point in this, their third year of running shows. He explained that unlike some other companies, Bellator is not for sale, will not be in the future, and why. We also discussed many other topics including their schedule for the season four tournament finals, their deal with MTV2 and their rising TV ratings, the possibility of co-promotion with other MMA companies, when some of their newer fighters will be making their debuts, the return of women fighters, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Labels: Bellator, Bjorn Rebney, Eddie Goldman, MMA, MTV2, No Holds Barred
Monday, April 11, 2011
No Holds Barred: Rodrigo Comprido Medeiros on Fighting Steroids in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with one of the legends of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros.
In 1999 and 2000, Comprido won the black belt absolute division in the Mundials, the jiu-jitsu world championships, and owns the record of the fastest submission in a black belt final. He now is primarily instructing other athletes at the FLO Mixed Martial Arts academy in Palatine, Illinois, near Chicago.
Comprido recently joined a growing number of people in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who are calling for the institution of drug testing in that sport to combat cheating. He particularly gained much attention addressing this issue squarely in his "Open letter to all practitioners of BJJ".
We spoke with Comprido Monday afternoon by Skype about his open letter and this important issue. He explained how he actually witnessed an athlete die from steroids during the 2000 Mundials. He believes that steroid use in jiu-jitsu is still a major problem, and he wants this martial art and sport cleaned up. We discussed why this is essential for the health of the athletes, for making the sport fair, and for setting an example for the youth. We discussed how the athletes, fans, media, and everyone else must speak up on this issue, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Labels: BJJ, Eddie Goldman, No Holds Barred, Rodrigo Comprido Medeiros, steroids
Sunday, April 10, 2011
No Holds Barred: Andre Berto, Victor Ortiz, Kristal Hart, Maidana-Morales Fight of Year Recap
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz about their fight coming up on Saturday, April 16, and recaps the surprisingly delightful and brutal battle between Marcos Maidana and Erik Morales on April 9.
Many observers expected a one-sided affair, and even a brutal beatdown, when slugger Marcos Maidana took on the aging but classical Mexican veteran Erik Morales in a junior welterweight fight on April 9 in Las Vegas. But as their battle ensued, it not only proved to be highly competitive, but riveting and dramatic as it advanced from round to round. With his right eye cut in the first round and then swollen shut, Morales managed to fight on and stay in the fight until almost the end. While Maidana, now 30-2 with 27 KOs, won a majority decision over Morales, now 51-7 with 35 KOs, this war was a genuine fight of the year candidate. We analyze the context of this fight, how it looked going in like another example of the kinds of fights which have stripped boxing of any credibility, and how it ended up becoming one of the most compelling if brutal fights of recent memory. And we compare it to the main events on the major mixed martial arts cards this past weekend.
This coming Saturday, April 16, there is yet another fight which could turn out to be a surprise to the skeptics and cynics, who are usually correct in their (and our) assessments of professional boxing. Unbeaten WBC welterweight Andre Berto (27-0. 21 KOs) will fight Victor Ortiz (28-2-2, 22 KOs), who is moving up from the junior welterweight division. This fight will take place at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut, and be shown live in the U.S. on HBO.
While Berto is the favorite, Ortiz, who once was touted by his promoters, Golden Boy Promotions, as the next big thing, is not happy with being viewed as an opponent. His loss to Maidana and draw with Lamont Peterson have removed him from consideration as an elite fighter, and that may serve as motivation for him to attempt to make a statement in what some consider a showcase fight for Berto. But Berto is highly confident as well, which may make for another week of a surprisingly competitive and thrilling main event in the major card in boxing.
We spoke with both Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz at the kickoff news conference for this fight in New York. We also spoke with Kristal Hart, who hosts The Kristal Hart Show in New York on Manhattan Neighborhood Network, about what to expect in this fight.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Labels: Andre Berto, boxing, Eddie Goldman, No Holds Barred, Victor Ortiz
