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WHITTAKER LOOKS FORWARD TO PROVING HIMSELF IN SEPT 21 FIGHT AGAINST ROSADO

Georgetown, Cayman Islands - Junior middleweight Charles Whittaker hopes everyone underestimates his chances of beating Gabriel Rosado when the two collide Friday evening, Sept. 21, at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.

The winner of the scheduled 12-round contest will become the No. 1 contender and official mandatory challenger for IBF world champion Cornelius K9 Bundrage.

The Whittaker-Rosado bout is one of three to be televised Sept. 21 by the NBC Sports Network Fight Night series. The others: Gabriel Campillo, of Madrid, Spain, vs. Sergey Kovalev, of Chelyabinsk, Russia, 10 rounds, light-heavyweights; Ronald Cruz, of Bethlehem, PA, vs. Antwone Smith, of Miami, FL, 12 rounds, for Cruz’ WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Title. The NBCSN broadcast will begin at 9PM ET.

Whittaker, 38, of the Cayman Islands, has boxed under the radar during most of his 19-year career. His 38-12-2 record includes 23 knockouts, but he rarely has been in high-profile matches.

“This fight means the world to me,” Whittaker said. “I have paid my dues and ready to be number one in the world. After this fight I will challenge for the IBF 154 world title.”

Whittaker gained the No. 2 slot in the IBF ratings due to a pair of 12-round victories in his two most recent fights–over Keenan Collins, of Reading, PA, 14 months ago in the Cayman Islands for the vacant USBA junior middleweight title, and over Giorbis Barthelemy, of Cuba, last November, in Miami, FL.

Whittaker has beaten former world-title challenger Billy Lyell and he has lost to some of the best–Troy Rowland, Mikkel Kessler, Shannon Taylor and Hercules Kyvelos.

“There are some people who told me I would never make it as a professional boxer and I have proved them wrong,” Whittaker said. “When I step into the ring on September 21 it will be no different. I know Rosado will be game but I have the experience and I am hungry to win.”

Proof of Whittaker’s popularity in the Cayman Islands is the fact that Premier McKeeva Bush plans to attend the Sept. 21 fight in Bethlehem.

It has been a long and winding road to the top spot for Whittaker, who got into trouble as a youth in the Cayman Islands. Born in Georgetown, he later moved to West Bay and was placed in a Jamaican reform school.

He returned home to attend Cayman Island High School. After graduation, his cousin John Evans took Whittaker to the local boxing gym where Dalmain Ebanks became his first coach and mentor.

After a brief amateur career, Whittaker turned pro in 1993 and won a four-round decision over Larry Jarrett, of Lafayette, TN.

With few opportunities in the Cayman Islands, Whittaker headed for Florida and spent time in Hollywood at Angelo Dundee’s gym under the guidance of Joe Quinlan and Dell Cava, then moved to Pensacola and worked with Roy Jones. Back in Hollywood, he finally hooked up with Norman Wilson, who has been his trainer for the last 10 years.

A native Philadelphian, Wilson is a former US Marine and Dade County Public School teacher with over 40 years boxing experience. He has worked with Oliver McCall, Tony Tucker and Randall Bailey.

Whittaker and family members formed Knockout Productions, Ltd., a group which promotes Whittaker’s fights in the Cayman Islands with Whittaker in the main event. Longtime friend Raul Alvarez, of Winter Haven, FL, is matchmaker and advisor.

Rosado, 26, of Philadelphia, PA, earned the No. 3 slot in the IBF ratings this year with knockout victories over Jesus Soto-Karass, of Mexico, and over Sechew Powell, of Brooklyn, NY. The win over Powell topped the June 1 card in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the 2,000-seat Event Center at the Sands.

A pro since 2006, Rosado has a 20-5 record, 12 K0s. He has won his last six fights and also has defeated ex-IBF champ Kassim Ouma, of Uganda, and contender Saul Roman, of Mexico.

ABOUT SEPTEMBER 21

The Campillo-Kovalev and Cruz-Smith fights top a seven-bout card at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. First fight is 7.15 pm. Tickets priced at $130 (luxury suites), $80 and $55 can be purchased through the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922), all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000) or at the box office at the Sands Event Center (610-297-7414). Tickets also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com, www.SandsEventCenter.com and www.Ticketmaster.com. In Bethlehem, tickets are available at Deja Brew, Inc., 101 West 4th Street (610-865-2739) and at Pronto Insurance Notary, 232 East 3rd Street (610-419-6790). NBC Sports Network will televise the Campillo-Kovalev and Cruz-Smith fights, beginning at 9 pm. The card is being promoted by Main Events and Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with Sampson Boxing and the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.

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NBC Sports Network

“Fight Night”

June 16, 2012

Adamek – Chambers Press Conference

Chambers and Adamek

Photo Credits: Wojciech Kubik – Kubikfoto

Here’s what eveyone had to say:

Gary Quinn, Sr. Director, Program Planning and Acquisitions: “I come bearing very good news from the television side of this series. We could not be more pleased about the way we have started off this series, with the January and the March shows. There was some apprehension to be brutally honest about getting back into the boxing business, but all those fears are gone and the wonderful thing is that we can build more and more continuity. The ratings for the January and the March shows really exceeded our expectations. The nice thing about the March show is that everyone was saying . ‘Well nobody young watches boxing anymore.’ Well our strongest demo for that fight was men 18 to 34, so that’s a very key stat. We think Main Events and Peltz boxing built a very good buzz leading up to the fight, and we certainly appreciate all the support of the boxing community. We are also very happy to announce that we have added another date for our “Fight Night” series on September 21^st “.

Kathy Duva, CEO Main Events: “It’s funny, There’s no champion here, there’s no challenger, It’s a 10-rounder between two guys who are top five fighters and it’s sadly become a rarity in the heavyweight division. We hope to make that a much more common occurrence as we go forward with NBC. We are really pleased that this fight is going to be that kind of pick ‘em fight. If you look on the boxing websites you see the comments. One guy says I’m picking Chambers, the next guy says I’m picking Adamek, well that’s what makes a great boxing match. This is a fight that both guys are certain they are coming to win.

Photo Credits: Yvette Beshier, 1Lifeboxing.com

James Bashir, Chambers Trainer: “It is a breath of fresh air to be working with someone who wants to fight with the best. You couldn’t ask for a better match up. These are two guys who want it, two different styles clashing and two guys who are not trying to avoid anything in boxing. Ziggy (Rozalski, Adamek’s advisor) said to me earlier, ‘We were surprised that Eddie took this fight,’ and I said ‘Hmm, we were surprised that Tomasz took this fight!’ Not only does this fight do good for the fans, not only does this fight do good for the heavyweight division, this fight does good for boxing period! Boxing needs healing and these guys meeting each other at this level is great! It’s a great fight. It’s one of the most exciting fights out there. Mayweather and Cotto are getting ready to fight, but to me it’s a fight that should have happened five years ago. This fight is happening right on time. Both guys have met and been defeated by the Klitschko brothers and where else do you go but right back to the top by fighting the best in the division? So on the 16^th we are going to match wits to see who is the best guy to go back and meet the champions.”

Chambers, Jennings and Adamek

Photo Credits to Mike Gladysz

Eddie Chambers: “I really think this opportunity is great for all parties involved. It’s almost like back in the days when I was growing up, you had those three channels and you could still get the fights. We are starting to get that back, where everybody could see the fights. I think it’s great. I think you couldn’t have put two more classy fighters in the ring together -two fighters that are going to fight, similar styles, more action. I know Tomasz is going to have a lot of fans coming to support him, so please come out and support me!”

Eddie Chambers

Photo Credit: Jayson Colon/FightImages.com

Tomasz Adamek: “I am very excited to come back to Prudential Center. I want to give a good fight to my fans. I think for everybody this is a good situation, it is very close to my home and all my fans can come to see me.”

Tomasz Adamek

Photo Credit: Jayson Colon/FightImages.com

FIGHT INFO:

The June 16th NBC Sports Network Fight Night card at Newark’s Prudential Center features Tomasz Adamek vs. Eddie Chambers. Co-featured on the card will be Bryant Jennings vs. Steve Collins, Garrett, Indiana, 25-1,18 KO’s. The NBCSN broadcast will begin at 9PM ET. Prudential doors open at 6:00PM. The card is presented by Main Events in association with Peltz Boxing, Ziggy Promotions and Goosen Tutor Promotions.

Ticket priced at $254 ringside, $104, $79, and $54 available through Ticketmaster:online at www.ticketmaster.com; Charge-by-phone: 1-800-745-3000; Ticketmaster Express 866-448-7849; and Ticketmaster ticket centers. Tickets are also available at Prudential Center’s Box Office and www.prucenter.com.

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