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kenyan_cheena · 05-26-2007, 08:51 PM

INTRIGUING HBF MATCHUPS
ADD TO HUGE WEEK FOR BOXING

Sunday 21 July 2002

With the International Boxing League set to unveil the competitors for their World Championship tournaments tomorrow night in Las Vegas and a quartet of mouthwatering fight cards in the HBF, this coming week promises to be an absolutely huge one for the sport of boxing. The cards will conclude series six of the federation's World Championship and 1st Defense tournaments and there are plenty of interesting matchups.

The action starts tomorrow night in Atlantic City. The HBF would have been better served to schedule this event in a timezone where it won't clash with the IBL, but they've chosen to hold it in New Jersey and it's a card that features a fascinating main event between Georgia's Young Stribling and New Yorker Roland LaStarza. The native of the Bronx had tried to get under Stribling's skin for some time without success but made a big time breakthrough during last month's Staples Center fight card in Los Angeles. Both men traded punches backstage early in the evening, apparently because LaStarza had insulted Stribling's parents, who are also his trainers. It was the start of a terrible night for the Striblings as they went into meltdown before, during and after Young's bout against Frank Bruno, a contest he lost by split decision for his first career defeat. LaStarza was also beaten on the night, losing to the Canadian Earl Walls. It's entirely likely that the loser of tomorrow's bout will kiss goodbye to their chances of progression in the tournament. The Co-Feature that preceeds it between Walls and Bruno holds just as much importance and should be an entertaining tussle.

On Wednesday, the HBF will be back in Japan where Max Schmeling will attempt to get his campaign back on track against the undefeated Pennsylvanian Frank Moran. Schmeling was outfought and, like Stribling, fell to his first defeat last month at the hands of New Jersey's Steve Hamas. A loss to Moran could end the German's hopes of going any further in the World Championship tournament. Considering the fact that he is Europe's brightest hope for success, the stakes can not be overstated.

The federation will stay down in the Asian region for Friday's event in Australia, where the troubled Bostonian Jack Sharkey will attempt to remain in contention for a spot in stage two against Argentina's Oscar Bonavena. The card will be held at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and if Sharkey should fall to his third loss, he'll earn the ignominious tag of being the only top seed in the World Championship tournament to date to be mathematically eliminated from progression to stage two. Group Fifteen of the tournament has been one of the most exciting, even and competitive to this stage, with 66th-seeded Englishman Gary Mason currently sitting on top. He'll take on Florida's Tony Alongi in a bout where a win would seal an unlikely birth in stage two.

Finally, on Saturday "The Missouri Monster" Sonny Liston will step into the ring against Michael Dokes in Argentina. As has been widely reported in the past, Liston is planning to move permanently to Scotland once stage one of the tournament is complete and he's spent all but a few days over there since his victory over Charley Retzlaff on June 22. The #2 seed in the World Championship tournament will secure his place in stage two with a win over Dokes and many are predicting that it could be one of Liston's most destructive showings yet...

05-26-2007, 08:51 PM	#1231
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	INTRIGUING HBF MATCHUPS ADD TO HUGE WEEK FOR BOXING Sunday 21 July 2002 With the International Boxing League set to unveil the competitors for their World Championship tournaments tomorrow night in Las Vegas and a quartet of mouthwatering fight cards in the HBF, this coming week promises to be an absolutely huge one for the sport of boxing. The cards will conclude series six of the federation's World Championship and 1st Defense tournaments and there are plenty of interesting matchups. The action starts tomorrow night in Atlantic City. The HBF would have been better served to schedule this event in a timezone where it won't clash with the IBL, but they've chosen to hold it in New Jersey and it's a card that features a fascinating main event between Georgia's Young Stribling and New Yorker Roland LaStarza. The native of the Bronx had tried to get under Stribling's skin for some time without success but made a big time breakthrough during last month's Staples Center fight card in Los Angeles. Both men traded punches backstage early in the evening, apparently because LaStarza had insulted Stribling's parents, who are also his trainers. It was the start of a terrible night for the Striblings as they went into meltdown before, during and after Young's bout against Frank Bruno, a contest he lost by split decision for his first career defeat. LaStarza was also beaten on the night, losing to the Canadian Earl Walls. It's entirely likely that the loser of tomorrow's bout will kiss goodbye to their chances of progression in the tournament. The Co-Feature that preceeds it between Walls and Bruno holds just as much importance and should be an entertaining tussle. On Wednesday, the HBF will be back in Japan where Max Schmeling will attempt to get his campaign back on track against the undefeated Pennsylvanian Frank Moran. Schmeling was outfought and, like Stribling, fell to his first defeat last month at the hands of New Jersey's Steve Hamas. A loss to Moran could end the German's hopes of going any further in the World Championship tournament. Considering the fact that he is Europe's brightest hope for success, the stakes can not be overstated. The federation will stay down in the Asian region for Friday's event in Australia, where the troubled Bostonian Jack Sharkey will attempt to remain in contention for a spot in stage two against Argentina's Oscar Bonavena. The card will be held at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and if Sharkey should fall to his third loss, he'll earn the ignominious tag of being the only top seed in the World Championship tournament to date to be mathematically eliminated from progression to stage two. Group Fifteen of the tournament has been one of the most exciting, even and competitive to this stage, with 66th-seeded Englishman Gary Mason currently sitting on top. He'll take on Florida's Tony Alongi in a bout where a win would seal an unlikely birth in stage two. Finally, on Saturday "The Missouri Monster" Sonny Liston will step into the ring against Michael Dokes in Argentina. As has been widely reported in the past, Liston is planning to move permanently to Scotland once stage one of the tournament is complete and he's spent all but a few days over there since his victory over Charley Retzlaff on June 22. The #2 seed in the World Championship tournament will secure his place in stage two with a win over Dokes and many are predicting that it could be one of Liston's most destructive showings yet... Last edited by kenyan_cheena; 05-27-2007 at 07:41 PM.