The Heavyweight Boxing Federation

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SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2002
LAREDO ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, LAREDO, TEXAS, USA

OPENING BOUT

HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Three
4(30) Tommy Morrison TKO6 6(46) Randy Stephens

PRELIMINARY 1

HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Three
5(38) Gus Dorazio UD6 3(22) Ibar Arrington

PRELIMINARY 2

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Six
6(91) Heinz Neuhaus MD6 4(59) James Tillis

SUPPORT BOUT

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Six
3(43) Bruce Woodcock MD6 5(75) Johnny DuPlooy

CO-FEATURE

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Six
2(27) Jack Gardner UD6 8(123) James Ellis

MAIN EVENT

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Six
1(6) Peter Jackson UD6 7(107) Bob Baker

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LISTON "ALIVE AND WELL", CONFIRMS TRAINER

Tuesday 26 February 2002

Willie "Red" Reddish, trainer of Heavyweight boxer Sonny Liston, has revealed today that the St. Louis-based slugger made contact with him on Monday afternoon.

Exactly one week since Reddish made it known in the pages of the St. Louis Courier that Liston was missing, the trainer was interviewed on a local sports news program and stated that Liston had spoken to him.

"He's alive and well," Reddish said. "He didn't want me to reveal where he has been, but he said not to worry about him. He's not in any sort of danger. He also said that he's been able to train much more effectively during the past twelve days."

The news that Liston - the #2 seed in the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's World Championship tournament - is okay will surely bring some relief to HBF officials, with Liston's next bout in the tournament scheduled to be held on Saturday the 9th of March in Scotland. The Arizona-born fighter is scheduled to fly out to Britain on Friday.

"Sonny guaranteed me that he'll be at the airport on Friday," Reddish said. "And I've got no reason to doubt him on that."

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OLYMPIC CHAMPION LEWIS VICTORIOUS IN
EAGERLY-ANTICIPATED PROFESSIONAL DEBUT

Tuesday 26 February 2002

Canada's Olympic Super-Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis made a convincing start to his pro career tonight, scoring a 5th round TKO victory over Joe Cox of St. Louis, Missouri.

Fighting in the Main Event of the opening fight card of the HBF's Canadian Boxing League, Lewis was never troubled in a dominant performance, one that showed he will be a major player in the coming years of the federation.

Lewis took each round quite easily against a game, though clearly out-classed, opponent. Cox showed a lot of heart, but really, his efforts were akin to throwing water against a brick wall and expecting it to fall. Lewis landed a total of 160 punches at 50%, while Cox managed 59 at 26%.

As those stats show, Lewis displayed an impressive defense, slipping and evading many of Cox's punches, the majority of which were left jabs. Cox used the punch to try and keep his bigger opponent at bay, but it was an impossible mission. Lewis was constantly pressing Cox, cutting off the ring, never giving him a moment's rest. It was an aggressive, overwhelming performance.

Cox tasted the canvas for the first time 1:49 into the fifth round. He was quick to rise, but might have been better served to stay down and recuperate for a few seconds. Lewis came in with merciless intent, finishing off his opponent in brutal fashion. A crushing uppercut, a sizzling right cross and a punishing four-punch combination were enough to convince referee Octavio Meyran to call a halt to the contest at the 2:36 mark of the fifth round.

"I don't think I could have made a better start to my career," Lewis said. "You know, it was a good workout. I'm happier with this, rather than, say, an early knockout. We got some rounds under the belt, and I'm very happy with the way I ended the fight. It feels like I've been waiting a year for this night, and now that it's happened, I really can't wait to get back in the ring again."

Indeed, Lennox Lewis has announced his arrival amongst the ranks of professional boxing in comprehensive fashion. Another name has been added to the already long list of potential future World Champions fighting under the banner of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation...

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THE CANADIAN BOXING LEAGUE UNDERCARD

OPENING BOUT

Bobby Halpern of the Bronx, New York, scored a split decision victory over Pennsylvania-based Canadian Jack Munroe. Surviving a 2nd round knockdown, Halpern went on to take the decision, 57-56, 56-57, 57-56.

PRELIMINARY 1

The second bout on the card made it Bronx 2, Canada 0 on the evening, with Carmine Vingo taking a unanimous decision over Joe Lannon. In a highly-charged bout, Vingo landed 198 punches to 141 on his way to a shutout victory, 60-54 on all three cards.

PRELIMINARY 2

New Brunswick's John Ferguson scored the first Canadian victory of the night. Coming against a fellow Canadian, it would have been hard to avoid. Ferguson defeated Montreal local Brett Ashby by majority decision, 58-56 (x2), 57-57.

SUPPORT BOUT

Lou Bailey of Illinois made the Americans a perfect three-for-three on the night when he took a hotly-disputed split decision victory over Toronto's Larry Gains, 58-57, 57-58, 58-57. Gains outlanded Bailey 120 to 98, but the bout featured at least two rounds that could have been awarded either way, and both of them went to Bailey.

CO-FEATURE

Another hometown favourite, Robert Cleroux was given a warm welcome to the Molson Centre arena, and he didn't disappoint. Cleroux dominated Florida's Tim Anderson, flooring him on four separate occasions and cutting him twice before taking an easy unanimous decision, 60-50 on all three cards. The strong and durable Cleroux, who made a late bid to be included in the Canadian Boxing League, is looked upon as a fighter who could really make things tough for the League's top seed Lennox Lewis. The two men will not meet until at least the tournament semi-finals, but it's much more likely that they'll clash in the final, when a shot at a World Ranking will be on the line. That could be a fascinating match-up.


SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
TUESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2002
MOLSON CENTRE, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA

THE CANADIAN BOXING LEAGUE


OPENING BOUT

(10) Bobby Halpern SD6 (6) Jack Munroe

PRELIMINARY 1

(9) Carmine Vingo UD6 (5) Joe Lannon

PRELIMINARY 2

(4) John Ferguson MD6 (8) Brett Ashby

SUPPORT BOUT

(7) Lou Bailey SD6 (3) Larry Gains

CO-FEATURE

(2) Robert Cleroux UD6 (11) Tim Anderson

MAIN EVENT

(1) Lennox Lewis TKO5 (12) Joe Cox

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BOXING FEVER GRIPS JOHANNESBURG
ON EVE OF ABL DEBUT

Wednesday 27 February 2002

The South African capital Johannesburg is abuzz with "boxing fever" just twenty-four hours out from the debut of the HBF's eighth feeder league, the African Boxing League.

Tomorrow night, the Carnival City Big Top Arena will host its second HBF fight card in thirteen days, following on from the card headlined by Gene Tunney back on the 16th. The African Boxing League has stirred up incredible excitement on the continent, with the #1 seed Ike Ibeabuchi of Nigeria being spoken of in glowing terms. But he's not the only one garnering attention. #2 seed Anaclet Wamba of the Congo is also expected to do big things in the league.

"We are really excited about tomorrow night," HBF President Vincennes said. "It's just been so incredible being here for the past couple of weeks, helping this league come to fruition. It's been probably the most satisfying thing I've done so far for the federation."

Indeed, the formation of the African Boxing League came about hot on the heels of the HBF's fight card on 16 February. In the days after that event, Vincennes spoke with government officials about the possibility of forming the federation's eight feeder league in Africa, with Johannesburg hosting the league's first card. His idea was met with an enthusiastic response, to say the least. That enthusiasm helped achieve a lot in a short period of time, including flying a quartet of "standby" boxers out from the United States to take part in the league.

The participation of Gene Tunney, the #1 seed in the federation's World Championship tournament, has been, in the opinion of federation president Vincennes, critical to the success of selling this new feeder league to the African people. Tunney has been tireless in his efforts, promoting the event in addition to devoting many hours to junior boxing development camps that the federation have been running during their extended stay in Johannesburg.

"It's been a real pleasure to be involved in this," Tunney said. "I feel very fortunate that President Vincennes had the faith to place this responsibility in my hands. It's a great compliment, really. But I can't take all the credit. Other guys like Earnie Shavers have really done their part, too."

Tomorrow night, Vincennes, Tunney and Shavers will be there at ringside when the African Boxing League stages its first fight card. It promises to be a great evening of boxing, a night that will bring a lot of satisfaction to Vincennes, Tunney, and every single person that has worked so hard during these past couple of weeks to bring the African Boxing League to life...

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MASSACRE IN QUEZON CITY!
JEANNETTE DESTROYS DEJOHN IN 37 SECONDS!

Wednesday 27 February 2002

It was brutal, it was efficient and it was quick.

Tonight, New Jersey's Joe Jeannette sent a shockwave through the ranks of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation when he knocked out Mike DeJohn of Syracuse, New York just 37 seconds into the opening round.

Decked out in a robe and trunks of white with black and light blue trim, the #11 seed in the World Championship tournament needed just six punches to score the quickest knockout recorded to date in the federation's short history. It was a single, sickening right hook to the ribcage that sent DeJohn crumbling to the canvas. He did not attempt to make it back to his feet, clutching at his ribs with a pained grimace on his face for the full count.

It was a fight that was in complete contrast to Jeannette's debut last month, when he had taken a tough unanimous decision victory over San Francisco's Al Kaufmann. Against DeJohn, Jeannette came out with bad intentions written all over his face, and that attitude obviously contributed in some way to the swiftness of the New Jersey slugger's victory.

"It's pretty incredible," Jeannette said after the bout. "Never expected to do anything like this, but I guess it's better to beat Mike this way than to spend six rounds punching him in the face. I just hope his ribs are okay, because that shot I landed ... that was just perfect. I spent a lot of time in training working on those body shots, so I guess it paid off."

Jeannette went on to express his gratitude to the people of the Philippines for the hospitality they had shown him and the federation during their stay in the country.

"I think it would really be a smart move for the federation if they stage some of the Asian Boxing League cards here. The people of the Philippines are just huge fight fans. They really treated us like royalty."

The #11 seed made a point to say hello to his family and friends back in New Jersey, including his parish priest Father Alfredo Ciccone. Jeannette also spoke of his excitement over his next bout, which will be held in his home state of New Jersey in five weeks.

"Yeah, Atlantic City. I really can't wait for that, man. It'll be somethin'."

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***

In the moments after his victory against Al Kaufmann last month, Joe Jeannette was full of compliments for his tough San Francisco-born opponent. To be exact, Jeannette had said the following:

"He made me work hard for the victory and, I tell ya, I really didn't think that he had a hope in hell of getting up from that knockdown, but he did. He's just a real tough kid. He's gonna cause some trouble during the tournament, just wait and see."

Tonight, those words would seem like they had come from the mouth of Nostradamus himself, as Kaufmann pulled off a major upset in the Co-Feature, defeating the #22 seed in the World Championship tournament, Johnny Summerlin, by majority decision. As a result, Summerlin became the first "2nd seed" in the tournament to lose a bout. The 2nd seeds had been undefeated (a combined 21-0-4) before tonight, but Kaufmann's inspiring performance brought that streak to a close.

What made it all the more extraordinary was the fact that Summerlin had been outstanding in his debut, where he had manhandled Mike DeJohn on the way to an easy unanimous decision victory. But Kaufmann wasn't going to let the Detroit-born #22 seed do the same to him. The Californian exploded out of the gates, ambushing Summerlin in the opening round. He looked absolutely fantastic, nothing like the 118th seed in the World Championship tournament. The second round was quite a subdued affair, before Summerlin fought back strongly in the third round to the delight of the Araneta Coliseum audience. But then, as he had done in the first round, Kaufmann won the fourth round in a big way, rocking the #22 seed with a number of damaging blows. Returning to his corner at the end of the round, Johnny Summerlin appeared perplexed. It seemed that, despite the Californian's performance against Jeannette, Summerlin had not expected or even planned for this kind of resistance from Kaufmann.

In the fifth round, Summerlin rallied again, fully aware of the danger he was in, spurred on by the fear of defeat. He unloaded a world of hurt upon Kaufmann, but the kid was still standing when the round ended. Summerlin knew that he would have to do the same thing in the final round if he was to have any chance of victory. But it was Kaufmann who showed that he was the hungrier fighter. With the round poised to go either way, and just 27 seconds left, the Californian dug deep one last time, his late rally probably responsible for two of the judges awarding him the round and, as a result, the fight. Kaufmann took the decision, 58-56(x2), 57-57.

The 19 year-old could not contain his jubilation in the moments after the decision. He had put in a terrific performance, outpunching his highly-fancied opponent 154-128, and in the process proving once again that, on any given night, the guys who supposedly have no chance in this tournament can cause a hell of a surprise...

THE QUEZON CITY UNDERCARD

Opening Bout

The evening started with an absolute barnstormer, as Amos Johnson of Medina, Ohio and Boston's King Solomon duked it out for six action-packed rounds. The audience gave them an extended standing ovation at the final bell, and could not complain when the verdict was announced: a majority draw. One judge gave it to Johnson, 58-56, while the other two scored the bout 57-57. It was, without a doubt, a qualifier for "Fight of the Year", with Solomon landing 159 punches at 62% and the more active Johnson 155 at 33%.

Johnson, the 14th seed in the 1st Defense tournament, is now 1-0-1, while Solomon (62nd seed) is 0-1-1. Solomon will surely take some confidence from his performance, coming against an opponent who was expected to have little trouble defeating him.

Preliminary 1

The #3 seed in the HBF's 1st Defense tournament, Fort Lauderdale's Oliver McCall improved his record to 2-0(1) with a comprehensive unanimous decision victory over Australia's Bill Lang.

McCall had said before his debut that the federation had made a big mistake when they declined to include him in the field for the World Championship tournament, and also stated that his opponents in the 1st Defense tournament would pay the price for what he considered to be a "personal insult".

Well, it seems like McCall's anger has not exactly been the destructive weapon he hoped it would be. Although his performance tonight was a vast improvement over his scratchy debut, there were periods when it appeared that Lang was out on his feet, yet McCall could not finish him off. The Australian was knocked to the canvas in the fifth round and again with just two seconds left in the bout. McCall did not lose a single round on any card, with each judge scoring the bout 60-52.

Even so, McCall appeared far from happy after the verdict, a scowl on his face that spoke of an unsated hunger. Some boxing commentators have said that the 20 year-old Florida native could prove to be an absolutely devastating force in the HBF, if he can reel in his anger. He has a passion and desire for success that is perhaps without peer in the federation, and many are salivating at the possibility of a Rocky Marciano - Oliver McCall match-up in the 1st Defense tournament final.

Preliminary 2

Omaha's Ron Stander received what many felt was a very lucky break when his bout against New York's Billy Daniels was declared a draw. It appeared to most that Daniels had done more than enough to take a unanimous decision, outlanding Stander 182-107. Daniels possesses a terrific left jab, and he used it to good effect throughout the bout. But Stander, although not as accurate, was just as active as Daniels, and his aggression seemed to hold more sway over the judges (well, two of them) than the relentless Daniels left jab. The final verdict was 58-57 (Stander), 59-56 (Daniels), 57-57.

Daniels was incredulous after the verdict, shouting some choice words of abuse at the judges and refusing to congratulate Stander. The New Yorker felt that he had been robbed and said so, calling the verdict "highway robbery."

In what must be one of the surprises of the tournament, Ron Stander (the #86 seed), with his record of 1-0-1, is now sitting in 2nd position in Group Eleven. Following on from his upset debut victory over the 38th seed Clarence Henry, tonight's draw with Daniels (#54 seed) has only given the Omaha fighter more confidence. He'll need it, because his next opponent is the #11 seed, Joe Jeannette.

Support Bout

In an All-Californian affair, Clarence Henry of Los Angeles took a split decision victory over San Francisco's Charles Horn. In what was, quite frankly, a boring bout, Henry did just enough in the early stages to negate the effect of being knocked down a minute into the final round. Henry by split decision, 58-55, 56-57, 57-56. Both fighters are now 1-1.

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SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
WEDNESDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2002
ARANETA COLISEUM, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES

OPENING BOUT

HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Three
2(14) Amos Johnson D6 8(62) King Solomon

PRELIMINARY 1

HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Three
1(3) Oliver McCall UD6 7(54) Bill Lang

PRELIMINARY 2

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Eleven
4(54) Billy Daniels D6 6(86) Ron Stander

SUPPORT BOUT

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Eleven
3(38) Clarence Henry SD6 5(70) Charles Horn

CO-FEATURE

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Eleven
8(118) Al Kaufmann MD6 2(22) Johnny Summerlin

MAIN EVENT

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Eleven
1(11) Joe Jeannette KO1 7(102) Mike DeJohn

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AFRICAN BOXING LEAGUE MAKES
SPECTACULAR DEBUT IN JOHANNESBURG

Thursday 28 February 2002

The final day of the month played host to the first fight card of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's eighth feeder league, the African Boxing League.

Held at the sold-out Carnival City Big Top Arena in Johannesburg, South Africa, the card was a great success. It featured some eye-catching performances, displays of skill and determination that confirmed the belief of HBF officials present at the event: the African Boxing League will be the most competitive of all the federation's feeder leagues.

The stand-out performance of the night came from a fearsome, hard-hitting Nigerian fighter ... named Omovo Okocha. Many were looking at this night as the introduction to the world of the man who is being regarded as Africa's great hope for success in the HBF, Nigeria's Ike Ibeabuchi. The #1 seed in the league earned his spot by putting on a head-turning display while sparring against the #1 seed in the federation's World Championship tournament, Gene Tunney. He was expected to come out in tonight's main event and show why he is the #1 seed, but Ibeabuchi's debut bout was, to say the least, eventful, and not for the right reasons.

By comparison, his fellow Nigerian Okocha was fantastic in the opening bout of the night, blitzing hometown favourite Jomo Motloung and winning the bout by TKO near the end of the third round. Okocha made as impressive a start as one can make to a professional boxing career, sending Motloung to the canvas with the first punch he threw seventeen seconds into the first round. It was a firecracker of a right uppercut that came from near the floor. Motloung was back to his feet by five, gazing at Okocha with absolute fear in his eyes. Motloung was able to survive the round by backpedalling and clinching, holding on for dear life as Okocha, perhaps trying too hard for the knockout blow, struggled to find his range.

Okocha kept up the pressure in the second round, showing a calmer, more controlled disposition and rocking Motloung with a killer right hook moments before the bell. Standing 6'4" and weighing 235, Okocha is an impressive physical specimen, but when he auditioned before HBF officials, they had not been absolutely sold on him. After two rounds against Motloung, it was made clear that he had been foxing in the audition, showing just enough to convince them to include him in the league and waiting for the international stage to show his true ability. Sitting ringside in the front row, HBF President Michael Vincennes and Gene Tunney could be seen talking excitedly, fascinated by the 20 year-old Nigerian's explosive start.

Motloung hit the canvas for a second time 1:14 into the third round, a perfect right cross putting him on his backside. He managed to beat the count, up at eight but looking like he'd had enough. The audience, 95% of them South African, were captivated by the Nigerian's skill and power, and they did not seem to be overly concerned about the fact that he was taking apart one of their countrymen. Motloung had nothing left, and Okocha stalked him around the ring. The end came when Motloung literally walked into a left-right combination and crumpled to the canvas. Gamely, he beat the count, but when referee William Conners asked him if he wanted to continue, Motloung did not respond, his eyes glazed over. Conners did not hesistate to call an end to the contest, and Omovo Okocha had won his professional debut by TKO at 2:50 of the third round.

***

New York's Stanley Drexxon, one of four American fighters participating in the ABL, scored a unanimous decision victory over Marien Nguesso of the Congo in the second bout fo the night. It was a tough contest, but Drexxon was just a little bit better in each round, flooring Nguesso in the fifth and taking the verdict 60-53, 59-54(x2).

***

The third bout of the evening would prove to be the highlight for the thousands of South Africans in attendance, as unfancied local boy Zolilie Letlake put on a performance that was all gritty determination to score a split decision victory over Egypt's Grantham Abdul-Kafar. After being absolutely pulverised in the first round, Letlake clawed his way back into the bout, with two of the judges awarding him three of the next four rounds. The extent of the turnaround could be summarised by a single statistic: Abdul-Kafar landed 58 punches in the opening round. In rounds two, three, four and five, he landed a combined total of ... 58 punches.

Going into the final round, the Egyptian wore a perturbed expression. Both men struggled as the round progressed, fatigue crawling over them with every punch. As the final seconds ticked away, it appeared that Abdul-Kafar had done enough to win the round, but an instant before the bell sounded, Letlake unleashed a left hook that ripped into the Egyptian's ribcage and sent him to his knees. The audience came to their feet as one, a howl of excitement flooding the arena. The final bell sounded and the fight was over, but the knockdown completely turned the round in Letlake's favour. Ultimately, and, quite incredibly, it won him the fight, 58-55, 56-57, 58-55. When the verdict was announced, Letlake erupted with joy, his trainer lifting him onto his shoulders and parading him around the ring to the applause of the partisan audience. Without a doubt, it was one of the more extraordinary victories seen so far in the Heavyweight Boxing Federation...

***

In an All-American contest, James Eldren of New Orleans took a unanimous decision victory over Delbert Craw of Mingo County, West Virginia. Eldren is a good friend of the #1 seed in the federation's U.S Atlantic Coast League, Harry Wills. Wills was in Eldren's corner tonight, just as Eldren had been for him in his own debut. When Eldren started fast, flooring Craw midway through the first round, it appeared that he might be in for an easy night. But Craw showed stubborn resistance from that point on, even winning a couple of rounds. But he was never able to seriously hurt Eldren, and the New Orleans fighter duplicated his friend's debut success, taking the decision 58-55, 59-54 (x2).

***

The #2 seed in the African Boxing League, Anaclet Wamba of the Congo showed some lightning fast handwork during his unanimous decision victory over Ghana's Charles Mbarga. Wamba used constant variety, throwing an array of different combinations and switching his attack from the head to the body at will. Mbarga gave a good account of himself, but just could not compete with Wamba's quickness. The #2 seed landed 185 punches to 107, and took the unanimous decision, 59-56 on all three cards.

***

Nigeria's Ike Ibeabuchi entered the ring at the Carnival City Big Top Arena with an air of confidence and self-assuredness. He left the ring simply happy that he hadn't been knocked out. The #1 seed in the ABL made a far from impressive debut tonight, showing to the world and (more importantly) his competitors a serious mental flaw in his make-up.

Ibeabuchi looked simply fantastic in the first four rounds. He was dominating his opponent, Roy Harris of Texas, to the point of toying with him. Through those opening four rounds, Ibeabuchi had landed 132 punches to 45. He had been close to finishing Harris off in the first round and also in the fourth round, when he sent the Texan to the canvas.

But then, something inexplicable happened. After absorbing four rounds of punishment, Harris started fighting back. And Ibeabuchi, appearing to taunt his opponent, started missing with his punches. Amazingly, in the fifth round, Ibeabuchi did not land a single punch. Harris connected with 46. The Texan continued his comeback in the final round, rocking Ibeabuchi on at least four separate occasions, to the delight of the audience. The two men finished the bout toe-to-toe, with Harris getting the better of the exchanges and looking like a world-beater.

Of course, Harris's extraordinary rally had come too late, and Ibeabuchi took the decision 59-55, 58-55, 57-56.

Interviewed soon after the bout, the #1 seed dismissed the concerns expressed about his late meltdown, but, without a doubt, there would have been ten other fighters watching Ibeabuchi's performance very carefully. The other top seeds, Wamba and Eldren, must have surely drawn some confidence from what they saw.

***

HBF President Michael Vincennes was delighted with the evening.

"I couldn't be happier," he said. "These bouts were beyond my expectations, they really were. Considering that we put this all together in two weeks, it's just amazing. I thought that this league might reveal a couple of prospects, but I have to say, I saw at least four in there tonight. I can't wait to see what will happen on this league's next card in five weeks."

Vincennes was asked about the venue for that second card.

"It's undetermined at the moment. We would love to take the league to some of the other African nations, such as Nigeria and Ghana. But we'll just have to see what we can come up with. The South African officials have told me that they'd love to continue hosting this league, so if we can't work something out elsewhere, there will always be that option."

And so, as of tonight, all eight of the HBF's feeder leagues have staged their first fight card. Action in the feeder leagues will resume in two weeks, when the U.S. Atlantic Coast and South-East Asian leagues (headlined by Harry Wills and Terone Haynes respectively) hold their second fight cards.


SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2002
CARNIVAL CITY BIG TOP ARENA, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

THE AFRICAN BOXING LEAGUE


OPENING BOUT

(6) Omovo Okocha TKO3 (10) Jomo Motloung

PRELIMINARY 1

(9) Stanley Drexxon UD6 (5) Marien Nguesso

PRELIMINARY 2

(8) Zolilie Letlake SD6 (4) Grantham Abdul-Kafar

SUPPORT BOUT

(3) James Eldren UD6 (7) Delbert Craw

CO-FEATURE

(2) Anaclet Wamba UD6 (11) Charles Mbarga

MAIN EVENT

(1) Ike Ibeabuchi UD6 (12) Roy Harris

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TERRELL CAPTIVATES WRIGLEY CROWD
WITH MASTERFUL DISPLAY

Friday 1 March 2002

Of all the fight cards that the Heavyweight Boxing Federation staged during their first four weeks of life, there was perhaps only one that they found some dissatisfaction with. It was the card held on 25 January in Lombardia, Italy, headlined by Chicago's Ernie Terrell.

Things just didn't seem to click properly while the federation was in Italy. It was obvious that the enthusiasm they had been greeted with in other international locales such as Japan and England was, for some reason, missing in Italy. Many speculated that it was the absence of local fighters on the card that led to the problems. Others simply went with the line that the Italians are not huge on boxing: football and motor racing were more their style. Still others claimed that the reluctance of Ernie Terrell to appear during promotions was to blame. A painfully-shy young man, Terrell was looked upon (correctly) as someone not blessed with an abundance of charisma. He was a quiet giant. The 14th seed in the tournament, his success in the tournament auditions barely registered in his hometown of Chicago. Some questioned the decision to expose him to the limelight by making him a #1 seed.

The fact that, when the Lombardia card took place, Terrell put in a comprehensive (if unspectacular) performance in winning his bout, almost seemed secondary. He spent six rounds pounding a left jab into the face of Los Angeles fighter Marty Monroe, landing a total of 233 punches which, at the time, was the most landed by any fighter in these HBF tournaments. But even that didn't seem to impress. The fact that Terrell, despite his size, is not a terribly powerful puncher, did not help his cause. He never looked like knocking out Monroe, even though he was totally dominating the fight.

After the Italian card, Terrell returned home to Chicago. He recently spoke of how, while on the plane as it flew back to the States, he contemplated what he would have to do to make himself more appealing and exciting to the public, especially the people of Chicago. He said that he wanted to be a hero for them, someone who could inspire them in their day-to-day lives. And so, in an attempt to sell himself, Terrell managed to get an audience with one of the world's most well-known Chicago residents, Oprah Winfrey. The appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and subsequent spots on a number of sports programs and talk shows, was just the shot in the arm Terrell's popularity needed. He was forcing himself to come out of his shell, to be more talkative and to let the world know more about the young man behind the boxer.

Terrell's publicity blitz led to a flood in ticket sales for his next bout, which would be held at the home of baseball's Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field.

That bout took place tonight, Terrell headlining the fight card at Wrigley and scoring another convincing victory to improve his record to 2-0. It was a more dynamic, adventurous effort that Terrell put forth in taking a unanimous decision victory over Argentina's Luis Firpo (99th seed in the W.C. tournament), 60-54, 59-55, 60-54. Terrell showed much more variety in his punch selection, actually connecting with more hooks than jabs over the course of the bout. He landed a total of 183 punches, compared to 52 for Firpo. Not only did Terrell show more aggression on offense, he also showed some impressive defensive skills. Firpo landed his punches at just 18%. And, unlike in his first fight, Terrell had his opponent in trouble on a number of occasions. It was only Firpo's stubborn resilience that kept him on his feet.

Clearly ecstatic after the bout, Terrell gave much praise to the audience for the great support they had shown him. He was overwhelmed that they had turned out in such numbers to see him fight.

"I'm doing this for all of you," Terrell said. "I love this city so much. This city is my home, and I want to bring the HBF World Championship to our city. That's my goal, and I'm determined to achieve it."

Terrell's words were greeted with thunderous applause, which the 18 year-old acknowledged with a raised hand. He went to all four corners of the ring and applauded the audience in return. When he left the ring, Terrell spent some thirty minutes signing autographs and posing for photos with members of the audience.

Indeed, it is great news that this young man, looked upon just five weeks ago as a talented introvert, has been able to win the hearts of Chicago fight fans. It will be exciting to see how far Terrell can go towards his ambition of bringing the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's World Championship to Chicago...

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THE WRIGLEY FIELD UNDERCARD

OPENING BOUT

Philadelphia's Curtis Sheppard was never troubled on his way to an easy unanimous decision victory over Englishman Charley Mitchell. Sheppard (27th seed in the 1st Defense tournament) lost a close unanimous decision on debut, while Mitchell (43rd seed) had managed an upset majority decision victory over the 19th seed Joe Choynski in his own debut.

Tonight, things would be very different for Mitchell, as Sheppard sent him to the canvas three times on his way to a 60-51(x2), 59-52 victory. Both fighters are 1-1.

PRELIMINARY 1

New York's John Lester Johnson improved his record to 2-0 with a unanimous decision victory over San Francisco's Joe Choynski. Both of Johnson's victories have been against fighters seeded higher than him, while Choynski, who fell to 0-2, has been defeated by two fighters seeded lower than him.

The Californian came charging out and dominated early in the first round, but Johnson sent him crashing to the canvas at the 2:14 mark. From that moment on, the 35th seeded New Yorker was in control, dropping Choynski (19th seed) for a second time in round four on his way to a 59-54, 58-55, 58-56 victory.

PRELIMINARY 2

Following on from his upset debut victory over Buffalo's Phil Muscato, Baltimore's Bert Whitehurst scored another win over a higher seeded fighter. This time, it was hometown favourite King Levinsky.

The 83rd seed in the World Championship tournament, Whitehurst has made a fantastic start to his career. His performance against Levinsky was simply superb. Despite showing some resistance in the middle rounds, the 51st-seeded Chicago native was never really in the bout, as Whitehurst overwhelmed him with aggression and power. The Baltimore native bookended his best efforts, with all three judges awarding him the first, second, fifth and sixth rounds. The final cards each read 59-56 in favour of Whitehurst.

The 6th seed in Group Fourteen, Whitehurst has been a great surprise and, at 2-0, he has created yet another situation (following on from Marciano-Slavin and Jeannette-Stander) where upcoming bouts between 1st and 6th seeds will be for the lead in the group.

Levinsky, disconsolate after putting on such a performance in his hometown, has fallen to 0-2.

SUPPORT BOUT

Upset by Bert Whitehurst on debut, Buffalo's Phil Muscato put up a much more convincing effort tonight as he took a majority decision victory over Portland's Amos Lincoln. Muscato (35th seed) was never troubled, landing 160 punches to 62 for a 59-55(x2), 57-57 decision. Lincoln had defeated Chicago's King Levinsky on debut, but with this loss to Muscato, he fell to 1-1.

CO-FEATURE

Louisville's Jimmy Ellis upped his record to 2-0 with a unanimous decision victory over Marty Monroe of Los Angeles. Ellis (19th seed in the World Championship tournament) had some big rounds, but despite this, Monroe was able to hang in there and going into the fifth, two judges had the fight all locked-up at 38-38. But Ellis was able to finish stronger, and each judge scored the bout 58-56 in his favour.

Like the top seed in the group Ernie Terrell, Ellis has been more-or-less untroubled in his opening two bouts. He stands five inches shorter than Terrell, but, like the 14th seed, he possesses a potent left jab. It appears certain that it will be a scientific battle, a chess match of sorts, when Terrell and Ellis clash in July.

[kenyan_cheena]

SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
FRIDAY 1 MARCH 2002
WRIGLEY FIELD, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA

OPENING BOUT

HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Six
4(27) Curtis Sheppard UD6 6(43) Charley Mitchell

PRELIMINARY 1

HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Six
5(35) John Lester Johnson UD6 3(19) Joe Choynski

PRELIMINARY 2

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Fourteen
6(83) Bert Whitehurst UD6 4(51) King Levinsky

SUPPORT BOUT

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Fourteen
3(35) Phil Muscato MD6 5(67) Amos Lincoln

CO-FEATURE

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Fourteen
2(19) Jimmy Ellis UD6 8(115) Marty Monroe

MAIN EVENT

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Fourteen
1(14) Ernie Terrell UD6 7(99) Luis Firpo

[kenyan_cheena]

JOHNSON SURVIVES OPENING ROUND ONSLAUGHT,
WINS BY KNOCKOUT IN THE THIRD!

Saturday 2 March 2002

The Heavyweight Boxing Federation returned to Japan with a bang today, as the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo played host to an eventful, dramatic fight card.

The #3 seed in the federation's World Championship tournament, Jack Johnson was hoping to get his campaign on track when he went up against the 110th seed, Pat Valentino of San Francisco. Johnson, a native of Galveston, Texas, had suffered a shock defeat in his debut bout against the Englishman Joe Beckett on the 26th of January, a result that shook up the federation and served as a warning to those who thought that the top seeds in the tournament would have it all their way.

The extroverted, gregarious Johnson, a favourite of the media ever since being confirmed as the #3 seed, seemed to go into hiding after that defeat. He wasn't heard from again publicly until an interview with espn.com's David Gomez last Monday. During the interview, Johnson spoke of his determination to "make history", stating that in fifty years, he would be looked back upon as the greatest HBF World Champion of all time.

Well, in today's main event against Pat Valentino, Johnson looked anything but World Champion material ... at least in the first round. In his debut, Johnson had weighed in at an unimpressive-looking 206 pounds (15 pounds heavier than he had been for the federation's October auditions). Tonight, he looked to be in much better shape, and tipped the scales at 199. That didn't matter to Valentino. He raced out of his corner and launched an impressive assault on Johnson, hurting the Texan early with a lead right, followed by a left hook and a straight right. Johnson immediately initiated a clinch, hoping for some precious seconds to clear his head. When the fighters were separated, Johnson tried to establish his jab, but Valentino was able to evade the punches and come back with a crushing uppercut that snapped Johnson's head back. The excited audience were on their feet, amazed by this incredible, unexpected start to the bout. Valentino came in close and tagged Johnson with another uppercut. The #3 seed backpedalled, a bemused expression on his face. Valentino came after him again, missing with a lunging hook. With the two men in a corner, Johnson wrapped Valentino up again. But then Valentino landed another damaging uppercut, Johnson leaning back on the ropes for support. There was still a minute to go in the opening round, but the #3 seed was simply trying to survive the Californian's furious attack. The majority of the audience seemed to be in Johnson's corner, and they shouted their encouragement. Like Elmer Ray before him, the Texan had done a wonderful job of enamouring himself to the Japanese public in the days leading up to the fight card, and they cheered for his success. Johnson spent the rest of the round either with his arms wrapped around Valentino, or backpedalling with pawing jabs, frustrating Valentino's attempts to blow him away. When the bell sounded to end t